MY 1971 GMC dream turned night mare

[Normy71]

Hi all this is my second post!
Love this site so far just thought I would share my truck story so far.
I found this 1971 GMC it was parked in a guys yard covered with tons of snow.
The honest or what I thought was a honest older guy told me the storey about how he has had this truck for 7 years and only drives it in the summer to take the garbage out,but would not be scared to take it any place.
I shoved out enough snow to get the drivers door open and a quick look under the hood.
a few pumps and It stared right up.
Anyways paid the man for the truck and he was to have the truck delivered to me about 1 hour away. he said he will look after the towing. MISTAKE I thought well it would take a lot for me to get the truck out sounded good to me... OOPS
Got home and waited the next day no truck ?? next day no truck what the #### 4 days later?
I could not get ahold of the guy that sold me the truck ??? I thought I better get my truck home so I called a flat bed truck had it picked up before it gets to muddy out. I did get a bill of sale for the truck.
My truck arrives flat tires and all, the guy took the battery out of the truck that was in it when I looked at it? the extra grill was missing out of the truck along with the other 2 tires he told me he had for it? I'm getting very mad!! unload the truck put in a diff batt in change a couple of tires and notice the disc brake has very bad big grove in it ?? it starts right up, Not so bad. step on the brake and it goes to the floor??Put it in gear and nothing ?? then try reverse and that works, but that's not going to solve anything.
pull the trans dip stick right up to full but very bad smell ...This can't be good.
Then I go around to the pass door and open it up for the first time and look down and I can see the ground threw the floor?? that's also kind of disappointing.
I guess I should have waited till the snow was gone to look at this thing. But I was kind of got excited to find what I thought I was looking for.
I will post a few pictures a tell me what you all think? fix her up or part it out?
Thanks

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Welcome to the board first of all and dont let the floors or lack of floors scare we have all had to deal with rust of some kind or another on these trucks... Post some pics and we can really give ya a good opinion on it..

[red71c10]

I did pretty much the same thing with mine so I know how you feel. I had a certain truck in mind, and when I found it, I ignored a lot of problems. Local trucks are fairly rust free because we don't salt the roads, but I bought this one that came from back east and has the rust to prove it. It had been sitting for so long that the brake lines had rotted out. Tires had dry rotted and the carb was leaking fuel onto the manifold. To get it up and running took a lot of brake work, rebuilt carb, good used tires, tune up, belts & hoses, valve cover gaskets and an oil change/tranny service. I have it running really good now and it's a lot of fun to drive! I'm o.k. with things now that I know it runs and drives as good as it does. I think you should look at yours as a challenge and fix it up! That's what I plan to do with mine, rust and all. I'm not made of money so it's going to take a long time, but it'll be so worth it when it's done! Go for it!!!

[Normy71]

Thanks Red71c10 makes me feel a little better.
I did post a couple of pictures in my album and will post a few more when my computer lets me.

[shooterpcb]

I had similar thing here. The truck was local and I have wanted it for about 10 years. I finally stopped by oe day and my timing couldn't have bee better. I ended up getting the truck for a good price becasue the guy was fixing up a slammed airbag custom S-10 and wanted money to do more to it and had basically stopped working on the '68 C-10. I did check it out thuroughly at his house but also realized that I had a very small amount of money in my initial price, so i could afford to do some things to it as I go. Have fun and remember that there are alot of parts out there and the possibilities with trucks is endless. I have had alot more fun with this truck than any of my '67 Camaros or my '69 Chevelles SS396.

[sweet70beast]

Hey Normy, How much did you pay for it?

[red71c10]

Originally Posted by Normy71

Thanks Red71c10 makes me feel a little better.
I did post a couple of pictures in my album and will post a few more when my computer lets me.

I checked out the pictures, and I can see the potential in it, besides it wouldn't be a project if it didn't need work! I like it!

[ERASER5]

Originally Posted by Normy71

change a couple of tires and notice the disc brake has very bad big grove in it ??

Was the groove in the center of rotor surface? All GM rotors of this era had a deep V groove on both sides of the rotors. Just an FYI.

[Normy71]

Thanks for looking
I paid $1500 for the truck, lots of salt used on the roads in Sask,Canada Rust should not be a big surprise to me.
The 350 engine has ram horns? not sure if that was stock?
12 bolt rear not sure if it is posi ? T350 trans.
350 Engine block code k0105TDJ looks like original engine any one know if this would be a 4 bolt main block
I will try to add more pictures today

[Skirkpat]

Sound like my first 72, Bought it out of excitement...

Your truck looks like a great place to start.

[70cst]

to the sight. As said many of us started just like you. We all have to start some place. Sounds like a decent starter.

[rockc]

I had almost the same thing happen to me here at a local salvage yard. Went and looked at a cab and in the cab was an extra set of doors, emblems, and all kinds of goodies. The guy quoted me a price for it all as they did not want to deal with the old trucks anymore. So I bought truck and he would load it on my trailer while i was running erronds. Came back and got trailer with cab on it a low and behold all was gone from inside the cab. And it was past closing time. Well I caught up with the owner of the salvage yard the nest day and we argued back and forth. He got to me on it but he will not do it again.

[mvfd70]

Dont get too bummed. I bought my truck completely in pieces. Was told that the rockers and cab corners were replaced. Well the rockers are kind of tacked in place and I discovered a few days ago that the "new" cab corners were lap welded over the the originals then about 1/4 inch of filler was used to smooth everything out. I didn't notice that at first cause no doors were on to check alignment.

[cdowns]

overeager costs money

you've got what you've got make the best out of it