Yet another GMC build

[solidaxel]

Originally Posted by OKGMC4

It's a junkyard fan. These Mark VIII / Tbird fans are popular because they are super powerful and cheaper than most aftermarket fans. And the fit is just crazy easy!

Is the schroud Tbird MarkVlll also ?

[OKGMC4]

Originally Posted by solidaxel

Is the schroud Tbird MarkVlll also ?

Yep. It's held in by 2 little bolts and slides right out. Takes about 5 minutes to remove at the boneyard. Just be sure to get the plug! I cut the 4 stock brackets that hang out to make it look better, and cut 3/4" off the back of the shroud to get more engine clearance (about 3/4" space between fan motor and water pump pulley). Then it just screwed on with a couple 1/16" aluminum strips. It is exactly the same width as my radiator. Couldn't be easier.

[Panelman55]

Thanks for the info. I think if I keep the stock "K" member I can use th e"OG" inline 6. I want to be different. I love the look of the inline and want something different than the 350/350 combo. I'm looking for a 84-87 c4 ifs so i can run 15 or what ever I choose.

[OKGMC4]

Been awhile. I had the wreck and since, I've done a ton of side work and when I had a slice of spare time I've often looked out in the garage and come right back inside and found other things to do as an excuse to avoid the truck. Just now getting a fire back under me 3 months later. I think I may be on track with skinning my passenger door even though it took me three tries to get it right. I guess you learn from mistakes but it would be nice to get SOMETHING right the first go round! My project for the day was to get rid of the seams on the GMC mustache. I've always been bothered by it being three parts so now I feel better. I'm trying to get the front sheet metal straight and lined up. Panel alignment on these trucks sucks.

[BC Toy chest]

WOW , I'm impressed, keep up the good work and keep the pictures coming.

[Kabwe]

Looking good man, keep up the good work.

[OKGMC4]

Been a busy few months with just a little extra time...worked on gaps on the doors and fenders and trying to get a new bed floor in. This bed is off an 89-96 Dakota. The Dakota bed is 78 3/8 long and I need 77 3/8, I just cut the extra inch off the front end. That put the center of the wheel well around 37", exactly where it needs to be on a TF truck. The measurements for the TF I came up with are 77 3/8 long by 50 1/8 wide. Looks like I'll be cutting the third rail back where it conflicts with my underbed tank, and reusing one of the stock rails.

[Kabwe]

Looking really good man. Really good.

[tantrumpipeline]

nice build, subscribed

[OKGMC4]

Didn't realize I hadn't posted in 4 months! The bed floor is pretty well done. I'm working out a parking brake system using Isuzu Trooper cables and a 1965 porsche 911 handle. I seem to be switching from bucket seats to a bench seat from a 77' Malibu because it looks better in the cab. I've built door and fender stands and I'm pushing like crazy to get the cab half ready enough to put paint on. (garage is so small I'll have to paint the bed separate) Oh yeah, and I finally heard my 5.3l run! It sounds really good open manifolds but my neighbors didn't really appreciate that at 9:30 at night. I own 3 cameras and can't for the life of me find one of them. At least there has been progress...

[Rods57]

looks good! I am thinking about the same bed floor, how did you attach it to the cross pieces? Did you need spacers? Any pictures would be great.

[OKGMC4]

Originally Posted by Rods57

looks good! I am thinking about the same bed floor, how did you attach it to the cross pieces? Did you need spacers? Any pictures would be great.

I reused one of the original cross braces. I had to relocate one of the dakota braces to clear my side fill gas tank neck. I reused the rear brace as well and grafted it into the roll pan/ bed/ floor. Two mounting points are holes drilled in the frame rails and two of them are mounted with brackets I made and welded to the outside of the frame. Sounds kooky but it worked.

[OKGMC4]

My plan for a seat for now. Got a Malibu seat for free and set it in the cab and it looked 20 times better than the buckets. Used seat brackets off an astro van (FREE) and they bolted up with NO MODIFICATION. While removing the astro seat, noticed a slide out hidden glovebox underneath. Using that as well (also free, have to thank my dad here, all my best stuff comes from his junk piles!)
The state requires a park brake so mine will be partially hidden under the seat. Porsche handle with isuzu and corvette cables fit the first time with no cutting. Don't know how that happened.
Trying to get ready for a full primer / primer sealer spray so I'm hanging panels and wishing for a larger garage.
Also working on a pod under the dash to mount A/C controls and maybe a power outlet for the oh so important phone charging.

