47-55.1 My 53 GMC 3/4 ton project

[Nima]

Hi:
I have been a member of this site for many years. I joined when I got my 1967 and now I have my 53 but due to my limited mechanical skills I have been more of the reader (user) than contributor. Now that I am restoring my 53 I thought to share my build process.
For some reasons I always end up with 3/4 ton trucks which have always created some challenges as far as finding the right parts for them but I don't mind it since I really like the 8 lug wheels and the stance of the 3/4 ton trucks.
So, here we go:
The plan for this farm fresh truck is become a reliable daily driver while keeping the 3/4 ton status although it won't haul or tow anything major although I think it would be cool to tow with older trucks. I want as much modern as possible suspension (again being 8 lug) and as much as I could technically and financially afford. It is not all out (financially) project. I like to keep the old beat-up look with a reliable interior and drive train.
I am installing a 14 bolt full float axle in the back with 8 lug disc brake swap, and I just refresh the front end with all new parts and 8 lug disc brake conversion. The engine will be a 5.3 vortec paired with 4l60E tranny in stock form from a 2001 truck. I do all the wiring modification myself.
I have (and will have more) tons of questions since this is the first project at this scale and this is my first 1st series truck. I appreciate your help along the way.
Here is my farm fresh truck. It came to me with everything in the bed and few pound of rat and wasp nests in the cab!

[Nima]

Truck is cleaned up a little and rust has been revealed, surprise!

[dsraven]

nice work. looks pretty complete
judging by the big hook and cable on the rear bumper I would recommend you do a frame check to ensure it is straight, square and not sagged, when you get to that part. keep posting up pics and asking questions if you get snagged up on something.

[burnin oil]

Cool project and I am glad that someone else plays with these old 8 luggers. Before you get to into swapping the rear you may want to see what you have now. Many of the LS swap guys say to go 4.10 gears and your truck has a good chance of having 4.57s if it has a HO52 axle. If so you can just update what you have. Later 14 bolt brakes will bolt on and a detroit locker can be added by using 14 bolt axles. There is a thread on this board that goes into this. The guy who made the thread did a SRW truck and the info works on DRW axles also. I just did the upgrades on my 57 to get 3.5 inch wide brakes. There was also some talk of using factory GM disc rears but I didn't pay much attention to it since I prefer rear drums on a work truck. Nothing wrong with a 14 bolt but you know the current axle is the correct width. Parts for the HO52 can be hard to get but redoing a 14 bolt is not cheap either.

[Rickysnickers]

This looks to be a very good project. I'm going to move it over the project side . Keep giving us lot of pictures.

[dsraven]

Kinda looks like it lived in some water at some point by the look of the hubcaps, you can see the line where it must have found the high water line.
Plan?

[dsraven]

Sorry, i meant plan for the rusty body parts? New patch panels or home fab? I hit post by mistake before I was done writing.
Will you keep all 6 tail lights? The box of bottles in the box and the tow cable?

[dsraven]

Looks like you havea stable full already by your previoua builds, or did they come to you already done?

[Nima]

Thanks for the replies and support.
I have started this post while I am half way into this project. I should have started the post earlier since I know I have missed a lot of good info from experienced members in this board but to be honest I felt a little timid!
To answer some of the questions:
the frame is straight to me, at least to my eyes and based on what I have measured using measuring tape and levels on a flat ground in my shop. The body was sagging slightly on R front passenger side but all the suspensions seems to be original or close to original. I was told the truck was sitting in the barn for over 30 years or longer and when the property was bought out by the previous owner of the truck, the truck came with it but luckily the previous owner got the title from the previous previous owner!
I do have a full stable. None of them came finished to me. I don't know if it is sad or not but none of them also came original to me. I have few cars but I don't have that much money for that many original classics. All the cars in my sig (except for 67 and 2005 trucks) had LS swap, so I am fairly familiar with this swap and wiring modifications but body work is a new territory. My main problem that I admit, I don't do pretty stuff, maybe because I am always having another project lined up which I like to get on the road. I try to do a reliable work but the cosmetic stuff is my future plan. I have been driving my 79 Z28 LS swap (first one) for the past two years and the only time it stranded me was when I ran out of gas due to gauge issue.
Anyways, The rear axle is not HO52 based on what I researched and it has 4.57 I believe. I have a HO52 on my 67 C20 which I have done 8 lug disc swap. I got a 14 bolt SRW from a G20 van with 3.75 gears which I have already shortened and installed. Picture will follow.
Please continue to letting me know your inputs. I don't get offended with constructive criticism and actually I appreciate whoever helps me to learn a thing or two
Here are some more pictures, I am trying t keep them in order but posting is as hard as restoring!

[6DoF]

8-lug and leaf spring win! i love either crazy engineering or super simple.

[_Ogre]

that poor truck! it's really had a hard life on the farm, obviously at one point nobody cared about hitting stuff. anything you do to that truck will make it happy, cleaning out the rat turds probably made it ecstatic
cab looks good, relatively rust free. looks like a good start for a project

[Nima]

Rust repair. This was a totally new territory and scarry one. To be honest, I don't know if I should have done some of the things that I did such as cutting so much at the time but the issue was as I cut more, I found more rust and I was just trying to get to some material that I feel comfortable to weld in to while I was trying to be careful not to destabilize the integrity of the cab structure. Also, another reason for me to cut more, such as inner/outer cowl area was to get to some areas that my average (maybe I credit myself too much!) welding skill could handle the imperfections.
Please let me know about the lines on the outer cowl when the new and old body panels meet each other. To get the lower section lined up with inner cowl and the middle I had to slide the outer cowl down. Besides, my original panel had some separation between these two panels.
This was also sad since I really wanted to keep the patina look of the truck.
Here we go:

[Nima]

Now the new panels:

[Nima]

Couple more. These are the lines which I mentioned before.

