well. i picked this little gem up a couple weeks ago. a friday night i received a phone call from a friend of mine, asking what year my chevy truck was, to which i replied a '69.

he went on to say something along the lines of, "well, i have a '69 GMC here, with a 307, and a 3 speed on the column...100 bucks and it's yours."

apparently, his neighbor asked my friend if he knew anyone who'd want to buy the '69 for a hundred dollars. he instantly thought of me.

so, saturday morning, we struck a deal.

the story goes that Jerry Wilcox bought the truck new in May, 1969, in Middletown, Ohio. then moved to Rhinelander, Wisconsin. which is where i live. he then sold the truck to Mr. Luber's dad, who then gave the truck to Mr. Luber, whom i bought it from. it includes all the original paper work, and it was driven to my house, down the highway. shhh...haha.

here's before.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0001-1.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0003-2.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0004-2.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0005-1.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0006-3.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0007-2.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0008-2.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0017.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0022-1.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0023-1.jpg

It's just a '69 gmc halfton, with a 307, 3 spd, and 3.07 gears out back. hoping to make a nice little cruiser outta it, something that won't kill on gas and all that jazz. so, here goes nothing...

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0001-2.jpg

first order of business was to remove the home brewed sign that was put in by the original owner, stating "Wilcox Sheetmetal".

so, out it came.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0007-3.jpg

then came the patch panel, donated from a spare semi-solid bed side that was laying around. and...welding.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0008-3.jpg

then, there was just rust to take care of. so. out it came.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0009.jpg

and in went the new metal. yayyy fluxcore welding.

and thats about it for the driver side bedside. aside from a few minor dents, it's just about all taken care of.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0001-3.jpg

driver side after patches.

now. on to the passenger side!!

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0002-2.jpg
you may not be able to see it, but there was a big ugly dent/crease in the sheet metal, in front of the wheel well. and, this was after i got it out, using hammer and dollys, a dent puller, and when things got bad...a 3 pound ballpeen and part of a leaf spring. i never said this was going to be by the book...

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0003-3.jpg
and more rust to deal with...ick.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0006-4.jpg
and out it came...

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0007-4.jpg
and in some new went! it needs another small chunk. but, yes.

note the sweet Buick hub caps i put on it. i know, :bling2:

thats where i stopped for today. and..will pick up when i have time throughout the week.

hopefully i can get the passenger side roughed out, so i can DA it down, and get it pulled before i order my rockers and cab corners, and go from there...

yup.

So someone else was whacking and welding today too. :metal: Nice work on the patches.

Very nice truck for the price!

sweet deal man, some nice work youre doing there

thanks for the nice words guys.

i'm pretty happy about the overall condition of the truck for the price. i mean, any vehicle that runs, goes, stops, etc for 100...can't really knock on it.

i know most of the stuff i'm going to be doing to this isn't exactley by the book, or up to par of most of the other guys on this board. but hey. it's a truck. and to have a fully functional truck, for under a grand, which is basically what i'm shooting for...hell. i'm happy.

so. more updates coming soon!
as soon as i get some more welding wire...gah.

-Sam.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0008-4.jpg

yup. more rust.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0009-1.jpg

and where it came from.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0010-3.jpg

and what went in it's place.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0014-2.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0017-2.jpg


http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0018-1.jpg
anddddd rust. perhaps "Heavy Patina"?

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0022-2.jpg

and the patch.

took that damn topper off, and i'll reserve that for times i need storage..or...something? meh. aluminum prices are up.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/sideshotrakefix.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0028.jpg

and just because i like firewall numbers.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0029.jpg

and thats about it for now. if you noticed in the background, the ol' Farmall is hooked up to the haybine. so. haying is right around the corner, which hopefully won't limit my truck progress, but most likely will. heh.

well, tell me what you think!

any comments are welcome, as well as suggestions.

thanks.

-Sam.

You sure got a great deal when you bought the truck.

I too believe a truck is a truck. My goal for my '71 Chevy is to make a reliable daily driver that can be used to haul things around here on the farm and supplies from town.

Looks like you are making great progress.

Keep the pictures coming.

Danny - SEMO

sweet deal. I was in middletown last month, down close to Cinci in case you were wondering.

ooo. so thats where abouts it is.

i'm kinda wondering why Mr. Wilcox would move up here to Rhinelander....but, atleast now i know where it came from. Thanks Andy.

20 or so miles north of Cinci on I-75... my grandfather grew up there too.

I wonder if your grandfather remembers London' Sales and Service, on 404 N. Verity Parkway...? lol.

gotta love "Important Truck Papers".

or, if he knew where abouts Forest Glen Drive was. since apparently that where Gerald Wilcox lived.

