Project Whipping Post

[Genuine GM]

I haven't been on here in years. A lot has happened since I last posted so I felt it was time to finally start the build thread I have been thinking about for oh, 5-6 years.

Below are some photos of my '65 C-10 when I brought it home. Those dates are correct. It's been a while. Somewhere along the way it morphed into semi-frame off and took 8 years on and off. It is almost ready to cruise now. In fact, I drove it around the block last month. Open headers, no alignment and all. The last photo is a few months old.

I'll periodically go through and upload some old photos and document the process.

Why the name whipping post? 1) Because this truck has spent the last 8 years whipping on me, and 2) because I built it for autocross and spirited driving so I am about to reverse the whip and dish it right back.

Here are some shots from the day I brought her home. Garbage '85 305, slipping TH350 and junk rearend. Rust, wiring issues, bad bed floor? Check, check and check.











Here is a recent photo.



I'll post more when I can.

[Genuine GM]

Here's a few inside shots. Notice the less than expert installation of a squarebody column and the wiring nest under the dash. The indoor/outdoor carpet was a nice touch too. Under the carpet was some expected rust. What was not expected was the "repair" using liquid nails and roofing tin. Unfortunately I don't have any photos of that.

[rusty76]

I’ll be watching.

[flashed]

Im in .

[Genuine GM]

So between May of 2009 and October of 2009 a lot happened to the truck. I didn't have a name, or a decent camera, so what you see below are the only photos I have.

I need to start this off with a background. Bodywork is normally the last thing I do, which is to say it never happens. I wanted this one to be different. So when the paint shop at work was slow (I work at a helicopter modification facility) I got the chance to sneak it in for the cost of materials only. But prior to that I had a lot to do on my end.

I took care of the following that summer:

• Repair the rust in the cab
• Strip the interior
• Replace the wiring harness
• Install a column from a 1969 Chevy Van
• Seam seal everything
• POR-15 the floors
• Repaint the interior
• Modify the factory gauge cluster (I used cheap gauges as hole fillers)
• Weld up the stake pockets
• Weld up the backup lights
• Installed new body bushings
• Weld up the mirror holes and fit a unknown swap meet mirror to the drivers door

Then I drug it to work and blew it apart on a couple of lunch breaks. After the paint work was done I reassembled it with new seals, new door hinge bushings and new lights. The end result was nice. But alas, it was still a gutless turd.

















And then reassembly began!

[Genuine GM]

Here are some photos after reassembly and I had it home. You may note it is lower in these photos...one word. Torch. I generally hate doing it but I wanted to get an idea of what the future held.



The incredibly average, but serviceable interior. Yes, it still needs carpet 9 years later!



Some shots before I took it out for Halloween 2009. Little did I know that would be the last major trip it took until 2018.






The lizard approved.



After this I decided to tackle the bed floor, but that is a story for next time.

[Genuine GM]

After having it painted and driving it a bit I decided to tackle the rotted bed floor. The main reason was the fact the bed moved around and was barely attached. Lest anyone thing it was the OEM style wood floor, it was not. It was basic 3/4 CDX plywood.

Years prior I had acquired a 1990 SWB floor for use in a '58 Chevy 3100. I sold the truck before I go around to working on the floor so the '90 bed floor was sitting around. You can see where this is going...

After it was all said and done I would NEVER do this again. Don't get me wrong, I love the metal floor but there are better ways. This required major sheet metal work, moving cross-sills, adjusting the wheel well openings in the floor. An overall train wreck. My recommendation: 1) use a metal from a 67-72 SWB because it bolts in, 2) buy long bed center sections for a square body and make your own cross-sills from rectangular tubing.

The tubs were left open because they were rotted and I wasn't sure what I was going to do at this point.

One more note: Herculiner sucks! It looks good in the final photo, but it quickly faded out and is basically translucent at this point.



After removing the rotted plywood bed.


A terrible flip phone photo!




Herculiner sucks!

After this things took a turn and I didn't drive it again for years.

