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#1 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Quote:
Mine was quite rusty behind the front brace and really needed to be blasted |
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#2 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Got the body work done on the top of the hood and got it shot with epoxy.
![]() ![]() ![]() I picked up another passenger door and started over. I hung it and made sure it fit right. Pulled a few dents from it being opened too far in the past. I cut the door skin off below the upper body line this time because the repo door skins aren't made right and the upper body line is too low. Got the door blasted inside and out. Fixed a rusted out corner on the inner door bottom and shot the inside with epoxy. I managed to cut and remove the door skin from the first door attempt. This was really hard to do without wrecking it. I laid it over the new door to find that this door is wider than the last and the door skin is too narrow. I fit and welded the skin on and ground the welds down. To widen the door skin out to match the rest of the door I bent 1/8 tig filler rod and welded it to the edge. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Feeling really good about being able to save and reuse the door skin. I hung the door on the truck. Mother #&^%$&^%$!!!!!!!! Door is warped, it sticks out about 3/4 inch at the top. I guess I got a little aggressive and welded it to quickly. The edge where I welded the tig filler rod is warped pretty bad too. ![]() Pulled the cover over the truck and walked away, that was mid December ![]() |
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#3 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?!
Posts: 2,227
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Oh no!
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1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, boosted-LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate |
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#4 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DALLAS,TX
Posts: 21,964
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
That sucks. Good decision to take a step back to ease the frustrations.
A block of wood placed lower down in the jamb & some gentle pulling/pushing @ the door frame top should help w/that warpage hopefully.
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67SWB-B.B.RetroRod 64SWB-Recycle 89CCDually-Driver/Tow Truck 99CCSWB Driver All Fleetsides @rattlecankustoms in IG Building a small, high rpm engine with the perfect bore, stroke and rod ratio is very impressive. It's like a highly skilled Morrocan sword fighter with a Damascus Steel Scimitar..... Cubic inches is like Indiana Jones with a cheap pistol. |
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#5 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Washington State
Posts: 1,644
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Damn... sorry to hear this. I have been close to that frustrated... I had to go do something else on the truck for a while, so i spent a few weeks working with wood and building the stereo system that will go in the truck. This made me feel alot better and now i am ready to tackle the rest of the cab. Hang in there, it will come back to you.... the want to get her done....
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John 3:16 - Saved me... God Bless |
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#6 |
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Newport, North Carolina
Posts: 627
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
I had a very similar issue with one of my doors sticking out at the top like that. I did as SCOTI mentioned and used a piece of wood between the door and the jam. That got most of the warpage out. To get the rest of it out, I put my knee on the inside of the door...about level with the door handle...and pulled the top of the door the rest of the way in. Worked like a charm. Taking some time off is a good idea when you get too stressed out with it all...just don't give up completely. It's looking good.
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#7 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DALLAS,TX
Posts: 21,964
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Quote:
__________________
67SWB-B.B.RetroRod 64SWB-Recycle 89CCDually-Driver/Tow Truck 99CCSWB Driver All Fleetsides @rattlecankustoms in IG Building a small, high rpm engine with the perfect bore, stroke and rod ratio is very impressive. It's like a highly skilled Morrocan sword fighter with a Damascus Steel Scimitar..... Cubic inches is like Indiana Jones with a cheap pistol. |
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#8 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Brandon, Manitoba, Canada
Posts: 970
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
If that doesn't work I wonder if you could make a relief cut along the inside and pull it in a bit and re-weld it?
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#9 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?!
Posts: 2,227
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Just run beads/tacks on the inside edge - it will shrink and pull in. Then grind the beads off.
__________________
1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, boosted-LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate |
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#10 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Definitely not giving up. Took some time to do a few other projects around the shop that I haven't made time for. I did a rebuild/refresh on my Bridgeport milling machine, and built a squat rack for the basement.
I am really hoping I can salvage this door. Lots of time and money invested in blasting, epoxy, door skin, Kilmat on the inside. I will try these suggestions when I get back to working on doors. Right now I am working on the box. The one I have is pretty rough like the rest of the truck was. Going to have to do a lot of work to save it. I'd love to go the new box side route but that just isn't in the budget right now. |
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#11 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Brought the box into the shop and got it taken apart. Box sides are pretty rough, rear sill is rotted out, the rest of the sills have plenty of rust holes, wheel arches are pretty much rusted out as well.
![]() ![]() ![]() I've never liked how the wheel isn't centred in the opening on these trucks. So instead of removing the standard 12" and 8" I mocked up the bedside in front of the wheel at ride height and centred the wheel and marked the centre on the box side. Then measured from the centre of the axle to the back of the cab and applied this measurement to the box side. Ended up removing around 14" in front of the wheel opening, and 6" behind it. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Made some cardboard templates and then cut some wooden bucks to help work the sides back into shape. I used the inner buck as a hammer form, and the outer to clamp against the side. I heated up stretched areas with a torch and then rapidly cooled then with a wet rag while the buck was clamped on the outside. I used the hammer and dolly until my arm nearly fell off. First side came out ok. ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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#12 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
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#13 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Beautiful BC, Canada, eh?!