-shrug-.

still some cool irony as it is.

got a bit more welded up tonight.

some more rust on the fender arch that i didn't like.
you can see it here, to the left of the patch.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0010-3.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0002-3.jpg
so out it came.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0003-4.jpg
and the patch goeth inneth.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0004-3.jpg
weld weld weld.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0009-2.jpg
remember. you're not burning through. you're simply testing the temperature resistance of the sheet metals integral structure regarding intensity.


and thats about it for today. i just have to play connect the dots on the spot welds, and that about does it.

then i plan on stripping it with the DA, pulling it off, flipping it over, and welding up a few spots that i didn't feel like doing on my back.

then some form of treatment to the underside of the bed and the panels, to try to atleast slow down the rust. hah. not in Wisconsin...

but. thats it. stay tuned for more semi-mediocre repairs. :lol:

-Sam.

update!

i haven't done much of..well...anything as of late.

last week was spent working on the daily driver, and ending up replacing a head gasket. yayy head gaskets!
silly little Plymouth. haha.

and then saturday was a music show, so needless to say i didn't get much done this weekend.

so. this week you may ask?

pulling the bed.
and finishing that up.

and waiting on my cab corners and rocker panels, etc, to arrive.

and thats where it stands at the moment.

more and better updates are headed your way!
stay tuned!

-Sam.

I wonder if your grandfather remembers London' Sales and Service, on 404 N. Verity Parkway...? lol.

gotta love "Important Truck Papers".

or, if he knew where abouts Forest Glen Drive was. since apparently that where Gerald Wilcox lived.

-shrug-.

still some cool irony as it is.

I missed all this.
My grandfather died on my 18th B-day, 15 years ago. Don't say sorry to hear... no one misses him. he wouldn't remember anyone or anyplace from there anyways since he was drunk from his 15th birthday till the day he died.

Keep us updated on the truck, and if you are in middletown, go to the huge swap meet/flea market. (I wish i remember exactly where it was) Lots and lots of vendors, and all kinds of neat stuff there.

Andy, i will definitely check out the swap meet in Middletown if i ever get down around those parts.

and regarding your grandfather...well...i dig the fact you tell it like it is. rad man, just rad.
lol.

-Sam.

you can see it from I75 IIRC... it'smore of a flea market now that I think about it. I picked up about 7 hot wheels trucks, a few of them hard to find.

What the hell is hanging outta the dash ? Looks like the rest of the truck is comming along nicely....

I see a CB radio where the stereo goes, and a traler brake controller by your left knee as sitting in the drivers seat.

unfortunately...it's not a CB. it's just a radio. WHY someone would put that in the dash...i dunno. it kinda worked when i got it. but...still. luckily i have some extra dashes, pending on if i want a dummy AM in the dash, or just a normal CD player.


and you're correct about the trailer brake controller. they have it rigged up pretty...umm...well. i'll point it out in a pic. haha.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/brakecut.jpg

to the right of the brake booster are 3 springs stretched out on a board attached to the firewall. wires are hooked to them. i don't know what they do. but. it's for the trailer brake booster, atleast thats what we've concluded.

o. and take note of the brake line running above the booster, across the top of the firewall.

yeah. thats not for the brake booster. thats just for the brakes. heh...

i've got some fixin' to do....

-Sam.

okee, got some done today.

pulled the bed off, flipped it over, and stuck it in the garage so i can finish up the underside.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0007-5.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0008-5.jpg

then, i threw some primer at the two '67 fenders i had repaired last year.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0004-4.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0001-5.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0003-5.jpg

i'm kinda concerned about only have markers on the bed, since i'l be using the smooth fenders. i could either just ignore, and enjoy the damn truck, or screw the reflectors onto the fenders. kinda half-assed. but, effective to a point, i suppose. i just know i don't want to shave the back, or graft in the front...

any ideas?

oh.

and i also snatched a 7 hole dash from my dad's old '68 C20, so i can keep track of oil pressure, voltage, and temp., along with vaccuum, since he installed the gauge.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0005-2.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0006-5.jpg

and thats about it. tomorrow the cutting and welding and other such nonsense begins.

stay tuned!

-Sam.

You know that you can't just plug the 7 hole panel in place of the 3 hole right? you WILL burn the fuel guage and nothing will wirk right.
TRUST ME!!!

oooo.

NOW i know. hahah.

i'll have to grab the harness out of the donor then.

