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Old 04-18-2011, 09:37 PM   #1
Conundrum
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"Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

I have actually started working on one of my projects so figure it's time to start a build thread.

I started with a 74 GMC long fleet with a 350 2bbl 3spd on the column and a dump setup on it in late '08......



My dad, uncle and I began removing the rusty beat up bed and dump setup......



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74 GMC SWB Project "Sin-thia" Static Dropped 8"f/10"r
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=460030


97 GMC reg cab short bed, 4.3V6 / 5spd, daily driver
220,000 miles, all stock for now
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Old 04-18-2011, 09:50 PM   #2
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

Well I hadn't done much to it except pull the engine and trans until just recently when I finally cut the frame down to turn it into a short bed. I started measuring for my cuts and making my marks, I started at 8" behind the cab mount crossmember......


Then from there I went 14" back and started laying out all my lines......



I started to use a sawzall to make my cuts, but I used 2 blades within about 4" of cutting (most of been really cheap blades, they were a gift). So I brought out the torch, it was alot faster anyway......


The point of no return......


And after what seemed like several hours of grinding, due to only have an air grinder and having to wait on my 30gal. compressor to constantly rebuild pressure I was ready to start reassembly......


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74 GMC SWB Project "Sin-thia" Static Dropped 8"f/10"r
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=460030


97 GMC reg cab short bed, 4.3V6 / 5spd, daily driver
220,000 miles, all stock for now
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Old 04-18-2011, 10:02 PM   #3
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

So I clamped it together and measured for squareness and I think I only had to slightly adjust one side once, then tacked and remeasured a few more times......



I used part of the sections I removed to make plates to reinforce the joined area, they are offset as well. Where they ended up under the bed bolt holes, I just test fit them in there and took my silver sharpie and traced the hole. Center punched it and drilled it out slightly larger than the bed bolt hole is above it with a uni bit. (sorry I didn't think to get any pics of that until they were already welded in)......



Then I was able to start welding it up. You can see the inner plate through the bed bolt hole......


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74 GMC SWB Project "Sin-thia" Static Dropped 8"f/10"r
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=460030


97 GMC reg cab short bed, 4.3V6 / 5spd, daily driver
220,000 miles, all stock for now
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Old 04-18-2011, 10:16 PM   #4
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

Then with the help of a friend, we sat the bed on to see if it all turned out ok. (sorry about the "sky shot", but my driveway is extremely narrow so I had to shoot the pic from my backporch)......


And we test fit 2 of my dodge 20" steelies to see how they would look on there......



I have had alot of ?s about the center cap. It is indeed a rally cap, and it is held in place by the factory 3 bolts. I will try and get some pics of what I did to make them work on there soon. It's real easy and just takes a little time, I think I have about 30mins in this one and only 3 more to do.

Next up on the to do list is a 2" Z, 1.5" chopped crossmember (maybe raised into the frame another 1/2"), 3" drop spindles and then to flip the rearend on top of the springs. May take some time, because I want to geat all new bushings and balljoints and what have you as I do that and i'm broke.
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74 GMC SWB Project "Sin-thia" Static Dropped 8"f/10"r
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=460030


97 GMC reg cab short bed, 4.3V6 / 5spd, daily driver
220,000 miles, all stock for now
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Old 04-18-2011, 10:17 PM   #5
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

nice build.... wish i could find a grill and fender emblems like that for my truck
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Old 04-18-2011, 10:26 PM   #6
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

Thanks

I wish my grille was in better shape.....
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74 GMC SWB Project "Sin-thia" Static Dropped 8"f/10"r
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=460030


97 GMC reg cab short bed, 4.3V6 / 5spd, daily driver
220,000 miles, all stock for now
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Old 04-19-2011, 12:18 PM   #7
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

if u ever decide to get ride of them let me knw
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Old 04-19-2011, 02:04 PM   #8
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

Right on!

It's to bad the GMC's get no love from the aftermarket and it's not likely that these grilles will get reproduced. Hell I have a really nice 73-74 chevy grill and a see dozens of them on the road in beat up trucks around here all the time, but i've only seen one other GMC grill in person and it appeared to be better than mine is.
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74 GMC SWB Project "Sin-thia" Static Dropped 8"f/10"r
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=460030


97 GMC reg cab short bed, 4.3V6 / 5spd, daily driver
220,000 miles, all stock for now
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Old 04-19-2011, 02:37 PM   #9
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

nice build
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Old 04-19-2011, 02:39 PM   #10
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

I love the dodge steelies...I just don't like the idea of using adapters...they look awesome, though!
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Old 04-19-2011, 03:33 PM   #11
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

Quote:
Originally Posted by Conundrum View Post
Right on!

