72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

Sorry, i posted to the wrong forum, i have asked to have it moved


I bought this truck for parts to build my 72 K10. The K10 is a mess, needs a full body, no title and is buried in my backyard.
This is a complete good running and driving truck with a decent cab and nose.
I have a massive amount of parts for the k10 build including this truck.

The final truck will be a SWB 72 k10, Cheyenne Super, stock ride height, 30x9.5 tires, hugger orange and white with parchment bucket seat interior.

Bringing the K10 in the shop would really cramp things up so i decided to build this truck out and later drop this body and drivetrain on the chevy frame after i make some room and get the title for the k10.

Week before last i bought the cab rust repair panels and last week i ordered short fleet bedsides.
I have a new vortec motor for this build.
New LMC exhaust kit
New stock height 3 leaf front springs
Bucket seats
Tach dash
Tilt column and cushion grip steering wheel.
Parchment door panels and visors
And lots more.
As you can see it has pretty nice wheels and tires. The tires are about 29.5” tall and with the 4.10 Gears It should be pretty peppy with the vortec engine.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

I will add all the trim for this look. Fixing all the primer spots, rust etc, probably paint the outer of the bedsides to complete the look.

I will build new cab and nose for the k10, just use the bed, engine trans, interior etc from this build.

I think this medium green is the worst color ever on a 72 but i will work with it for now because its a decent complete truck AND other people love this color.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

I finished most of the RH floor and rocker repair this weekend. I have already fit the door with the rocker panel screwed in place, just need to plug weld the rocker on and move to the other side.
Needed kick panel, lower A pillar, outer floor, rocker panel and front floor support.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

Parting out? How much for the wheels? :) Posted to parts board.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

Eventual part out...build for now.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

The tires are 70% and white letter which i love, i normally dont like k20 axles under a short bed but i got good rubber and wheels so I'm going to see how a swb looks with stock suspension height and stock wheels.
I have never seen one built like that.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

The K10 SWB cab I just got is/was that color. I hate it. But as you say people like it. Still, I’m going with something else. Haha.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

The vortec engine, i have a spec and blueprint thread on it someplace here too.
I have it dressed out like a 1970 corvette, L46 350hp engine.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

I havent been able to sell these buckets so might use them in this truck for a while.
I also have some black woodgrain door panels, dash and glovebox door.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

Your the only person i have heard say they hate it too.

I will have an extra cab and nose when i move the parts the the K10, should be valuable and desireable, just not to me.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

I just realized i posted this to the parts forum...sorry, asking to get it moved now.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

This truck looks like a tiny baby compared to your crew cab. And I like the color. And I've always loved that finished truck you showed with the full wheel covers. Full wheel covers seldom look good on 4x4's, but they look great on that one.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

Good start on the build Randy. Should be nice. This must be the truck you needed the parchment interior parts for. The green is does not look to bad.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

That truck does look good, classy with the whitewalls and full wheel covers. Been looking for pics of 2 tone med green trucks. Just realized today that one is 4Wd.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

This build is where the parchment parts are going.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

Its all shortened up. I did a step cut on the frame like i always do.
I shortened the rear driveshaft myself, done tons of them, never had any vibration issues either.

I got it back together today and went for a drive.
Floors are all tacked in, rockers set in place with screws. I didnt weld them, because im doing a little sandblasting on the cowl and floor and without the rockers its easier to clean up.
I refit the entire body and it fits together pretty nice.
I put a decent used exhaust on it while i had the body off, no it has full exhaust with good mufflers that exit behind the rear tires.
While i had the body off i serviced the rear end, despite sitting for a very long time the rear end is in good shape inside, no rust or excessive wear noted.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

That was quick. Looks good!

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

Looks like a nice one Randy! How much do you estimate this truck will bring when completed?

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

Thank you. Its been fun and i like the look too.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed buildnjoynit.
 