LoL, man, that would've been quite a shock.

thanks for that Andy!

no problem... I learned the hard way. My buddy laughed hystericly... falling down into the dirt, (Alcohol might have been involved) when the needle on my fuel guage did a couple laps before a small puff of smoke escaped the center of it and it never moved again.
GMC Paul' site has directions on it on how to rewire the plug so you don't have to go and rewire the whole truck... may wanna check it out.
Someone here has the link... I lost it a long time ago.

unfortunately...it's not a CB. it's just a radio. WHY someone would put that in the dash...i dunno. it kinda worked when i got it. but...still. luckily i have some extra dashes, pending on if i want a dummy AM in the dash, or just a normal CD player.


and you're correct about the trailer brake controller. they have it rigged up pretty...umm...well. i'll point it out in a pic. haha.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/brakecut.jpg

to the right of the brake booster are 3 springs stretched out on a board attached to the firewall. wires are hooked to them. i don't know what they do. but. it's for the trailer brake booster, atleast thats what we've concluded.

o. and take note of the brake line running above the booster, across the top of the firewall.

yeah. thats not for the brake booster. thats just for the brakes. heh...

i've got some fixin' to do....

-Sam.

That spring arrangement is for an electric anti-sway for the trailer - works through the brake circuit. I've got a similar one on my '71 that's been there since it was new. I haven't found anthing that explains how it works, but I know that's what it's for. Mine has a shunt across the resistor to adjust just how much it actuates or at what point it actuates.

engineerdad

Well. time for an update.

i got my sheetmetal! w00t!

i was on the way to visit my girlfriend when my mom called, saying that a UPS guy had just struggled and awkwardly put a very large box with LMC Truck on it, on our picnic table in front of the house. let me tell you, i was half tempted to turn around and go back home to see my parts. haha.

so i now have rockers, inner rockers, cab corners, locking gas cap, and door sill's.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0012-2.jpg

they forgot to put my bed bolt kit and rocker plugs in the box however, so i have to call back monday when the shippers are in, i guess? -shrug-. they were good about it saturday morning.

i also send out a money order for a set of headers (Thanks Teeitup (Randy)). and those should be on the way soon and such.

however,

i haven't gotten much of anything done this weekend.

Saturday was cutting a few trees down and slowly accumulating firewood, followed by minor repairs on some of the family cars with Dad.

Sunday was welding the front end loader up on a neighbors backhoe. a 4 hour job for my dad and i...talk about tedious. but! it was a nice change. i almost forgot what it was like to run a nice bead on thick metal...haha.

and thats about it.


this week should prove to be productive, or atleast i'm hoping.

i need to finish fabbing up some sort of inner fender for the bed yet, just to keep junk and water from splashing too far up on the side, i guess. lol.

then a few patches, just to cover some holes in the floor and sills to make it solid-esque. and hit it with some paint to slow the rust. and..that should be it for the underside.

then it'll be flipping it back over, and stripping, smoothing, primer, paint..etc.

all while dismanteling the rest of the truck to get rid of rust with my fresh sheet metal, and then smooth, prime paint...etc etc.

and while the front clip is off for the new fenders, i'll cleean up the engine bay as much as i can in a short period of time, a splash of paint, put the headers on, and strap it all back together for paint and tags.

followed by the most important step.

ENJOY IT! drive and haul and haul and drive. and just like having an old truck.

so. thats where she sits now.

stay tuned!

it's about to get interesting...lol.

-Sam.

**EDIT**

i decied to post a pic of the stuff that i've accumulated in my bed room in preperation of body work.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0001a.jpg

there's Oliver Green tractor paint, along with patching red oxide primer, and same style white, and hardener. a can of Bondo. a spray can of rust convertor, a spray can of undercoating, a gallon of paint thinner, mixing cup, and cheese cloth. this doesn't include tools and such that are in the garage...just the stuff thats special and stays in the bedroom with me. hah.

okee, later days.

-Sam.

good news!

the bed to frame bolt kit and my rocker panel plugs will be here before the end of the week! so, yay to LMC.

plus. I sent out my headers money order.

so. things are falling into place.
just as soon as i get my ass in gear and get to patching and welding some more. gah.

i'm hoping to have it on the road for a mid august camping trip.

...we'll see.

-Sam.

lookin good... i would have left the sign on the bed though..lol

lol, i COULD have...it probably would have been alot easier for me, along with being interesting to the truck.

but. what the hell. hah.

thanks for the kind words!

-Sam.

good job on savin the original sheet metal and not just buyin a replacement
i bought a 68 chevy in very simmilar condition with a similar back story
mine however is a 292 iline 6 th350 one wheel wonder nad its a 3/4 ton but its futer once the repairs r done is to be my daily driver parts getter for my other trucks, ive already pulled home a 69 and a 70 with it from a neighbor
thank god for welders and sheetmetal

Amen to that!

it's a real downer to live up here in the middle of the rust plague, especially when it comes to replacing sheet metal. then we see those southern guys with their dry climate and pristine metal...yeah.

i figure we have enough extra trucks with solid bits of metal sitting out back...and it's all around the same gauge..i'll save some money, and give those old beasts a purpose instead of just rotting away. for instance, i just took the hood off a '64 GMC thats out back, and am using that for patches at the moment.

god, these trucks are an addiction...and i haven't even started to drive it yet! lol.

