1987 V3500 Build

[SaveRustySqBodys]

EDIT: I searched before, but couldn't find the forum build sub-section. I have now found it, but can't figure out how to move my own thread. If a staff member could move this thread to the correct location that would be much appreciated! Thank-you! and my apologies






I will try my best to update this when I can. Like most build threads this will be slow.

My plans are to get it rust free and mechanically sound. Basically freshen most things up. It will be mismatched for a while until I can paint it. Going to leave it overall mostly stock. Debating on leaving it stock height vs a 4 inch lift on 33s.




Okay hello all. I bought a 1987 GMC V3500 SRW (I'm going to refer to it as K30 same thing) roughly 2 years ago off craigslist. I think it was posted for maybe 1-2 days before I jumped on it. I bought it in Hyannis Mass, which as I recall was roughly 2 1/2 hours from my place. I forgot the distance..it was something between 110-150 miles away so it was a little drive. I called the guy in the evening, he said he had 2 people coming the next day so my dad and I hoped in the car and drove up there and by 7 or 8 I had purchased a gem in the rough... a 1987 TBI 454 Th400 Np205 single wheel dana 60 front and 14 bolt FF rear. Truck used to be all black and at some point the bed was swapped for a Stahl utility body.


BACKSTORY:

The guy the person before me bought it from was the one to remove the Stahl body and fisher plow setup and then put a rust free single tank bed on.....

This was basically a 1 family truck up until 2009 with Rolane Transportation. I messaged the owner of Rolane, and he said his Uncle bought the truck brand new. He said after a few years he sold it to the sister company (same family owned) which was in Waste Management bussiness. It was at that point the Utility body was installed. Many years later the father (of the person I was messaging) put the fisher plow on it and painted it gray. They used it as service truck and plow truck.

So little under 2 years go by as I watched in frustration till I was able to really do anything with it. I wanted to use a garage bay at the house for the build. I didn't want to tear into it outside in the dirt. So I fiddled with it here and there, but not much.


First couple pics are from about 2 years ago when I bought the truck in Hyannis

[SaveRustySqBodys]

It's kinda sad because the truck has just been sitting in various spots in the yard. After almost 2 years yesterday I pulled out a side project of mine, an 85 K10 to make room for the K30...I just couldn't stand to look at it anymore and not doing anything to it.


The frame is excellent for a new england truck. Cab is going to need Cab corners, rockers, driver floor, and probably something else. Interior is all there, but needs work. Overall the truck needs some TLC. The air cleaner says Goodwrench Reman 454. I haven't ran any numbers on the motor so I have no idea. When I messaged Rolane trans, the guy said he didn't recall the motor ever being swapped so who knows. When I got the truck it came with an extra vent window which also had a goodwrench sticker on it. So it's quite possible. Oh and it's got a burgundy interior, which from what I've seen... is quite uncommon.


Sorry for some tiilted pictures. I might be able to fix them eventually, but chances are I won't. You get the idea though...burgundy interior...rpo sheet.

[SaveRustySqBodys]

I had time to pull some of the interior out to get a better look at how the kickpanels and floors looked today. My father helped me remove the seat. I snapped 2 of the seat belt bolts, but overall everything came out nicely.

I've been hoarding random parts for a couple years for a future build so right off the bat I already have all clean panels stashed away for this truck and VERY CLEAN maple red bench seat I got out of a pick-a-pull in Pennsylvania junkyard for $30 a couple months ago. Boy, are those pickapulls nice! No junkyards even close to that here in Eastern CT. I plan on reusing the carpet as it's in really good shape, and no one I found reproduces "bronze" interior carpet that I could find.



Drivers side floor was definitly ripe. Pictures look a little worse than it is, but it's still bad. There's lots of dirt loose scale just laying there since I didn't vaccum it at time of picture.

pass side needs a small section right above cab mount location. Both sides had surprisingly good kickpanels.


This truck has been repainted atleast 3 times. You can tell because the cab inside is black, door jams are white, and the outside is gray. It was painted gray at the same time as the utility bed and plow were installed. Body work was done atleast once. I picked out all the bondo from the cab corners a couple months ago. Those poor mass trucks must be full of it to pass inspection....none of that here in CT! No emissions here after 25 years and only a bill of sale (No title, no reg) required after 20 years..... May be one of the worst states to live in at the moment, but the motor vehicle laws here sure arn't too bad!



The truck was painted gray to match the fleet in Rolane Transport. I included a pic of the owners Kenworth I found after doing a google search.

[mingoman]

Nice looking project! I'm definitely a big block big truck fan.

[SaveRustySqBodys]

Finally making some big progress. Became friends with another squarebody enthusiast and have made out a deal for him to work on my cab. So 2 saturdays ago we unbolted everything connected to the cab and had some friends come over and we tilted the cab up on his back. Then friend went to work cutting out the floor pans on the driver side. Doing this every saturday so probably will take a quite a few weeks, updates may be slow.

[Palf70Step]

Nice project. I have shifted it to the build area for ya.

[SaveRustySqBodys]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Nice project. I have shifted it to the build area for ya.

Thank you !

[Greenlee]

Cool truck! Don’t see the single wheel 1 ton’s that often. Especially an 87’ with TBI 454.

[SaveRustySqBodys]

Originally Posted by Greenlee

Cool truck! Don’t see the single wheel 1 ton’s that often. Especially an 87’ with TBI 454.

no, not at all! Especially a GMC version.

I actually have another 1 ton as well, an 1986 K30 from California. Its rust free has dents in bed and tailgate, but a one owner truck off a ranch with 34k miles. Bought it unseen physically (only pics online) over facebook marketplace. Such a nerve racking feeling to send money out in a transaction like that. If I had to do it again I'd fly out. I could make a build thread on it, I've had it since may and have done lots of little things to it.

[Greenlee]

Originally Posted by SaveRustySqBodys

no, not at all! Especially a GMC version.

I actually have another 1 ton as well, an 1986 K30 from California. Its rust free has dents in bed and tailgate, but a one owner truck off a ranch with 34k miles. Bought it unseen physically (only pics online) over facebook marketplace. Such a nerve racking feeling to send money out in a transaction like that. If I had to do it again I'd fly out. I could make a build thread on it, I've had it since may and have done lots of little things to it.

I bought an M1008 military single wheel 1 ton 4x4 and a 1/2 ton 2wd 87’ Silverado. This was about 10 years ago and I got both trucks for a little less than $2,000. I was planning to combine the two and build what you have. Then I bought a 1/2 ton swb 4x4 for parts and the project changed directions. I ended up building the short box instead. I still have that truck.