It's to bad the GMC's get no love from the aftermarket and it's not likely that these grilles will get reproduced. Hell I have a really nice 73-74 chevy grill and a see dozens of them on the road in beat up trucks around here all the time, but i've only seen one other GMC grill in person and it appeared to be better than mine is.
yea i dout they will and it sux cus i switched my 87 chevy to an 84 gmc grill and badging and now im converting a 76 chevy front clip to a 73-74 gmc and then put it on my truck
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Old 04-19-2011, 03:42 PM   #12
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

Quote:
Originally Posted by nbpro View Post
nice build
Thanks

Quote:
Originally Posted by lilpoindexter View Post
I love the dodge steelies...I just don't like the idea of using adapters...they look awesome, though!
Thanks. Yeah, i'm to sure about them myself but these wheels are temporary until I can afford the ones I really want to get, which may be awhile because they aren't what you would call cheap.

Quote:
Originally Posted by 87 chevy silverado View Post
yea i dout they will and it sux cus i switched my 87 chevy to an 84 gmc grill and badging and now im converting a 76 chevy front clip to a 73-74 gmc and then put it on my truck
That's awesome! You always see and read about guys going from GMC to Chevy, nice to see it going the opposite way for a change. Not that I don't like Chevy's.
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74 GMC SWB Project "Sin-thia" Static Dropped 8"f/10"r
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=460030


97 GMC reg cab short bed, 4.3V6 / 5spd, daily driver
220,000 miles, all stock for now
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Old 04-19-2011, 03:44 PM   #13
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

yea i know wat u mean theres to many chevys round hear expecally 80s so im being different
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Old 04-23-2011, 08:44 PM   #14
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

Figured I would show just what I did to get the center caps to work with the dodge wheels....
Side by side....

Close up of a modded hole....

The back side of the modded cap....

The mounting holes in the wheels....


And this is how the truck is sitting at this time....
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74 GMC SWB Project "Sin-thia" Static Dropped 8"f/10"r
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=460030


97 GMC reg cab short bed, 4.3V6 / 5spd, daily driver
220,000 miles, all stock for now
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Old 04-24-2011, 01:50 PM   #15
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

Looking good bud, those wheels look good!
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Old 04-24-2011, 04:12 PM   #16
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

Thanks man
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74 GMC SWB Project "Sin-thia" Static Dropped 8"f/10"r
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=460030


97 GMC reg cab short bed, 4.3V6 / 5spd, daily driver
220,000 miles, all stock for now
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Old 04-25-2011, 09:15 PM   #17
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

That's a great job on the frame. Nice welds, too.
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Old 04-25-2011, 10:03 PM   #18
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

Thanks
I need to work on it some more but it's been rainning here quite a bit here the last few days and I only have a crowded one car garage so I can't get much done unless the weather is right. I am supposed to go pick up a tach cluster tomorrow night.
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74 GMC SWB Project "Sin-thia" Static Dropped 8"f/10"r
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=460030


97 GMC reg cab short bed, 4.3V6 / 5spd, daily driver
220,000 miles, all stock for now
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Old 05-21-2011, 10:48 PM   #19
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

Wow! I didn't realize that it had been almost a month since I had updated this, but I have gotten a little bit done in the last few weeks.......

Got the rest of the front clip removed


Did my Z, 2" up + 1" forward......




Jump ahead a little......




I plan to clean it up so it all flows smoothly before I paint or powdercoat my frame.

Crappy cellphone pics
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http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=460030


97 GMC reg cab short bed, 4.3V6 / 5spd, daily driver
220,000 miles, all stock for now
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Old 05-21-2011, 10:52 PM   #20
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

Had a nice day today so I did some more work......

I put the front wheels back on for a short bit and put a fender on with just 2 bolts to see what it looked like....


And then I took them back off and removed the crossmember so I could get a 1.5" chopped one put in......

And where I stopped today....


I still need to Z my frame horns, but i'll get to that soon.
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74 GMC SWB Project "Sin-thia" Static Dropped 8"f/10"r
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=460030


97 GMC reg cab short bed, 4.3V6 / 5spd, daily driver
220,000 miles, all stock for now

Last edited by Conundrum; 05-21-2011 at 10:53 PM.
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Old 05-22-2011, 10:36 AM   #21
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

looks good man...once thats plated and cleaned up you wont even be able to notice the "Z".
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Old 05-22-2011, 10:49 AM   #22
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

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looks good man...once thats plated and cleaned up you wont even be able to notice the "Z".
Thanks man, that's what i'm trying to accomplish.
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74 GMC SWB Project "Sin-thia" Static Dropped 8"f/10"r
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=460030


97 GMC reg cab short bed, 4.3V6 / 5spd, daily driver
220,000 miles, all stock for now

Last edited by Conundrum; 05-22-2011 at 01:56 PM.
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Old 05-22-2011, 01:55 PM   #23
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

Coming along great man keep up the great work
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Old 05-25-2011, 08:45 PM   #24
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

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Coming along great man keep up the great work
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Thanks



I got my sectioned crossmember in......





Now I need to get the suspension put back together and drop my frame horns.
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74 GMC SWB Project "Sin-thia" Static Dropped 8"f/10"r
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=460030


97 GMC reg cab short bed, 4.3V6 / 5spd, daily driver
220,000 miles, all stock for now
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Old 05-26-2011, 09:04 PM   #25
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Re: "Sin-thia" My 74 GMC

looking good
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