-Sam.

Sam... you should see what the guys in Cali will junk and call rust buckets... if you can see rust, or stick your finger through a small rust hole, it is WORTHLESS to them. (talkin So-Cal) Fleetside Paul has a nice 90% original truck that is virgin by our rustbelt standards, but it is next to worthless out there due to needing a small patch in the floor. :rolleyes: I was drooling over his 'rust bucket" ell evening this past sunday.

haha...wow.

i was all sorts of excited when i found out that there were only some fairly small tire inspection holes in the floor pan of this truck, let alone being semi solid, with just surface rust.

oh surface rust. how i love thee more than ordinary cancerous rotting destructive rust...:P

-Sam.

Wow, great job on the metalwork! That's a truck I would have had to pass on!

You asked about the 67 not having markers.... well, your filling in holes everywhere else... why not weld up the markers in the back too? :D

Great work! You are attacking it full steam ahead, very commendable!

hmm..you raise an excellent point about the side markers. haha.

now it's just a matter of if i get the ambition to actually do it. needless to say, it's not high on my list of things to do...however. it'll end up bugging me that it's lopsided with none in front and some in back..sooo...it just might end of getting done.

thanks for the kind words all, your comments are priceless when it comes to motivation and keeping the fire lit under my behind.

back to the garage!

-Sam.

So.

I accomplished a bit more today.

however, this is where it gets to be not so proper, nor pretty. haha.

needless to say, the inner fender between the wheel well and the wheel arch on the bed was..well..non existant. so. i cut some metal after making a pattern using some paper and rubbing a crayon to over then high spot to get the rough idea of the patch. cut that out. welded it in, along with a few other small patches. and sprayed it with rust convertor, and caulked the seam to try to prevent too much junk from finding it's way up there.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0001-6.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0002-4.jpg

i welded in a piece of cross sill on the bed as well, but the batteries in the camera died, so...no pics of that. which isn't necessarily a bad thing...lmao.

so. thats where it stands now.

tomorrow the girlfriend has off, so i'm spending the day with her. the truck will have to wait. haha. thursday should prove to be productive, and i hope i can finish up the other wheel well a bit, since it's not so bad. and that should almost conclude the underside of the box.

i also looked into Evercoats Metal-to-Metal filler, to go ove some of the areas where i can't weld, due to thinness of the metal. ugh. so..more rust converter and perhaps some of this water resistance filler will be the ticket. we'll see.

well, let's hear it. haha.

-Sam.

No pics for now, but i did finish up the other inner fender on the bedside. it wasn't too bad, by my standards, haha. it's not pretty, but hopefully it'll be effective.

i also fabbed up something resembling the little metal mud flappy looking guard shield...thing, since it was absent. once again, pretty? no. effective? lets hope.

pretty much the motto for this truck is Function Uber Alles. I want it to be solid, reliable, and if it can look good (which lets face it..it's hard fopr these trucks NOT to..) so much the better.


o!

and i did my first burnout with her this afternoon. it's a bit different with the one wheeled wonder and 3.07's than the limited slip 4.56's...but...she smoked that one tire pretty damn good. once again, no pics. not that it was worthy. however, i have a feeling it'll happen again.

and we just got 7 inches of rain here..soo..i'm pretty much done for the night as far as progress goes.

lets hear it!

-Sam.

once again, a picture-less post. i need to upload the ones i took tonight. but, i'm beat tired, so it'll have to wait. haha.

as far as progress, well, started to dismantle the cab to start on the lower sheet metal and all that nonsense.

pulled up the what looks like original rubber floor mats, and insulation, to find a good sized tire inspection hole...area...type thing. kind of a downer, since i had high hopes. haha.

then took the seat out, which was going swimmingly, until the last bolt on the back inside drivers side decided that it wanted a round head, instead of a hex head. so, that was quite a hold up. ended up brinding the backing nut off, and i'll just have to weld a new one on...not a big deal.

then, attempted to unbolt the seat belts. that was a complete and utter failure. backing nuts didn't come loose...nor did the heads round..but rather, it was so rusty that the plates the nuts were welded to decided to spin off. yeahh. not lookin' so good is it? the same thing happened when trying to get the bottom gas tank bolts out - backing nuts broke loose.

so, needless to say, tomorrow if i get a chance, is going to be a day of begging someone to spin a wrench, while i hold the other side, or vice versa. heh.

and thats about it.

curse the Rust Belt I say!

pics to come soon...not that it's going to look good...lol.

-Sam.

as promised! pics!

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0001-7.jpg
and the cab work begins...

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0002-5.jpg
after pulling the floor mat, i discovered that.

and i thought my repairs were out there...sheesh...
cab corners repaired with shingles. yes, shingles.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0002-6.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0003-6.jpg

damn rust...
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0001-8.jpg

so, thats about where it stands.

i did a little bit of work between the cab mounts, and made that a alot more solid. not correct, but solid. i'll take pics tomorrow, along with more progress i hope to make on the floor.

anddd...thats about it.

it's nothing i can't handle.

