Markeb01 Build Thread
 

This is a test of Flickr Photo Host:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7293/9...ecf8208e_c.jpg
0001 by markeb01, on Flickr



Our truck is semi-finished, so I’m posting a history of the transition from where it started to how it looks currently. A lot of the pictures are boring but I’m going to post many of the disassembly shots in case someone might find the details interesting for their own project. We’ve owned the truck for nearly 20 years so it may take a while to get everything uploaded.

The truck was originally sold by Kimball Motors Company in San Luis Obispo, California to a retired gentleman. Base price was $2,112.45, with a discount of $800 trade in for his 1954 GMC. The only options were a Bardin bumper, West Coast style mirrors, and front and rear turns signals (separate line items). A camper shell was soon added and remained in place until his passing in the late 1980’s. Some time in the 1960’s he hit a deer, damaging the grille, grille support, and hood. The bent grille parts were replaced, while the hood was simply repaired.

A nephew living in Alameda, California inherited the truck, and kept it for about 3 years. He replaced the 3 speed column shift transmission with a 4 speed SM-420 before losing interest and putting it up for sale. The truck became a birthday present from my wife in April 1992.

Here’s what it looked like when we first got it home, minus the passenger side mirror I had already removed. Other than the transmission swap it was fundamentally dead stock with one remaining hubcap and a few dents and dings:

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/2397/001gudd.jpg

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/4928/002nqc.jpg

http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/9378/003oyk.jpg

The wheels and tires were given to a friend for his 54 Chevy ½ ton and the fender emblems went to GMC Jolly.

Here’s the worst of the body damage:

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/3489/004xe.jpg

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/4144/005xef.jpg

http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/219/006fwc.jpg

The first upgrade was a new set of wheels. 15x6 disc brake wheels up front with 15x8’s in the rear.

http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/6876/007vt.jpg

http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/5479/008prn.jpg

And a $5 set of 54 Chevy hubcaps, just because I liked 54 Chevys.

http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/1889/009ze.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Bumper guards were the first accessory purchase. They were new old stock from Golden State Pickup Parts in the original box (including mounting template and instructions). In the first photo they haven’t been bolted in place yet.

http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/3523/010ae.jpg

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/2167/011sqv.jpg

http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/9896/012gz.jpg

And this is what the interior looked like. Bare bones and starting to deteriorate, although the seat cover was almost mint except for some broken fabric on the driver seat area:

http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/3801/014lpv.jpg

http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/8000/015eds.jpg

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/7907/016cn.jpg

The original 305 V6 ran fairly well on 5 cylinders. It turned out to have cracked valves in one cylinder. I briefly thought about keeping the truck stock and rebuilding the V6, but a brand new crate 350 was less than half the cost, and I really wanted a hot rod.

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/9392/017gxo.jpg

It’s amazing how big this engine is. Check out the dimple in the firewall next to the valve cover, compared to the clearance with the small block Chevy a few photos down.

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/8289/018sgt.jpg

The engine was so undesirable at the time I couldn’t even give it away. It had to be disassembled into components to break up the weight enough to take it to the dumps. This is a shot of the bellhousing after the transmission was removed to accommodate pulling the engine:

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/9195/019jke.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

I’ve detailed the engine swap in another thread so I won’t duplicate all that stuff here:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=369663

Instead these are just a few before and after shots showing the before, clean up, and 350 crate motor install:

Passenger side before and after:

http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/9836/020gx.jpg

http://img191.imageshack.us/img191/4510/021uni.jpg

Driver side:

http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/4463/022icx.jpg

http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/8195/023zw.jpg

Transmission crossmembers:

http://img547.imageshack.us/img547/6093/024xe.jpg

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/6514/025vf.jpg

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/7931/026sc.jpg

And here the new Targetmaster 350 is receiving a Summers Brothers gear drive:

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/4101/027tfy.jpg

And sitting on the new engine mounts:

http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/3507/028lpm.jpg

http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/8687/029da.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

And here is it partially assembled. At the time I was just trying to make it look nice, but didn’t really have a theme or direction:

http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/2540/030mz.jpg

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/3347/031fsq.jpg

http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/2964/032aoz.jpg

http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/3562/033oar.jpg

Just about ready to start her up:

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/8430/034yc.jpg

Here’s the Turbo 350 with and without the Lokar shifter. I bought this instead of a Gennie shifter which I preferred because at the time only the Lokar could be mounted forward through the original shifter hole. The rattle drove me insane and the grease froze up in the handle during the winter rendering the truck inoperable. By then Gennie shifter made an adjustable mount so the Lokar was pulled and given away.

