1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

Well, this, like most old vehicles has turned into more of a project than I had wanted but it's still a great find. I thought I'd throw together a quick build thread. The plan is to have her on the road for the summer, which comes in June in the Canadian Rocky Mountains and paint her in the fall. So far I've run into; rodents living in the cowl, a silver dollar sized rust hole under the passenger seat the previous owner fixed with duct tape, a very tired 350 and toasted TH350. The body is very solid and thats why I took months to find the right truck to start with. Welding in patches is time consuming and in my experience a little rust always turns into ten times the work you thought it would be. I've learned the hard way a few times find the best and most complete vehicle to start with. A cheap rust bucket has been false economy when I've gone that route in the past.

So far I've done; ORD 4" rear shackle flip, 4" front spring lift with flush mount frame bushings, extended brake lines, yanked the old power train and started the color change. I Patched the small hole in floor, pulled off the rocker panels which were held on with four very poor plug welds and low and behold the lower cowl supports were crusty! I'll never understand why people don't do it right the first time, why weld new rockers to a rusted out pillar :confused:? The inner rocker and floor are solid and intact at least.

The to do list; Spray in a high quality box liner now that I've fixed what rust I did have in the floor, get the new power train in and drive it for the summer. In the fall I'll take a week off and knock down the wonderful paint job :crazy: the last owner did and spray the new color. I'm sure there will be more surprises but here it goes. The project, as I bought it .... good from far but the paint job is terrible.


Here she is as I found it

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

The worst rust on the tub, nothing through just some light surface rust.

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

The new hart, just waiting for my TBI conversion kit to throw it in.....

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

The new color, the GMC only terrace blue.

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

The old blue vs the new blue

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

The GMC smile, love it or hate it. I like it better than the blazer grill but it just my preference. :gmc2:

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

Awesome Jimmy.
I really like the terrace blue.And the GMC smile !

Floors DONE
 

That was as fun as going to the dentist but the floor sides, kick panels and lower A-pillars are all welded up. I'm ready to cut down a set of truck doors and hang them before lining up the rocker panels.

The other side
 

I, and I'm sure the neighbors are sick of grinding. The passenger side front floor support was also crusty on the end so I cut open the floor rather than pull off the very solid rocker box. It was easier to get at from the top and the floor was already open any way. Anyone know if the transmission hump is different for a standard? If so I'll have to start looking for one.

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

Nice work...Im doing the same but am in the process of doing the pass side rear floor where it lips up and attaches to the bed floor on a 70 k5. Having trouble getting the plug welds to stick/penetrate. What welder and settings you using?? I have a hobart 140 using gas/solid core wire. I have a 68 gmc burb as well as my k5 blazers so im not partial....like them all!

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

I'm using a Lincoln 180 HD but on a low setting with .023 wire. If your having trouble with plug welds make sure the surface is very clean. If it was a bit rusty on the surface try treating it with Picklex 20 the night before. The stuff seems to make the welds flow better. Other tricks are to make sure the two panels are as tight together as possible. You can't get to the back there so tap around the hole with the pick end of a body hammer ore use a sheet metal screw to suck the together and weld up the hole afterward. I always clean off the metal around the plug weld, start just outside and drop in. Then work the puddle around the edge and fill in the centre last. If there is a bit of spatter you've got to wait for it then keep the puddle moving smoothly.

Hope this helps

Dave

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

Wasnt rusty at all where Im trying to weld. Ill try cleaning it again and using more screws to get it really tight. Thanks

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

Well, The crate motor and transmission are in. A 45 minute job took a week and a bit because we don't make anything in North America any more. I borrowed a buddies engine hoist and the made in China ram blew a seal. I bought an engine hoist in the big city some three hours away and the made in China Ram didn't work. The plunger didn't even have an oil seal. So I drove to the larger town 2 hours away to buy a replacement ram while I waited for the company to reply to my phone messages and bought a, you guessed it made in China hydraulic ram. They didn't have one made anywhere else!!! At least this one worked but a 33% average on their products re-enforces what I already know. Avoid made in China crap if at all possible.

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

Now I just have to figure out what the heck goes in the threaded hole above the oil filter housing on the crate engine. A assume it is just another location for an oil pressure. Once I confirm that I'll likely throw a plug in it.

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

Isn't that the hole where a clutch linkage pivot threads into ?

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

The pivot is on the bell housing. This is a small half inch threaded hole in the block right above the oil filter housing. tough to see in the picture.

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

As it turns out you are right! I have a franken clutch set up from the wrecker and for my truck the clutch ball does mount on the block. I'm not sure if I can get this part anymore so I may fab one up with the ball stud out of the bell housing.

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

Well,

The project is on hold for a few months. I had a grinding disc explode and have a nasty hand injury that required reconstructive surgery. I managed to keep all my fingers despite some shattered bones and severed tendons. I'll spare you all the gory pictures as the surgeon described it "a horrific wound". Barring infection I should recover most of the use. About a dozen projects under my belt over the last thee decades and up until now I've gotten away with a few stitches. After a google image search of grinder injuries, I am fortunate, it could have been much worse.

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

Sounds horrible. Hope you make a speedy recovery.

