Well here is my project. Some of you may have already seen it, but I'm just getting around to creating a build thread for it.

It's a 1984 Chevrolet C10 1/2ton 2wd Short Wide Bed. I bought it back in March. It has the original tired 305 with a TH350 tranny. The previous owner had a 3" lift kit on it when I bought it. Here are a few pics of when I first bought it.
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Since I bought it progress has been somewhat slow. I have installed a new 85-87 grille, and stock steering wheel. Thanks to HotRod73 for the stock steering wheel. The previous owner had the the windshield partially tinted, so that has been removed. The gas tank leaks, and Joe231 has supplied me with a replacement one that he had, just haven't gotten around to installing it yet, trying to use up as much gas in the current tank as I can :)

I did get the lift kit taken out, and a set of 1" lowering springs from Brother's Truck Parts installed. Along with the springs I installed new shocks front and rear, and new upper and lower ball joints. The rear was lifted with blocks, so those were just removed to get the rear back to normal. My uncle bought a 85 SWB, and got a set of 15x8 rally wheels, with 275/60 tires along with the purchase. Those were also put on when the lift kit was removed. This was a great improvement over the 31x10.50 tires that were on it. Here is a pic from the Oklahoma Truck Meet that The Sebring took after I got it lowered back to normal.

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That is all the pics I have right now because the wife has the camera. I just installed a sport bumper on the rear, and cut off the chrome echo chamber exhaust tips today. I also removed the spare tire, and hanger. When I get a chance I'll post some more pics of the other progress that I have done.

Future plans include a rebuilt 350 motor, 700R4 tranny. Still undecided on further lowering options. Leaning towards 2.5" spindles, and hanger/shackle combo in the rear. Going to repaint it, but don't know color yet. So now that I have started the thread I can update it with info as I make progress. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, and opinions are always welcome. Also if anyone has any questions about the truck, what I have done, or what I plan to do don't be afraid to ask.

It is about time bro!!!;)

looks so much better with those wheels and tires and the change of altitude....

I failed to check out many trucks at the meet, so I wanna see some under hood shots, and some pics of the exhaust...:ito:

Glad to see you have a build thread. Now stay focused and keep the progress reports coming.

looks much better

:metal: cool! We'll be watching ;)

I've got pictures of your interior at the meet and your engine as well if you'd like it to be posted. Also a picture of your massive foot tall air filter I believe ;).

Post it! :lol:

congrats buddy! looks a lot cleaner from the 1st pics already. just take your time and little by little your gonna find yourself w/ a really nice truck just the way you wanted it! now just keep us posted w/ DAILY updates!:lol:

I've got pictures of your interior at the meet and your engine as well if you'd like it to be posted. Also a picture of your massive foot tall air filter I believe ;).

yeah, post them!!!

Day and night with the new look. Much better now..

Already looks much better with the stock rallies, John!

Looking forward to your progress. Are you going to do a frame off?

Looks much better like it sits now . I like the look of Rallys on anything stock height to slammed . Keep up the good work and keep the pics coming .
Frank

Here's your other pics from the meet.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/pistolgripauw/72%20GMC/Truck%20Meet%202009/zTruckMeet029.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/pistolgripauw/72%20GMC/Truck%20Meet%202009/zTruckMeet031.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/pistolgripauw/72%20GMC/Truck%20Meet%202009/zTruckMeet030.jpg

good luck with the build bro

Nice work, lookin' good!

Glad to see it John. It looks better since you lowered it back down. What did the old grill look like?

sitting good man. keep up the progress.

Thanks a lot guys. It means a lot to hear encouragement from you all. Especially since I have seen the trucks you guys have done, and are still in the process of working on.


It is about time bro!!!;)

I failed to check out many trucks at the meet, so I wanna see some under hood shots, and some pics of the exhaust...:ito:

My wife took the camera yesterday so I didn't get a chance to take any pics. I'll try and get some this evening.

congrats buddy! looks a lot cleaner from the 1st pics already. just take your time and little by little your gonna find yourself w/ a really nice truck just the way you wanted it! now just keep us posted w/ DAILY updates!:lol:

Yeah with my cash flow the time isn't the issue! :lol:

Are you going to do a frame off?