....i hope. haha.

let's hear it, whatcha think?

-Sam.

well.

a little more done today.

plated and braced and all that fun back cab work.

just more patches.

pics...sometime. haha.

hopefully something more fun than this will come up....

oh! headers here wednesday!

hah, i know i'd think of something. :D

-Sam.

nah hah! progress!

cut out the old floor junk.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0003-7.jpg

and the hole that remains.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0002-7.jpg

annndddd the patch! that i stole from my previous project truck. haha, oops...
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0006-7.jpg

and i have most of it all welded up.

i also turned my welder up a bit, instead of using it on "low-low" with a wire speed of around 5.5-6, i put it on "low-high", and am using around 6-7.
it seems to get better penetration, obviousley, along with not being weak goober bird**** welds. so, i'm pretty happy about that.

i also got my headers from Teeitup. they arrived wednesday, and today i wire wheeled them down, and hit them with some hi-temp paint.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0004-5.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0005-3.jpg

...after painting, i realized it said that it should be baked on at 650 degrees fahrenheit, or run on the vehicle for an hour. welllll...both of those were out of question. sooo...we'll see how it turns out. if nothing else, it'll look good for a bit. haha.

okee guys.
lets hear it!

-Sam.

For the sake of continuity, and keeping the thread up to date (not meaning to double post or anything....)

the hubcaps i just procured off of e-bay!

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/hubcaps.jpg

and shall now wait for them to arrive.

as far as an update, the floor pan is almost completely welded in, i just have a few small section left to bead over and such. and hopefully before the weekend is over, i can get an inner rocker on or something...we'll see.

thats about it.

-Sam.

alright, i've been fairly busy.

i finished the floor pan, it beaded over pretty nice, and i'm happy the way it turned out.

then, planned on starting on the passenger side rocker. well, got it all cut out, but then realized that i couldn't get to the front for the pillar. and i don't want to take the doors off (i know, kinad dumb, but then i can keep checking to make sure i have a good fit on the rockers). so, i started to pull the front fenders.

which lead to this.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0001-9.jpg

and this.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0002-8.jpg

the hood, both front fenders, and inner fenders are off. as well as the cowl, antenna, and wiper arms.

at the time, i didn't really feel like welding, so i continued to clean and such. and ended shop vac-ing the cowl out. well, the vaccuum couldn't suck out this.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0003-8.jpg

yeah. leaves, pine needles, carpet, acorns...etc etc. i got most of it out, but theres still some that i need to weasle out.

and. just because i thought it was neat that my washer fluid bottle and bracket were still intact.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0004-6.jpg

and thats where she stands right now.

it's getting close to some real progress starting...i hope. hah.

lets hear it.

-Sam.

well, have been working a bit more on the cab.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0004-7.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0001-10.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0005-4.jpg

the rocker turned out pretty good, in my opinion. i'm really glad i left the door on to check the fit. the door slides right into place and latches well, and the cab is even fairly consistent. a bit off, but good enough for my purpose. haha. plus, i can always tweak the door, if i wanna be all perfectionist like.

but yes. thats where she stands now.

hopefully i'll get some more done this week.

stay tuned!

-Sam.

today was another successful day in the ol' garage.

i got the passenger side rocker boxed in and all that under-cab goodness.

so i moved over to the driver side for a bit.

started out ratchet strapping the cab, to make for a decent fit.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0001-11.jpg

and went along tacking and adjusting, thanks to the door being left on.

and this is how it turned out.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0003-9.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0004-8.jpg

i'm more than satisfied with the way it turned out, since the gap between the rocker and door is consistent, and nicely thin.

woohoo!

so, thats where she stands now. i just have a bit by the vent and toe board to patch, and then it's on to the cab corners and that nasty mess of sheetmetal. yeah...


and in other news!

my hub caps came today.

and, they were rusty, as advertised. but they weren't in real bad shape, at all.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0002-9.jpg

i'm looking forward to cleaning them up and painting them stock - it should add a pretty nice touch to the truck, in my opinion.

and thats about it for now.

after the cab work is done, i'm going to reward myself by bolting the headers on, and firing it up to listen to that open rabble of my little tree-oh-seben. :D

lets hear it guys.

-Sam.

some more work done so far today.

started on the cab corner. so. i chopped it out.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0001-12.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0002-10.jpg

then i cut my patch panel to match.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0003-10.jpg

...or so i thought. i didn't take into account the difference in outside corners...or something. i dunno. but, regardless. she was a bit off.

so, i did the best i could with where it sat. and ended up with this.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0008-6.jpg

i have a small gap to fill in, but i'm not real concerned about that.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0012-3.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0011-2.jpg

i'm sure most of my problems were operator error..but...we'll blame the patch panel. :D haha.

all i have left is to weld in that little patch, and knock the beads down a bit. soo. yeah.

it's gettin' there.

well, lets hear it!