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/2217/035zyq.jpg

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/7987/036cqs.jpg

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/3506/037id.jpg

This is the only shot I took of the power steering installation using the REZ adapter kit:

http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/2848/038mu.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

This was the last upgrade completed in California, the first of several gauge panels. I soon tired of the boring appearance:

http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/3921/039yf.jpg

This became the new garage for our first year after moving to North Idaho:

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/2297/040ib.jpg

And this was our first Idaho winter. The original paint didn’t take too kindly to the blue tarp, moisture and frigid temperatures. The 2nd picture is after being dug out in the spring:

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/9946/041wlx.jpg

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/3392/042kar.jpg

Here’s the truck wearing snow tires. It doesn’t show up too well in this photo, but the truck broke out in rust measles all over:

http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/9326/043cc.jpg
About this time I decided it was time to swap out the 3.90 Dana 44 rear axle for a 3.08. Not much to see except for new paint on the valve cover thin type rear axle cover. Chronic leakage caused me to seek and find a heavy steel chrome replacement cover.

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/2407/044ijm.jpg

The front suspension swap was up next, and is detailed in another thread:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=366828

Here’s what the truck looked like going through the transition. The installation took almost a month, because the temperature ranged from 10 below zero to just under 20 degrees above zero the whole time, limiting work periods to less than 30 minutes at a time followed by several hours of warming up. The paint measles show up a lot more prominently in these pictures:

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/4769/045kf.jpg

http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/3527/046hn.jpg

Better weather and on to seat cover replacement. The seat was in amazing condition for its age.

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/1650/047my.jpg

http://img841.imageshack.us/img841/9454/048th.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

I'll delete this post, so I don't mess up your consecutive posts :)

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

The upgrade upholstery came from Seatz. http://www.seatzmfg.com/seatz/index.htm It was very well made with the foam sewn in, and fit perfectly. It looks exactly the same today, now residing in my son’s truck.

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/4969/049er.jpg

http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/4750/050of.jpg

Next up was custom dash panel #2. Sitting in the driver seat the steering wheel passed through the area indicated leaving a clear view of all the gauges. Although effective, it was pretty ugly.

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/8843/051wy.jpg

The dash has now been painted and the Lokar shifter received a black anodized knob.

http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/7791/052sp.jpg

And subsequently Old Air A/C was installed, and the shifter was replaced with the Gennie short stick version.

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/8035/053we.jpg

After changing the front suspension, I wanted a matching set of rally wheels. These 15x6” models went up front. Note the distance between the red stripes.

http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/3504/054tf.jpg

These were 15x8” 6 lug truck rally wheels. I discovered after they were purchased and powder coated that standard rally wheel caps wouldn’t fit, only one off odd ball caps offered by the wheel manufacturer would work. I thought they looked stupid, and didn’t last very long before they were sold. The difference in spacing on the stripes, and curvature of the cap are obvious.

http://img201.imageshack.us/img201/5593/055lz.jpg

With rally wheels in place, deterioration of the paint was rapidly accelerating, and a new paint job became a priority to prevent more rust damage.

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/6092/056le.jpg

Disassembly begins. The body work/paint project would take almost a year to complete.

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/7448/057np.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

No problem, it's all good! It just takes a while to get it all put together. We've not only owned this for a long time, but it's gone through a lot of changes over the years.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

More disassembly photos:

http://img833.imageshack.us/img833/4017/058br.jpg

The bed had become a little impractical for hauling anything small. Since there was just the two of us to move it around, I made a dolly out of 2x4’s and industrial casters. The bed was jacked up and the truck driven out from under it. Then legs were bolted in place and the complete bed could be rolled in and out of the garage with relative ease.

