George...

[69gmcc10]

Originally Posted by 68Gold/white

Look'n Good in the neighborhood!
Looking forward to some more "snow" pictures in near future!!!

Thanks for the kind words. There is snow all around us on the hills here in Missoula Valley so it is just a matter of days...

[69gmcc10]

A guy I knew had a set of 1 7/8" ebay headers that he sent me home with to see if they fit. They look real good, fit around the frame is nice, other than the primary is too large I really like them until I look under the truck and they hung 3 1/2" below the frame.

[69gmcc10]

My hope for wiring up the engine is to use as much of the harness and the fuse block that came with the white truck as possible. This was a bit more tedious than I initially anticipated. Under the hood I labeled all of the connections and set them aside in the bay when I pulled the engine to make things as easy as possible. I am trying to pull the rest of the looms that I think have important wires for my conversion, like the fuel sender, trans solenoid, and OBDII port. Pulling the rest of the harness was pretty tedious because I wanted to cut as few wires as possible.

Engine and Trans wiring harness (C2) with under hood fuse block.

[69gmcc10]

I did get to be a little destructive here! I broke through the back of the cluster mount to the wires that run behind it and clipped all the wires that ran to the heater, stereo, and passenger door, but the rest I unplugged and removed so I can hopefully already have in place things like OBDII, The Factory wires for the cluster, and the tow haul button. Cruise control is also on this harness.

The wiring the goes into the cab (C1)

[69gmcc10]

Then, because my OCD wouldn't let me cut this harness up either, I pulled all the chassis harness that goes to the rear of the truck that includes the tail lights, evap $h!#, fuel sender and pump wiring. This harness was not easy to get out!!! I had to loosen the far side of the bed and remove the bolts on teh near side to snake the harness over one spot... I don t know if it was a worth while endeavor. This is the fuse bundle C3 and not much will be used from it but maybe 1 wire I think.

C3

[69gmcc10]

When all was done the only thing left on the drivers fender was the harness for the forward lights of the truck C4. Wont be needing that!

[cericd]

I noticed you mentioned "semi gloss black enamel" when discussing painting your frame. Do you remember the brand and is it applied from an aerosol can or spray gun? Also, I didn't see you mention POR15 since earlier in your thread. Did you use it when repainting your frame?

Thanks.

btw: Nice work so far!

[69gmcc10]

Originally Posted by cericd

I noticed you mentioned "semi gloss black enamel" when discussing painting your frame. Do you remember the brand and is it applied from an aerosol can or spray gun? Also, I didn't see you mention POR15 since earlier in your thread. Did you use it when repainting your frame?

Thanks.

btw: Nice work so far!

I use Duplicolor rattle cans for most all of my paint because of consistency and availability. I still use and love POR15, for rusty stuff and that is what I painted the front suspension with, except one lower control arm I had to replace for a quick job. I painted the frame with rattle cans because of convenience and speed. There also wasn't much rust on the frame to seal up and I didn't want to acid etch all that real-estate for good adhesion, so I rattle canned it. I find the enamel holds on pretty well.

[69gmcc10]

I cleaned up the receiver hitch I have with my trusty wire wheel and scuffing pad and painted it. Quick side note, this hitch came off of my fathers 3/4 ton 77 Silverado 4x4 that he had parted out. This hitch towed the family camper all around the north western United States on countless adventures and is a huge part of priceless family memories. I almost cant recall not having a trailer behind us on family trips and every time I look at it a flood of childhood memories fill me to the brim with happiness. It is a very welcome addition to George, with hopefully more good memories to come. Also, It has 6 mounting holes and I only needed to drill the center bolt hole on each frame rail to fit as if it were designed to be there. Just shows how little theses frames differed form the 67-72 generation to the 73-87 generation and from 2WD to 4WD.

[skyjgmc]

cant wait to watch the wiring I may not use the vortec motor I got and be on the lookout for an ls motor like yours.

[69gmcc10]

Fuel Tank installed! I am using a 24 gallon tank out of a 89 Blazer and the sending unit as well. These tanks are baffled because this vintage of blazer had the TBI engines and the sending unit has fuel feed, return, and vent hookups. In order to get the correct pressure for an LS engine you need to ditch the lo pressure TBI pump and install a EP381 pump which is dimensionaly the same as the TBI pump and pushes the 60ish psi needed for LS Injectors.