I have no idea what the value will be.
As i think i stated im using this truck as a place holder for all my parts which will eventually get put on my 72 k10. I dont really want a Short bed titled as a k20.

So why didnt i just do the k10 now?
The k10 is buried in my back yard, has been parked for 30 years, has title issues, i am unsure on the condition of the trans transfer case and differentials.


This truck runs and drives good, has new brakes and nice tires, wheels and hubcaps. So for now i will throw all my best parts at it, and drive it and enjoy it.
Later i will restore the K10 chassis and swap this body and drivetrain onto it.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

Great work man. Very clean.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

I hate sandblasting but the cowl, floor and roof gutter needed it.
There are a few spots of rust pinholes in the cowl which i will fix with a combination of welding, 2 part urethane seam sealer and possibly 3m 8115.

Now i can change the color since the hard to sand parts are blasted.
Im leaning towards hugger orange but may go with light yellow like on my k10.
I may even go red since have it on hand. Of course upper and lower moldings with white in the center.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

Added factory AC

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

Nice work!

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

Thank you, couple more pics of todays work.
Also filled in the dash holes, some dummy had a universal key switch mounted above the original one, first thing i did when i got the truck is remove it and repair the wiring harness. I just crimped on packard 56 connectors and put them in the original connector along with a good used switch, cant tell the wiring harness was ever hacked.

The radio opening on the bottom of each side has stress cracks, probably from a heavy radio with no rear support, the truck was originally radio delete so no rear support bracket was installed.

Also had aux tank switch hole which i filled.

Did you notice i mounted a shop light inside the cab? It really helps light up the inside while working in there. I hung it off short chains hooked to the visor holes.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

I removed the door weatherstripping today and found rust under it in the passenger side, so i have to sand blast again, wish i would have found it before i blasted the floor, blasting is soo messy, esp inside the cab.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

If your following my shirt bed big block build i had this cab dipped, turned out real nice, no paint, no rust and no under coating left.
When i picked it up i dropped of an 8’ bed floor for a future k20 project, he only charged me $200, im going to pick it up tomorrow, its a real nice floor, very few dings and no rust. It will be a pain to store it but i couldnt pass up having it dipped for only $200!
The dipping place is 500 miles round trip, its all day trip. Im real happy with their work though and combining drop off/pick up helps average down the overall cost and saves time.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

Big time project creep here.
Im more torn down than expected and i need paint.
Decided to change the color, full interior paint included.
My Color choices were in order
Hugger orange and white
Grapefruit yellow and white
Hawaiian blue and white.
Decided against yellow, i dont think it has very wide appeal despite having almost a full quart on hand.
Orange was $500 a gallon
Blue $300
I ordered the blue. Pick it up tomorrow.
My short bed big block will be blue so doing this one blue will give good experience on coverage, flow, etc. and any extra paint will be used on that truck.
Also i feel blue and white is the best color and has very wide appeal.

For the medium green lovers....i asked my wife to pick up the paint tomorrow, mentioned I'm painting it blue. She was floored, she loves the green!

As you can see i have the firewall stripped and the rear window out. Surprisingly the rear window pinchweld has no issues.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

I used this 3m 2-part seam sealer, its really nice stuff, sets up quick and the self leveling one is amazing in the drip rail on the roof. I also flowed it into the cowl seams.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

Passenger side welding is done. It will need a small piece of cab corner at some time but done other than that to include final welding on the front floor support which is difficult overhead welding.
The door fits the cab and rocker fairly well.
I just remembered today that i have an extra key parts passenger door skin, i think i will install it and see how i like it. I will attempt to replicate the factory rolled front edge of the door. I think a full skin is a more reliable repair than patches. Never had good luck with lower door patches (bubbles later).

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

Looks great Randy. Did you sand blast the cowl area?

Also what kind of paint did you buy?