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/5236/059ws.jpg

And here’s what the back half of a 1960 GMC frame looks like for anyone with interest:

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/1973/060qvx.jpg

http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/6992/061dr.jpg

All of the dings and dents are pretty evident at this stage:

http://img69.imageshack.us/img69/2985/062ps.jpg

After sandbagging a chunk of the old front fender into a body matching patch, it was permanently installed in the body using JB Weld, eliminating the gas filler hole.

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/6843/063od.jpg

And here’s how it looked in primer:

http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/9884/064g.jpg

All the body work had been completed by this stage. Any defects showing are in the crappy old film pictures, not on the truck.

http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/4261/065uy.jpg

And here is my #1 squeeze and hot rod assistant. Since I have chronic back and knee problems, she actually prepped and painted the entire chassis for me.

http://img824.imageshack.us/img824/1544/066f.jpg

And finally all the hard work starts coming together. The gas tank filler turned out looking factory original, and without gaskets the doors aligned perfectly:

http://img573.imageshack.us/img573/5084/067jf.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

I could of swore on mine, the inner channel didn't stop short like it does on yours. I thought I remember both the outer and inner channels going all the way front to back.

I found a bunch more pics of my 65 to 62 frame build that I did back in 84.
I'll check to see if I can see those frame channels on my 62 frame.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

The entire cab inside and out was painted the same day. After unmasking everything the truck was rolled outside only to discover the paint on the dash was too thin and needed more coats. Many additional hours of masking ensued before the problem was corrected.

http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/8505/068qja.jpg

With the fuel fill hole in the body eliminated a new tank was next up on the priority list. Since the truck was going to be a long distance commuter I wanted the biggest tank that would fit in the space without hanging down too far. The dimensions resulted in a 33 gallon tank. Rock Valley built it to spec with very heavy end walls and built in mounting brackets, eliminating the need for straps.

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/6141/069gn.jpg

This photo shows the old exhaust system exited directly into the tank. The muffler was cut off and a pair of $10 glasspacks were clamped in place for the ride to a local muffler shop for new pipes (not shown).

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/3798/070al.jpg

The gas tank mounting brackets can be seen in this shot:

http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/3581/071hc.jpg

Moving under its own power again, back outside for a photo update:

http://img24.imageshack.us/img24/4260/072uz.jpg
http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/6923/073db.jpg

Now that it was self propelled again, the glass guys came out and installed a new windshield. I attempted to reinstall the damaged original, and both cracked the glass and failed to get it mounted. This is the only vehicle in which I was not capable of installing the windshield. It took 3 guys to get it done.

http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/6738/074jv.jpg

This shot shows that at one point the truck was equipped with both a deluxe heater and a radio.

http://img515.imageshack.us/img515/4028/075jq.jpg

Some of these shots are obviously out of sequence because the next photos still show the Lokar shifter in place.

http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/3817/076bly.jpg

http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/3430/077crd.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Did they actually have a different concave in the firewall for these V6 GMCs?
You surely have plenty of room to spare behind the HEI in your V8.
My V8 HEI is right up against the firewall on my 66 that had the I6 292.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

It would be interesting to know if they made more than one version. The only reference I have is my own truck.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

I had to go check, I don't have any pics that show that far to the back.
But searching for pics in the forums, they all seem to show it stopping the same as yours.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=325736
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=340457

Hey, it was back in 84, and my old brain probably isn't remembering correctly.
Mine was most likely the same as yours.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Nice to see all in one place, mark. I have a Gennie I need to install so I was hung up on those pics for a few minutes.......is that the Lokar mount or Gennie?

