Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

THe reason I say crossmember bolts is I ran into a similar situation with extra x member bolts. THey seemed too long to be x member bolts, but then I found the nuts for them, which had a spacer built onto them, taking up the extra length.

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Sorry guys just a story tonight but no pictures.

Waaaay back at post #296 I had left my roof joints tack welded and covered up the seams with masking tape, then a quick layer of bondo and some primer. This was so I could get the truck as "normal" looking as possible for the DMV.

Well it was time to go back and get things right with the roof.

Last week I scrubbed the bondo and tape off the seams, prepped the metal, finished welded and did some hammer/dolly work. During this time I became an official member of the grind-your-welds-with-a-cutoff-disk-club. My $.02 is to weld, then flap disk the top crown down so it is uniform but high. Then hit it with the hammer and dolly to mash out the shrinkage. Then go in with the cutoff disk (on edge) and get the weld crown down to flush or maybe even below grade. Then back in with a light flapper session.

This weekend I started my poor-man's lowering kit. I want to get the back end down about 4" to get the rake almost level. But I don't want to fork out the $$$ for a kit. So this weekend I took out the bottom over-load leaf and replaced the coil-over shocks (load levelers) with regular shocks. (Well actually all I did was disassemble the coils off the coil-overs.) After getting everything back together snug but not tight and a couple of trips over some rough roads and a final snug up of the u-bolts, I was able to drop the rear 1-3/8th inch. Nobody else can notice the difference but I sure can!!! Next up will be to mod the forward spring shackles and get another 2 or 2.5". After that if I need more I will de-arch the leafs.

Yesterday evening I took her out on I5 for our first long distance high-speed cruise up to Orange County. It was a fantastic evening with almost no traffic on the road and a dead-calm ocean and nice sunset. Halfbreed did 75 with the cruise control on and just ate up the miles and purred away! I probably have 750 maybe 1000 miles on by now.

Tonight I cleaned up the rear window glass and will put it back in this Friday.

I continue to search for my next set of wheels and tires on CList. I am still wanting to try the OEM Jeep wheels off 02/03/04 Grand Cherokee but they are kind of hard to find. My other favorite is still the OEM Impala SS off 94-96. A little easier to find.

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Have you thought about lowering shackles? They are pretty cheap, definitely quick and easy. I have run these on a few trucks with no effect onn ride quality or cargo capacity, which removing or re arching springs will do.

http://www.streetbeatcustoms.com/Bel..._-Rear/803855/

(There may be cheaper ones out there, these arejust the first ones I came across. I bought a set of used ones from a swap meet for $20 who was going to a flip kit.)

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Nice progress on the roof, and congrats on the cool road trip.

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Hey thanks for the suggestion! I don't have much room back there to go with longer rear shackles. (See picture). Yes I could probably mod the bed cross brace so it would clearance a longer shackle but I'm tired of chopping up body parts. There is plenty of room on the forward perches to raise them up or flip them or whatever. That looks to me to be the easier place to gain 3" more drop.

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

You could always swap the axle to the top of the springs, just relocate the spring perches and shock mounts. Your real good at relocating or blending things...LOL

Anyway great project, I always come and check on your progress, very Cool idea...

Keith

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

I did several odds and ends this weekend. It was time to change out the tranny fluid after 1,000 mile break in. I had also cleaned, primed and painted the interior roof skin and now I have welded in the arch/brace that I scavenged out of the 96 GM truck. This will become my anchor point for my dome/map lights (rear seat) as well as an overhead console.

Now that I am doing 70-80mph on a regular basis I realized I really only had 2 bolts holding the entire hood+grille+ front fenders onto the frame. I didn't want to participate in a high speed aerodynamic experiment - so I upgraded my mounting in this area and now I have solid, safe anchor points for the IH grille onto the GM radiator support (which then ties into the frame).

I have decided that I am going to eliminate my original hood hinges and go with a front hinge. This will allow me to re-mount the stock GM coolant overflow tank, the cruise control module and the main fuse block back where the originally were. However doing the forward hinge mod will be a ways off in the future but I needed my coolant overflow tank NOW (warmer weather) so I fabbed up a temporary home for the tank up near the radiator.

