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#1 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: michigan
Posts: 223
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1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
I first saw this truck when i was doing tree work for a customer. I noticed it was a one ton and was rust free. I asked the guy what engine it had and he said a big block. I asked if it was the 454 and it was. So I was joking around with the guy and said well we are going to have to do some tree bartering. He said I'll tell you what, you do my tree work and pay me another $700.00 bucks and its yours. So I did the work, paid the man, and drove the truck home that night.
This '78 Sierra C35 only has 92k original miles on it. It has never seen winter in all its life. It was only used to pull a camper in the summers. The bed hardly shows any sign of anything being placed in it. So that is how this truck came into my hands. And this is the start of the build of this truck. I have had a ton of people say I should not do a thing to it, and I have had a lot of other opinions of what I should do to this truck. "which i appreciate". But like many others, I can't just leave it alone. This is what the truck looked like when I brought it home. |
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#2 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: michigan
Posts: 223
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35
Here are some more...
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#3 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Splendora Texas
Posts: 87
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
Nice find, very clean truck
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#4 |
Home Built '87
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Calgary, Alberta Canada
Posts: 1,829
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
I can't believe how good shape its in!! Nice truck!
__________________
Gordon 1998 White Chev ext cab 2WD (Summer Project) http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=408424 1987 Chev Silverado SWB (Winter Project Rebuild) http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=424833 Truck Club http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=466969 |
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#5 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: michigan
Posts: 223
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
Yeah I could not believe that the truck was in that good of shape either. It did sit outside some in winter for a short period of time I found out, but never driven on the salty roads.
I had this truck for a summer and new that I could not leave it alone how I got it. This is my first two wheel drive truck that I have owned and its new to me. I have had some four wheel drive trucks and did the whole lift thing, and learned some along the way. After I got the truck I really got more hooked to the this site. Thanks everyone who has helped and given info to me so far. I'm looking to create and unique truck and learn a lot of new skills along the way. I want to do this truck up right, no matter how long it takes. The first things I have done on the truck was that I took off the somewhat bent white farm bumpers and replaced them with chrome bumpers front and rear. I repainted the mirrors white, but I have taken them off now. I don't have any pictures of the truck yet with the mirrors off. The truck had a gigantic hitch welded right to the frame that I cut off. The running boards and the mud flaps were nice when it was bone stock and I am sure they helped the body last as long as it has, but they had to come off for this build. They would not look good of work right anymore, as the build continues. After I got the chrome bumpers on I re did the exhaust to come straight out the back. I'm hoping that they are tucked up close enough to the bottle of the bed so that the big 14 bolt FF pumpkin will clear once I lower the rear end. Here are some pictures that I had taken of the updates... |
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#6 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: michigan
Posts: 223
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
I forgot to mention, I also replaced the head light bezels, head lights, parking lights, and marker lights.
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#7 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: michigan
Posts: 223
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
Now I'm working on dropping the truck. I'm thinking a 6/8 drop. I have not ordered the kits just yet, I know that I have some work to do before I install the kit. My wife and I have started on the rear end, I'm pulling out the rear axle right now because I'm doing an axle flip and I want to get a lot cleaned and painted before the axle goes back in.
She helped me disconnect the axle and as of now we disconnected everything but the stubborn break lines. Overall its going smooth. We also measured where the truck sits now before the drop. Front measurement: Rear measurement: Last edited by tc4x4; 01-18-2012 at 04:37 PM. |
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#8 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: michigan
Posts: 223
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
So looking at the leaf pack, should I take out some leafs in the process of the swap? Here is what I have currently.
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#9 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: michigan
Posts: 223
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
Here are some links of the kits I'm getting.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/WST-211626/?rtype=10 http://www.summitracing.com/parts/WST-13600/ I'll need to get a sway bar kit from No Limit, and also I'm probably going to cut a coil or so out of the stock 1 ton springs up front for additional drop to make it a 6/8. |
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#10 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: michigan
Posts: 223
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=502593
Here is the link with a lot of useful info on "Dropping a 1 Ton", just the conversations about my truck and questions that I have already asked. Could be helpful for others. |
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#11 |
Account Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: indisclosed
Posts: 1,515
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
You've struck gold.
BTW what type of rear axle is that? |
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#12 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Long Island NY
Posts: 293
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
this is a really nice truck. I love the white top cab.....I dont like anything other than 20-30 series squares....