I had to move the rear crossmember in the frame rear to make room for the tank, but it was no big deal. I don't know the exact distance I moved it back because I aligned the crossmember with the rear hole for the hitch I mounted and it worked perfectly. The only other thing I needed to do to prep for the tank was drill a few mounting strap bolt holes in the crossmember I was ready to bolt it up

In order to keep the fuel sending unit from rubbing on the cross bracing of the bed you either need to notch the brace as I show in one of the pictures below or do as I did and use a piece of 3x3 angle iron bolted to the frame rails to lower the tank and eliminate any interference. This still leaves room for the filler neck to sneak over the frame rail and under the bed. This will place the bottom of the tank about 1 1/2" below the lowest point of the frame rails which is between the axles, under the bed and cab, but about even with the front suspension crossmember of the truck. At my ride height I don't see
the clearance being an issue because teh axle and trailing arms hang way below that line, but if you were trying to lay frame maybe a different tank or raising the bed to eliminate the interference would be a better option. Even more piece of mind for me is that the newly installed hitch hangs about 2" below the tank and really makes a strong tank protector from both behind and below.

I am also using the same year of blazer straps as tank for this install, they are almost too short when adding the lowering plates and I would advise finding other straps that are about 2" longer to make the install more convenient, but they would work fine if the tank wasn't lowered.

[69gmcc10]

I want to start this post off with stating that I am a huge fan of No Limit and the owner Rob MacGregor. He has provided me and many of the forum members allot to think about when designing or rebuilding our trucks. With his education and track success he is huge asset to this forum and its members. When he is asked a question he gives an honest answer and it is as non-biased as a business owner can be when talking about products and the principles they operate on and I thank him for his knowledge and sincerity.

That being said this rear sway bar is the second No Limit product I have purchased and there are a few issues. The first product I bought was their panhard bar and I had the same issue with it as I do the sway bar, the parts that are fabricated are top notch, appear to be durable, and well thought out. Where I do have issues is that No Limit mixes and matches grade 5 and grade 8 hardware. I know I am not an engineer nor have I done any research on chassis load on this hardware or the hardware on the panhard rod, but on both all the bolts are grade 8 (yay!) and the all-thread for the bar connecting rod, washers and nuts are all Grade 5 ().? My 03's OE sway bar uses grade 8 all around, why don't they? Even if it isn't necessary it would just be a prettier and more professional presentation of their products, it's just my pet peeve.

The other issue I had here was the box this bar came in had seen better days, probably every day before the man in the brown suit got a hold of it and due to design of the bar it is a awkwardly weighted box, but the box was gouged and the bar had a 3" scratch through the powder coat. I don't really mind because I plan to use my truck and missing powder coat will be the least of any issue, but when you spend the $$$ one does for this bar It would be nice to get a pristine product when opening the box. I don't blame No Limit for the handling issues, but maybe there could have been more padding in the box.

But, on to the install and to review that, because I wont be able to tell you if it is worth its salt until after I drive the truck someday, hopefully. It was an easy install and the copied hand drawings on the instructions are kinda awesome, it gives a feel that "we are busy racing. Here are some hand drawings, if you cant figure this out give us a call on monday." It came with a few L brackets to mount to the frame, but due to packaging and my formerly leaf sprung frame I passed on them. I am sure they are to give the frame more meat to transfer weight and not rip the rail, so I made sure to mount one of the holes to an existing crossmember bolt that is on leaf trucks that I didn't remove to give it some more strength. due to my ride height I knew I would have to do something different on the drop down connecting bars and I replaced them with some longer grade 8 equivalent all thread. The short steel pipe you see in the pic that the all thread goes inside will be measured and a longer piece cut after I get the truck all together and sitting at ride height with weight on it to make it perfect, but I have it 90% installed and all of it bolted on just to get the parts off my shop floor.

Would I buy this again? Absolutely! Even with the mismatch of hardware I would this and more parts from No Limit. Their science seems sound and the quality of the fabricated parts is top notch, I would just be prepared to buy grade 8 washers and bolts for a prettier finished product.

I cant wait to get on the road and chuck this truck around some mountan passes!

[68GMCCustom]

just went thru the whole thread to here....and subscribing for the rest!

[rustytruck50]

Nice build....subscribed as well!!
My first thought when I saw your truck was how much it looked like the one in Footloose....thought you had located the same one!

[Gregski]

Glad I found this thread, love the comments. WARNING: don't sip beer whilst reading, just saying!

[69gmcc10]

Originally Posted by 68GMCCustom

just went thru the whole thread to here....and subscribing for the rest!

thanks for the read... hopefully some day soonish it will be on the road.

Originally Posted by rustytruck50

Nice build....subscribed as well!!
My first thought when I saw your truck was how much it looked like the one in Footloose....thought you had located the same one!

I watched that movie not too long ago and did notice the truck, of course, but there were some differences. That truck has no trim and a black and red stripe on the body line.

Originally Posted by Gregski

Glad I found this thread, love the comments. WARNING: don't sip beer whilst reading, just saying!

I post and do most of my reading on this forum at work and sadly I don't work at a bar, so drinking and internet surfing doesn't happen much for me. They frowned on it last time I cracked a beer at the computer... I told them I was trying to drink enough to forget the rest of the bad choices I still remember from last night... a precedent was set, it was not the precedent I was hoping for.