-Sam.

Sam, you're making some real progress there. I am doing the same thing as we speak (well, as I type!) and it can be frustrating. I'll bet I've pulled my doors off and on 3 times so far!

Keep at it and you'll get it done.

I guess I need to start a build thread on here soon...

Rg

thanks for the kind words Roger.

yeah, it can be a real pain to do the rockers and line everything up. this is the second pair i've done, so luckily i have some experience. still, theres no better feeling that pushing the door, and watching it slide right in and latch solidly. and then looking down and noticing a nice even gap at the bottom.

ah progress. it's a beautiful thing.


and as for the build thread...yes! you should! but be warned, they can get kind of addicting, espeically when you like to type and post a lot of pictures like me. haha.

i look forward to seeing your ride in a thread...soon!

-Sam.

Sam, here's a before shot just to tease you.

Rg

Roger, thats a pretty nice lookin' GMC! seems solid, or are my eyes playing tricks on me?

o. and what're your plans? if you feel like devulging before your build thread...;)

-Sam.

O!

and i almost forgot.

i picked up 2 glasspacks last night. came to just under $40, which i didn't think were too bad.

they're CherryBombs, of course, 26 7/16" (it's the longest they had) with 2 inch outlets. now, i know 2 inch might be a bit small, but my 307 isn't going to be getting much bigger, if at all, plus it still gives some backpressure.

so, we'll see how they sound behind the headers, and then it's just a matter of figuring out whee to route them out....yeahhh. any suggestions? leabing towards straight out the back with turn downs, or out in front of the rear tire on each side.

and until i can take some pics of the two boxes and such, this is it:

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/glasspack.gif

progress will continue...sometime. we're going on a camping trip this weekend, so it'll be a nice break. but i'm still rip-roarin' to go!

lets hear it!

-Sam.

Well, I hate to go on about mine on your thread, but since you asked! I am fixing all the problems with the cab. The pictures are misleading, it has the usual rust... I plan to keep it ochre, lower it a little and drive the crap out of it. I'm going low-buck on it so there won't be anything trick or special, just tried and true.

I'd like to get more of the work done before I start the thread so it doesn't look like I'm as slow as I really am!

Keep it up, Rg

haha, i like that plan Roger. it's always good to hear about someone who is going to drive the wheels off these crates.

and i like that expression, "nothing trick or special, just tried and true." kind of a motto for our trucks, eh?

and as promised, pics of the glasspacks!

CherryBombs...o...go boom!
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0013-4.jpg

yup...realllllly quiet. right?
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0017-3.jpg

whats better than one?

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0014-3.jpg

two!!

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0022-3.jpg

lets hear it.

-Sam.

Oh, I'd take the exhaust to the back and downturn or out turn. Anything in front of the rear wheels will keep your head ringing! Ask how I know...

Rg

ok Roger, just HOW do you know??? ;)

i'm thinking running it to the back, with turn downs, almost like a nova/chevelle.

Kinda like SeeTen's exhaust? maybe?
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/SeeTenpipes.jpg

i kinda like that. and it wouldn't be the annoying ear splitter of side pipes.

my dad had almost the side pipe setup on his '68 "back in the day". 283, three speed, headers, glasspacks, and pipes right out behind the cab. he said that he used to downshift heading to a stop light, and blue flames would shoot out the pipes about 5-6 feet. yeahh....i kinda like that. :D.

well, let's hear it!

-Sam.

nice build you have going. I am looking at nearly the same cab fixes that you have. I even have a large hole under my gas tank too, but it's on the driver side. I have a link to my build in my signature.... I also need some kind of patch for the wheel well/wheel arch area. You should make a mold and market them, or make me a set at a minimum....

Keep up the good work, my build is stalled right now due to time, funding, wife, work, kids etc...

Mike,

thanks for the kind words.

yeah, cab work is just..well...not fun. especially in that back dark abyss known as under the gas tank and interior cab corners. haha.

and as for the wheel arch/wheel well, what exactley are you referring to?
because on my box, all it was, was a pattern traced to the rough fit of the opening (i had tried a straight flat piece, but then realized my error...it had to be a rainbow-esque shape), and i used an old hood for the metal, cut it out with an angle grinder, then tacked in, heavier tacks and beads where possible, and seam sealed/caulked over. kind of...um..how you say..half-assed? haha. but it works.


and i remember your thread when you pulled your K10 home. thats a sweet looking truck, in pretty good shape for the part of the country we're in (thank you rust-belt!), and even better that it has a 327. yeah!

a small step forward is better than any step back, eh?

keep up the good work!

