1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

This is my 1972 gmc highlander that i have been working on for a while, and i finally have the time now to post what i have done, and hope to have time to upload what i do every week.
I'm putting a 5.3 litter ls motor in it, there are pictures of it in when i brought the motor home, and when i was painting it, then another picture with it in the frame. The frame was powder coated, then i took and cleaned up all of the suspension components. While the chassis was torn down, i cut the front coil springs to lower it about 1-2 inches, and bought 4 inch drop coils for the rear (hoping that this will get the 2-3 inch all around drop that i am going for, but i may have to tweak things to get what i want). After they were all cleaned up, i put the frame and all suspension components together (picture below of my grandfather and i putting the chassis together) to make the ruling chassis. The orange and white paint on the cab and all of the body panels is the original paint, and i will keep all of it, unless i have to cut it out to fix the rust.

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Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

Sounds like a neat truck, but, none of the attached pictures are working.

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

oh sorry didn't realize that, give me a couple minutes while i fix it

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

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Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

third time is the charm i guess

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

That's coming along! If the SPID is still on the glovebox door could you show a picture? I see your GMC was ordered with coil rear springs. Is the rear a Dana 44 or a 12-bolt?

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

The rear end is a 12 bolt. The frame is actually out of a chevy. The frame that came with the truck when i bought it was torn down to nothing, with no suspension components or mounts whatsoever. Plus someone at one point torched big chunks out of some pretty obvious parts of the frame. Sense we had already bought a 69 chevy to get the front suspension, we decided that it would be easier to use the chevy axle (not making it true to gmc, because gmc 2 wheel drives always had leaf springs in the rear, and chevy 2 wheel drives always have coil springs in the rear) rather than trying to track down a gmc frame that had the leaf spring mounts. Not what i originally wanted, but most people wouldn't know the difference, so i'm not to worried about it.

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Here is a picture of the truck we got for the frame

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

[QUOTE=kehstr;7379187] we decided that it would be easier to use the chevy axle (not making it true to gmc, because gmc 2 wheel drives always had leaf springs in the rear, and chevy 2 wheel drives always have coil springs in the rear) rather than trying to track down a gmc frame that had the leaf spring mounts. Not what i originally wanted, but most people wouldn't know the difference, so i'm not to worried about it.

My '71 2wd. GMC is coil rear susp. I've had both leaf and coil rear susp. GMC's

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

I think coils were an option on GMC's , and far superior in my opinion

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

i must just be the majority of gmc's that are leaf springs, because I've never seen a coil spring gmc, until it came to mine

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

Chevs came with coil springs as standard and you could order a Chev with leafs if desired. Same is true for GMC's, they came standard with leafs and you could order coils if you wanted.

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

Here are some pictures of the rust repair, along with my progress on my electronic speedometer conversion (here is a link for a complete overview of the conversion: http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=512751) wish i had more pictures, but get to sucked in to the project at hand and forget.
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Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

then here is a picture of the spid (hope it's readable), and some more pictures of the cab with a better camera, along with my dad's 1971 blazer in the background
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Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

Progress! Thanks for the picture of the SPID. I see your truck is a super Custom

My '67 GMC project is being built on a '71 Chevy SWB coil rear chassis. Most coil rears are corporate while most leaf rears are Danas. But, I have seen coil spring Dana rears and maybe leaf spring 12-bolts (in C-models). The rarest 1/2t rear I have seen was a coil spring Dana60 6-lug.

Whoever said they think coil rear suspension is superior, I wonder in what way? For a more car-like ride? For lowering now that they are toys for many? For launching? As far as the purpose that trucks exist for, hauling/working, obviously leaf springs are superior. Not an opinion, a fact. Otherwise, why did GM go back to leaf, why were 4wds never coil sprung, and why do big trucks run leaf springs? I guess just stating you think coils are superior isn't enough info for us to get your meaning

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

The specific spid # is 160410, the 604 means it had gray plad, you can identify the highlander by the custom trim combination. Here is a link for the complete thread on highlander pickups. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=635040

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

I know all about the Highlanders. I have had several over the years. My first truck was a Highlander. I've had some that were the exception to the rule with combinations that were allegedly not available, including the first truck.

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

What's up with the big 4 wheel drive there in the background? Looks nice

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

This 1968 GMC 910 has the coil spring option plus an overloader from the factory. Wood bed, side trim but painted bumper, 307, TH400, PS, manual brakes. Weird truck. Dad drove it every day from new till his death in '96.

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

The 4 wheel drive in the background, is my dads 1971 blazer that he put in a LS 6.0 and a 4l80e. Then built a custom cage, and put a ford Dana 60 front end, then a semi-floating 14 bolt in the back.

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

Great project, and nice work on it. That's pretty cool to be able to build a truck with your grandpa and your Dad too. Your Dad's Blazer looks sweet. We need more pictures of that and the 71/72 4wd in post #6. Do you have a completion date for your truck?

