Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

Some parts is missin' off the parts truck! :lol:

Tomorrow the bed goes back on! :clap::clap:

Maybe the front bumper and grille...

Gary

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

Well hell now your a man short!

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

Sorry it didn't work out Mike. One of these days amigo! :)

The bed is back on the rig and I have the wiring and hoses all buttoned up. Need a battery and to hang the exhaust and we'll be ready to light it off!

The grille from the parts truck is in fantastic shape and went in without any hiccups. Need to buy a drivers side inner fender yet. Still gotta bolt on the front and rear bumpers and fabricate a mount for the B&M Pro Stick on the floor. :)

Gary

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

Awesome progress!!! :metal:

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

Oh my! It's looking like a truck again!

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

Looking good Gary

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

It's looking like the truck I love

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

Thanks you'se guys! :)

Gary

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

just got onboard, looking good!

noticed your location, spent a little time up there on security duties back in my NCW days..

had some good times at the OHT :D and you probably recognize this view ;)

https://dl.dropbox.com/s/03958n67w5b...20053.jpg?dl=0

borrowed this hog from EOD but the transport was out, had to road it from seaplane base to nas :/

liked to never made it through the ecp obstacle course.. good times, good times..

https://dl.dropbox.com/s/5rwip2veufw...20089.jpg?dl=0

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

just finished reading through this monster of a thread. learning a lot! i'm excited for you! Creeping Death used to be my favorite song. subscribed!

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

Holy cats... it's been a minute or 2 hasn't it? :lol:

I need to do an update. Truck is moving under it's own power. Still more to do, but at least it is moving!

I'll try to update by tomorrow evening!

Gary

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

Well... it's been another few days. :lol:

Man, it has been a busy summer and also the fall has been busy too. We've had some big time life events happen in the family so I have been dealing with a lot of stuff. But, the wife and I are thrilled that the truck is now moving under it's own power and is driveable!

So here are some recent pics...

The exhaust is hung back on the rig. I had to move the whole system out ward about an inch and a half to clear the trailing arms. When I built this exhaust it was on a leaf sprung truck.

The shifter is installed. I fabricated a 6" tall base mount for the Pro Stick out of 2" x 1/8" angle iron. Made 3, 10" long U-channels, then welded them all together. Making a 4" "box" and then added the 2" channel on top of that. Nice solid floor mount for a shifter that is gonna get abused. I will eventually fabricate a "cover" for it out of sheetmetal. But for now, the raw look of painted steel and exposed shift cable looks okay.

My step sons came by to help me install the drivers side inner fender I made the 3 hour drive down to see Wes in Olympia at Classic Heartbeat and got the inner fender from him. Could have spent a lot more time BSing with Wes in his shop. Thanks Wes! The inner fender fit pretty damn well. My back is screwed up and my step sons were more than willing to jump in and help. :)

Gary

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

Then about a week ago, we finally had a day with no rain and I took the rig on it's first drive since it found the ditch almost 4 years ago. I have a serious vibration somewhere in the drive train I have to find. Since I have a different frame and basically made one truck out of 3, I will need to do some detective work to figure out what it is.

1. The front end needs to be aligned. I got it close to where it needs to be, but I'm sure it's still off.

2. The driveline probably needs to be balanced. I put a new carrier bearing and new U-joints in it, but who knows...

3. The rear end that was in the 1969 frame I got is unknown as to it's true condition. Sure I got lucky with it having a factory posi-traction and 3.73 gears. But it could be completely shot for all I know. I still have my Eaton posi-unit and 3.73's that were in the old 1972 housing if I need them.

4. Tires probably have flat spots from sitting for so long. Also might have a couple flat spots in them from when I locked up the brakes and slid sideways into the ditch.

5. Since I lowered the truck, 4" in rear and 2" in front, the pinion angle might need to be shimmed.

So... I'll iron all that out soon. I just got the registration renewed yesterday and new license plates. The front and rear bumpers are going on soon, and I still need to swipe the hood and hinges off of my parts truck and clean them up and install them on my rig.

Thanks for staying with me through this entire build. I am sooooo glad I kept with it, and didn't sell it off as I almost did... more than once! :lol:

Gary

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

Yeah!!!!:metal::metal: I'm glad you stuck it out too...

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

That sounds like great progress! Keep at it, you'll have it back to normal in no time.

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

Sorry I couldn't meet ya when ya dropped off the steering wheel and bracket, but thanks again.

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

No sweat Swampy! One day we'll meet up! :)

Gary

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

Jebus mang!! You've been busy with that truck!

If you're looking for a guy to do paint on it I know a guy. He's not too far from my place in Snohomish. He does have a bit of a back log though, but ya never know if he can squeeze in something for a faster turn around. Never hurts to ask. I was planning on doing to paint on my truck myself in John Deer blitz black just cause it's cheap, easy, and cheap. hahaha.

Great build thread I need to get mine going here some time soon. Looking forward to seeing it finished!

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

Congrats on getting your truck back together. Very cool ride!

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

LOL! :lol: It's been a labor of love... :alky: Good to meet you Nick!

Thanks Joe!

Gary

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

Congrats on getting it together!

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

Yeah man good meeting you too! Looking forward to seeing this all done! Found tires for my truck. I'll have to drive up/over to see ya. I'll bring the beer! :metal:

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

I was browsing the projects and builds section and enjoyed your build very much!! Just a quick question for you; would you happen to have the radio delete plate with the clips?? The color of your dash matches mine and I have been trying to find a match for my dash. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Roland

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

Sorry Roland but I don't have a radio delete plate for any of these trucks. :)

Gary

Re: Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)
 

thanks