[Palf70Step]

Making some good progress. The progress ALWAYS seem to be slower than what we want.

[rusty76]

Believe you me life continues to play havoc. But it’s all good.

[RDrancher]

Time goes quick doesn't it? That's a pretty cool rear bumper.

[Jbshawstad]

Originally Posted by Genuine GM

Hahaha this. That is fantastic. Well the lowered teaser pic sure looks good, tell us more

[Genuine GM]

Originally Posted by RDrancher

Time goes quick doesn't it? That's a pretty cool rear bumper.

It was. I should have saved it but I sold it on CL.

[Genuine GM]

Around January 2010 I decided to try to improve the turd of a 305. I had a plan. A good plan. A workable plan. It was a plan I could afford. The plan? Replace the garbage exhaust, add decent looking valve covers, a used Performer RPM and a rebuilt 600 Holley. As a long time hot rodder in a family of hot rodders I had the parts laying around. I also planned on welding up some holes in the firewall, repainting the block while in the chassis and cleaning up the engine compartment in general. I wanted it to look nice and not like you needed a tetanus shot walking by it with the hood up. "Planned"...



Shortly after I took this photo I scored a low mile 5.3 LS with a carb intake and MSD box for $500!

5.3 > 305 (or 350) so the 3-oh-garbage came out along with the TH350 slip-o-matic. The revised plan was to clean the firewall and fenders then repaint, install the new-to-me engine with a better trans (trans is a story for later) and get it back on the road. At this point things were developing quickly. Those with the eye of a hawk will notice the crossmember is removed. (Those with the nose of a hawk should seek a plastic surgeon)



The crossmember was out because I scored this '85 model for free! Notice there are no springs installed. Moving it was a source of countless blood blisters!



Eleventy-seven hours later I had everything wire wheeled, scrubbed and ready for installation. All I lacked was finishing up.

This brings us too July 2, 2010. I remember the exact day because I took this photo before my wife and I left for the hospital. See on that day they induced labor and my lovely (car girl) wife gave me my second boy.



I had made good progress at this point. But two kids pretty much took all of my time and money. So what to do next....

[Genuine GM]

With two small kids I lacked money, but had time. So what to do? Clean, prep and do cheap stuff. At this point the actual truck became yard art, much to the chagrin of my neighborhood. Yea no HOA!

So I dug around and snatched up a Ford 9 inch for $150 bucks, a new gearset for free, a Trac-Loc for $75 and a TH400 for free.

I had never built an automatic before. Having said that I am an aircraft mechanic by trade and I firmly believe if human hands built it why can't I.

So a TH400 rebuild commenced.


"Gross Captain du-du!"


What have I done!


"Some assembly required"


A new use for an engine stand. For me at least.


I'm sure this is what Stanley had in mind when they designed this table.


Done! Except for that big missing piece. I had to replace it due to cracks.

With that done, I tackled the rearend, not that I had any intentions of installing it anytime soon. But it was good busy work because I had the parts for cheap.

[Genuine GM]

Ford 9 inch anyone? Again, not a lot of photos because I didn't have a good camera, or phone, or camera phone, or phone camera, whatever.


Narrowed and ready to go. New 3.50 gear with rebuilt 31 spline Trac-Loc, new bearings, new axles.

The rear disc brakes? Remember Cash-for-Clunkers? The 'yards were full of gold if you were willing to do the work. I snagged these off a '93 Z28 for $50. That included everything, even the mounts, which I modified to work with the 9" housing. I redrilled the rotors to 5x5 bolt pattern on the Mill at work. (not yet redrilled in the photo)

Here I am drawing up spacers for the bearing plates and then I machined them on the CNC router at work. FYI - a CNC router is a great thing. I have used it countless times for brackets and such.





I dug around and found some more photos!

Here is the process I used to plug the socket hole in the axle flanges prior to redrilling them for a truck. As shown they had a 5 x 4.75 and 5 x 4.5 pattern.


Turning the plugs.


Test fitting. They had a nice slip fit. Not too loose and not too tight.


