1970 Project Build

[Johnnyfever]

Looks great. I agree about the dimmer switch, I fought in my head about figuring out a way to keep it, but the floor switch is the best and simplest way to go on this conversion without a lot of mods to the dash. The actuator rods just get in the way. At least you get tilt, wiper control/delay, and cruise controls out of this mod - plus a pretty solid shift improvement over the old steering column.

[bonnieclyde100]

Originally Posted by Johnnyfever

Looks great. I agree about the dimmer switch, I fought in my head about figuring out a way to keep it, but the floor switch is the best and simplest way to go on this conversion without a lot of mods to the dash. The actuator rods just get in the way. At least you get tilt, wiper control/delay, and cruise controls out of this mod - plus a pretty solid shift improvement over the old steering column.

yes to all that especially the shift improvement i just need to come up with a gear indicator of some kind

[Johnnyfever]

I took a little time off the truck, but I have finally started back. I have worked to get the tailgate in good condition and then started on the bed sides. I have almost decided to get new sides from Auto Metal Direct. That may happen this Friday.

[Johnnyfever]

And then I bought another truck. A 1953 3600 5 window. What am I thinking!?!?!?!?!

[Mustard72]

Sweet old truck!

[Johnnyfever]

I've been away from the truck for a while, but I just ordered new bed sides from GMC Paul. I'm about to be in the final push to get this truck out of the shop and on the road. I sold my other bed sides. Decided that I didn't want to be overwhelmed with all of the metal work/body work. Updates and pics to come.

[Johnnyfever]

A new shipment arrived from GMC Paul a few weeks ago and it's time to get started. I'm going with a slightly altered tilt tail light fuel filler setup similar to HuggerCST.

[Johnnyfever]

It's a little tough to start modifying a brand new part after spending so much money on it, so I started with the "gas-hole" bracket. I'm trying to hide my "gas-hole" behind my driver's tail light. I picked the idea up from HuggerCST, but I wanted to lower it and use the no-cap filler from a late model Ford. It's tough coping with a Ford part on my Chevy, but I think it's for the greater good.

[Johnnyfever]

So I decided to buy bed floor patches, and in hindsight I would like to save everyone else the trouble. I'm just glad I didn't have to pay the ridiculous shipping charge for them. I'll be returning them Friday. The don't fit at all and would require way too much welding to make them fit. I guess I'll have to find a bed floor somewhere or good patches. Anyone in Northwestern SC, Northeast GA, or Southwestern NC have a bed floor that they would like to sell?

[Johnnyfever]

With the patch panels loaded back in the car to return on Friday, I hit craigslist and picked up a nice long bed a few miles down the road. Floor was pretty solid, but a little warped from years of cargo being thrown into it. Pretty simple repair with a 5 lb hammer and a 2x2 piece of tubular steel pipe. I've already been there done that.
So, next was your typical 8 inches out of the rear portion of the bed floor and 12 inches out of the front.

[Johnnyfever]

Once all of the cuts were made I decided to cheat and put the new cut long bed upside down on top of the factory short bed to make sure the alignment was together. Then I bolted them together with half inch bolts and started welding into the night. Bed assembly tomorrow morning.

[Johnnyfever]

After the bed was shortened, I wanted to coat all of the overlapping parts of the bed and the entire bottom of the bed with POR-15. So I painted on into the night after a long day of welding and grinding.

[Jhancock]

What type of paint is that black paint you are brushing on. Very nice truck btw hope mine turns out half as nice

[Johnnyfever]

Originally Posted by Jhancock

What type of paint is that black paint you are brushing on. Very nice truck btw hope mine turns out half as nice

That's POR-15. You could also use Rust Bullet. I just wanted to make sure I had the overlapping portions of the bed well coated since I'm using Southern Polyurethane's spray in bed liner.

[Johnnyfever]

I figured out the issue with the bed floor replacement panels. The panels that I had would not fit AT ALL. The valley and peaks were too long by about a 1/8" - 1/4", so when you made it across the entire panel it was WAAAY off on matching up with the original bed. Mine were labeled "67-72" and when I returned them I had them pull the "73-81" patch panels. Looks like they were all mis-labeled. The 73-81 was much thicker gauge steel and fit the 76-72 perfectly. PLEASE CALL THE DISTRIBUTOR AND MAKE SURE THEY ARE SENDING THE RIGHT PANELS. I'm just glad that these guys are nearby. Their guy is working to remedy the situation now. I would have hated to spend the money on shipping only to return them.

[Johnnyfever]

More on the fuel filler. I've taken too much time on this thing, but I want it to work. I took the driver's side bed panel from the long bed that I purchased a few months ago to work on first. I don't want to destroy the new sides before I make sure it works. The removal was a little tricky to figure out a first so I removed a little and then a little more. Final product is pretty easy to duplicate.
I'll need to weld an ear to band the lower portion of the filler neck to the bed side.

[Johnnyfever]

Then on to the actual filler itself. I shaped the metal with a small Harbor Freight brake after I cut the round hole for the "No Cap" filler. Then the triangular sides were made. after welding it all together I am pretty happy with it. It's not show quality, but it's well hidden most of the time. I took it to the gas station in town to make sure that the pump handle would align correctly with the light and rear of the truck and it's exactly what I was hoping. I'll upload pictures when I take it to the station to fill it.

['68 Newtricks]

Just checking in and watching

[Johnnyfever]

Now time for the new bed side. I made a template of the tail light bucket to make sure that my tabs were correct and they were a little different than the OEM bed side....go figure. I'll have to weld tabs on the top later.

[Johnnyfever]

And then to remove the material behind the tabs and insert the fuel filler bucket. I had to celebrate - pic of it closed and a pic of it open!
Now I'll have a beer.

[sduckworth13]

Very nice work on the fuel filler, that looks great.

[Johnnyfever]

The bed sides are finally on. I have a little more work to do to get the fuel filler installed, but this was a major milestone. More to come.

[Johnnyfever]

New shipment is received from Intellitronix. Wasn't planning to do a digital display dash but their system changed my mind. Install soon.

[Johnnyfever]

Now with the onset of spring weather I'm back at it. I've been sanding and smoothing the new bed sides. I'm hoping to have some epoxy primer on today or tomorrow. Currently I am doing the final bed assembly. I also have finished the fuel filler in the tail light.....if I can find some hose to fit. Then I started working on the rear bumper mounts and splash guards that I scored at the Charlotte Autofair for $1.

[Johnnyfever]

The bed is finally fully assembled and now it's off of the frame and on a picnic table? Getting ready to shoot the epoxy primer on the truck before dinner.