1992 GMC Sierra K1500 Shortwide Z71 Conversion

[Dub_X]

Okay, so this is both my daily driver and project; it's a 1992 GMC Sierra 1500 with the Southern Comfort Package. This truck has been through hell and back, and this was before I've got it. It's an extra cab model, with a 350 TBI engine.
The day I picked it up:


It had been hit hard, and destroyed the front clip. The guy that was in it when it was hit signed the title over to a salvage yard, and my cousin picked it up from there. My dad traded him a 24-foot gooseneck trailer for it, and the truck was mine. The frame was fine except for a little kink, nothing a little torch work couldn't fix. Anwyay; I'll post some interior shots, and then the rebuild.

[JohnC]

Looks like you have your work ahead of you, but should be fun. Looking forward to your progress.

[Dub_X]

From what I know, tachometers are rare in '88-'94 GM trucks, so I was surprised to see that. As for the mileage on the odometer, I've put just over 1,100 since putting the front end back together.

Power locks and windows, gotta love 'em.

The horn button had the 'Southern Comfort' thing covering the GMC logo. That came off in a hurry, along with the hideous red and black steering wheel cover that you see here.

I kind of like the wood trim. One of the two added in dome lights doesn't work, but hey! I've got bxtch lights, along with a radar detector.

The factory radio isn't even hooked up, currently I've got a 10-year-old JVC unit hooked up that my dad yanked out of his Dodge flatbed right before he sold it. The idiot that had this truck, all he did was unplug his stereo, he didn't even take out the wiring. So I'm not really bugged by the clock covering the radio screen.

[Dub_X]

Originally Posted by JohnC

Looks like you have your work ahead of you, but should be fun. Looking forward to your progress.

Haha thanks, but that was actually about a month ago. I've got a nice smooth front clip on it now, it's just a matter of doing more work, and getting a paintjob.

[Dub_X]

Now then, here came the not-so-hard part of removing the destroyed front clip, then temporarily putting on the front clip of my old '88 [That I will post sometime later.]


It wasn't really as hard as I thought it could be, but it could have been worse.

Now with that core support, fender, etc. off, it was time to put in some parts: Driver's side fender off of my '88, along with the core support. And the radiator, serpentine belt, and power steering pulley off of a '94 Chevy W/T V6 that my dad and I scrapped.

Fender on, now for the grille.

The grille is off of my '88 GMC, which I ran off the road and took out a road sign with the passenger's side. I busted up the grille and busted my sidemarker, so we did a little modifying.

Took the top sidemarker from the destroyed grille that came with the '92, cut down the busted sidemarker, and bolted it in the repair. Now I just need to fix that broken grille.

Front clip is back together solid, now it just needs a hood! [Don't you love those mix-matched turn signals? It didn't last.]

Hood is on! [And those stupid red double wipers are gone. I like normal windshield wipers that actually work.]

Truck is complete, even pulled those ugly ground effects running boards off. Now all that's left, is some new tires in the back. One tire was destroyed in the wreck, the other was blown out because the original owner decided to go burnout happy.

[Dub_X]

Now comes the new tires in the back. Was a pain in the ass finding 275/60 tires, got a couple used ones that looked almost new, $50 a piece.


And finally that temporary front clip comes off. Ran across a '90 Chevy front clip, a little darker than my truck, but no complaints.


Time to remove the entire front clip this time!

And on goes the new one.

Now on goes the GMC grille and newer bumper.


All in all, it's still a project. Here recently I put a receiver hitch under the back; gonna get pics of that. Next plan is get some new u-bolts and some blocks and crank up the back a few inches, then bolt in some big ass Yosemite Sam mudflaps. And thinking when it comes time for all new tires, maybe run 275/60 in the front, and 295/50 in the back. Just a thought.

[tommie]

nice pics... its good to see someone take the time to put one back on the road

[Dub_X]

Originally Posted by tommie

nice pics... its good to see someone take the time to put one back on the road

Haha yeah. Thanks. I just couldn't let it sit there, especially if I had the parts to put it back on the road. I had it back on the road the day after I got it. But I've still got much to do to it.

[Dub_X]

Ugh. Took some newer pics of my truck, with the receiver hitch, and some better interior shots. Like an idiot I put them on my computer and deleted them off my camera. Well, last night my computer shut down on me and wouldn't let me back onto the desktop. I had to reboot it back to factory settings this morning and I lost everything.