Posts: 2,227
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
It'd be cool to pull a C10 trailer behind the C10 pickup that's the same C10 pickup as the C10 pickup the C10 trailer was made from.
Just sayin. ![]()
__________________
1961 Apache: "Grabber Orange" Shortboxed, pancake, step-notch, air-ride, boosted-LS 1977 Silverado: Shortboxed & dropped, potato-potato V8 Pontiac Firefly (Chevy Sprint): The ultimate engine swap: 5.7L in a 1.0L bag Lotus Super 7 Replica: Scratch-built street-legal rollerskate |
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#14 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Quote:
I did think about doing the same but I need to steal some parts off it. |
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#15 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Got both bed sides shortened, ended up cutting the inside panels out so I can do some hammer and dolly work. They are pretty rotten so I am going to use the ones from my parts bed. Shaved the stake pocket holes, and did a number of other repairs. I did my best to straighten the front panel using a torch and some clamps. It will need the bottom edge cut out and replaced.
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Took a trip out to the blaster and spent 3 hrs blasting all the bed parts and tailgate. Found a couple big areas filled with lead hiding some nasty secrets. ![]() ![]() |
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#16 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DALLAS,TX
Posts: 21,964
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Well that sux.
__________________
67SWB-B.B.RetroRod 64SWB-Recycle 89CCDually-Driver/Tow Truck 99CCSWB Driver All Fleetsides @rattlecankustoms in IG Building a small, high rpm engine with the perfect bore, stroke and rod ratio is very impressive. It's like a highly skilled Morrocan sword fighter with a Damascus Steel Scimitar..... Cubic inches is like Indiana Jones with a cheap pistol. |
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#17 |
Registered User
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: West Kelowna, BC, Canada
Posts: 204
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Duncan K It looks like your bed sides are shaping up nicely. You managed to duplicate the wheel opening shape closely! For your trip out to the media blaster, is it a place where you self serve (do it yourself)? Is it fairly cost effective around Calgary? (It's a bit costly in the Kelowna area to have blasting done).
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#18 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Washington State
Posts: 1,644
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Damn fine job so far!
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John 3:16 - Saved me... God Bless |
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#19 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
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#20 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DALLAS,TX
Posts: 21,964
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Now you're just showing off....
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__________________
67SWB-B.B.RetroRod 64SWB-Recycle 89CCDually-Driver/Tow Truck 99CCSWB Driver All Fleetsides @rattlecankustoms in IG Building a small, high rpm engine with the perfect bore, stroke and rod ratio is very impressive. It's like a highly skilled Morrocan sword fighter with a Damascus Steel Scimitar..... Cubic inches is like Indiana Jones with a cheap pistol. |
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#21 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Merry Christmas everyone! Can't believe it's been 10 months since my last post. I did a bunch more work on the box sides last winter and then didn't touch the truck until a few weeks ago.
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() In the end I decided I don't have the skills or tools to fix these sides to the standard I want. I will end up buying some reproduction sides down the road. I spent some time trying to salvage the passenger door that I warped. I tried welding a bead along the inside with no luck. I bent it on my bench with blocks and straps. I got it close but just couldn't get it to line up properly. Starting over with another set of doors. I cut the skin off and blasted it inside and out. Shot with epoxy and started fitting the new skin. ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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#22 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Continued work on the drivers door. Installed new pins and bushings in the hinges. Installed Kilmat on the back side of the skin, then fit and welded. Replaced the door bottom. This door ended up warping on me again. This time the bottom of the door frame ended up with a twist. Getting pretty discourage with these doors. Going to set them aside and deal with them later.
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Made some new drip rails for the A Pillar ![]() ![]() ![]() I wasn't happy with the bracket I bought to mount the DBW pedal so I fabbed up a different mount. Just a sheet metal box with nuts welded on the back. Welded it to the firewall. Much more solid than the one I bought ![]() ![]() ![]() Got the ECM and the tach module mounted under the dash behind the glove box. I will likely have to modify the glove box inset to fit ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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#23 |
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, Germany
Posts: 779
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
Very good work, your truck must be a brother of mine, its sheet metal is destroyed as well, its bed looks the same, I look at their approach.
Yes, the outer skin is exciting work, I also had to do both sides. Your cabin work looks like factory work, I like it.
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------------------------------------------- Greetings Harald My 62 build thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=829782 Last edited by Braunschweiger; 02-02-2022 at 02:25 AM. |
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#24 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 208
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
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#25 |
Senior Member
![]() Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Posts: 2,070
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Re: 66 GMC Long to Short LS Swap
That's some very nice patch work you've got going on. It's nice to see you posting again.
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Sanity'66 http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=515110 Long bed, Fleetside, Small back window I've Done So Much, With So Little, For So Long, That Now I Can Do Anything With Nothing. ![]() |
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