Olds powered 72 GMC

[Glennerd]

Had a couple hours last night and got the brake lines in as well as starting the wiring harness layout. I'm hoping to fire it up by the end of the weekend but that really means early next month from what I have experienced.

[Glennerd]

A couple more hrs last night and I pretty much have the harness figured out. A bit left to clean up around the starter solenoid/battery area and then it's nice and simple after that point.

[Glennerd]

Nothing major, but I found a batt. cable for my rear mount batt. box. $10. A new water pump for the olds as well for $15. Good deals I must say. Still no word on when the engines done. Was just gonna use one of my newer pumps but my heads aren't even done so I had time to find a deal. Also picked up a complete set of tech service manuals for my AMX. The alternator may be getting swapped out for a gm 1 wire as well as a new distributor with the gm coil built in. Some of my parts just don't seem to be around and I'm tired of guessing. The 77 was a one year only ignition style and I'm gonna need to know what wire is what.

[Glennerd]

Picked up a box side for the 72. Very solid but a fuel door cutout had to be filled as well as tonnueau snap holes, trim holes and some dents to pound out. The old driver's side had been hit and there was some rust around the wheelwell. I have been looking for a descent one for a while. International tractor flat black paint. It kinda looks more like a tractor right now anyhow.

[Glennerd]

So, I decided to cut the old boxside apart to get it off. Much easier to cut out the bolts from the outside of the truck and the old panel was just full of filler and holes anyway. While I was under the truck, I noticed a bit of rust that turned into a hole, also a bit of a tweak in the frame. The box has to come off. Earlier I had also noticed some rust on the brackets that connect the frame to the suspension/steering at the front of the truck. I'm going to deal with that as well at the same time. Frame looks good under the cab. I had planned on doing a 2"/4" coil drop at some point and now would be the best time, I hate to say. Anyone know of a fair priced coil and shock kit? I'm also going to do the control arm bushings at the same time and was wondering about a set that would help me hook up a bit better?(I have been told a softer set?) I'm planning on boxing the arms while they're off. I'm open to some suggestions. Thanks. p.s. Picked up a sweet set of Offy breathers for my Olds. $20 and a little elbow grease.

[Glennerd]

Got the breathers mounted today and polished up an old 65 olds 330ci aluminum thermo housing. Not too many options other than a $12 chrome one or a $200 billet piece.

[Glennerd]

Been stripping body panels a bit the last couple days, Truck goes in on sat. for frame repair at my buddy's shop. Lot's to do for a while.

[NONHOG]

Man your ripping it up! thanks for the knowledge on the t-stat housing.
I happen to have a 65 330.

[Glennerd]

Yeah, I think in 68 Olds switched to a cast iron thermo housing and that was all you got. Also, the 330ci part allow's you room to change the bypass hose without breaking the thermostat seal which is unavoidable with the later model part. AMC V8's also use the exact same housing as an Olds but they too only offer the $12 or $200 option and nothing in between.

[Dachdu69C10]

Awesome thread I love all your projects, and those valve covers are amazing

[Glennerd]

Got the cowl into high build and the tailgate is also ready for some. Driver's door is next. lol. It seems like less of a task when working on one part at a time but when it take's 3 days to strip and prep a tailgate...? I'm not planning on quitting my day job.

[Glennerd]

Got one door stripped yesterday. A fender was slightly driven into this door. The door skin was covered in filler because of 2 high spots that were easy to tap out. One little spot to cut out and replace. Pretty solid door, otherwise. And yes, I stripped inside the door as well but not behind the door panel. lol. Probably gonna do an aluminum door panel. The factory plastic looks a bit cheesy to me.

[Glennerd]

Think I'm going to look for a good set of 71 or earlier door panels, strip them and finish the steel with steel wool and a clear coat. I will make some kind of collar to compensate for the diff. in length of the controls. My plan is to finish the truck in satin black. Ghost in some Hurst/Olds gold rally stripes up the hood, over and down the back of the cab and back down the tailgate but staggered over to the passenger half of the truck. Gold pinstipes highlighting the GMC and surrounding border on the tailgate. As for the grill, I plan on removing the 2 horizontal bars but not the center vertical bar that split's the grill. Some fab work to roll and finish the trimmed edges and then a buddy of mine is going to fab up 2 vertical slatted, billet style inserts with an Olds inspired appearance. I won't rechrome the grill. I'm thinking satin black with the ghost gold if it isn't too much.

[Glennerd]

The door had a kink on the inside where the lower window rubber clips to the door. The surgery required kinda sucked but the kink is gone.(there was always a v-shaped gap between the door and the rubber) Steel was also torn in the corner behind the upper hinge. Got all the bondo out and punched the steel back to get it welded up. Window winder mech. was missing bolts and rusty. Everything was greased up and is working fine now. It's amazing how many things can be wrong with a door. lol

[Glennerd]

Finally got my cab over to the shop. Bought it last year for $100. Floor is gone but the roof and firewall are in excellent shape. My old one was starting to bubble around the glass and is not fit for repair.

[Glennerd]

The driver's door took a heck of a lot of work but it's straight now. On to the other side. Got all of the undercoating off of the cab floor(what's left of it) and going to start chopping today. I picked up some sheet metal and I'm gonna bend up some cab mounts this weekend.

[Glennerd]

Pulled my pass. door and found it was way too far gone. What's new? Picked this one up yesterday for $40. Some minor rust repair and a speaker cutout but she's good and straight.

[Glennerd]

Got a bit done on the pass. door today.

[NONHOG]

Busch beer? I figured Molson!
Loving this build! Keep up the good work!

[Glennerd]

Thank's NONHOG! It has become a full resto-ish like project now. Not what I had planned, but that's how it has unfolded. Should have the door ready for high build today. I figure the cab will take a good month or so to get right.

[Glennerd]

Got the doors and tailgate into high build tonight. Should have some stuff ready for primer tomorrow.

[Glennerd]

We're running out of room at the shop, so I decided to rent myself out for some frame work on a 67 Cutlass rag top that's in the way. It was a rolling chassis 24.5hrs of labor earlier and I should have it in the booth in another 10hrs or so. Gonna blow rust mort all through it to slow the bad stuff down. I also found a guy on craig's that was selling 68 Olds #5 heads. $200 obo, so I called and offered him $150. He told me that if he did that deal, he would want me to by both set's he had for $250. I didn't know there was a second set!? Magnafluxed, spiral guides and resurfaced. 2 pairs, $250. I have been looking for 5's for well over a year, so I'm pretty happy. These are the best small block head's and easily worth 4 times what I paid. (the 68 350 W-31 Ram Rod 325hp version had these same heads but with larger valve's in them, which obviously..........)

[Glennerd]

Finally got the doors sprayed with slick sand. Just a pick of the 67 Cutlass that get's the lovely frame that I'm working on. I will have the frame in the booth this morning. I should have all of the suspension component's sandblasted by the end of the day as well. My 72 GMC frame is next, so therefore, my motivation to get this one out. lol

[99-LS1-SS]

Cool build! You, clearly, aren't scared to work.

[Glennerd]

Thank's man! 25 year's as a drywaller. I love working on vehicle's, compared to that crap! lol