My Dusty 71 GMCe Electruck

[Gregski]

and then I powder coated it again, and although this time it took, ie the powder stuck, it dried all dull ie matt instead of glossy

and I powder coated a door hinge at the same time and that dried nice and glossy like all the other parts, so I have no idea what is up with this saucer and honestly as long as it's black and protected from rusting I really don't care

[Gregski]

so big day tomorrow all this stuff gets bolted on

Electruck EV Conversion Update 2 Front End Rebuild / Disc Brake Upgrade

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by Gregski

so for those of you who know me, or have followed any of my other two truck builds, Rusty '74 and or Busty '54 you know that I like making lists, sometimes I even make a list telling me to make other lists, ha ha

so, here is a list of things I hope to learn (pronounced: "play with") whilst embarking on this project, simply put because converting a 50 year old truck to electric ain't difficult enuff

1. Media Blast (as in air compressor and media cabinet) - ✔

2. Powder Coat (using a electric kitchen stove/oven) and an Eastwood kit - ✔

3. Paint a car (ok Plasti Dip, but you get the idea) even if it's rattle can

4. MIG Weld aluminum (just bought a special spool gun for my Lincoln 140c)

5. Sow my own seat upholstery (huge ambition, and highly unlikely)

got to check off another item off da list

[72 tigger]

Always a good feeling to check a box

[Gregski]

happy to report the final assembly has commenced and with the help of two great new friends and forum members without whom there is no way I could have done what we did today, we got the trans mounted, the cab mounted, and the crossmember installed (we could not mount the control arms as I am still waiting on the rubber seals

Fun Level: 11.2

[SRU1436]

Coming together really nice, I’m enjoying the journey.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by SRU1436

Coming together really nice, I’m enjoying the journey.

thanks mate, I hope to have it start looking like a truck again real soon

[Gregski]

hope you all had a great fathers day, I got to go fishin' and here's what I found:

yup it's a 1" anti swear bar, and judging from the 8 lugs that appears to be a 3/4 ton Squarebody (couldn't tell what year) but the word on the street is that it could might work

Fun Fact: some of these are held on to the frame with brackets using 3 factory rivets and 1 bolt, other's using only two factory rivers and 2 bolts (the rivets have to be drilled out [ahem] in the field)

Fun Level: 2

Note: these trucks still use the 67-72 style lower control arms, how neat is that, tells you what a great and smart design they were

[Gregski]

now what's more better than one anti swear bar?

that's right two anti swear bars

this next one is fatter than 1" and came off of a GMC 2500 rig (I recall 10 years ago you could find half a dozen 1/2 ton short box trucks in the yard, these days you might find one or two 3/4 ton 8 lug long bed work trucks completely wrecked or stripped down)

by the way they was $45 bones each, not bad though the rubber is perished

[Gregski]

so then it was time to transfer all the dirt, grime, and rust off of these beauties and onto my face

first the 1 1/16th skinny bar (or at least that's what it calipered too, maybe that included a layer of dirt, grime and rust)

[Gregski]

wire wheelin' like a Boss !

[Gregski]

I believe when it comes to de rusting it take two to Tango, abrasives and acid

Prep & Etch Phosphoric acid from Home Depot (like all them fancy de rusting conglamorets at a fraction of the cost and works way better) used to be $5 bucks per gallon now it's like $20

also this is the new(er) California formula so no rubber gloves required (jk)

[Gregski]

then it was time for the big stick, cause I haven't decided which one I'm gonna run yet, any advice?

[Gregski]

a little before and after the dance of the wire wheel, then primer then paint, I like my rods silver and my sheets black

[Gregski]

and here are them brackets that are usually rivited to the frame rails, these will also get media blasted (I hate putting greasy bits in the media blasting cabinet as it gunks up the media) and then later powder coated

[Gregski]

hey I know let's check on those $3 dollar rubber seals that are holding up the project and preventing us from putting the control arms back on

how did that saying go again: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds"

[pjmoreland]

Looking good

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by pjmoreland

Looking good

thank you my brotha from anotha motha

[Gregski]

Anti Swaybar (pronounced: "Stabilizer bar") sizes according to Rock Auto

1-1/16 (in) (ah maybe I'm not crazy and my measurements were accurate)
1-3/32 (in)
1-1/8 (in)
1-3/16 (in)
1-1/4 (in)

that's it, where is Keith when you need him???

[Gregski]

yes the mind blowing excitement continues ...


[rant]
this stuff makes me think the next time you go to buy a truck or sell a truck and you or some dude want's $15K for it just pay it, or go ahead head over to Pick N Pull when it's 104° F out, in hopes of finding a donor truck, lay upside down on the gravel and drill out them rivets with your cordless and a stash of extra batteries, while the scorching hot metal shaving find their way down yer sleeve, throw in a few cuts and bruises and a solid head bump on the edge of that sharp front bumper.... I'll hold, ha ha
[/rant]

[Gregski]

also media blasted the other three hinges

[jimbosprint]

The larger sway bar will have less body roll when cornering. I would use that one.

[D.B]

Nice build and looking forward to seeing how this turns out. I have a question - Is the larger sway bar from the 1985 GMC 2500 a direct bolt up to the 67-72 trucks. I have a 72 C20 and would like to go to a larger bar but not want to pay the high cost for a new one. And I also do not want to drill any holes to make one fit.

[Gregski]

Originally Posted by D.B

Nice build and looking forward to seeing how this turns out. I have a question - Is the larger sway bar from the 1985 GMC 2500 a direct bolt up to the 67-72 trucks. I have a 72 C20 and would like to go to a larger bar but not want to pay the high cost for a new one. And I also do not want to drill any holes to make one fit.

thanks and funny you ask, I just recently put the '85 2500 frame brackets against my frame and noticed two things:

1. my '69 frame only has one hole on each side instead of two, a friend of mine tells me that yeah we will have to drill out the rivet that holds the very front small crossmember in place and use that hole for the second hole. I hope you follow that and it makes sense.

2. the 85 bracket holes don't align perfectly (maybe 1/8th of an inch too narrow and the bracket needs to be spread out just a tad) but is it because I am putting C20 brackets on a C10, or is it because I am putting '85 brackets on a '69 frame or is it because there is still a river in the way, or is it because the bracket may have been warped a bit???

feel me, just trying to help (and get motivated to drill out yet more rivets, lol)

[D.B]

Originally Posted by Gregski

thanks and funny you ask, I just recently put the '85 2500 frame brackets against my frame and noticed two things:

1. my '69 frame only has one hole on each side instead of two, a friend of mine tells me that yeah we will have to drill out the rivet that holds the very front small crossmember in place and use that hole for the second hole. I hope you follow that and it makes sense.

2. the 85 bracket holes don't align perfectly (maybe 1/8th of an inch too narrow and the bracket needs to be spread out just a tad) but is it because I am putting C20 brackets on a C10, or is it because I am putting '85 brackets on a '69 frame or is it because there is still a river in the way, or is it because the bracket may have been warped a bit???

feel me, just trying to help (and get motivated to drill out yet more rivets, lol)

Yes I understand. I would say I am feeling you but that just does not sound right.
Your friend is correct the rivet that helps hold the front crossmember brace on does have to be removed when installing a sway bar on a truck that did not come with one.
Thanks for responding back to me. Now I will look for a 85 GMS 2500 front bar. Since I am in Texas, the Land of trucks. Maybe I can locate one cheap.