No I just don't have the time, funds, or space for a frame off job. Maybe on the next truck! :)

Glad to see it John. It looks better since you lowered it back down. What did the old grill look like?

I have some pics of it I'll get posted. I just put some of the pics I had on here to get the thread started. It was just the stock 83-84 grille. It wasn't in too bad of shape, just always liked the 85-87 better. My uncle took a phantom billet grille off his truck, so I may look at that one too.

Thanks Hyper for posting the pics.

You're welcome, but just for the record, I liked it when it was up in the air a little! :lol:

Still looks good though brother! :metal:

Well I have a lift kit if you want to install it on the GMC. :lol: If it was a 4wd truck it would have been fine, but for a 2wd it just wasn't the right look in my opinion.

Already looks much better with the stock rallies, John!

Looking forward to your progress. Are you going to do a frame off?

Hey you got any pics of yours painted yet?

Hey you got any pics of yours painted yet?

It's not ready yet. I've been wet sanding the cab for what seems like eons now. It's coming out good, but it's slow and monotonous. Finished up the firewall today, came out really nice. I'll post some pics when I get the cab finished.

Looking good John. I like the new stance.

Well I have a lift kit if you want to install it on the GMC. :lol: If it was a 4wd truck it would have been fine, but for a 2wd it just wasn't the right look in my opinion.

Yeah, I understand that. I like my 72 where it sits and my 4x4 I have to work out of so I don't want to raise it any more than it is. :lol:

I think low riders or high rollers either one look really good :metal:

I gotta have it jacked up ;). I just dig the raised look better on any truck really. Get that suspension exposed and some beefy Mickey Thompsons on 'em. Now don't get crazy with it, but a good 5 inch raise in the back and 3 inch raise in the front is what I like to look at on trucks.

I gotta have it jacked up ;). I just dig the raised look better on any truck really. Get that suspension exposed and some beefy Mickey Thompsons on 'em. Now don't get crazy with it, but a good 5 inch raise in the back and 3 inch raise in the front is what I like to look at on trucks.

Well since they're already higher in the rear it would probably look like a tractor pull truck! :lol:

Well since they're already higher in the rear it would probably look like a tractor pull truck! :lol:

The more it looks like a funny car, the better!

The more it looks like a funny car, the better!


ummm, have you seen how LOW to the ground funny cars sit??? :uhmK:

Travis you may have to get ahold of your young-un and teach him the finer points of LOW versus HIGH ;):lol:



Oh and John....you have just been thread 'jacked! :sumo:

That's just because they extend the bodie's to the ground. Stick a wrinkle wall tire on the back of a truck and see how low it is to the ground! :lol:

Nice looking ride! If you are looking to get rid of the lift, my wife's '78 4x4 could use it ;)...

There ya go John, in the midst of a thread jackin you made a sale!! :lol:

That's just because they extend the bodie's to the ground. Stick a wrinkle wall tire on the back of a truck and see how low it is to the ground! :lol:

body drop or suspension drop.....it is still low

guess the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree, eh? :lol:

Wow

So, these look lowered or raised? I'll give ya a minute to look closely.

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/pistolgripauw/old%20drag%20cars/1_ronda__gas_13.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/pistolgripauw/old%20drag%20cars/2_callier__fritz_1.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/pistolgripauw/old%20drag%20cars/8_strum__tom_1.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/pistolgripauw/old%20drag%20cars/MB1.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/pistolgripauw/old%20drag%20cars/funnycar.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/pistolgripauw/old%20drag%20cars/huff_irwindale_67.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/pistolgripauw/old%20drag%20cars/pel67beware.jpg

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y147/pistolgripauw/old%20drag%20cars/snow__gene_9.jpg

:lol:

none of those look "lifted" to me (other than the fuelies, but they are higher in the front)...not exactly what I picture when I hear funny car either...must be the age difference :lol:

http://www.competitionplus.com/02_18_2004/photos/hadman_05.jpg

http://static.racingjunk.com/63/ui/1/75/4215312718417-Dragsters-Top-Fuel-Pro-Mod-Funny-Car.jpg

http://www.castleautoworks.com/_mndata/caw/uploaded_images/156454.jpg

are we talking about "rake"?