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Yea, it looks like there is not enough room for longer shackles with your IH bed. An axle flip might be too much drop, thouh...

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Mocking up the interior roof metal off the GM cab. This will allow me to attach a GM overhead console - which is where I want to eventually put modern idiot light cluster so that I can get the dash back to looking like the 60's.

Rear window is back in.

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

I continued working on the overhead console graft.

The open area on the console is where the passenger AC control knobs were mounted. This is where I hope to (someday) adapt all the idiot light symbols (along with their backlighting) that are currently scattered around the stock GM gage cluster.

I also managed to mate the GM review mirror (with the night dimming tab) to the 67 IH mounting stem/bracket.

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

As always, nice progress!

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Good build! Great reading, and looking forward to more.

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Yesterday I worked on Halfbreed for the last time in my rental garage. After 1.5 years of waiting/hoping/planning to buy a home in San Diego county and get the rest of my family moved here... we are closing on a home this Wednesday. :metal:

So I will be out of project mode for a few months whilst I deal with the numerous repair/upgrade issues involved with the new (to me) house and property.

Here is an "action photo" of my interior map lights which I hooked up yesterday. The truck has hit the 2,250 mile mark too.

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Nice, Good progress!

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Congrats on the house!!! You will be in your glory, having the shop set up how U want it!!!!

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

It's been a good while, so how is the new house/big move coming along? Hope to see you back on this soon!

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Hey thanks for asking!
I've been driving the truck every day to work (except when raining) and probably have 5k miles on her now. I have not done any other work except to take the GM floor carpet and put it in. The workshop is coming along slowly. I just tried out an idea for hanging my power tools (see pic) and I really like it. I also "retired" my jetboat and decided to part it out. I saved a couple of pieces to help put some character into my man cave.

Next up for Halfbreed is wheels and tires. I have been trying to pull the trigger on buying a set and may finally have a deal today. If so then I have to do a little work mocking up and then buy some spacers. (Modern wheel with big offset going onto a truck/body without offset so I need the spacer to make up the difference.)

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Congrats on the new home, and a successfully daily driven project! All looks good to me. :metal:

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Teaser pics. I found my wheels, put some tires on them and now I just have to wait for my wheel adapters to arrive next week!

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Nice, they look like Mustang GT takeoffs?

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Yes they are Cobra/SVT 17x8".

My wheel adapters arrived today and the good news the bolt patterns and thickness are correct. But the hub bores are off on both the inside and outside. So tomorrow I will get them tweaked at work on a G-job and hopefully I will be rolling by Wed!!!

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Are you running duallys? :lol:

JK

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

The truck looks kind of tuff with the dually thing in back. But not my style - somebody else can try that out on an IH conversion.

Got the wheel adapters modified, got them home, started the install and then realized that the bores for the lug nut cavities won't let a big enough socket into them. I've had 3 days to figure that out but now I have to wait some more and try to find skinnier lug nuts tomorrow.

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

The front wheels sit way back in the arches...I remember you talking about this earlier in the thread, but I can't remember what you decided to do about it?

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Ha! What I have decided and what I have actually done are two different things!. The basic story is - I intentionally positioned the body the way I did because I want to shorten the entire nose of the truck.

The big nose job is still off in the future. Of course now I am older and wiser and a little worn out and now understand just how much more work it will take to blend the hood and fenders after taking 3" out. If and when I ever get it done then the wheels will look centered in the wheel openings.

I could always just redo the fenders a bit and that would be slightly less work but would still look odd. The fender openings would center on the wheel but there would be too much body hanging out front. IMO.

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

2 steps forward. I have the new wheels and tires on now!

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

1 step backward. I now have the PO308 code which is cyl 8 misfire. It is a definite misfire of 1 cyl and always on not intermittent. I probably have a stuck poppet valve which means I get to loose my virginity on taking the intake manifold off and clean/repair/replace the spider assy.

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

On the other hand, the truck is looking good.

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

A little bling behind my Cobras. I painted the rear drums gloss black, the front rotors gloss black and the pad housing a special mix silver.