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

If you are talking about the red and white truck in the back ground that you see the back of, then it's my dad's 72 4wd with a 454 bored over (don't know how much) and yes those are the only 2 running 67-72 trucks and blazers that my dad owns right now.
No i do not have a completion date, at this point i just want to keep it fun, and hope to have it done within the year, with shouldn't be hard at all.

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

Hey, 2 running 67-72's is better than most I know. :lol: And absolutely, have fun and enjoy it! The trucks I had in high school were no prom queens but they got the job done. Haha

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

haha, i don't need a prom queen truck right now, i got my dad's truck for that LOL

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

Since i haven't been able to work on my truck lately i thought i would just post some pictures of things that happened that i haven't put on the board. There are some pictures of me moving the cab up to start fixing the rust, and let me say it does not like to lay steady with 2 straps, but as soon as i got rid of one strap and only had the other to carry it, it worked just fine, and i have no clue why.
There are also pictures of the rust that the cab had on the passenger side, then another picture after everything was cut out on the passenger side, and has just about every tool that was need that day to work on the cab. Yes this is me saying you can't have too many tools LOL

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Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

then just since ya'll seem so interested in my dad's stuff, i thought i would post a few pics of the two of them

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Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

Dang man, your Dad's rides are sweet! Thanks for sharing them.

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

i'm trying to find a gas tank that fits in my truck that goes under the bed, and will not hang down as much as the blazer tanks do, do any of you know of something that fits that criteria?
I'm also looking for some speaker ideas, that does't use the kicker panel speakers, or cut holes in anything. I would also really like to keep a speaker on the dash like they did stock. Do you have any ideas?
Thanks in advance

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

Sorry to keep asking for help, but i'm also looking for a cruise control switch that doesn't replace my turn signal lever, and looks factory, any solutions?

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

Here is a great idea for speakers especially if your in-cab tank is out like you are wanting to do.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=476976

I know these tanks are a little pricey but are made for our trucks and as you can see by the pic don't hang way down when installed. Their hidden hitches work great too as I had on my other truck.

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

Thaks for the idea, but i was hoping to get something that was an off the shelf item, it's cheaper and easier to replace down the road if i ever need to, and would also like to not have to take more cross members out than i have to (other than that really thin pointless one i will have to take out no matter what i do). Anything else that fits with the new criteria i gave you? :P

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

If you want a cruise switch that doesn't mount on the column, this is about your only option, can't say it looks real factory though. http://www.dakotadigital.com/index.c...prod/prd49.htm Not sure why you don't want one that mounts to the column, they're way easier to use than having to reach to the dash. If you change your mind, I have some levers that will work without any added relays like aftermarket column mounted switches.

On a side note, whats the deal with the blower on the Blazer? Interested to see more of that set up.

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

I used a 25 gallon tank out of an 87 blazer when I did my LS swap. Just used a walboro 255 on the factory sending unit. For the fuel fill I put a twist cap neck on and it's under a door in my bed floor. My truck is a short bed so I had to remove the rear brace (thin one). On the long beds this shouldn't be an issue. I got the tank from classic industries for $89 and a new sending unit from rock auto. I think it was around $56. Then I used mobile home tie down straps from lowes to secure it for $13. It works well for me and as you can see from the pictures, it's not an eye sore.

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Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

Thanks everyone for their help!! I think after seeing what is available, i am now open to any cruise control switch

To be honest with you the only thing i know about the supercharger is that it's one for a BBC that was modified and had custom brackets built for it. Had it for a big block he was going to build for the blazer, but then decided he wanted an ls, so then the supercharger was made to fit.

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

did you have any clearance issues with the cross sills on the underside of your bed? I thought I saw where you have to trim those some unless that's only for the 31 gallon

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

I still haven't been able to work on my truck much lately, life's been crazy. I do have some pictures of the parts i got for Christmas. Got a heater core, door and windshield weatherstripping, firewall insulation, heater box gaskets, evaporator drain hose, glove box piece, and a dash pad. Can't think of anything i need in order to get my cab put together that i didn't get
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Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

Very nice!

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

Any updates?? Love you build man!

Re: 1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint
 

I have been working on the rust repair a little. I got the passenger side mostly wrapped up, and got the driver side to a point where I need to put the door on to make sure everything fits right. I don't currently have pictures but hope to take some soon.
I started to work on the wiring harness, which is very tedious! I had to take out a bunch of connectors for sensors that I'm not going to use, then go through and find out which pin it is that goes into the computer and take it out.
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There are also a few things that I have done, that I don't know why I have not posted about them.
As a lot of you have probably realized, the r12 AC systems that these trucks come with, don't work right with r134 in them. So to fix that I took an evaporator made for a 79-91ish chevy truck, and made it fit. The newer evaporator core is shorter, so I had to make a piece fit in the gap to make air flow right. Everything else is fairly straight forward when you look at the original evaporator.
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Something else I haven't posted about is the wheels that I got. They are American Racing torq thrusts (mag gray and machined finish). The size is 20x8.5