Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

Great project and it is another solid windshield GMC!!

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

Some progress to report. The gauges are in and the wiring is mostly complete. I cleaned up the firewall a bit in the process. I bought a leaf spring kit from Total Cost Involved (haven't received it yet) so I started the process of removing the current rear suspension, which looks like it's going to be a ton of fun in the form of rivet removal. Can hardly wait for that.

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/b...psgf11xroo.jpg

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/b...pslpnw1ryg.jpg

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

Nice work Steve! Sounds like you'll have fun on the rivet removal.

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

Man I do like how a 54's dash looks. Popping out the rivets aren't that bad as long as the cut the "X" in the head and pop it off.

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

Cut the X then drill out or chisel it?

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

yup. Cut an "x" into the head w/cutoff wheel down to the frame then use an air chisel to remove the head. then you can punch the remaining piece out with the air chisel. Definitely wear hearing protection. It can be LOUD!

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

What a PITA! Each front spring mount has no less than 5 rivets holding it in place - 3 on the side and 2 underneath. I went to HF and pissed away some money on an air chisel. It did make a hell of a racket but not much of a dent in the rivet head. I found the best way was to grind the head down flush to the frame and then drill it out.

The two front mounts are out and now on to the rear mounts with only 3 rivets each, but the are all on the bottom of the frame.

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/b...psytroywjy.jpg

After this everything else will seem like a blast...

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

man I hate grinding rivets.

for next time,

instead of a grinding disc use a thin cut off wheel in the grinder and be VERY CAREFUL (goggles, face shield, heavy long sleeve shirt, leather gloves, no shorts or flip flops!) to hold the grinder firmly, dont bind the disc or it will explode and the shrapnel is lethal. (maybe not lethal, but it will make you remember the date on the calendar as a BC/AD kind of thing)

slice the heads off the rivets, easy peasy, then drill a hole about half the size of the rivet in the center. the hole in the center takes the compressive force out of the rivet and you should be able to just bang them through.

if you have a plasma cutter, just blow right through the centers of the rivets and blow the heads off sideways, easy peasy.

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

Joe, I took your advice and ground the heads off. Wasn't easy peasy because there was always something in the way and being on the bottom of the frame I was treated to spark showers. I also learned why you recommended a long sleeve shirt too.

I had better luck drilling a small hole in the center of the rivet then going after it with a step bit after that. Then I just knocked the bracket off with a BFH.

Anyway, all those rat bastard rivets are off there now.

Next up is to grind the crust off the axle and get it painted and hang the brackets.

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

good workaround! I dont have a drill that will drill past the 4th step on a step bit haha.

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

Nice work Steve. I spotted Lola in the background. Did you ever build the black 59 / 60 you purchased?

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

I know your pain on the rivets, I think I drilled 67 of them out of my c50 frame!

Looking good!

-Richard

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

I wound up selling that and another one that I had. I figured out that owning 3 of them was keeping me from doing one good one, but I still need to finish up Iron Ox, the 69 Camaro and a 64 Lemans before I get back around to Lola. But I plan on doing some minor stuff to her over the Winter.


67!!!! Crap! I'll be thinking real hard before buying any more projects with them. Kyle at Laid Back Recreations told me that Snap On makes a dandy tools that just cuts the heads right off of there like going through cheese, for only $600. Thanks for checking in.

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

Pretty much have the TCI kit finished up, just have to install the crossmember shock mount and shocks. Next up is plumbing the fuel and brake lines.

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/b...ps1v5qqfbg.jpg

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

chugging right along. Looking great!

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

The rear end dropped low enough I can't fit the tires on it I had before.

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/b...psd4dga9tl.jpg

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/b...psfihinbhn.jpg

Not breathtakingly low, but pretty decent for a stock frame truck I think.

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

That looks good, I like that rear spring kit.

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

Looks good Steve. What paint are you using there? I didn't know you were painting it too...

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

Looking good Steve

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

Thanks guys. It's not up to the levels you guys do by any stretch, but I'm having a good time with it.

Mike, it's funny you should ask that - Kyle came out to my shop a few days ago and he stood there and stared at it for a few seconds and asked the very same question - What paint are you using? :lol:

You don't wanna know. :smoke:



Anyway, moving along to building a support system for the rusty ole bed sides..

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/b...pscrszymey.jpg

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

Moving along really well. And the ride height looks fine. I was curious on the paint too.

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

I like the color! the body looks pretty good now

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

I thought the original paint looked good too.

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

I bought the truck liking the original paint too, but the white turned out to be more like whitewash over 5 other paint jobs so I sanded all the loose crap off and did my amateur attempt at an aged look. Not too bad, hopefully it will drive much better than it looks.

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

It's a good kinda rusty look. I like it. Mine had very little actual paint left, mostly rust. I just sanded it and CLR'd over it before clear coat. Yours has that kind of look to me. Are you sticking with the black steelies or something else for wheels?

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

I don't know what I'm going to do on wheels yet. With the lowered springs my old Coddington Timeless wheels no longer fit and I have these steel wheels of my 63 Vette I stuck on there for now. I kinda like the look, but we'll see. Picking out wheels is one of the hardest parts of a build to me.

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

I think that the black steelies with simple caps and whitewalls would look great on this one...

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

if you send them to colorado customs they can rehoop them with more offset. my friend did that to a set. I know they are boyds but the hoops should be universal. might kill the budget...

chad, a guy I have come to know on this forum who lives just up the road, did 15x5 with 49 car caps and skinny tall radials, if you squint it can remind you of a bias ply original setup, I am going to copy his good idea on my next one with some 15x5 and 15x6 artilleries and 41 truck caps, all from wheel vintiques.

http://i103.photobucket.com/albums/m...psbclv6abc.jpg

but I dont blame you if you are stuck on the boyds, I have a set of boyd hammers from 1990 that they are going to have to bury me with. talk about timeless, that has to be one my favorite styles

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

Nah, not stuck on the Boyd's at all - I just had them stacked in the corner. I'm leaning toward the steelie look

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

Got the bed floored over the Christmas.

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/b...psdhdxt0vz.jpg


http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/b...psvbtcatxd.jpg


The black rectangular box by the back window is a portable Bluetooth speaker that I scored from Home Depot for $20 on on their Black Friday sale. Sounds fairly decent, and oddly enough sounds better in the cab with it back there. :lol:

Like that Astro Ventilation going on the bottom of the door? It's staying. :smoke:

And hey, check out the plush carpet I also got from HD - after some thought, I decided to go ahead and splurge, coughed up $18 for it.


http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/b...psw6lsndza.jpg

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

nice work on the bed! and the carpet, haha I have passed that same carpet

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

Looking good Steve!

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

Steve, what is going on with this truck? You been driving it yet?

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

Sadly, not as much as I'd like, but I did get the front drums converted to disc and ran all new brake lines. Next up is bending up fuel lines and getting the engine fired up.

Thanks for checking in Karl

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

What happened with this one? Seemed like it was moving along pretty well.

Re: 54 GMC 100: The Iron Ox
 

Hey Zoomin, I'v got the exact truck but 55.1 series no rust in the middle of a LS swap with C4 vette IFS & IRS. I'm in Plano Texas.
I've got some extra parts but none are as rusty as yours :)
You have a beautiful truck and should be very proud of it!