Took it out for a show off cruise last night and noticed a gas smell which turned out to be a missing o ring in the fuel pipe inlet on the Vortec FI plenum. Tonight it is all back together and ready for the commute to work in the morning.:metal:

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

I don`t know if you have figured out lowering your rear suspension, or if this has ever been tried before, so bear with me. You could do the axle flip(which by itself would put you too low), then add a helper spring, or a set of lift springs. That would give you some height back, and could be fine tuned by playing with the spring pack.

I might just be crazy though, I never have lowered anything intentionally.... :)

-Jake

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Between my last two posts I fixed the cylinder 8 misfire code which was indeed a worn out injector poppet. I did not upgrade the spider unit - maybe next time... (no scratch right now). I also did the improved intake gaskets and replaced the dizzy gear while I was in that deep. Then I had my alignment shop replace the pitman and idler arms and verify alignment was still OK.

The following morning I did a 912 mile round trip to the Bay Area for 4th of July and back in the truck. :metal:

I am pretty much ready to take on the front "nose job" where I will shorten the fenders and hood, modify the fender opening shapes and (hopefully) convert the hood to a front hinge setup. But don't anybody hold their breath on me because it will be several months before I start.

After THAT I will definitely work on the ride height and knock the whole thing down a few inches.

Then bodywork, then paint, then....

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

It is looking great! At least you're getting the bugs worked out and keeping it on the road! The front end overhaul sounds quite interesting.

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

OK I am back in the game now! I fabbed up some new tailgate hinges using delrin pins and now I have the tailgate back on. As you can see in these pics I have some nice dents to smooth out. Those will be worked on later.

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Next up was filling in the hole where the fuel filler used to be. This task also required that I pull out a big dent/crease caused by something like a post or the end of a retaining wall.

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Then it was on to the roof for a final bondo party and lots of sanding. I am still trying to get my dent repair skills honed and there will be some feathering and more sanding later. I wanted to get all of my exposed bare metal covered with epoxy and hence the truck continues to gain more diversity in color. The white areas are just me with a rattle can of epoxy. Even though it will get covered up later - it was pretty humbling to get some gloss over areas that I had thought were smooth.

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

I also filled in some of the trim holes and the key holes. Smoothed out the gas filler area and on to the big seams where I shortened the bed oh so long ago.

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

And then for my early birthday present. I bought the first new thing ever for this project - a lowering kit from Belltech. My thought process was that if ever something justified paying retail and saving me fab and thought time it would be the suspension lowering. So I shelled out the coin for the 2" front (coils) and the 4/5" rear (perches, rear shackles and the other stuff to adjust the drive shaft and pinion angle.)

I have to tell you all that I was very underwhelmed by the Belltech product. The first (and biggest) problem came with the forward spring perches. They did not even remotely come to clearing the bed mount brackets. I had to shave a big chunk of the bed mounts in order to get the belltech brackets to fit and it was obvious to me that they had not engineered their product properly. This put me in a foul mood as now I was exactly where I would have been with used parts - under the truck sweating and cutting and welding - except I had paid full price for this privilege.

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Once I was grumpy it was easy to spot other weird stuff from Belltech. Mind you these aren't big deals but my point is this is stuff in their kits for a truck model from 1996 that they have probably sold 1000's of and yet still the instructions mentioned cut templates that were not in the kit. Or the kit had parts that were not mentioned in the instructions. And the coils had instructions for the spacers but not for the actual install of the coils.

And finally the coils did not give me a 2" drop but rather a 3+" drop which is cool but bordering on too much and now the rear end is still way up in the air so it sort of looks like I didn't accomplish anything - at least not with the rake.

So down the road I will end up spending even more $'s to keep tweaking the suspension all the while remembering how much time and money I "saved" getting a pre-engineered solution......... NOT.

This was supposed to end up with about a 2" difference between front and rear ride height and an overall lowering of the body about 3" down. But to the untrained eye (like my wife's) the truck looks exactly like it did before I touched anything! (bang head)

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Anyway I guess something good will come out of this. I am sure that after I figure out how to drop the ass down some more I will be glad the front coils went down so far.

Next up is the long awaited nose job. This will include the final solutions to tricky things like windshield wiper linkages, sealing off the air ducting, relo of the hood hinges. Not to mention the challenges of blending the hood and fenders after a 3" shortening. Stay tuned.

Re: Halfbreed - GMC Z71 + IH Extd Cab
 

Sweet -- I've missed this project.