[OKGMC4]

Got tired of block sanding (have I ever mentioned I HATE bodywork?) so I worked on something else. I know I didn't really need kick panels yet but I needed to know what to cut out and drill to get them to fit before paint. I used aluminum (they are junk signs from the hospital I work at and not road signs - I stress the legality here!) for the body and riveted old cork board hanging brackets to hook over the lip of the cab by the door. There will be one attaching screw at the rear. Some 3M spray adhesive and 1/4" foam and then more adhesive and some leather. Then in go the speakers and A/C vents.

[OKGMC4]

I sent some parts off to be chromed in Texas and they are done and should be here soon...

[Kabwe]

Looking great man, looking really good.

[hammerdog57]

Originally Posted by OKGMC4

Yep. It's held in by 2 little bolts and slides right out. Takes about 5 minutes to remove at the boneyard. Just be sure to get the plug! I cut the 4 stock brackets that hang out to make it look better, and cut 3/4" off the back of the shroud to get more engine clearance (about 3/4" space between fan motor and water pump pulley). Then it just screwed on with a couple 1/16" aluminum strips. It is exactly the same width as my radiator. Couldn't be easier.

Interested in fan and shroud. What years of tbird mrk111 work?

[OKGMC4]

On the mark it is 93-98
93-96 use p/n F3LY 8C607 A @ 245.80
The 93-96 spin 1100 rpms on low and 1850 on highspeed.
97's use p/n F7LZ 8C607 AB @ 196.23
98's use p/n F8LZ 8C607 AA @ 140.11
The 97-98 spin 1800 on low and 2225 on high.

T birds and cougars are similar on some years (I think the 4.6l cars) There are some that are single speed and some that are two speed. Mine has three wires and definitely works at two speeds.

[Kim57]

That stuff looks real nice.
Kim

[Rods57]

Originally Posted by OKGMC4

I reused one of the original cross braces. I had to relocate one of the dakota braces to clear my side fill gas tank neck. I reused the rear brace as well and grafted it into the roll pan/ bed/ floor. Two mounting points are holes drilled in the frame rails and two of them are mounted with brackets I made and welded to the outside of the frame. Sounds kooky but it worked.

Ok I bought a bed. this looks so good I am doing it. thanks for the pictures.

[ChuckDriver]

Wow sweet build! Please post more updates soon!!

[Russell Ashley]

Originally Posted by OKGMC4

On the mark it is 93-98
93-96 use p/n F3LY 8C607 A @ 245.80
The 93-96 spin 1100 rpms on low and 1850 on highspeed.
97's use p/n F7LZ 8C607 AB @ 196.23
98's use p/n F8LZ 8C607 AA @ 140.11
The 97-98 spin 1800 on low and 2225 on high.

T birds and cougars are similar on some years (I think the 4.6l cars) There are some that are single speed and some that are two speed. Mine has three wires and definitely works at two speeds.

Loving this build. That bed looks great, like it could have been factory. Nice work on the body and running gear. Definitely keep posting pics.

To add to the fan info, the latest Car Craft mag has a good article about those Mk 8 and Thunderbird/Taurus/Cougar fans. They cautioned that the MK8 18 inch fan pulls 40 amps at high speed and 28 at low spd. They recommend a 100 amp alternator when running one.

[OKGMC4]

Originally Posted by Russell Ashley

Loving this build. That bed looks great, like it could have been factory. Nice work on the body and running gear. Definitely keep posting pics.

To add to the fan info, the latest Car Craft mag has a good article about those Mk 8 and Thunderbird/Taurus/Cougar fans. They cautioned that the MK8 18 inch fan pulls 40 amps at high speed and 28 at low spd. They recommend a 100 amp alternator when running one.

I'd have to double check but I'm sure my 5.3l alternator is about 100A. It should work OK. The hard part for me will be to wire it to work with the ECT sensor AND the compressor.

[OKGMC4]

Originally Posted by ChuckDriver

Wow sweet build! Please post more updates soon!!

I wish I were moving faster but I seem to be in the repetitive business of spraying and sanding, and spraying and sanding, and spraying and sanding. I know my bodywork won't be perfect but I'm trying not to embarass myself when it's done. I have the body in various stages of 2k primer and sealer. I count 23 pieces that need paint on them and that aint happenin' in a 2 car garage all in one day sooo...I'm having to do this several pieces at a time. I just ordered the paint and clear and I'm trying like crazy to get color on it before it's too cold. I didn't order a blue like I wanted. Since this is my first paint job I decided to avoid metallics and pearls so it will be easier to shoot and later, to repair. That meant (to me) that all the good blues just went out the window. Not telling what color just yet, though....

[hotrod1]

Your alternator looks like 105 amp to me. Where did you get your taillight buckets? I like them.