-Sam.

Well, the past few days haven't been rpductive...at all. lol.

the garage was taken over so we could fix the loader tractor.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0007-6.jpg

we had the pull the top plate and replace a spring on one of the detent balls on the shift forks.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0004-10.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0005-6.jpg

it would rattle and ting something fierce in 2nd through 5th gear, so we could only run in 1st and reverse, which got to be really old while skidding wood. so, we'll prolly slap 'er together tonight or tomorrow, and then i'll have garage back. well, atleast another stall to work in. wooO!

but, as far as the truck...i...cleaned and primed a hub cap.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0003-11.jpg

they're pretty straight. so, i think they'll clean up really nice.


and i pretty much finished the passenger side cab corner.

however, i goofed, as i mentioned before, and the bottom lips don't line up right.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0008-7.jpg

i dunno if it's because of my goof up, or if it's because of the patch panel itself. it was kind of cock-eyed, and oil canned a bit when tweaked. so. yeah. -shrug-.

any ideas? lol.

otherwise it'll just stay that way, and i'm going to enjoy the truck. haha.

let's hear it!

-Sam.

Sam, those d@mn cab corners... mine oil canned on the back too. It was a bear to get in there and I ended up sectioning it to get it to look right. I hope the drivers side goes easier, but I doubt it... I put in my rocker panel first and then the cab corner (Huck had mentioned this before) and I think it ended up with everything better in line than I have had them when I did the corners first.

Anyway, the corners are better than anything I could make myself, but not by much!

Rg

haha, i hear ya Roger.

i put the rockers in first, and everything was going well, but i screwed up the marking on the patch. i had it clamped over the section that i had already cut out, so i didn't take into account the fact that i was butt welding, instead of just over-lapping. so..it was too big. and when i got it down...well...things got ugly.

oh well. what the hell. :P

yes, hopefully the drivers side goes easier. especially since thats the side i have to look at all the time, haha.

we'll see what tomorrow brings. i'm coming down with some nasty cold/flu stuff my sister was carrying around the house, so, kinda slowing me down. plus, with school starting on the 4th of Sept...i'm kinda crunched for time before studying and homework (wait..whats that...???) takes up my time.

but yes! back to the garage!







ok. i lied.
back to the couch with some nyquill. then tomorrow...we'll try to the garage. :D

lets hear it!

-Sam.

Well, not too much progress as of late.

I've still been fighting this lovely illness, but it's getting better.

the tractor is out of the garage.

and i've been sanding bondo...wooo....

no pics right now, i'm just smoothing out my front fenders and tryint go feather some edges on the patches i put on them. it'll tale a while though...oh well.

and. thats about it.

i'm getting ready to go back to school, along with moving my sister back into her dorm, so, unfortunately, it doesn't look like much spare time is coming my way. so, we'll see what happens.

-Sam.

well. finally got some work in.

wednesday i went on an awesome sister-brother road trip to Mount Vernon, Iowa, to move some of my sisters stuff into her dorm. 15 hours in a car...weee...

but yes! to the high light!

i got the driver side cab corner on, and it turned out MUCH better than the passenger, which makes me esctatic.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0002-11.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0001-13.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0003-12.jpg

so. that takes care of the exterior patch panels on the cab.

i started to work on the inner cab corner patch.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0005-7.jpg

i cut out a pattern that fit pretty well, and traced it on some sheet metal.

unfortunately, i didn't take pics of it after that stage, but i have it in the cab, tacked and pretty much all welded in. it'll be pretty solid, if nothing else.

so. thats where she stands now.

i hope to get a little more done in the up coming days, as i'm running out of warm weather up here to shoot primer and paint, and, well, i wanna drive it this year. so. we'll see.

let's hear it!

-Sam.

well all, i haven't gotten a whole lot done this past week. classes started again, and i have a pretty full load, so needless to say, i'm quite swamped. plus, being rusty from having the summer off, doesn't help. so, priorities...and all that.

but!

i have got a bit done.

i shaved both side markers on the box, so that it'll match the front fenders. thanks for the advice on that. ;).

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0004-11.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0003-13.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0002-12.jpg

i've never done anything like this before, but. i'm quite happy with the way it turned out. a bit of filler (more than *should* be used) and it'll smooth it right out.

but, thats where it stands right now.

hopefully i can get going on it as i get back into the swing of school again.

let's hear it!

-Sam.

Man if your gonna run Cherry Bombs, at least try and disturb the piece...
I have the loudest ones available !!!!
http://youtube.com/watch?v=GhE6N4Y3m0I

Note: My truck no longer squeaks !