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

The photos above are of the Lokar install. Years later when the Gennie Shifter went in, the truck was my daily driver and had to be done over the weekend. I was in such a hurry to get it back in service I didn't think to take any photos. I loved the Gennie Shifter as much as I detested the Lokar.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Nice build thread Mark. Really cool that you and your wife have been working on it together through all the changes and upgrades.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

I think it's neat your wife got it for you as a present.
My wife rolled her eyes when I brought mine home.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

My wife is my best friend and a great partner. She enjoys being well taken care of and returns the support, is very adventurous and fiercely loyal. If I’m ever in a firefight she’s the one person I’d want next to me.

Here’s another upload batch:

The front fenders on our truck had typical rust through in the lower rear corners, and the right front fender got clobbered near the grille by an uninsured motorist right before we left California. Since I don’t have welding skills, I bought a pair of brand new steel replacement fenders which had recently come on the market.

After 3 months of waiting and numerous inquiries, they finally showed up. What a disappointment. The front seam on each fender was deformed beyond repair, and as shown in the photo below the upper rear was damaged by heavy handed, indifferent spot welding. Sadly the area was visible just below the fender extension when installed on the truck, which I didn’t realize until after everything was painted and bolted together. In order to make the fenders usable the deformed front seams were sandblasted and filled with JB Weld.

After removing the original fenders, a casual glance confirmed why they all rust out. Apparently the GM marketing philosophy of designed obsolescence included self-destructing front fenders. By design, debris was encouraged to pack up in the fender brace and rust out. There is a convenient gaping hole at the top for leaves and debris to enter, shown in the first photo. The entire area is open to the channel below:

http://img194.imageshack.us/img194/4392/078phe.jpg

To prevent the new fenders from ending up looking like the old ones, I decided to plug up all the openings so nothing could enter the channel. First up was making a cap to block the upper opening as seen in this photo. This was sealed in place with urethane windshield adhesive. They’ve been on the truck for over 10 years and no one has ever noticed them. This plate blocks the upper entrance.

http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/2725/079pp.jpg

In addition to the opening at the top, the forward vertical edge of the fender brace is open, so the tire may easily pack it full of more crud thrown directly in from the tire. There is also a horizontal channel at the top of the tire, with an opening on the forward end about the size of a quarter, for yet more corrosion causing materials to easily enter. This is a really bad photo, but it’s the only one I have showing the bare fender. As indicated there are a lot of openings for crud to enter the support brace:

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/3952/080if.jpg

I made another filler panel, pop riveted to the horizontal channel above the tire, and a plug for the forward end of the channel (both shown in the 2nd photo). Then “everything” was sealed with either urethane windshield adhesive, or urethane seam sealer.

http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/7092/081c.jpg

For a final level of protection the entire area was sprayed with 3M Body Schutz. The result is a fender that allows moisture out at the bottom, and no entrance anywhere for debris to get in to begin with.

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/8540/082wv.jpg

For anyone mounting new fenders or adding patch panels, I would highly recommend taking a couple of extra steps to seal the openings to prevent repeating the process a few years in the future.

And finally here’s a shot of the front of the driver side fender after filling the seam:

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/3658/083b.jpg

A smaller project was coming up with a clever solution for routing speaker wires into the doors. These are shots of the passenger door with a hinged piece of steel tubing, formed in a shape to move freely with the door carrying the speaker wires safety from the cab to the door speakers. The tubing slid on a grommet mounted on the door, with another grommet permanently mounted to the tubing to act as a seal when the door was closed. It was a novel solution, but over time it either rattled or squeaked (I can’t remember which) and was removed. About this time I swapped the radio into my wife’s truck and never replaced it.

http://img837.imageshack.us/img837/6407/084lv.jpg

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/3771/085kw.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

After a great deal of hand blocking the filled seams turned out perfectly. With the fenders painted, the grille support was power coated gloss black and bolted back together. Surprisingly, the color of the black lacquer matched the powder paint perfectly. Here are a few shots when it was first assembled:

http://img716.imageshack.us/img716/4981/086hy.jpg

http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/2353/087rk.jpg

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/9462/088fn.jpg

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/5350/089nq.jpg

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/2003/090do.jpg

http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/8/092h.jpg

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/9884/093uf.jpg

With the addition of the grille and bumper it started to look something like a truck again:

http://img132.imageshack.us/img132/5887/094t.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

