'89 GMC C1500 build thread

[69c10stepside]

Picking up axles tonight on my way home from work, going to buy wheel cylinders and hopefully get all of that done Saturday.

[69c10stepside]

Making slow progress.. Rearend has been installed. The overall dimensions of it were around 2.5 inches wider then the stock 10 bolt. That obviously caused me to think I was going to have some issues.. I had to put the bed on to make myself feel better about how it was going to turn out and I am pleased. The wheel sticks out just a bit past the bed.. Reminds me of the 295/50/15s I used to run in high school..

So while I have the bed on, time to get the fuel cell mounting and wiring done before I take it all back off.

[89chevsj]

bump. anyone especially you mister thread owner. wanna share some insight on doing gauges like that?

[69c10stepside]

What kind of insight are you looking for? Only update that I really have is that it is too hot to do any work on this thing, but I did get the car pc/touch screen setup I was wanting to do. I will get some pictures of that before too long.

[89chevsj]

how'd you wire them. and what did you use as the mounting plate (the black piece the gauges set into).

[69c10stepside]

Updates, anybody want a sliver of an update? Yes I am still around.. Wife had baby number three last month and with all of the 100+ degree heat kind of made me not want to work on anything outside!

Here are a few updates..

All body work on driver/passenger side done, getting ready to prep for primer. Fixed holes on the top of the cab from previous owner cell phone antenna.. Also working on removing the cargo light.

Rear suspension showing the 14bolt in place..

Picture of the interior showing the touch screen I am going to mount in the dash where the factory radio/ac controls would have been for the 95-98 year model. I have to cut the plastic inbetween where the radio and ac control is at, but that shouldn't be a big deal. The screen looks to be a near perfect fit, hope to get it installed this week.

[69c10stepside]

Here is another low quality picture.. I roughed the screen in today, will have to build something around it to get it to true up the way I want it too, still have to work on getting the plastic trimmed..

[89chevsj]

thats gonna be sweet!

[69c10stepside]

Redid the bracket holding the screen. Took an aftermarket radio adapter (for the 1.5 din to 1.0 din size) and cut it down to hold the bracket for the screen. Still have to trim it out, but it is so much more stable then the bracket setup I had in place before, and it is going to be easier to move in and out for wiring it up.

[69c10stepside]

Nothing more to report on body work for the pickup. Had knee scope done two weeks ago, and fighting some kind of sinus/chest congestion... Those two added up keeps me from doing a lot of things I want to in the shop. I did get in a new summit racing aluminum radiator, bought a dual electric fan setup, a replacement 180 degree thermostat (and some more motor parts but those are for the '72). Anyways just a small update as I haven't said much lately.

[atomichoe094]

Nice build man! love the hood. any more progress?

[69c10stepside]

No, no real updates.. Still ordering odds and ends for it since cold weather makes it hard for me to do body/paint work.

I am trying to decide if I am going to order a Spectre Performance 765 air cleaner setup for it at this point in time.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SPE-765/

[atomichoe094]

are you trying to make the hood functional at all?

[69c10stepside]

I had ordered the keystone ram air kit for it at one point in time to make it functional, but it was just a cold air intake kit by the time it got to me (all it actually was to begin with). It is open at the scoops, so i figured that the air cleaner I listed might actually let some air in with it..

[69c10stepside]

Installed my radiator tonight, still working out the top mounts but it is going to work. If you notice, the electric fan is off to the driver side more so then the middle. It is because I am going to be mounting a separate fan on the front for the a/c.

Some time ago I bought a 180 degree thermostat to put in when I did my radiator swap. I went to use it and I found out the big nasty secret of these later engines. Apparently I have an OEM Replacement water pump installed, since the housing I have can have the thermostat replaced. I had bought one that was listed as what I needed (since I didn't have any idea of the replaced water pump) and the thermostat came as a complete non replaceable assembly. These assemblies are not compatible with the waterpump I have (the housing is larger around where the actual thermostat springs etc is at).

With all that said, I will try to get pictures of the differences. I went to a local parts store and bought a replacement thermostat for my housing, since I could replace mine.

[69c10stepside]

I will get pictures tomorrow, but almost all of my underhood wiring is complete now. I put what I had already done in wire looms along with everything new that the fans brought on. The next big wave of wiring is going to be the Voodoo car pc / monitor / amp (which I haven't found a good 4 channel amp to buy yet yet) and gauges. I might even go as far as wiring in my neutral safety switch and backup lights for the b&m shifter. I still have to finish trimming out the monitor for my car pc in the dash, and figure out what I am doing with the steering column. I will post good pictures tomorrow.

[69c10stepside]

Camera is broke, can't use the new one yet since I have it wrapped up for the wife still. Here are the best pictures I could get of it with my crackberry. I am going to clean polish/paint the rest of the aluminum brackets off of the front of the motor and probably do the same treatment to the valve covers.

I don't like the look of this air cleaner, but it is all I have spare at the moment and really don't want all of the sanding dust to get in the carb

Having all of the wires loomed and routed more effectively makes for a cleaner look now I think!

I am not used to the aluminum radiator and its finish. I really want to paint it a flat black or something.. Anybody else ever feel that way about one?

[atomichoe094]

very nice! Not sure if your stated this somewhere. what are you doing with the computer on running a ls motor with a carb??

[69c10stepside]

This is very much a carb'd motor The ignition control box is the red msd controller in the pictures on the driver side of the firewall, msd-6010.

I think I might have missed the point of your question the first time around. Are you talking about the carpc that I am going to be hooking up to the msd controller? Otherwise, there is no other computer hooked up in the pickup (besides the MSD box).

[69c10stepside]

One big push before the weather went completely out the window turned out something worth while (for the most part). With it being nearly 64 degrees today, light wind, and some good sunshine, got the cab/fenders/hood painted. No bed (haven't started bodywork on it yet) paint or anything.

Did get some runs on the passenger side cab around the extended cab glass, but it can be painted again. Had to get to the painted stage, pickup has to roll out of the shop to get some engine swaps and other things done on some semi's.

Anyways, good day today, get to see it in one solid color for the first time in a while. Be happy to get all of the masking paper and everything else off (and the hood on) to see what it looks like. At this point I dont care what condition the paint is in, just ready to drive it!

[atomichoe094]

dont rush yourself man. Bad things happen when you try and just get everything together. When i painted my truck, i wish i would of spent just one extra day priming and blocking it down to 600 instead of 400.. live and learn i guess

single stage or base clear?

[69c10stepside]

acrylic urethane, bought it from summit. I didnt have much choice but to rush it, hate it when life happens to the point where all you have worked for has to get rushed at the end.

It doesn't bother me that parts of it have to be reworked, at least it is somewhat presentable now I should have block sanded it down more, but I might save all of that hard work for the 72. Still dont know how well everything else will hold together once I get it on the road, might be some short lived bodywork anyways!

[69c10stepside]

Trying to decide on front look.. Thinking about a 94-98 style grille with out the middle surround chromed. Thinking about a black one with the polished 30 bar style insert?

[jb1016]

Originally Posted by 69c10stepside

Trying to decide on front look.. Thinking about a 94-98 style grille with out the middle surround chromed. Thinking about a black one with the polished 30 bar style insert?

30 bar, the one that sits flush with the grille shell...these are really tough looking. That would get my vote.

[69c10stepside]

Originally Posted by jb1016

30 bar, the one that sits flush with the grille shell...these are really tough looking. That would get my vote.

You might have to point me to a picture/page showing which one you are talking about.