__________________
I feel sorry for people who don't drink....because when they wake up in the morning, that's the best they're gonna feel all day long!---Frank Sinatra RIP [B]1972 Chevrolet K5 Blazer RIP 1986 GMC Sierra K3500 1TON, Long Box, V8350 RIP 1980 Chevy Silverado C30 Cab and Chassis, 454 TH400HD. RIP [B] 1995 Chevrolet Tahoe 2D [B] |
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#13 |
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: pnw
Posts: 93
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
I'm in. I like the long bed and I like that you are keeping the full floater.
__________________
1994 K1500 Suburban, 5.7/4L60E |
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#14 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: michigan
Posts: 223
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
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#15 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: michigan
Posts: 223
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
So I got the rear axle out, like I said I'm doing a westernchassisinc.com drop for it, but first I now am doing a rear disc brake conversion. I took the big drums and brakes off, and pounded the studs out of the hub. Now i got the seal, outer bearing, and an inner snap ring out. How do i get the inner bearing out? I can't seem to figure it out. Also how do I find out what my gearing is?
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#16 |
Account Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: indisclosed
Posts: 1,515
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
1) Ok, so apparently the single wheel 1 tons got the 14 bolt and the dual rear wheels got the dana 70. Although this is not 100% either. (?)
2) As far as getting the inner bearing out, i don't really know as i'm trying to learn rear axles. Are you planning on using these old bearings again? If not, maybe get a socket that is almost the same outer diameter of the bearing, but not quite. Put a piece of wood over the socket and tap it out? This is just a suggestion from someone with no experience. i have heard of using a press for this kind of thing. 3) How much weight (if any) will disk brakes save? 4) As far as the gear ratio, the spid sticker on the inner fender or glove box should list it. Or you could count ring and pinion gears. |
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#17 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: michigan
Posts: 223
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
I got the bearings and races out using a brass draft, One bearing got damages because I could not pound it out keeping it flat but I got all new bearings and races, and oil seals anyways so it does not matter.
Now its to cleaning and painting the hub before I install the new bearings and races. I'm going to be getting a bearing driver or what ever its called to do the install this time. |
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#18 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Waynesfield Ohio
Posts: 1,991
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
[QUOTE=C-10 simplex;5136841]1) Ok, so apparently the single wheel 1 tons got the 14 bolt and the dual rear wheels got the dana 70. Although this is not 100% either. (?)
3) How much weight (if any) will disk brakes save? [QUOTE] 1) All single wheel are 14 bolt, all factory dually bed trucks had the 70 and the Cab and Chassis trucks got a Narrowed DRW 14 bolt. (this is a 14 bolt axle with Dana 70 Hubs and Brakes)
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![]() 1949 Five Window, 1973 Step Side, 2000 Z71 |
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#19 |
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Posts: 164
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
The label in the glovebox should tell you the gear ratio, but if it's missing all you have to do is count the teeth on the ring and pinion gears and then devide the smaller number by the bigger number and that's your ratio. It's probably 4:10 or 3:73 and it looks like a G80 rear end which is factory limited slip.
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#20 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: michigan
Posts: 223
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
When I install the drop in the rear what are your opinions on the number of leaf springs I should keep. I currently have 9. There are 6 in the leaf pack now that are held together by those two retaining brackets, so I originally thought that I would just go down to six.
Remember this truck will not haul anything again, so there is no need to keeping the 1 ton leaf pack. (just for those who didn't know) What have others done? Also, when i pull the springs I will be replacing the bushings all the way around, where are you guys getting your new replacements? |
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#21 |
Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Frankston Tx
Posts: 151
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
my half ton has only four swb of course my high school truck was a chevy just like that in met blue w/ white top awsome truck cant wait to see it when done
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all i know is that its going to be orange |
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#22 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: michigan
Posts: 223
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
Any ideas on where to get a poly bushing kit?
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#23 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DALLAS,TX
Posts: 21,964
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
Try Energy Suspension through Summit Racing.
__________________
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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#24 |
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: michigan
Posts: 223
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
Thanks SCOTI I'll check them out. Also keep an eye on the build thread, I know I'll have more questions coming.
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#25 |
Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: DALLAS,TX
Posts: 21,964
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Re: 1978 GMC Sierra C35 "Project Second Life"
Yes sir.... I keep checking in for the updates.
__________________
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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