A couple more pics at the same level of completion:

http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/7936/095zv.jpg

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/5540/096pz.jpg

The original hood was damaged in a deer collision by the original owner. There were extensive shrink marks underneath where it had been worked. Although it looked straight in photos, the passenger side hump was at least 1/2 “ higher than the driver side. It looked fine wearing the original flat yellow paint, but black lacquer would have glaringly displayed the defect. It was painted Rustoleum flat black and reinstalled while a long ongoing search for a replacement hood continued. Besides, having been a car and truck enthusiast since childhood, I thought the 60-61 hood was butt-ugly when I first laid eyes on them. Over the years I’ve come to appreciate the design a bit more, but I still wouldn’t want one on my truck. The hood I really wanted was the 62-66 GMC version with the attractive scoop in the center, but 10 years of searching never turned up an example worthy of purchase. When a rust free 62-66 Chevy hood came up I grabbed it immediately. At first I thought the stainless bumper bolts might add detail, but soon came to think of them as rather tacky and painted them to match the bumper.

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/8692/097hi.jpg

http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/4792/098ls.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

With the truck self propelled again and the front half reassembled, the bed started getting attention. It was painted on its portable dolly, the truck backed up under it, and the bed lowered in place and bolted down. With the intention of using the truck both as a daily driver and long distance vacation vehicle, a Gaylord hard cover was ordered up. Having never seen it done before, I always intended to mount the fuel fill in the driver side bed wall, near the top of the fender, concealing and securing the gas cap under the bed cover.

As seen here a 1967 C10 filler neck was mounted with a sealed cap to keep fumes out of the closed bed. The roll over/vent valve was located next to the filler neck. A local muffler shop bent up a piece of exhaust tubing to connect the neck to the gas tank.

http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/8877/099vl.jpg

The setup worked perfectly - except - for one design flaw. When I designed the tank, I had them fabricate an inlet elbow on top of the tank (circled in photo).

http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/2934/100yt.jpg

The radius of the turn was too short, and unless the tank was filled at dead slow, gas would kick back, shutting off the pump nozzle. It could take 15-20 minutes to load 33 gallons of fuel. This misery was discovered on our shake down 2000 mile trip to California. There was plenty of room for a less restrictive inlet, I just hadn’t considered the short radius neck a potential problem.

Jumping out of sequence, here’s a shot of the connecting pipe and how well it fit under the fender:

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/70/101fm.jpg

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/9059/102gnm.jpg

To retain the side fill arrangement, I needed to either replace the elbow on the tank with a baloney slice opening on top, or relocate the inlet to the side of the tank. Either repair would have allowed fuel to freely enter.

By the time I discovered the problem the truck was my daily driver and I lived 40 miles from town, so I couldn’t afford to be without it long enough to pull the tank and have a radiator shop modify the opening. Instead I pulled the tank, filled it with water, cut a new hole and installed an aircraft gas cap directly through the floor. The tank was dried out, refilled and reinstalled in time for work on Monday.

I was really disappointed the side fill didn’t work out, since it was very convenient to access and would have worked fine if the tank opening was modified. I’ve never seen anyone else install the filler in this location, which is a very clean solution and avoids the problems associated with a floor fill.

Back to the bed, since the floor was going to be hidden under the cover I didn’t want to waste money on a fancy wood floor, so I installed ¾ marine plywood soaked in fiberglass resin covered with a sheet of aluminum diamond plate. The bed being wider than plywood, two filler strips were installed under the angle strips and a single sheet filled in the floor. The diamond plate was simply bolted down on top. Being polished aluminum, it was very striking when first installed and remained shiny for many years after.

http://img543.imageshack.us/img543/6919/103ze.jpg

http://img692.imageshack.us/img692/5517/104ey.jpg

http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/7002/105ph.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

I’ve always had a passion for 59 Cadillac tail lights and was determined to have a set on the truck. I really wanted a set of six with electronic sequencing turn signals, but could not come up with a layout for six that didn’t look stupid, so I had to settle for four. The housing was designed to mimic the profile of the fender, and my son milled them out of aluminum. He also refined the installation so that the rear half holding the lenses clamps to the bracket half using stainless socket head screws, attaching to hidden nutserts imbedded in the mounting brackets. The wires run under the bed through the brackets. The finished assemblies were powder coated black and bolted to the stake pockets using stainless steel oval socket head bolts.

