56 GMC Aussie Style

[Red Foreman]

Thanks mknittle, how ya traveling with your GMC?

[dug224]

Loving the firewall work. You don't really realize he talent out there until you try to do something on your own truck and then review what all you guys have done. Nice. "Fixin'" to be a body man for the second time in my life. The first was in High School back in the '70's when I successfully painted a Porsche 914 rear deck lid with multiple layers of laquer. I have grown more patient so I should be able to pay attention for an entire paint job. Keep up the good work...dug

[Red Foreman]

Thanks Dug, I see yours is travelling along nicely!

Had to get custom headers made at a local exhaust shop, unfortunately I couldn't use the original cast manifolds which I would of preferred. Due to them dumping directly into the Camaro crossmember, I wasn't able to get the 348 back enough into the firewall, I was kinda out by about an inch.

Also Jonny my welder mate came to the rescue yet again & built me a 30 gallon stainless fuel tank, its hard to see in the picture but the original sender is also fitted which saves me playing with gauges.

My next step is playing around with an throttle pedal & cable & handbrake set up which OrrieG has given me an idea with.

[Kim57]

Looks real nice.
I love the 348/409s.
Kim

[Red Foreman]

Heres a few more random pics.

[Red Foreman]

Originally Posted by Kim57

Looks real nice.
I love the 348/409s.
Kim

Thanks Kim, good to see you got your transmission sorted & back on track!

[Red Foreman]

I finally started on the wiring still in early stages. I'm really happy I went with the AAW kit, I must say its not as intimidating as first thought. Very simple to do but its all about laying it out, making it flow & look neat.

I mounted the fuse panel on a brace in between the pedal box & the 'shh' camry park brake mechanism.

[Red Foreman]

Also sat the tub back on, I'm so happy with the way its sits with stock leafs & axle flip but I'm tipping it may settle a up to a inch more with the bed wood & full tank of fuel. Even wifey got a kiss for helping out.

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by Red Foreman

Also sat the tub back on, I'm so happy with the way its sits with stock leafs & axle flip but I'm tipping it may settle a up to a inch more with the bed wood & full tank of fuel. Even wifey got a kiss for helping out.

Truck is looking good Red! I really like the "W" engine

[Kim57]

Looks real nice.
Kim

[_Ogre]

truck is coming along red
looks good

[Red Foreman]

mknittle, Kim57 & Orge thanks heaps for the comments. I thought I would ad a before & after axle flip pics. Hopfully the rear bumper will hide most of the tank?

[OrrieG]

Digging the 348, I have always loved the valve covers over the "porcipine" valve arrangement.

[Red Foreman]

Thanks Orrie, gee its really cost me alot to go with the W in regards to cost of rebuilding, bracketry, exhaust etc... considering I had a few small blocks laying around. Here's a close up for you, I just hope it runs fine without any issues. Ps thanks for the tip on the park brake set up, I got from your build, I found a Toyota set up that worked a treat.

[Kim57]

That engine sure looks sweet.
Kim

[Katrina/10]

:

[Red Foreman]

I got my hands on a set 67 c10 rims a while ago, I like the cleaner appearance of the later 60s rims & I don't plan on using caps. Two were mint while the other pair were damaged so I had the centers fitted into new 7" rims for use on the rear. After sand blasting I had them painted in off white, Tyres are 215/75 & 235/75/15.

Also lifted the bed back off due to the tank being in the way to assemble the bed wood.

[Red Foreman]

Pics of the bed wood I had made which is Tasmanian Oak, I prepped them with marine varnish.

[OrrieG]

That is really nice wood, love the color and grain.

[Kim57]

I like a nice clean steel wheel.
The bed wood is really nice.
Kim

[mknittle]

Looking real nice Red.

[shadow1967]

Good Looking truck.

[_Ogre]

bedwood looks good
was it hard to keep the tasmanian oak on the table saw?

[Red Foreman]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

That is really nice wood, love the color and grain.

Originally Posted by Kim57

I like a nice clean steel wheel.
The bed wood is really nice.
Kim

Originally Posted by mknittle

Looking real nice Red.

Originally Posted by shadow1967

Good Looking truck.

Originally Posted by _Ogre

bedwood looks good
was it hard to keep the tasmanian oak on the table saw?

Thanks Guy's for the comment's, I really ment that I had the Tassie oak boards machined up by a old timer cabinet making friend of my dads.
Orge, just to clarify there were no Tasmainians hurt in the process

I thought I'd ad a pic of a touch of nostagia that I added to the rear window.
I purchased this vintage early 70s Sig Erson water decal on ebay. I wasn't confident enough to fit it myself thinking that i'd kill it so I had a good friend Mick (another board member) have a shot. Well it ended up falling apart & while I was pulling my hair out he pieced it together. It all worked out well as it looks like its been there for 40+ years.

[Red Foreman]

The wheels are on & tub is now bolted down with the new bed wood for good I hope, Beau my 15 y/o son started giving it a bit of a polish.

I also had the original bumpers re-chromed, the stainless spill tray around my fuel filler is a dress trim used on CJ model Jeeps, it worked a treat!