'89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

It is time to start working on my 89 gmc again. I have owned the truck since I was 16. That has been some.. twelve years now. Anyways, I have had it parked for better part of five years, licensed/insured and drove maybe 1200 miles in that time frame.

It used to be my daily driver/go to school/do everything else in vehicle (ha if only the wife knew), but now I am going to put it where it belongs and have it be a fair weather cruiser.

Parts I don't plan on changing:

4/4 drop with spindles/springs in the front and different springs in the rear
Wheels/Tires
Hood (pending clearance issues)
Built 700r4 Update 03/13/2012 Upgrading to 4L80e Transmission
Front Bumper/Cover
Front Seats (they are faded but will dye them back out) Update changed out
Exhaust (Other then headers)



And for parts I have to change out:

Front Clip - other then Hood
Doors - Using 95-up doors on the truck, current ones are broken up badly and I don't care for the door panels
Engine - (bought a 6.0L, going carb'd with msd crank trigger ignition)
Interior - (undecided if I am going to do a full 96 dash swap) Keeping the burgundy color style
Bed - (mine was workable, bought another one worth the money that doesn't need bodywork)
Paint - (not doing anything fancy, just going back with the factory black)
Grille - (Gmc grille is broke in three mounting areas, have a 94-98 Chevy chrome grille I might use on it instead)

Parts to buy:

Carpet
Motor mount brackets for Gen 3 Engine (I hear ebay) - Update bought
GMPP Hot Cam - Update bought
Headers (need some advice on which to go with for this body style truck) - Update bought Schoenfeld Headers
3rd Member Have some F__D 9" parts, 6 lug 14bolt.. not decided on this part yet - Update went with 14 bolt and had axles redrilled
Carb Currently have a summit brand 650cfm, I don't think it will cut it - Update bought a 750
Intake - Update bought a GMPP rectangle port intake
Msd Controller - Update bought a MSD 6010
Flexplate - Update bought a flexplate for a th350/700r4, now get to swap back to one for a 4l80e


So with all of that said, I will be pulling motor/trans out together. Vortec headed'd roller 355 will more then likely be going into a 3/4 Ton truck I am going to buy. :metal: - Done

Once I get the motor/trans pulled I will start the tear down process of the front end. I am going to rebuild everything that wasn't replaced with the drop spindles when I had them put in.

I will work through everything to make it as clean as it should be, or as clean as I can make it be. It isn't going to be a show truck when I get done with it, but I want it to look like the owner is proud of it nonetheless.

..

Anyways, this topic is useless with out pictures so here are some.

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/6895/img1667a.th.jpg

http://img704.imageshack.us/img704/9527/img1662a.th.jpg

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/5397/img1650a.th.jpg

http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/5604/img1648a.th.jpg

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/4808/img1647a.th.jpg

http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/7279/img1645a.th.jpg

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/2696/img1642a.th.jpg

http://img153.imageshack.us/img153/7...g1656aq.th.jpg


Yes I did pull the bed before I took the other pictures (Did that before the last of the two rounds of snow came through) I will put a picture I have of the truck right after I bought the wheels/tires off of craigslist on. :edit: Picture in

http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/6...g00139a.th.jpg

Well here is to a new year starting out good for the ol' truck. I plan on having majority of the work done by cruising weather, but I anticipate a year or so build time?.. Who knows.

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

Subscribed. I've been waiting for an LS swap I could follow. :metal:

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

I'll keep the camera close when I start on that part of it then! :) I have bought both sets of brackets, "standard" and 1" forward style.. Not knowing what goes in and keeps everything else factory..

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

Found the time last night to get the front clip almost unbolted.. still lack the hood (too late in the day to try that solo).. a/c hoses and a few other parts. Already removed the radiator and some other parts earlier today but forgot to snap those pictures.

Also decided to keep the correct year style dash in.. found the parts I need to swap over to the 92-94 style tach dash for it. I will have to rethink what doors I use now, I don't like how the 95-98 style door panels mesh up with the 88-94 dash.


http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/289/img1687c.jpg
http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/1299/img1686.jpg
http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/5632/img1688x.jpg

Going after a 90 model 3/4ton 4x4 truck Saturday, that will be the new vehicle for this engine to go in. I'll snap some pictures of it, but the truck is going to cost me a whole.. $400, so don't expect a sharp truck :)

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

Subscribed! This truck looked pretty wicked before, I cant wait to see the finisehd product! :metal:

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

Cool build.:metal: There are a lot of guys who use the 95-98 door panels on the older trucks. They don't look to bad.:chevy:

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

Thanks for that.. I might still do it, the body/interior parts of the build will be at the end, so I will probably change my mind a few times. I have a 96 donor vehicle and a 93.. so either way I can come ahead compared to whats there now (nothing!) :)

93 truck has manual windows/locks, 96 power windows/locks. I am used to the truck having power windows and locks, although, the power windows have been known to cause me issues.

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

Bought a '89 3/4ton 4x4 truck yesterday, now I have more reason to get the front clip / motor pulled off of the black truck.

http://img27.imageshack.us/i/img1691ag.jpg

Just an old work truck, that isn't going to be done working yet. Truck has power steering, 4 wheel drive, 350, and it being a 2500 as its ONLY options. I like my a/c, but I don't think I will go through the work of moving all of the air conditioning parts to this truck from another. Come July I might change my mind.