[tommie]

i know all about that...

[Chevy350V8]

Cool Build

[Dub_X]

Went outside today, and took some new pics.
Exterior first:

Now for the receiver hitch!

The hitch is a Reese and EZ-Lift cross-breed. The hitch itself is a Reese, but it's got the ears from an EZ-Lift welded on, and the EZ-Lift brackets. Lol.

[Dub_X]

Now, some new interior pics.

Originally the doors had stupid wood trim. That irritated the crap out of me, and I pulled it off.
Southern Comfort!

I took this pic earlier, and at the time I had put 1,180 miles on it. Now it's a little over 1,200. Lol.

JVC Head unit. My dad pulled this out of his '93 Dodge Ram flatbed before he sold the truck.

Torn up leather seats. Eventually I'll get them reupholstered. XD

Rear bench seat is still perfect.

[redracer95]

cool build. i like the way you posted pics and narrated the thread.

[Dub_X]

New Year's Eve wasn't as great as it should have been...=/ Got in a wreck with my '92. Was pulling a trailer with a scrap Chevy Lumina...the trailer started swerving and when I felt a big swerve I cranked the steering wheel left. The trailer went into the guard rail, and it's now a pretzel.

Not sure how well you can see it, but this was the frame itself [It was a boat trailer my dad turned into a flatbed scrap trailer...and it's twisted now.]

This would be the steel frame over the original frame. The I-beams are destroyed. The rest is kind of okay.

Bumper is toast. I'm gonna take the bumper off of my '88 and put it on here.

Caved in the bed a little bit. Once the bumper's off, should be able to pop the dent off then primer it. Lol.

[Dub_X]

Here's some others that were taken just a little while after getting home:





As you can clearly see...the trailer's a pretzel.

[Shyguy]

Sorry to hear about the wreck.

Looks like you made good progress on the truck.

Your dash and gage cluster with the tach are the same as in my '92 K-3500 Dually. My stock radio quit working a while ago so now I will need to mount a radio like you did.

Truck looks a lot better with out the running boards.

[Palf70Step]

Nice work on it. Looks like it will be a great cruiser again!

[Dub_X]

Originally Posted by Shyguy

Sorry to hear about the wreck.

Looks like you made good progress on the truck.

Your dash and gage cluster with the tach are the same as in my '92 K-3500 Dually. My stock radio quit working a while ago so now I will need to mount a radio like you did.

Truck looks a lot better with out the running boards.

I got lucky on the wreck. The only thing that saved my truck was me turning left and sending the trailer into the guard rail.
And I do agree it looks better without the running boards. I hate those things.

[Dub_X]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Nice work on it. Looks like it will be a great cruiser again!

Thanks! I still wanna do some chrome work and other stuff to it.

[Dub_X]

Don't you love snow? That's sarcasm.

Sometimes wish my daily driver wasn't a 2WD. Right rear wheel is on an ice patch and the truck won't budge. Sh!tty!

[Shyguy]

Yep, I have about had enough snow. Our local weather forecaster keeps messing up the forecast.

We were only supposed to get a dusting of snow here in the flatlands of Missouri yesterday, but by the time the storm left our area we had well over 3 inches.

My K-3500 works real well in snow, but ice not so well. If we have a lot of ice I usually drive the ole '86 4-Runner we bought new in '86.

[89chevsj]

does anyone know what wheels he has, or if i can get that style in a 6 lug? i've always liked those kinds of wheels.

[Dub_X]

Originally Posted by Shyguy

Yep, I have about had enough snow. Our local weather forecaster keeps messing up the forecast.

We were only supposed to get a dusting of snow here in the flatlands of Missouri yesterday, but by the time the storm left our area we had well over 3 inches.

My K-3500 works real well in snow, but ice not so well. If we have a lot of ice I usually drive the ole '86 4-Runner we bought new in '86.

Well, it's supposed to finally start clearing up. It better soon cause I still can't move my damn truck. It sucks. This last snowfall we got 5 inches on top of the 4 we already had.

[Dub_X]

Originally Posted by 89chevsj

does anyone know what wheels he has, or if i can get that style in a 6 lug? i've always liked those kinds of wheels.

They're either American Racing or Ultra. Not sure. But I don't think they make them anymore, and 6-lugs I think are rare.