Using the finest old jeans available I shielded the bearings from weld spatter.


Welded up, cooling and ready to be turned down on the lathe.


With the rearend finished I started on cleaning up the 5.3L.

I should mention that by this time was was January 2011. The photos and text read fast, but it wasn't. At this point I had owned the truck almost two years, I hadn't driven it in one year and I thought the end was in sight. Ha ha ha ha ha!!! I say this for anyone that find themselves in that situation. Stay the course! It will work out and when it does it is glorious!

[Genuine GM]

We interrupt this build thread for Mr. George Trosley!

[okndn]

good looking build so far. Keep it coming

[CRGRS 66]

I am about 5 years into a 1 year project myself!

[Genuine GM]

Teaser #2 taken about 1 month ago.



FYI - This truck will be at the C10 Nationals this Saturday! Hope to see you there!

[Notch1988]

I like the work on the rear end. Keep the updates (backdates?) coming

[CRGRS 66]

Originally Posted by CRGRS 66

I am about 5 years into a 1 year project myself!

Damn, I seriously thought that was funny

[Genuine GM]

Originally Posted by CRGRS 66

Damn, I seriously thought that was funny

Oh it was. I feel your pain. It has become obvious I drug this project out for no reason other than I didn't stay on task.

Getting sidetracked on numerous other "hobbies" didn't help. I'll go over that more when I cross those bridges on the backdates.

[CANUCIT]

What did you use for the tranny crossmember

[Genuine GM]

Originally Posted by CANUCIT

What did you use for the tranny crossmember

One from a 73-78 squarebody. I just redrilled the 4 mounting holes in the frame. In full disclosure I moved the LS back about 3 inches and down 2. I used an F-body oil pan and made my own engine mounts. I started with an adapter kit but it sat pretty high and forward in the truck. Right now there is about 1/4" of clearance between the #8 coil pack and the firewall; maybe 3/4" of clearance at the head.

[Genuine GM]

In early 2011 we had 6" of snow. While that may not seem like a lot to most, here in N. Texas it was terrible. My truck didn't like it. Heck, I didn't like it.



So with heater running I attacked the 5.3L The goal was a cleanup and paint. That goal changed when I scored a used Comp Cams XFI Camshaft (P/N: 54-412-11) for $50! That drove me to a valve spring change, which made me think (a 0.010" head mill would help compression). See, this is how my "quick" projects snowball...

Then I realized I needed an F-body oil pan so I snagged that. I had a friend with an Corvette LS1 with some rods hanging out of the block so it donated the windage tray, which I trimmed to fit the F-Body pan.

I reassembled with GM head gaskets, GM head bolts, and LS6 valve springs. Nothing too radical, it was my first exposure to an LS after all.

Finally I painted it. In the winter. In a cold garage. NEVER DO THIS!!!! The VHT never got a chance to cure properly and it is now flaking off. It looks meh, but that is ok because there is 6.0 waiting to be built...

Anyway, here are the photos.




Dressed for installation.

With the engine done I enlisted my dad (working the jack) and a friend (in the engine bay) to help drop it in. I don't own an engine tilter. I really should...



As noted above I hated the way the conversion mounts worked so I modified the block portion and made my own frame portion.



At this point I scored a stock fuel injection intake, harness and computer so I threw it on an started wiring it up. That was the plan. Eventually I decided I didn't want to learn EFI while also dealing with new brakes, trans, rearend and suspension. So for ease of tuning and quick running, I put the carb stuff back on. (also notice the master cylinder and line routing is different) I still have the EFI and that is a short term goal once I get some miles on it.



For headers I used the Hedman's recommended by Rob MacGregor in the J/T build. The fit like a glove. Notice the carb is back on it here.





I whipped up a mount for the MSD box out of aluminum and used some heim joints to make the throttle talk too the pedal.

The next step was forced by a less than friendly neighbor. Notice there is no front suspension in the engine install photo? Yeah, the city I was in had a non running car ordinance...