[Nima]

Rear end and suspension:
I got the 14 bolt and front crossmember from 95 chevy 1 ton van SRW. I had the ambitious plan of grafting the front crossmember to my 53 but that plan is on hold for now. I cleaned the frame using elbow grease and wire brush since there was no budget or equipment for sand blasting. I took few pictures of narrowing the 14 bolt but for some reasons except for one the rest are not on my phone any more Anyways, I narrowed the 14 bolt to my original stock wheel mounting surface measurement, installed a rear disc kit, put the temporary wheels and tires which I got from CL for $200 and then installed rear 4 link kit from TCI for 3/4 ton truck. These are the pictures:

[Nima]

On the narrowing of the 14 bolt, after cutting the axle tubes and welding the tubes together using 90 degree angles welded to tubes to keep them straight, I used the cut sections, cut them in halves and then used them as a patch and welded them over the cut area for additional support. It doesn't look pretty but I like the added support. Originally, I was planning to find sections of round tube to slid over the cut area like sleeves but I couldn't find anything with the exact ID diameter. Unfortunately those are the lost pictures.
Few more pictures:

[Nima]

Moving forward.
Cab is back on the frame and that was a big relief since I was nervous about replacing the floor braces. I was concern if I weld them a little off of where they were supposed to be, the cab may not line up with the frame. Next is the front end. Both leaf springs have few broken clamps and sections. I also, had a hard time figuring the outer tie rod end setup but after taking them apart, I kind of fell in love with the simplicity and the fact that you can just repair (service) anything on this front end rather than just changing parts. My inner tie rod (or steering connector?!) was bend a little. It seems the truck took a hit on the front cross member at some point but fortunately the frame is okay. I heat the rod and wacked it few times until it was straight again and then to reinforce it, I use 1" tube with enough wall thickness to be able to slide the tube over the rod. I made holes along the tube and I tack welded to the tie rod. Spindles felt very tight therefore I didn't mess with king pins at this point. I hope I don't regret that too early on! Finally, a fresh coat of the paint and then 8 lug disc conversion went on.
One thing that I don't know is if I have to fix the front cross member. What bolts to the front lip? I don't want to mess with it if I don't have to.
Cheers!

[Nima]

The hubs were cleaned, seals were replaced since the bearing looked fine and longer studs were pressed in. It was not easy (or cheap) to find seals and bearing for 3/4 ton trucks. I bought a set of bearing just in case even though mine didn't look bad. One question that I have, when I took the hubs apart, there was a tub of grease in each hub, literally. I packed the bearing with generous amount of new grease and I added some more grease to the spindle shaft and dust cap but I didn't use as much grease that I took out. Do you have to pack a lot of grease between inner and outer bearings?
More pics:

[8man]

Making good progress.

[dsraven]

Nice progress
Maybe kinda late now but when I remove a big piece of structure from the body zip cross brace it first. In this case I would start by getting the door hinges fixed up and install the doors, then adjust them and when it's good weld in some cross bracing so the cab cant flex . Then take the doors off and cut away. Fit the new parts up and tack then, refit the doors to ensure body lines and fit will work, then finish welding. This seems to work for me.
Making great progress, keep up the work and post pics as you go. Ask questions as requires.
An assembly manual would be good to have, it shows where every nut and bolt and spot weld is and how stuff originally fit together.

[Nima]

Originally Posted by dsraven

Nice progress
Maybe kinda late now but when I remove a big piece of structure from the body zip cross brace it first. In this case I would start by getting the door hinges fixed up and install the doors, then adjust them and when it's good weld in some cross bracing so the cab cant flex . Then take the doors off and cut away. Fit the new parts up and tack then, refit the doors to ensure body lines and fit will work, then finish welding. This seems to work for me.
Making great progress, keep up the work and post pics as you go. Ask questions as requires.
An assembly manual would be good to have, it shows where every nut and bolt and spot weld is and how stuff originally fit together.

Thank you for the tips. I guess at this point I just have to keep my fingers crossed that all body panels to line up at the end.

[6DoF]

if you ever have issues with that 14b ... you won't care, cuz the run away locomotive that hit you did way more damage than just that.

[duramax55]

Nima how did you cut your axels or got new ones made??? how much did you narrow it?

[Nima]

Originally Posted by duramax55

Nima how did you cut your axels or got new ones made??? how much did you narrow it?

I used my small portable band saw. I had to use couple of adjustable sawhorse to get thing lined up straight. I have seen online people using hose clamp to make straight cuts using cut off wheels as well. I ordered new custom axle shaft from Moser engineering. They were cheaper than local shops!

[Nima]

Okay, finished the rear 4 link, connected the cross bar (panhard bar) and torqued everything down and setup the pinion angle at 2.5 degrees for now and now moving on to the engine. I got this 5.3 out of a 2001 Silverado 1500 with just over 100,000 miles on it. I decided to make my own engine mount in a form of a cross member and this is the prototype to be sure I got the engine situated right where I want it. I like to sue clamshell motor mount since I can get them from anywhere and they are fairly easy to replace although I plan to sue energy suspension solid mount. Besides, I thought making the crossmember gives me the flexibility of the moving the drivetrain back and forth as I may want to, in addition, it may provide additional rigidity support for the frame since I had to remove rear inline 6 crossmember. I am hoping to get a tube bender to make a nice tubular version before I get the truck running. We'll see if Santa is nice to ne this year