I thought Blake was talking about lifting a truck front and rear to look like a funny car :confused:

Well silly me.

I missed the part where he said "late model" funny car! :lol:

Well silly me.

I missed the part where he said "late model" funny car! :lol:

:thud: http://www.okcminis.com/vb/images/smilies/threadjacked.gif :lol:

:lol:

Hey I'm cool with thread jacking. That is where you really get to know the other guys is just shooting the bull just like if we were hanging out somwhere. I can thread jack with the best of them! :lol:

Longrange: The 4x4 trucks have leaf spring front suspensions right? If so these won't work. They are coil springs for the front. Now the rear blocks would work, but I don't know for sure the fronts will on your setup.

Oh and for an update on what I got done yesterday.........Nothing! :lol: I really need to hit the lottery so I can have cash flow, with no work taking me away from my interests! :lol:

:lol:

if you do hit the lotto, I hope you plan on sharing ;)

Oh you know I will. I was thinking if I hit it I would buy the old Marc Heitz, or Fowler dealership and turn it into our clubhouse! :metal: Then we would have plenty of room to work on our stuff, store our stuff, and even have room to show off our stuff!

that is a good plan!! :metal:

I thought so! However, I'm not holding on to it though! I guess you have to play the lottery to win it. Which I think is a total scam! :lol: I guess those numbers right everytime they call them out, and nothing! Oh well maybe next time.

Hey what did you do to your suspension on your truck? I meant to ask you at the meet, and well, forgot. Also how do you like your speaker brackets from Jeff? Another thing I was going to talk to you about! :lol:

yeah, I agree about the scam part.....

I cut one coil off the front springs and removed all but 2 leafs in the rear....temporary lowing solution ;)

the brackets from Jeff are excellent, they sound great! I welded and smoothed the corners of them then Scott powder-coated them for me..I think they turned out nice:thumbs:

Yeah I looked at them at the meet. They looked nice. Did you have any problems finding the right 6x9 to fit in them?

I took the overload out of the 94 that I used to have to lower it down a little more after we had the springs dearched. I wasn't happy with it at all. Mainly because I couldn't put 100lbs in it without it dropping. Not that I will haul anything in this one, but it was one of those things that always bothered me. At the time though it was my daily driver, do everything truck. Now that I have the 03 to handle DD duties I guess it wouldn't be as bad.

Well silly me.

I missed the part where he said "late model" funny car! :lol:

Missed that did you? Well I was figuring this was a classic forum so I would talk about the classic funny cars. What perf posted was what I was talking about. Only funny cars I've ever known really. Don't know what to call those new long body things ;).

I meant making it 3 inches taller in the rear than the front. The way a truck looks when you hit the brake real fast and it nose dives. Freeze frame the nose dive, and it's something like that :lol::uhmk:

OK so I haven't done much on the truck this week. I did manage to get the gas tank that Joe gave me cleaned up and ready to paint. Plan on doing that first thing Wednesday morning when it is somewhat cool, and it's my day off.

Here is a pic of what the original grill looked like Jason.
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Also here is a pic of the sport bumper installed. I still need to move it closer to the bed. It also seems to be lower on the passenger side than the drivers. I need to address that too.
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nice bumper...
do you still have the one you took off?
you got a pic of it?

Yeah I still have it. Gonna try and sell it. I'll get pics tonight when I get home.

nice rear john!!

:hmm: hey hey hey now! :exit: :haha: thanks man. Hey whenever you get bored with your truck, you can always head on out here to Oklahoma and work on mine. :lol:

LOL i forgot to say good game.

and sorry john my wifes got dibs on the "if i get bored"! theres tile to lay, garden to water, dinner to make, on and on...