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

Sorry to hear that, grinders scare the sh#t out of me. I had a disk fly apart and almost caught my face. i always wear thick gloves and a face mask when using grinders now

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

There, but for the grace of god, go I, and probably a bunch of us. Sorry to hear about your injury. I just had one fly apart the other day and caught not a single piece of it. Lucky. Hurry back, I was really looking forward to you motivating me to work harder on mine! Really in need of it, heavy snow here in northern Michigan this morning had me in a very bad mood and not wanting to do anything!

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

I've had a few go in the past and took a few stitches despite the gloves but this one was a claymore mine. I will see the aftermath tomorrow at the surgeons office when they unwrap it. In the big picture, I'll have an ugly but functional monkey claw. Never having had aspirations to be a hand model I'm a lucky guy. I should be able to run the fly rod fine just about the time the fishing really picks up in the Canadian rockies. A friend of mine is a safety consultant in the oil patch and told me a horrifying story about a fellow that had a grinder climb the string on his hoodie ....... not as rosy of an outcome as my accident. I'll be back at it soon I think. Thanks for the kind words.

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

Well,

Back from the surgeon and had a look at the aftermath when he unwrapped the mummy hand. The prognosis is very good and he feels I will recover 100% use of all my fingers. Feeeew what a relief. Here is what happens when a thin kerf .045, 7" cutting wheel explodes on a 15 amp grinder at 10000 rpm. The pre surgery pictures are much worse. Needless to say I'm super lucky.

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

Nice jimmy. Did you buy this in nelson by any chance?

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

Good to see you are ok. Scary stuff.

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

Good God, that is a mess. Pictures puts in even more perspective. I smashed my finger in between the wood boiler door and a big log this winter and got 3 weeks off work and a mangled middle finger. Yours is much worse. Little tasks you take for granted become a challenge, like zipping your damn pants. I feel for you, hope it heals quick. I need to put the guard back on my grinder...

Back in the saddle
 

I had what I hope to be the last surgery 10 days ago and almost have the full use of my hand. Being awake, strapped to a what looks like the lethal injection table while they skin your fingers and cut out a bunch of scar tissue is an interesting experience. Anyway I'm able to get back at it despite being sore and stitched up again. I painted the rad support and new fender wells today. The underside is a bed liner and the top a single stage urethane. I've posted a WTB add as my drivers door is not worth fixing if anyone has a clean one they would like to part with.

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

Glad to hear you are doing better.

And good to see you working on the truck again.

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

I wont even touch the 7" grinder anymore. The nearest I can figure is the piece sheet metal I was cutting off wrapped around the arbor and thrashed my hand before grenading the disc. I'm super cautious even with my 5" grinder now as it makes me nervous. If you google images for grinder injuries you may never use it again. The pictures of my hand when it happened are gruesome. It's been a long recovery and not something I want to go through again.

Beginning of the end
 

Threw the old Holley 650 out and started to install a TBI system. Despite the age and sparse creature comforts there isn't a hole lot of room under the dash to mount the brain. I had to fab up a bracket and weld it to the under side of the cowl. I didn't want to punch holes in that water trap so I migged it up there. Of course when I went to clamp it down the usual happened. All my bolts are too long with a shoulder or too short. Enough for tonight anyway. Now I have to find an 1 1/2 grommet for all the extra wiring and a couple bolts.

progress
 

Well,

All my sheet metal work is done and I'm mostly through the rats nest of wiring. I managed to find two rust free truck doors, one in Libby Montana and another in Lethbridge Alberta. I cut them down and plug welded the striker plates on before painting the inside jambs. I'm a week or two away from having her running but about five months from completion. The new color, terrace blue looks very green at times but I like the old farm truck look. I hate wiring, especially when one of the previous owners has spliced and diced some of it.

Doors of Perception
 

It's starting to look like one of those ugly 90's VW's but at least the body is 100 % solid now.

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

Big day today! Got her fired up! The crate motor along with the TBI injection kit from affordable fuel injection works great. I just have to set my rocker arm lash and wait for the lifters to pump up but the truck runs like a top. I'm sold on the TBI set up, especially with a wife that can't grasp the concept of a choke.

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

Late to the party but subscribed! Hope the hand has healed up. Best, Pete

Parts Truck
 

until picked up a cheep parts truck mainly for the mint hard top as mine is in need of too much fibre glass and SMS plastic work for me. It came with a bunch of parts in it that I will be gradually unloading on the site. I'll eventually part out what I don't need but not until spring unless someone is in desperate need of a part. The body is toast but it came with several era correct cool items like the Hickey roof rack. tire mount, CB with old school whip antenna and a Ramsey worm drive 10000 Lb winch. I'll probably keep the old cool stuff but am undecided about the winch as it weighs a ton and my new springs may hate me.

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

That was a nice find! Keep me in mind if you sell the blue seat belts (looking on behalf of another member) or the old hatch.

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

I am in desperate need of a hickey roof rack if you decide to sell.
Well not desperate, yet if you decide to sell let me know.
How horrible of a thing about your hand injury. I could not imagine and will be extra careful after seeing that ��.

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

Unfortunately I'm keeping the roof rack for fishing kayaks, sorry

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

Will let you know what I have left after I get it all sorted out. All I need out of old hatch is the locking handle but it has a few cracks, your welcome to it if you want it. I can bring it down when we finally have that coffee.

Re: 1972 Jimmy Resurrection
 

Sounds good! Please let me know what if anything I can help with. I hope to visit the slopes at Fernie this season. Pete