1972 gmc 2wd highlander with original paint

[kehstr]

I also through my radiator, fan shroud, and fan in to see how things fit. The shroud is loose because I can't find my upper 3 core mounts, all I could find was some 4 cores.



The fan sits the perfect distance away from the radiator

Here I just had to bring my wheel over to see how they were going to look, and they fit the truck perfectly

Then just a cool picture with the front fenders and core support on

[kehstr]

I don't think I have posted much about my disk brake conversion since I did that before I started this thread, so I'll talk about it now. I used Calipers off of a 2005 suburban, and rotors from a 2004-08 ford truck. I build a caliper bracket that welds to the spindle, it took quite a bit of work, but seems very strong and works pretty well I think. To make the rotors work I had to oval the holes because they are made for the 6 lug metric lug pattern, and my truck is 6x5.5.





After mounting the wheels we found that the truck needs to get lowered about 2 more inches to get the wheels to feel the opening like we want it to

[kehstr]

I also finished running wires into the interior



I got the engine wiring harness taped up as much as I can until our computer bracket arrives and we figure out where the wires need to be put to have the computer in the right spot.

Got my new dome light connected in

Here is the driver side wheel and tire combo, and all the brakes mounted

[kehstr]

My dad built an aux battery tray, so we can move the battery onto the driver side to reuse the factory 5.3 battery cables, and factory air box.

Mocked up to weld on an extra core support we had

All finished with a bad battery we had sitting around in it

Also mocked the air box up, and it should work perfect

[kehstr]

My dad was also able to terminate a bunch of connectors

[kehstr]

The next thing on the list was to hang doors, but when I got the passenger door up and was running the window up and down, I found it very hard to move, so I ended up pulling the whole door apart, just to make my PASSENGER window work! Oh well, the door needed some other work, and now I can clean the door out and make everything work flawless.

Here is the way we prefer to lube and clean up the regulators. Just remember if you do this, to keep the teeth of the gears on the regulator away from the jaws of the vise, otherwise, you start to think your regulator is not working, and yes I am telling you from experience.

Also found this funny spot of rust my dad and I have never seen before



I then dug out a bunch of trim from dad's stash, here is most of the trim for the truck. From what I found in his stash, and what I bought a few weeks ago, I'm only missing the lower front passenger side bed molding, because my dad only had pieces for a truck with the toolbox

[kehstr]

Then I got the HVAC ducting, AC and defrost vents in, and then the gauge cluster mounted





and then the passenger door hung

[kehstr]

You probably can't see it very well, but on my passenger door, there was a dent right where the lower molding attaches.

To fix that we took a port-a-power with the alligator jaws and 2 blocks of wood and pushed it back out

It's not perfect but definitely is better, the lower moldings will cover the majority of what is left

Here is also a picture of the passenger side fender after we took a hammer to it, and got the majority of the big dent pushed out. To finish fixing it we will have to cut the lip around the wheel opening out, finish straightening it all out and then weld in a new lip from another fender.

[kehstr]

We also started to work on the front end wiring harness. We started with a 67-69 chevy harness and ended with a 70-72 GMC harness. (GMC's have dual headlights, and 70-72 trucks have turn signals, and 67-69 either didn't have turn signals or were just reflectors)

I stole the wiring harness gutter from my dad's truck because he has a new harness for the truck he will be putting in when he tears the truck down in a few months to put a fuel injection kit, a 700r4 and a few other odds and ends. It felt very wrong to do, but my dad insisted.

Then just because, here is a picture of the truck as it sits now.

[GR8-68]

Some nice progress, thanks for sharing pics

[kehstr]

Originally Posted by GR8-68

Some nice progress, thanks for sharing pics

Thanks and your welcome!!

[Dieselwrencher]

more nice work on your truck. It will look great lower! Does your rotor center on the hub or?

[kehstr]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

more nice work on your truck. It will look great lower! Does your rotor center on the hub or?