When I get the motor pulled out of the black truck, I will shift work over to the 3/4 ton truck to get it back on the highway. All the waiting is fine anyways, still have to get the 6.0 back from the machine shop.

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

Cool old beater.
My 89 did not have air-conditioning either, but I was surprised how cool the vents could keep the cab interior, especaill with the rear window open a little bit. I was comfortable even during the hotest dog days of summer, so you might not have a problem there.

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

Thanks for the vote of confidence.. I wish it did have a sliding back glass in this one, I have took two out of other pickups I have had, now I need one. Figures!

I'll try to get some pictures of me in here somewhere, I get warm pretty easy even when its cold outside, pictures only help show why, ha.

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

No pictures, have the engine in the 3/4ton almost ready to come out. Will be bringing in the black truck to get the front clip and motor pulled hopefully this weekend.

Will be picking up the 6.0 either Friday or Monday. Found out that one of the heads from the engine is bad (cracked). Going to be ordering some L92 heads.. Guess it is a good thing I hadn't ordered an intake yet!

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

Parts update:

Headers - Bought these today.. http://www.schoenfeldheaders.com/LS1-TRUCK.htm $300ish shipped.. (bought from a speedshop somewhat local, they are going to be factory shipped to me)

Flexplate - Bought GM part number 12621399, flexplate with spacer and bolts. $74 shipped. Found the flexplate several places, including sdparts.com, but ordered from crate engine depot. Ordered from there because their part number shows the flexplate as a kit, where some places are not selling it as such.

MSD 6010 - Ordered from Summit.

TransDapt Motor mounts, part # 4572. Ordered from Summit.

Also bought gaskets as needed from Summit.

Have the shop cleared for I can get the pickup in tomorrow to get the ready of the goodies out of the way.

I have also heard of people having issues with the stock oil pan clearing the front crossmember, can anybody confirm/deny?

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

Got the truck in the shop today, was able to work on it a good solid four hours before having to stop to get ready to go eat with the family. Pulled hood front clip and have all of the wires unhooked on the engine. Did some minor cleanup on the front frame horns and some other areas while I was talking on the phone.. Going to wirebrush everything after the motor is out. Spent time cleaning the floor of all of the dirt, grime, and junk that fell out of the front clip when I took it off. It is amazing the amount of stuff I swept up today.

If I have the time tomorrow (which I think I do), I will pull the motor.

http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/9250/img1722.jpg
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/1376/img1721nf.jpg
http://img175.imageshack.us/img175/563/img1720z.jpg
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/3103/img1727sl.jpg
http://img697.imageshack.us/img697/9740/img1726g.jpg
http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/2562/img1725n.jpg
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/7183/img1730f.jpg
http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/7541/img1729e.jpg

:edit:

Also found that I need to swap out the steering sector.. what a better time to do it eh?

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

Made a short video of what the truck sounded like before I pulled everything the past week. Something for me to be able to compare against later, outside of the driver's seat anyways. :)

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

Engine pulled, truck rolled out of the shop. Minor focus redirection now to 3/4 ton truck, then back on build.

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

Cool build! ill subscribe ;)

Man that hood is sweet! I ws waiting till they came down on price a bit but they are still up around 700 bones..

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

That is the price I paid for the hood, the better part of 8 years ago. Only thing that has went down in that time period is what a dollar is worth! :)

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

Thats is very true and sad at that, all comes down to who can make a dollar..

So what are the next plans for the truck?

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

Still waiting on the shortblock to get back to me, going to go check on it today. I haven't ordered the heads yet, an unexpected expense (I could cheap out and go back stock, but at this point... ), so I am also waiting on tax return cash to finish that part.

So, it boils down to time right now. Going to pull the engine out of the 3/4 ton hopefully mid afternoon Wednesday. Depending on how the flywheel looks (clutch etc), I might go back with my other engine in it the same day.

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

Started getting parts in via fedex/ups today.. Came in to four boxes of parts..

Nothing kills the mood like waiting for somebody else to get done with what you are wanting! :lol:

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

:lol: i know the feeling there man, i have a machine shop that i used to work at that the boss lets me go in and do all my machine work free of charge only if i help him with customer jobs as im working on mine so its pretty cool.

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

If I'm correct, thats the 442 hood that can enable ram air induction. It's the same hood i plan on getting. You can find it at stylintrucks.com. It's about $530 there, not including shipping. Slightly cheaper than the $700 you see elsewhere. Now my only problem is the shipping charges, as well as duty with me being from Canada. Oh well.

-Jordan

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

Yep, the 442 allows for a ram air piece to go with it from Keystone, the part number is GH-GBX42. Its a direct bolt on and go for Vortec motors only, of course depending on what you want to do and if you want to do it, it can always be modified :)


I used to have some good friends that worked at this machine shop, but times have changed and the good buddy policy no longer applies I guess. Just have to remember that when they need more business level support with their point of sale frontends die again.. :devil:

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

motor and exhaust sounds good. Also love that 442 style hood.

Re: '89 GMC C1500 build thread
 

Yeah, I don't have the vortec heads say enough. Do you know if any high flow air intake would work in replacement of that specific part?

-Jordan