Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

Thanks for the compliment, Ryan. I haven't made much progress lately. I have been busy plowing snow (it stops being fun after plowing 2X/day for 3 days), working on my outside project (a shed to store my equipment :-)) and family trips.

I'm working on the hydro boost brake master cylinder now. The brackets supplied in the "kit" left it at a very odd angle and attaching it to the OEM brackets doesn't look good either. It will take some time to get it looking good and functioning correctly. For this spring and summer, I will be concentrating on the shed...

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

WOW, just came across this thread and gotta say it's like a dejavu, this is alot like the route I wanted to go! Awesome build man!

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

I'm baaacccckkkkk! I finally finished a building to store my equipment and projects; both completed and in the works. It's not a truck; but, I am posting a photo of it anyway. It took me a year to build.

Attachment 1622190

To get back into my project, I decided to get the gear shift lever right. Here it is before I started. It is straight and quite a reach from the driver's seat.

Attachment 1622191

Here it is after some heat and force was applied. I welded on a bolt at the top and added the shift knob.

Attachment 1622192

Rear view:

Attachment 1622193

It is now ergonomically correct.

I admit to sitting in the seat and going through the gears making engine noises. I had forgotten how much fun it is for me to work on this truck. :)

Maybe I'll install the clutch pedal and linkage next so I can practice my double clutching...

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

We thought you died!! Like people thought Detroit Drippers died!!

Moving on... Like the custom, ergonomic shifting device...

Nothing wrong (In my mind) with sitting in a no running vehicle, pretending to drive and make engine noises. Really, it's OK!

I understand the pain, built a 70x60x16 this past year. Time and money!!

Looking good. Get back on the DripTroit!!

CT

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

Brake master cylinder mounting problem - solved.

Before I started working on my shed project, I purchased a hydroboost "kit" for the truck. The bracket that they supplied in the "kit" left me disgusted. As an engineer, I would be ashamed of the way it looked and fit. Here's a photo of it mocked in place.

Attachment 1622510

Needless to say, I was looking for a better way. I found a mounting plate on this forum made by CaptainFab. In my opinion, it is the perfect solution. Here's a photo of it mocked in place.

Attachment 1622516

While I was working on the master cylinder, I also worked on the clutch. I needed a switch on the clutch to disengage the Jacobs brakes and the cruise control. I made this little bracket and installed a double switch in it.

Attachment 1622511

I also noticed that the hole in the clutch arm (the one at the end of the clutch pedal shaft) had been wallowed out after many thousands of strokes.

Attachment 1622512

A little welding, grinding and drilling later. Here's what it looks like.

Attachment 1622513

I used 70ksi rod so it should last a long time. Also, I plan to float the gears so the clutch won't get a lot of use.

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

Glad to see you posting again. I'm in the process of putting up a new shop also, which has halted all of my automotive therapy!

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

Beautiful work as usual! Glad to see you back!

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

Very nice building and more great work on the truck! I can't wait until I can build a big building to fill up! :lol:

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

Awesome! i shift mine all the time. engine noises included. the new building is fantastic too!

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

Inner fenders - done!

I decided to tackle the inner fenders since I need them in place to design and fabricate the battery tray and air filter brackets.

Both had to be modified since I have a 2" body lift and the turbo to intercooler and intercooler to blower piping interfered with them. I never imagined that it would take me so long to finish them.

Here's the driver's side inner fender with the new metal tacked into place. I didn't need to modify it much.

Attachment 1637483

Here's the driver's sided inner fender installed.

Attachment 1637484

Here's the passenger side inner fender with the new metal tacked into place, I had to custom build the lower half of this one. The turbocharger to intercooler piping interfered with it in a major way.

Attachment 1637485

Here's the passenger's side welded up.

Attachment 1637486

Here's the passenger's side completed.

Attachment 1637487

Now I'm on to the battery tray.

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

Nice work. Those look great!

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

Another DIY project...

Space is getting tight under the hood of the old GMC. As always, I work down in size starting with the big things and working down to the small ones. The next two big things are the air filter and the batteries.

I decided that I would use two starting batteries. Detroit Diesels do not have any glow plugs or intake heaters and they MUST use single viscosity SAE 40 oil, so I will need some serious battery power to start on cold days. I have installed a block heater so I can get it going from home on cold days; but, that won't help if it has been sitting all day in a parking lot on a cold day.