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

I did sandblast inside the cowl, the engine wiring ledge, the floor, the kick panels and vents. Also part of the door jamb where it rusted under the weatherstrip.
It turned out nice and i was able to get more inside the cowl than expected.

I have one of those cheap eastwood pressure blasters. I had a Tip blaster years ago which was much higher quality but the eastwood one works good. Just requires some fiddling as i think all the cheap ones do.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

I also installed a pretty clean 68 gmc core support that i had on hand from a 68 C30 i parted out a while ago. The old one was pretty rusty under the battery.
I blasted the new core support under the battery and painted it. Should last a while. New core support bushings/mounts while i was there.
Unfortunately the 68 core support isnt drilled for the AC condenser lines so i will have to hole saw them. Which is a pain because the hole saw makes such a rough hole.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

I ordered new lower bed trim since i dont have any used stuff and a windshield gasket yesterday. Im going to pull the windshield for paint, i will install front and rear stainless trim on the windows and tinted glass. It has all clear glass now.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

I bought Nason Ful-Thane, its a budget eurethane made by Axalta, formerly Dupont.
I painted my yellow and white K10 with it and the inside of my crew cab. It sprays out nice, drys quick and shines great.
Last year i got a gallon of GM white with reducer and hardener off ebay for $139 shipped! I think i paid $189 for the gallon of gm victory red on my crew cab.
Wish i could get custom mixed colors off the same guy. It would be much cheaper. There is a lot of profit in paint.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

I will also pull the gas tank for paint. I want it painted all around the tank and i need to get the sand out from behind it.
If the tank is completely empty its a simple job. I never knew that until recently, usually they have a few gallons in them and that really complicates things, the weight and sloshing around makes it very awkward.

Someone cut the fuel line under the cab, it has about a foot of rubber line instead of a Few inches, i found a new stainless line and a nice used one in my parts pile so that will be much better with less rubber hose.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

I'm very interested in more details about spraying single stage urethane, so please post more about this when you start to paint the truck. Who is your paint guy?

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

I paint them myself in the space you see the truck in the garage. I did my first paint job in 1986, self taught from books and pointers from experienced painters, in those years i was in the army and they had auto craft shops ran by mechanics and body men.

I love single stage catalyzed paints for the following reasons.
1. They retain a factory look, not excessively glamorous
2. Less time the paint is wet and open to contamination
3. Dirt doesnt get buried in the clear
4. Easily repaired.

I avoid Single stage metallics but have done them. I have also done a lot of base clear, i just dont like the overall look and i especially dislike the extra spraying and dry time, it makes for a long day. Also more gun and tool cleaning. Base clear is a lot more effort.
I painted my K10 winter of 2018 but prior to that i last painted in about 2000, back then i always had one in process, either mine or a customer vehicle.

I used to paint mostly with catalyzed acrylic enamel, delstar usually, and some ppg concept urethane too.
Back then these cheaper paints like nason were just coming out, no way i would have used it back then.
I ended up buying this nason because is was $300 vs $600 or more for ppg concept.
Its the best spraying paint i have ever used....but it drys very fast which is only good if you can keep a wet edge. You have to lay it on wet and keep moving.

Im not sure if a first time painter would be very successful with it. I feel like its hard to make it run where as the old enamels were easy to make it run. They were also easy to spray out dull.
This urethane has great gloss and i think it would be hard to spray it out dull.

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

The real work is in the body fit and paint prep.

With single stage solid colors you can also paint panels which helps keep them sprayed out even and wet with good gloss. I always paint in sections such as

Inside the cab one day
Outside white on cab and fenders the next day
Outside color on cab and nose next day

Inside the bed one day,
White on bed one day
Color on bed another day

Or some schedule like that

I have done complete all in one shot in this shop, i just dont like doing it that way, its exhausting and harder to get great results

Re: 72 GMC K2500, short bed build
 

Sounds exactly like what I want. I'd like to get some ordered and give it a few practice tries. Who do you recommend buying it from?