Yeah my wife does too, and she reminds me of it frequently. :lol: New Kitchen, Pergola over the patio, Bigger patio, .......

I've got way too many expenses and too much stuff I want done on my own things to deal with a woman right now. Maybe in a couple years I'll find the nerve to put up with one enough to get married and settle down into boring marriage. Until then, wreckless bachelor abandonment!

:haha:

Maybe in a couple years I'll find the nerve to put up with one enough to get married and settle down into boring marriage. Until then, wreckless bachelor abandonment!

Hey now, not to butt in, but marriage doesn't have to be boring. Sit back, drink a beer:barn:, and put her azz to work on your truck.:lol:

Hey now, not to butt in, but marriage doesn't have to be boring. Sit back, drink a beer:barn:, and put her azz to work on your truck.:lol:

um dude, ........... she looks like she's coming after you.......... :mm:

No doubt!:devil:

My plan is to get the gas tank and straps painted tomorrow, and get it installed either Friday or Monday when I'm off next. Probably going to get crazy with the spray paint on the underside as well while I'm there. Since I took the spare tire and bracket off there is a lot of open room to paint! :)

right on! what color you painting the tank and straps?

I think I decided to go aluminum on the tank, and black on the straps. I wanted to do a gray on the tank, but didn't really feel the choices I had at the store. I figured after I painted it if I didn't like it I could paint it again. :lol:

My 86 had the same grill as what yours does now. Good to see you getting time in on it. Don't forget to take pics as you go.

Yeah the grill that I have on there now is the 85-87 grille. I always liked it better than the 83-84 grill. I'm not a big picture taking person so I'll try. :) I'm real bad about thinking back, and saying "I should have taken a picture of that" or "I wish I had a picture of that" :lol:

:lol: i'm on the fence about the tank. thinking about black like the frame and silver straps or like your doin yours

Yeah I know what you mean. I didn't really want to draw a lot of attention to the tank, but if I lower it more you wouldn't see it much anyway. I also have some of the dark gray metallic from Dupli Color that I may spray on there to kind of take the brightness out of the aluminum. I never thought about painting the straps silver and the tank black though. That might look pretty cool. I may steal that idea from you. :lol:

lol you could be the test dum... you could do it 1st and post pics so i could get an idea on how it looks. :lol:

seriously though most people do the tank aluminum and the straps black.

The last truck I had I painted the tank a dove gray and the straps black. The only reason I was thinking alum is because I have a can sitting in the garage. Now that you have me thinking though. I may paint it black, mist it a little with alum, but not too much. Then paint the straps alum, and the main brackets black to blend with the frame. Well when I get around to painting the frame! :lol:

I would do the tank blue and the straps yellow. Support your local school! :lol:

I'm an alumni, but not that devoted! :lol: Thanks for the input though! :lol:

Got the tank primed this morning. Gonna start painting here in a bit, if the heat and the paint will cooperate. If not this evening when it cools down.

How about getting your wife to take some action shots?

She's at work. I'll get a shot of it before I start painting. Then maybe some during depending on what colors I use. Still up in the air on what I want to do. Just going to start painting and see where it leads. :lol:

Here are a few pics of the progress. I decided to go with a black tank, and aluminum straps like menace stated. I think I am going to mist the aluminum with the black though so it's not so bold. I haven't gotten to the aluminum color yet so they aren't painted.
Here they are primed.
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Here are my onlookers! :lol:
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Here they are painted with Semi-Flat Black. Satin or Semi-Flat seem to be what I like best here lately.
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Friend of mine called me the other day and said he found something I may be interested in. So I went over there today and this is what he had.
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The door is supposedly off a 76 truck with elec windows. I probably won't be using it, but it was free so I couldn't pass it up. :thumbs: If anyone does need one of these, or both just let me know. I'm willing to share in my good fortune.

Now off to paint! :bling2: I may be seeing these by the time I'm done. :ele: :lol:

Still up in the air on what I want to do. Just going to start painting and see where it leads. :lol:

I have a helper that thinks alot like you..................:uhmk:

I have a helper that thinks alot like you..................:uhmk:

Hush.