I spent several hours on the air filter manufacturers' websites looking for an OEM filter that would meet my air flow and space needs. Everything that I found was too big in at least one dimension. So, I decided to make my own air filter housing. Because I was able to fit it in a relatively small space, I could use the stock battery tray and a stock auxiliary battery tray to mount the two batteries.

I found a rectangular K&N filter that would flow enough air and patterned the housing off of it. It is the same filter used in my '99 F-250 Powerstroke so I know it will flow enough air and I love parts interchangeability.

Here's the cardboard template for the base:

Attachment 1660703

Here are the sides in steel:

Attachment 1660704

Here's the top view with the filter:

Attachment 1660705

Here's the auxiliary battery tray modified and installed:

Attachment 1660706

I'll post more photos in the following post.

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

Another DIY Project - Part 2

Got anger issues (I don't, I'm retired ;))? Here's a way to get them out - pounding the crap out of a piece of sheet metal. I decided to make the top of my air filter housing curved so I got out the hammer and sand bag and started pounding on the top. Here's what it looked like about half way through:

Attachment 1660708

Here's what it looked like when I finished:

Attachment 1660709

Here's the completed filter housing on the bench:

Attachment 1660710

Here it is installed in the truck:

Attachment 1660711

I'll install some flexible ducting between the inlet and core support so I will have a cold air intake.

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

Kudos to you! That is a very nice looking air filter box and top! Did you use a regular type tube sand bag?

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

Fine job sir!

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

Thanks for the complement. I used a regular sandbag and teardrop hammer. You can see the bag in the lower right of the photo. I rolled the dents out with an English wheel.

Burnett

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

Very nice! Isn't it amazing how many hours go into doing all these fabricated pieces that a lot of people will never know. I need to get some different shaped hammers and start messing up some sheet metal. An english wheel would be nice too. ;)

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

I agree that making parts takes a lot of time. I'm glad it's my hobby and not my job. I'd starve to death trying to make a living this way...

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

That air box is amazing. Quality work!!!!!!

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

Cruise Control Servo - mounted!

Another under hood item to scratch off of the list (it's still a long list...).

When I finish this truck, I plan for it to become my cruising vehicle. CO is a big state and there are lots of things here that I haven't seen. I decided that cruise control would greatly enhance my driving experience while I am driving in the flat half of the state.

I started by installing the throttle cable & stop cable and then the business end of the cable from the cruise control servo. It is a Dakota Digital CRS-2000. Unfortunately there is no way to shorten the CC cable, so my mounting options were limited.

I made a bracket to organize the cables and welded it to the valve cover. That set the path that my CC cable would have to take. Here's a view of the cables at the governor end:

Attachment 1663221

Here's a side view:

Attachment 1663220

I then attached the servo to the driver's side fender well:

Attachment 1663219

Now that the servo is installed, I can start looking at the coolant recovery and windshield washer reservoirs.

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

It's enough to make a grown man cry!

I was working on mounting the electric vacuum pump today. I had picked a location very close to the driver's side hood hinge so I decided to mount the hinge to see if it would interfere. I mounted the hinge and then looked across to the passenger side and my new air filter housing - my heart sank. With the hinge down, it looked like the end of the hinge might interfere with the housing. A few minutes later, I had installed the passenger side hinge and confirmed that it does interfere. Ouch! I have often been in the "one step forward, two steps back" mode on this project but this is a new low. I have >40 hours into the air filter housing - it was done...

Here's a photo from the passenger's side:

Attachment 1668507

One from the front:

Attachment 1668508

One from the driver's side:

Attachment 1668509

I had mocked up the hood to make sure that the filter cleared underneath; but, I did not think about the hinges. They fold down much farther to the front than I thought. Back to the drawing board...

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

This might be an expensive solution, but are any of the billet hinges shorter? GSI I believe makes them and they can be gotten black anodized to not stand out so much if you wanted. Maybe they would fit and you can retain the nice air box?

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

This thing is awesome.

What kind of power figures does that motor put out?

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

Thanks. New hinges are one of the options that I am considering. I think that I will leave it alone for a couple weeks. After some time has passed, I will be able to evaluate the options more objectively.

Re: Project Screamer - '72 GMC K2500 + DD 4-53T
 

175 Hp @ 2500 RPM
420 ft-lbs @ 1800 RPM.

I'm going to keep it stock for now.