My 52 GMC Build

[lower50's]

We had a great weekend off roading. With a little bit of carnage. One guy broke his drive shaft on a rock. Another spit the caps out of his front u joint.
My 67 Jeep ran great. Here are some picks.
Now back to the 52.

[99 to Life]

dang looks fun. I like the camping idea. haven't done that since I was a kid.

[lower50's]

Ya we go into the forest Friday morn and come out Sunday. All we have is what we bring in our Jeeps. It's a lot of fun. We usually go spring and fall (before and after the bugs) with some local day trips here and there.

[Dieselwrencher]

It looks like you guys had a blast! I've heard the mosquitos get severly nasty up there!

[lower50's]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

It looks like you guys had a blast! I've heard the mosquitos get severly nasty up there!

It was great!!! Ya mosquitos get bad but bug spray works great. The black fly's tho omg it's like you have an afro of little biting bugs. That's why we go spring and fall. They started to come out on Sunday.

[lower50's]

Got my scraper bars on. I need them to protect the fenders from driveways and such. First pic is on the back and second is under rad support.


I was thinking of using this piece of 5" chrome pipe for my exhaust tip, but I have a piece of 6" stainless I think ill use.

[lower50's]

Today I worked on my floor. I cut out the recessed part to make flat and made my transmission hump seat support. The rear of the seats will bolt to this bar.


I'm making a 3rd seat/arm rest on top of the hump. From the rear of an s-10

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice work! Those scraper bars should help!

[05snopro440]

Great idea on the scraper bars! To me, it looks terrible when someone airs down their ride and you can watch the body panels flex as they contact the ground, unfortunately I see that quite a bit with air ride vehicles.

I can't wait to see how this truck turns out, it's looking awesome!

[Coldshot]

Really digging those pipes! But I like your plan for the bigger ones.

[steve aleve]

This thing is looking great!!! What a monster. I was just looking back at some of your posts and I noticed how low you have your cab set on the frame. I wanted to see what your plans for your radiator are? Are you going to tilt it forward to miss the steering box? Also, what are you planning on doing for the drive shaft tunnel? Specifically with the brace that comes down the center of the back of the cab? Looking awesome!

[lower50's]

05snopro440 Ya I agree. Rear ones where a necessity. I had it aired out and lifted the front and almost bent the rear of the rear fenders, because I chopped and lowered the fenders. But its all good now.

Coldshot I'm running just one pipe out pass side. 3" from turbo straight out to 6" tip

[lower50's]

Originally Posted by steve aleve

This thing is looking great!!! What a monster. I was just looking back at some of your posts and I noticed how low you have your cab set on the frame. I wanted to see what your plans for your radiator are? Are you going to tilt it forward to miss the steering box? Also, what are you planning on doing for the drive shaft tunnel? Specifically with the brace that comes down the center of the back of the cab? Looking awesome!

Thanks everyone

Yes its going to be tilted back at the top slightly and go just in front of box. Also the rad is going down between the frame where clamps are and will hang down below a little.
For the tunnel I was going to make a bracket out of angle same as the one I have for the seats and weld it to the cab bracket and floor. I'm also going to make a drive shaft hoop front and rear, just in case.

[lower50's]

So today I built the other floor/ seat support, a little wider and taller than the rear. Got them kinda welded in. Floor is super sturdy now.

Then wallah I have seats to sit and play on. Very comfortable driving position!!

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice work! Do you have a time frame of when you will hit the streets in it?

[05snopro440]

Originally Posted by lower50's

So today I built the other floor/ seat support, a little wider and taller than the rear. Got them kinda welded in. Floor is super sturdy now.
Attachment 1400413
Then wallah I have seats to sit and play on. Very comfortable driving position!!
Attachment 1400414

Are those from a Sunfire or Grand Prix or something like that?

[lower50's]

Dieselwrencher My goal was 1.5 years from now but its looking like it might be next spring

05snopro440 seats are out of an 2001 s-10

[99 to Life]

getting there. I made the same style floor, only the whole way from front to back in my cab. I didn't have a good floor to work off of at all. Luckily my rockers where good. The floor ate up alot of my cab hours which is about 150 total. thats with all new patches, cleaned and painted firewall and inside back wall.

The radiator deal is a pain. I used on both my trucks, a tri5 car aluminum rad. If I were to do it again, I'd really try another way. I had to tilt mine, which looks good but you just gotta fab up a cradle for it to sit on. I did away with the stock rad support, just made mine own. radiator moch up eats up some time thats for sure.

I keep forgetting you have larger fenders which I know are taller. but are they loner too? seems like most all s10 frames get cut right at the pws box. you seem to have a good 5" more.

[lower50's]

Yes 99 they are longer. The rear cab mounts lined up with the rear extended cab S-10 mounts. To give an idea. I think the are 5-6" longer that helps me fit that monster.

[lower50's]

Got my exhaust welded up and 95% mounted. I miss working with stainless. Also cut and figured out the finish I like for the for my 6" tail pipe. Now I just have to trim the inner fender.

[lower50's]

So exhaust is done I am planning on trailering the truck to a car show (if the weather is half decent) not far away called the Unfinished Nationals. It's on June 7 in Paris Ontario. The show has everything: rat rods, customs, show vehicles, ect. There are at least 2 awards I qualify for, best unfinished, most custom. This will be my 3rd year going, 1st with my GMC. So my plan right now is to get the rad and inter cooler in so I can get the motor running for the show.

[Dieselwrencher]

Great work on the exhaust and good luck getting the rad in to go to the show!

[99 to Life]

good luck with your deadline. Im done making deadlines!!

[lower50's]

Thanks guys. Well today I made up some starter cables from some 2/0 welding cable I have, same as in the back. Also got the inner fender hacked and back in. Built the cover for exhaust and got it tacked in. I still need to clean up the inside of my cut to cover and make a cap for the top.

[lower50's]

Well the rad is in. Just have to add some gussets and find some rad hoses. I used 1.5" angle welded to the rad, then 1/4" rubber and 2" angle welded to the frame. So I can sill get it out. I'm just in front of the psb and on a slight angle back at the top. The inter-cooler fits right on top of the cross member.