The Hawaiian Blue 1978 GMC.

[HunterRotten]

Hunter's 1978 GMC Build

So over the last couple of weeks I sucked it up and finally got around to getting my cylinder heads. The thought of spending so much in one purchase kinda made my stomach churn. Anyways.. just about one year after we got the big block it's pretty much done! What I saved on used eagle rods, used crane rockers, and the 88-98 serpentine was ate up with a roller cam and aluminum heads but dang, my block has come some ways since day one! Here's some pics from day one and after some time being tumbled.

And here's what we got done the last few weekends.. I got the serpentine brackets off of my dads old v6. He used to have a pretty cool 1990 chevy he dug into and swapped the engine out. I got some brackets from a company called kwik performance. ( http://www.kwikperf.com/bbc_serp_kit.html ) They make everything you need, including an adapter so that you can use a sbc crank pulley. (big block ones are hard to find and are expensive, apparently.)

Seems like I bought my distributor ages ago. It was my first purchase and the outcome after I had my first break down.

[HunterRotten]

Hunter's 1978 GMC Build

He's going to wonder where I found this photo at, but here's his old truck since I brought it up in the last post.

I was kinda salty when he sold it but I was like 7.

[HunterRotten]

I got the engine and trans in today, I'll get my pics organized sometime this week and share

[moregrip]

Originally Posted by HunterRotten

Hunter's 1978 GMC Build

So over the last couple of weeks I sucked it up and finally got around to getting my cylinder heads. The thought of spending so much in one purchase kinda made my stomach churn. Anyways.. just about one year after we got the big block it's pretty much done! What I saved on used eagle rods, used crane rockers, and the 88-98 serpentine was ate up with a roller cam and aluminum heads but dang, my block has come some ways since day one! Here's some pics from day one and after some time being tumbled.

And here's what we got done the last few weekends.. I got the serpentine brackets off of my dads old v6. He used to have a pretty cool 1990 chevy he dug into and swapped the engine out. I got some brackets from a company called kwik performance. ( http://www.kwikperf.com/bbc_serp_kit.html ) They make everything you need, including an adapter so that you can use a sbc crank pulley. (big block ones are hard to find and are expensive, apparently.)

Seems like I bought my distributor ages ago. It was my first purchase and the outcome after I had my first break down.

talk about a night and day situation, engine is

[HunterRotten]

I know, right? It was only worth saving because of the free access to machines and equipment I was lucky to have.

[cruizin01]

awesome build

[HunterRotten]

It was a really exciting and productive day last Sunday!! I'm excited. Next on the list is to test out some Chinese headers (Lol.. $60.00 for a set of stainless big block headers, I thought I'd try it.)

Oh yeah, and the new holley sniper unit I've had sitting in a box for a good while..

[HunterRotten]

Looking for some replacement wiper motor bolts, anyone know where I can get some? Trying to clean out these boxes of new parts out of the basement.

[cruizin01]

Originally Posted by HunterRotten

Looking for some replacement wiper motor bolts, anyone know where I can get some? Trying to clean out these boxes of new parts out of the basement.

I just had to go in search for some.

I believe they were #8-32 bolts. I found some at Menards. They were philips head bolts but had a big enough head to work fine. I cant remember the exact length. Maybe 1-1/2" or so.

[jkk]

Looking good nice work

[HunterRotten]

Thanks guys, haven't gotten a whole lot done in the last week+. Just after hour piddling around with small things like putting an alternator on.

My bed should be painted soon, I brought home the doors recently...

[HunterRotten]

Hunter's 1978 GMC Build

It's been just a bit since I've updated last. Combination of lazy and a phone cord so sensitive that if I took a breath across the house it'd stop transferring files kind of prevented me from updating.

Anyway, let's skip back 3 months! About immediately after the last post I got a set of stainless eBay headers using one of those eBay discount codes. (If you have the app they sometimes have coupons to use on ANYTHING for like 20% off.) I think I paid $60.00 for them and they shipped out of California pretty quick.

Long story short, they didn't fit. Didn't clear the starter, didn't clear the frame rails. I let my dad beat the hell out of them. If anyone wants them to try, come get'm. The welds and finish on them was great, truthfully. They just didn't fit.

One day wasted... beating on the headers.

You can see here where I had clearance issues. I actually ended up getting a mini starter because of these things. Anyway, treading on...



One bashed header.



Two bashed headers.

Looked pretty, though!

[HunterRotten]

Hunter's 1978 GMC Build

Oh yeah, and I got my doors back from the body shop! Woohoo!

[TKCR]

Sweet!!!

[moregrip]

Man that blue is a good looker! I'm surprised at how much I like it! Well Chosen!

[HunterRotten]

Thanks for the kind words, and yeah.. I agree! It's looking real good. I'll be updating again tonight.

[jkk]

Nice looking truck

[Wraith]

Just read the entire thread, nice work!

[HunterRotten]

Hunter's 1978 GMC Build

Thanks for all the kind words and compliments, guys! For about a 2-3 weeks there was a whole lot of piddling. Installing alternator, measuring for serpentine belt, working on wiring for 25-30 minutes a night so I don't have too many photos. I spent a lot of the time dreading over header cost and doing research to see what fit a lowered big block truck.

The gold sniper unit sure does look pretty on it's 1" spacer.

[HunterRotten]

Hunter's 1978 GMC Build

Soooo.. when it came down to finding a set of headers, I ultimately decided on a set of Sanderson BB8's. I got them from summit and they arrived within 36 hours to my door step. There was a bit of clearance issues on the passenger side on the motor mount and with the pipes I have at the moment, header buddies weren't really an option. The motor mount was clearanced and all was well. I had gotten a snapon bluepoint tool off of ebay to expand exhaust tubing. After breaking the bolt that came with it and a couple of OE big block head bolts, we figured out you need to be patient or things kind of explode.

[Bluestep]

It is good to see your pickup going back together! It looks great.
Your belt is routed slightly incorrectly. Right below the a/c compressor the belt should be on the other side of the idler pulley, in other words the back of the belt should ride on the pulley.
Keep crankin'!

[HunterRotten]

Originally Posted by Bluestep

It is good to see your pickup going back together! It looks great.
Your belt is routed slightly incorrectly. Right below the a/c compressor the belt should be on the other side of the idler pulley, in other words the back of the belt should ride on the pulley.
Keep crankin'!

It looked funny to me too, but if I do it the other way it wanted to touch the lower radiator hose. Not sure what's up with that, seen a diagram for both ways on trucks online. Mine's an earlier serpentine bracket so it should be the way as you mentioned, with the later ones being the way mine is set up. I will say that I have the MOST annoying squeak from that pulley.....

http://www.kwikperf.com/bbc_serp_kit.html

[cruizin01]

I like those headers. Probably have to do that with mine when I swap them.

[layinrocker65]

Could you possible post a few pics of how the lines for the a/c are ran in the engine bay? Curious how Vintage Air runs them. Thank you

[HunterRotten]

Originally Posted by layinrocker65

Could you possible post a few pics of how the lines for the a/c are ran in the engine bay? Curious how Vintage Air runs them. Thank you

I'll get some pictures for you, mine's going to be a little different than typical because I am using the aluminum serpentine brackets off of a 1990 model Chevy V6, which moves the AC compressor to the passenger side. It's typically on the driver side. I also crimped my own lines with a mastercool line crimper I purchased second hand on eBay.