[69gmcc10]

Cold and snowy... well now cold and icy! To date Missoula has received 47" of snow this season and in a town that usually on sees about 24" it has certainly been a shocker for may of us. Between the interchanging snow and rain storms it has been a crazy cold spell in the Garden city. It has been so intense here that I even got stuck in my 4WD 03 Silverado while parking on the street in front of my house, conditios were so perfect I had to chain up. With just a hand full of hours above freezing it is needless to say I have been less than motivated to spend time in an unheated garage, so not allot has been done. That being said, the prospect of the snow starting to melt and temps beginning to rise for the past week has me optimistic and motivated. In my preparation for getting back at it I remembered that I did not share with all of you reading the last project I got completed.

[69gmcc10]

When I posted photos of the cab getting placed back on the chassis I mentioned that the firewall and the transmission were interfering just a little and that I thought there was room to lower the engine about 3/4 of an inch when modifying the Dirty Dingo DD mounts I purchased for my install. Well, I did the lowering of the the engine by modifying the mounts and raising the bolt hole 3/4" on the mount and it did work. It lowered the engine 3/4 of an inch and left about 3/4" of room between the oil pan and the factory crossmember and about 3/8" of room between the engine mount and the poly bushing housing on the engine stand. I don't think I will have any contact in any of theses areas but I will be keeping an eye and ear on it.

Here are some photos of the firewall the old engine mounts and crossmember clearance.

[69gmcc10]

Now here are the modifications to the mount, as I said the hole is relocated 3/4" above the designed hole in the mount, and the crossmember clearance after being reinstalled. Never mind the steering center link covering up part of the measuring tape in the last photo, the measurement is close to accurate and fairly true.

[69gmcc10]

Unfortunately all of this work did not fix my firewall contact issue and it still was contacting the trans on the pinch weld where the floor and the firewall meet. I figured I had 2 options. The first option was to move the engine forward, compromising my affinity for what little weight distribution advantage I currently have due to it being crammed so far back and possibly needing to drill holes in my frame rails to relocate the trans crosmember, that beautifully bolted up with out a single drill being harmed in the process. Or, option two was to cut away the affected area like a surgeon hacks away at cancerous carcinomas on the skin of your favorite aunt.

Having fallen in love with the divine nature of how the engine and trans bolted up so harmoniously to the chassis I felt overwhelmingly compelled to grab my nearest reciprocating scalpel and begin cutting away. But not before tracking down something to graft over the unsightly void I planned on leaving behind. So, I made a few calls and tracked down this $20 High Hump, because who doesn't want higher humps!? Also, $20 for a high hump is a very impressive find!... I feel the surgeon in my analogy just went from a life saving cancer fighting badass to a butt implant specialist... I fear this post has taken a turn for the worst....

Anyway, here are some photos of the high hump and the comparison to how much more room It has gained me, it is substantial.

[69gmcc10]

For the block off of the evap solenoid on the intake I purchased this on amazan from lsx innovations for $12.99, I don't know why, but I really like it. It is such a simple piece, but it feels like quality, is done real well, the rubber gasket on the end seals real well, and it isn't overpriced.

[69gmcc10]

Lots of people have been using the 99-02 throttle cables for there ls conversions and after I used the cable form my parts truck I understand why, it is perfect for the job. Mine being a 69 has a throttle rod, and after removing it, measuring where the cable should enter the cab on my 72, and because the 99-02 cable mounts to a round hole on the firewall and not to a square hole like the 70's and 80's cables, drilling a quick hole with my step bit could not have made it any easier.

These pictures are of the firewalls of George's 69 cab (grey) and the pats truck 72 cab (okra) showing the location the throttle cable hole. My measurements placed the hole to be drilled right in the location of one of the sound deadened retainers above the 69's location of the brake wiring grommet hole.

Notice that the brake light wires feed through the firewall in a different location on the 72 cab.

[69gmcc10]

To connect the throttle cable to the 72 pedal there are a few options you have. The 99-02 cable has the plastic pedal retainer clip that is fixed to the cable accompanied with a pedal arm that is notched to accept it and the 72 pedal is exactly opposite, removable retaining clip on cable and no notch on the pedal arm.

I decided to cut off the 99-02 retainer with a hacksaw and use the 72 removable retainer in instead to make the connection to the 72 pedal without any modifications to the pedal arm.

[gringoloco]

Lookin good buddy! Great info in the details

[69gmcc10]

Originally Posted by gringoloco

Lookin good buddy! Great info in the details

Thanks Chris! I actually have more done, but trying to juggle my life, working on projects, and spend time with my little boy gives me even less time to post. I hope to catch the thread up soon.

You still at HAFB? I was raised in Brigham City and had family that worked at the museum at the base there. If I ever get that way I would love to meet up, look over the truck at whatever stage it is at, and pick your brain about a few things.