Project GMC (Gonna need More Cash)

[woodwright]

Evening fellers. Guess I might as well start a build thread too. I have a 70 GMC 1/2T LWB. Its in good shape, stock, except for 17" wheels and 275/50/17 tires, and has been a driver for 7 years now. Here is the repair work that needs done to it.

Back cab corners
Rocker panels
Front corner of passenger fender
Tailgate is junk.

Here's what I think I want to do to it.

-Complete frame-off
-a few subtle body mods
-possibly cut it down to a shorty after reading the build thread on Low Buck . That guy is stinkin gifted.
-lowered, height undetermined. The wife doesn't want me to lower it much as I do
-Convert to disk/drum setup
-A few interior mods
-Paint and body
-New wiring
-Gone through drivetrain(for now)

Where did most of you guys start?

I will try to take some pictures soon.

[woodwright]

FINALLY got to getting my pictures organized and on here. Bear with me on the uploads, I Think I got it figured out.


Here's what it looked like originally,sort of. I had shortened the bed already



I got the bed close to done. I shaved the corner lights, and replaced the taillight section.


Then I started on the rear frame. I built supports off of the original frame to hold the new rails, and then cut out the old frame when I was done.




The ladder bars I already had, it's not Ideal, as it moves the azle forward a little when aired out.


I got a fuel tank from a Trooper. I didn't like how big the blazer tanks are and this one will just bolt to the top of the frame rails.

[woodwright]

I couldn't do the rear bag mounts until I figured out where the front was gonna sit so I started with the lower Control arms. I put in a bag pocket and flattened out the end where the balljoint is





I bought a 6 lug disk brake kit and drop spindles from CPP, but no one told me that this conversion pushes the track width out.Between that and just lowering it I gained an inch and a half per side. I'm running 275/50's on the front so I narrowed the crossmember 3 inches.




Here is where I think ride Height will be, and another 5" down when aired out.


Now I am building new upper control arms and pancaking the crossmember an inch................

What'de think?

[woodwright]

This is a very abreviated pictorial of the last 5 months. While I have some mechanical experience, most of this stuff I've never done before. So please be kind in your criticism

[LeDevil]

Keep up the good work

[67ChevyRedneck]

Originally Posted by woodwright

This is a very abreviated pictorial of the last 5 months. While I have some mechanical experience, most of this stuff I've never done before. So please be kind in your criticism

Criticism? Dude, you chopped up a longbed to make a shortbed, shortened the frame, Z'd the rear frame and made new control arm cups, you even chopped the crossmember down (never heard of that being done before!) all of which appear to have come out great.... NO criticism here, I think it looks awesome!

[72BlckButy]

Nice work!

Great looking project!

[Lippyp]

So is that a tank from an Isuzu Trooper, it certainly looks like it? If so do you reckon this would fit under a standard bed? The reason I'm asking is I have an old trooper sat out back that I've been meaning to break and I know it has an almost brand new tank in it as I fitted it myself no more than a couple of years ago, its a diesel rather than a petrol but I can't see that'd make much difference. That gives me some food for thought as far as losing the in cab tank.

[my67chevytruck]

looking good

[woodwright]

Thanks guys.

Lippyp, I'm betting the trooper tank would fit under a stock bed floor if you mounted it from the bottom of the frame. You'd have to check how much it would hang down. A problem I know I'm gonna run into is the sending unit. I doubt it will work with the stock guages, but I originally planned on useing autometer guages.

I got the other Lower control arm cut and welded up last night. This one turned out a little nicer. I'll post some pictures in a few days. I worked on the crossmember tonight. I cut off the top inch and am cutting some quarter inch plate to make a new top. Its really frustrating to do this when I only have a grinder. I've got a really nice torch setup, I just don't have any bottles. Its about $300 to buy a set here, and my credit sucks so renting is out. I'm trying to talk my friends dad out of a set.

I'll post some pics when my wife charges her camera.

[jlaird]

nice work. (and a lot of it!) I like how you recessed the upper bag mount...never seen that done. Nice touch.

[woodwright]

Finally got my UCA's built.






They're just tacked together. I still need to final tig them and smooth them up. The bent pieces of tube are what took me so long. I hunted all over town for somebody with a bender. Finally I took them to CaptainFab, and he bent them up for me. Great guy, very helpful.

Now I've got to lift my steering box up a little and build a new steering shaft and drag link. I'd like to use a rack, but the way I understand it they don't move side to side as far as the stock steering, so you lose some turning radius.

[woodwright]

Been a while since I updated this. Its been kinda hard to work out there when its only 5 degrees in the shop. I've been trying to figure out the steering. First I tried moving the steering box up and inboard a little, but I could never get it to look right. So I did a bunch of research on rack and pinions, and decided on a center steer rack, like out of a Cavalier.


With this type of rack you can make your inner pivot points wherever you want.Unfortunately, the Cavalier is meant to be behind the spindles. However, the rack out of a Dodge Intrepid is the same type, but its a front steer unit. It also has 7" of side-side travel. I think the mustang 2 only has 6, and the stock steering has closer to 8. So the turning radius won't be as affected. So now I'm trying to figure out the best way to mount it. I'll post some pics when I can.

[Rokcrln]

Great progress! I like the UCA you are building, not bad for a guy with only a grinder I am sure you are already planning on this but add some more bracing to the UCA shaft back to the top of the frame so this thing stays on the road

Oh and one more thing "That guy is stinkin gifted" right back at ya!

Kevin
LFD Inc.

[SevenOne]

Definatly some Top notch work.And very informative as well.Cant wait to see you tackle the center steer rack.GL wit the build

[woodwright]

Rokrln, Thanks for the complements. That really means alot coming from you.

The UCA towers are welded solid to the crossmember, and the shaft is welded solid to the towers. Then there is three 9/16" bolts that go thru the frame and the towers vertically similar to how they mount stock. Plus the three that come up through the bottom of the frame. I was trying to make it so I could still remove the crossmember. How would you brace it up more?

[VA72C10]

Great work....I love your ambition...The lack of tools and experience is holding me back but I want to learn and eventually tackle fabrication like this...

[71'tahoe]

Any more progress on the steering?

[woodwright]

I haven't spent a whole lot of time on it, life keeps getting in the way. I've been focusing on my chevy, trying to get it dependable and decent enough to drive for work so I can get rid of my Toyota. I did get the rack mounted, but I'm just not happy with how its turning out.
[IMG][/IMG]
I'm not sure if I'm gonna continue this route.

[prostreetC-10]

Originally Posted by woodwright

While I have some mechanical experience, most of this stuff I've never done before. So please be kind in your criticism

Oh please! You say you have "some" mech experience......if this is the first time you have done most of this, you are a natural!

[El Campo]

Have you built your motor mounts yet? Like you did I had the same problem with the front end being too wide. I was thinking about trying to build new shorter control arms to narrow it up a bit. Was wondering how that crossmember chop is working with the oil pan etc because if it works good I may end up doing that yet.
Posted via Mobile Device

[67cheby]

impressive, cant wait to see more !

[woodwright]

I've actuary abandoned this project. Around here a lowered truck would just be a weekend toy. I'm building a 4WD instead. If there is anything on here you're interested in,PM me.
Posted via Mobile Device

[JWall]

Looks good... your doing some nice work.

[prostreetC-10]

Originally Posted by woodwright

I've actuary abandoned this project. Posted via Mobile Device

that sucks