Thanks! The rotor center's perfect, the hole in the center of the rotor is the EXACT size of that spot on the hub, so it lines up and works perfect, almost like they were made for this truck! If they had a 6 x 5.5 bolt pattern they would slide on with no modifications at all, I just had to oval the holes to fit over the wheel studs sense they were the metric 6 lug bolt pattern.

[Devil Pup]

Nice build. I hope mine turns out as solid as yours is. Are you still trying to make it to the Brothers show?

[kehstr]

Originally Posted by Devil Pup

Nice build. I hope mine turns out as solid as yours is. Are you still trying to make it to the Brothers show?

Thanks! Yes, I am, and it is going to be REALLY close to whether or not we make it! I Graduate the first of May, and then after that, I will be able to use the time that I would have been at school and doing homework to make the truck ready to go!

[Devil Pup]

Originally Posted by kehstr

Thanks! Yes, I am, and it is going to be REALLY close to whether or not we make it! I Graduate the first of May, and then after that, I will be able to use the time that I would have been at school and doing homework to make the truck ready to go!

Right on. Good luck, I might be there to check out ur truck but not sure yet

[kehstr]

So I think I have a problem, I went and bought some more parts, and none of them are things that I will be using on this project, they are just extra parts to have! But I just couldn't pass them up for the price

I also got this SWEET steering wheel for my birthday a few days ago!!!

Then my dad has been tinkering on the truck after work a little bit. He got some more connectors terminated, and made brake and hydroboost lines.

[kehstr]

Then on to progress from this weekend.

I started getting parts put together for the AC

then built a bracket for my fuse box and got it mounted.

Built a bracket for the proportioning valve

And got my brake hose mounted so they won't rub.

I also got a few other odds and ends done, including wrapping up the wiring, straightening the headlight buckets on my core support, and building a bracket for my AC condenser.

[kehstr]

Originally Posted by Devil Pup

Right on. Good luck, I might be there to check out ur truck but not sure yet

Thanks, I will need it!! Let me know if you will be there, it would be cool to run into you there!!

[kehstr]

I would just like to say by way of information, that if you need the plastic clip piece that snaps into the radiator support for the headlight adjusters, just buy the ones for a license plate frame, they snap right in, and you can reuse your original screw. The best part I think about using those, is if one break, you can get a new one pretty much anywhere.

[kehstr]

Had another productive weekend, and was able to get a lot done!

Started by tearing down my driver's door, so I can clean it up and replace all the worn parts in it (There was quite a few). In this photo I am trying to get the door handle off, it was rusted on. What I had to do to get it off, was take the trim tools you see to push the door panel out of the way enough that I could spray some penetrant down in to help break the rust up. Then I took 2 small prybars, sticking one in each of the 2 slots that are used for the clip that holds the handle on, then wiggling the handle back and forth the whole way out, occasionally tapping it with a mallet.

I was then able to clean up and paint my door latches

Then install them in the door

I then started tearing the front clip apart so we can finish fixing the passenger fender, put the moldings on the driver's fender, and paint the core support and all of its related parts

I thought some of you might find this handy. It helped so much while I was working on the door, it helped keep both of my hands free.

[kehstr]

more pictures to come shortly

[kehstr]

While I had the core support off I drilled holes, then welded some nuts down for the inner fender to mount. Yes, I know my welds are not the prettiest, but for guessing on the settings for the welder, I think I did pretty well.



Then we hung up all of the parts we needed to paint black and sprayed some wax and grease remover on the parts to prep them

Here is my dad starting to spray the core support

We moved the parts outside so the paint would dry in a reasonable amount of time

[kehstr]

While we already had the paint supplies out, we painted the bottom of the door, because there was about zero paint there. I don't know if I have said this before, but everything that we are doing for this truck is just to preserve it.

We also painted the bottom of the fenders that didn't have any paint on them either

Then we through the driver's door on, and started to assemble the latch on it.

Here is the fender all cleaned with the emblem and moldings back on, all ready to go back on the truck.

To wrap the weekend up we got the driver's fender and core support on

[Dieselwrencher]

Very nice work! Don't beat yourself up about your welds. Sheet metal can be tricky and practice makes perfect. At least you're out there doing it!