Bomb,....What about the oil spots in the driveway? ;) :D

LMAO @ Bill. :P

yes, i know, my 'Bombs won't be real loud. but thats ok. as long as she crackles and hollers a bit when i get on it, i'll be more than happy. and the peace will be disturbed...don't you worry none. haha.

hopefully i can get some more done this week when i get out of class early. i need to patch the bed floor a little, then start to fill the box. then finish up the inside of cab on the passenger side. and..thats about it. cross your fingers.

let's hear it!

-Sam.

Bomb,....What about the oil spots in the driveway? ;) :D

Yeah, it still does that

Besides, Tav deserves it for selling his truck :metal:

Man we sure are spolied here with our no rust stuff!!!!!!That is a lot of work youre doin to cut all that rust out!!!!!!!Lookin good,keep up the good work!!!!!!!

thanks for the kind words Brian!

yeah, i wouldn't know what to do without the rust...it's that bad! i've never seen a non-rusted out cab corner or rocker panel around these parts thats original.

i'm so deprived. :(. haha.

but! a bit of an update while i'm at it. i have just about completed the inner cab corner on the passenger side. so, the lower cab is almost done. i hope. haha.

i'll give a whole update with pics and such when i get a break from classes and such...yeah.

lets hear it!

-Sam.

well! good news!

i think i have figured out my exhaust bending problem (in case you didn't know i had one, lol). i want to route the exhaust out the back, so it won't be the annoying and ear hurting (albeit badass) souind from in front of the rear tire.

but, i had the issue of attempting to bend the pipe, or atleast route it, over the rear axle.

elbows around here are running around 3-5 dollars a piece. and there aren't any exhaust shops around that i trust, let alone would do it for a decent price.

so, that just leaves doing it myself! with the help of my family of course.

the plan includes a piece of railroad track iron, two chains, a large hydraulic jack, and half a rim. the plan is to cut the rim in half, weld a pipe onto it that fits over the screw of the bottle jack, and with the pipe resting on the rim, while being restrained by the chains on each end wrapped around the rail road iron, which is what the jack is placed on, it *should* be in effect an effective way. i've yet to decide if i'll fill the pipe with sand to maintain the form and try to alleviate the kinks.

but, thats where she stands now.

i'm cleaning up the hub caps as well, i'll get some pics when i get a chance.

and.....thats about it.

Friday, i'm going to be taking some of my truck money (yes...i have moeny that i devote to my truck. :P) and pick up some header collectors, along with head bolts and exhaust manifold gaswkets, and we'll see what else. haha.

ok, back to homework! i have a lab report due tomorrow and i've yet to start...oh boy...

let's hear it!

-Sam.

well, i went parts shopping today. which is fun! except for the spending money part.

and i ended up with!

Collector/reducers-

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0003-14.jpg

2.5" - 2" reducer.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0011-3.jpg

header bolts.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0013-5.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0014-4.jpg

and header gaskets.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0015-2.jpg

altogether, i spent 63 dollars.

however. i'm fairly certain that i was given the wrong header gaskets. first, they're not exactley what i wanted. second, they're 1.5" round port. and i'm fairly certain that my heads are square ports, but i won't know until i pull the manifolds.

plus, at 40 dollars. thats kinda hefty for gaskets, in my opinion. idk. they're probably going back. haha.

but thats where i am after today.

let's hear it!

-Sam.

p.s. don't mind the toes. :P.

Well.

it's been a week. and you guys are deserving a good update. so! here we go!

i actually haven't gotten a whole lot done, thanks to classes, along with having a night class, so it's kinda taking up some time. but, thats ok.

first, i took back those round port gaskets, as nice as they may have seemed, and got a set of normal square ports. or, so i hope.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0017-4.jpg

Mr. Gasket...wooO?

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0018-2.jpg



but on to actualy progress!

i primed and painted my hub caps. they're not the greatest, but they'll do for now. i still have to get the black ring painted, along with the red GMC lettering.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0001-14.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0008-8.jpg

i just cleaned them up, spray bombed some primer, and then rustoleum. just to make them look kinda nice.


and i've been welding too, don't you worry.

drivers side.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0009-3.jpg

passenger's side.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0010-4.jpg

my kinda half-a$$ed inner cab corner.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0016-3.jpg

where she stands now.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0013-edit.jpg

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y297/samwise_/DSCI0014-edit.jpg

so. thats about it.

i still have to patch and plate the seat belt bolt holes, and that takes care of the welding on the cab. just seam seal and undercoat.

i have to get the bed in the garage as well, and clean the rust off it, fill the imperfections and get it somewhat straight.

the best news is, is that the garage floor is FINALLY complete! it only took 11 years from when my parents put it up, in '96, to now, '07, to finish the floor in it. cement is soooo much nicer to work on than dirt. :D.

but yes. she's getting close.

well. lets hear it!

any input/comments are appreciated in giving me a boost on this thing! thanks!

-Sam.

Your making progress for sure. It's coming together. :metal: