78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

The official name for this project is sexual chocolate due to the trucks color :metal:
So this truck hasn't been on the road since 2009 at least and the origins are unknown. I first got this truck about a month and a half ago for the round sum if $500 from my neighbor down the street. With the purpose of it being my daily driver and gas saver (over my other truck). I had plans to take one of my free Craigslist 350s and dropping it in but it was to far gone to use. Fast forward to a week ago I got a H.O 305 from an 85 Camaro that was supposedly rebuilt. I'm dropping in a summit 1102 cam in and having the heads redone and am planning on a performer intake with my 650 demon sitting on top and some headers with a 2.25 headman exhaust kit and some spintech cruiser mufflers. All backed by a sm465 and some cruising gears in back. So here's some pics and I will be updating with some progress over the next couple months
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http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...D42DED8462.jpghttp://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...D4288BFE25.jpg

Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...0FD38C9762.jpghttp://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...0FDC970909.jpg

I need to do some repairs on the floors and get the rats nest of wiring all figured out and done. I don't know why but cluster wires are cut and almost everything has been cut or spliced to. I may just go to pull a part and pull a whole new under dash wiring harness cause its just that bad
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Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

Bought this gem a few weeks ago off Craigslist for $150 I got a new holley accel pump diaphragm and blue gaskets for it and gave it a good cleaning and deburing of the bores venturis and all around. This is as all the Internet people call one of the crappy barry grant carbs that don't work for a damn, had 66 jets all around and metal shavings and the such but I jetted it up 67 up front and 8 sizes bigger in rear and set the throttle blades center. So far it runs great in my red truck and has helped me net some mpg and low end. I think anybody that complains about these carbs only knows about jetting and square holes. Thing runs great http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...2D52756551.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...33FAF9BD49.jpg

Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

Here's the little 305. Still has cross hatching in the cylinder and the insides are pretty clean. It was pulled running out of my freinds iroc but it leaked oil everywhere. The prev owner didn't use spreader bars on the valve covers or spreader bars on the oil pan. The cam and lifters were factory and in awesome shape ( may save those for my 283 tpi project) but the cam gear had 90% of the nylon broke off. So I have a cloyed true roller going in with the summit cam so far for a free engine I'm not complaining
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...347586E6B3.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...2CFEEA098E.jpg
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Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

Looks good man!!!! I'm tuned in for this one! I have to agree nothing beats free :metal:
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Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

I would have to agree although the free pollen fricking I'm getting here in wash by the buckets isn't so nice.
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Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...2CBB6D112A.jpghttp://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...2CCE7CC95E.jpg
Got the front end pulled apart today. I have to fix one ugly as hell engine compartment looks like it was under coated inside everywhere then somebody sprayed primer on top everywhere so it's black and grainy also got a pick of the vin. 6050lbs so it's a true "heavy half" also has a th400 kickdown switch and vin shows S code so it was a 454. Looks like it was someone's hotrod truck back in the day. Who knows maybe I will do a rat sometime...always have wanted to try stupid power
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Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

My grip royal to get rid of my ugly grant. Gotta say these guys know what they are doing when it comes to steering wheels I think these are my go to guys from here on in. Mines a special edition number 6 out of ten

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...83532462E6.jpg
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Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

Yeah I've got to admit it looks like somebody did something wrong! I wouldn't mind seeing it be turned into a rat that'd be different for sure :metal:

I like that steering wheel!!! It looks sharp goes with the truck.

Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

Well, this oughta be exciting. I love the lo-buck freebie "what can we build" deals!

Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

looks like tons of fun!

Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

I just saw that 305 up on craigslist just a little while ago!!! Pretty good deal you got there on it!

I'm liking the truck!! I just got my first '72 right now from a guy in Bothell and been looking for a possible motor in case the motor in my '72 has blown piston rings or not and spotted that 305 on there when i was checkin CL out.

Should meet up sometime since your in Everett also!

Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

Another stepside saved, your a good man

Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

Yah I just sold the tpi today and got the engine compartment degreased and gonna wire wheel it some more. Pics up soon
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Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

Today's work. Got some of that garbage primer off and scraped that rubber coat that's sprayed everywhere and found a rare gem indeed in eBay. Royal Sierra emblem. Timer has it only 500 of these made. http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...871838B4AE.jpghttp://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...870BCA5627.jpghttp://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...87051563D9.jpg
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Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

Got the chassis wire wheeled and painted after a good degreasing and pressure washing
Next up is getting the firewall sanded and smoothed up. But I have a nice clean crossmember to sit on when I do :) http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...44B92E0DA8.jpghttp://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...44AF6F6879.jpghttp://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...44A8A97720.jpg
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Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

Nice man!! Can't wait to see more progress! :metal:

Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

Cool project, you should have kept the tpi, i just picked up one to put on my 78. You can't beat fuel injection if your after fuel mileage....
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Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

I got another 100% complete setup for my k5 project. It's going to be the daily driver family car but its in the back burner right now. Eventually I will sell the stepside and use the profit to launch the k5. Getting some more done tomarow and hopefully get the firewall painted up
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Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

Shes looking good man. Youre hittin it hard n fast.
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Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

Yah it's kinda been slow with bills and such hitting me nonstop. Been going to school full time and have only 15hrs work a week so its hard to make any progress
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Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

So since the last update I have gotten the one good inner fender stripped and the firewall smoothed out and primed. I'm going to paint it brown so just some more sanding to do and then some detailing of the brake lines and such and get then hurry up and wait for money and engine parts. I traded my 75th anniversary snap on wrenches for a performer rpm intake for that beast of a 305 (lol beastly anchor) figured when it goes that it will be a great intake for my 350. http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...0BED0C9BF7.jpg
http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...0C1FE940C2.jpghttp://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...0BE1982143.jpghttp://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...0BD5046DB2.jpghttp://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...0BCDC670C0.jpghttp://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...0BBAA45982.jpg
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Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

Here's some more pictures. I got some parts at the swap meet to help finish the interior. Some gauges and door panels. Getting my pedals fixed and ready for the sm465 swap and getting parts to finish the engine up and get some work done on the firewall and finish it up and then drop it in. Haven't been able to do much with a prego gf and school and work.

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...FA05F54AF4.jpg. http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/j...FACFFE7862.jpg
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Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

Motor looks good. Are you going to replace the crank gear for a double roller? Are you keeping the truck brown? Lately Ive been seeing more of the rootbeer browns and I like them.

Re: 78 gmc heavy half stepside project
 

Yah it's getting a double roller and she's staying brown. My dad had a 79 stepside that was a brown Chevy. It had a 350hp 327 with a Muncie from one of his old Chevelles. That motor would be a bank nowadays.
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