Here are a few shots in various stages of completion:

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/1738/106xb.jpg

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/2491/107lle.jpg

http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/9748/108yq.jpg

http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/3145/109pd.jpg

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/2159/110eqz.jpg

Rear fenders and steps were the final phase in the paint job. After hours of paint stripping, primer, and block sanding – here they are wearing primer drying under heat lamps:

http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/1948/111tc.jpg

And after final paint:

http://img203.imageshack.us/img203/4127/112zmm.jpg

http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/9408/113jm.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Addition of the fenders, steps, and bed cover wrapped up final assembly:

http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/580/114mlm.jpg

http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/2955/115mac.jpg

http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/6122/116ki.jpg

http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/7913/117pp.jpg

That big ugly hood sure did spoil the overall looks, but my squeeze was still thrilled to see it all back together and functioning after a year of effort:

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/1209/118hy.jpg

The biggest trunk I ever owned:

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/3812/119sx.jpg

http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/8061/120ji.jpg

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/598/121my.jpg

And after getting it all back together I was pleased to see a 33 gallon tank could be hidden so well:

http://img714.imageshack.us/img714/1651/122cl.jpg

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/743/123uws.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Once back together we started making plans for a 2,000 + mile road trip to California in the truck. Although the bench seat was beautiful, it didn’t offer enough support for someone with chronic back trouble. Recaro seats were installed and were very comfortable – at first:

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/4715/124ti.jpg

http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/8938/125ty.jpg

And Old Air A/C was installed, and a pet bed was set up in between the seats (not shown) for our dog who made the trip with us:

http://img811.imageshack.us/img811/1162/126n.jpg

Along the way we stopped at Mt. Shasta for a photo op:

http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/2558/127ie.jpg

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/4996/128xd.jpg

And in Fremont to get a shot together with our sons 63 Chevy:

http://img840.imageshack.us/img840/296/129ti.jpg

Thankfully there were absolutely no mechanical issues on the trip. It was just fun and we received a lot of compliments from people surprised to see something so old so far from home.

Back home, snow tires were mounted on stock wheels in preparation for winter. I also thought it looked pretty cool with black wheels and tires.

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/6730/130tr.jpg

http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/2876/131cy.jpg

About this time the grille and bumper needed to be repainted, and for no reason I can remember I decided it might be interesting to do it all in black. The bumpers, grille and letters were powder coated. Black GMC letters turned out to look really stupid, so I replaced them with a 1950 Plymouth bumper guard center bar.

http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/3108/132lg.jpg

And right after this is finally found a 62-66 Chevy hood worth buying. It had no rust whatsoever, but had a lot of very tiny dings and dents needing attention:

http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/6389/133aw.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

A few more shots of the new hood:

http://img35.imageshack.us/img35/3771/134jfb.jpg

http://img638.imageshack.us/img638/6320/135jb.jpg

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/8084/136yu.jpg

Time for another change, so the front end got Weld Wheels:

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/792/137bv.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Back into winter mode, the snow tires went back on. My wife was an EMT at the time, which introduced me to Ion Crystal fog lamps. The ambulance she drove had a set, and their performance in foul weather was amazing, inspiring me to add a pair of PIAA 510 lamps. Both functionally and for appearance when illuminated these are the coolest fog lights I’ve ever owned. They turn fog into daylight, and are vivid blue from every angle except dead ahead, where they shine bright yellow:

http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/4740/138wa.jpg

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/4387/139ty.jpg

The next year a bonus from work paid for a pair of 15x8” Weld Wheels for the back. Later that summer we spent a fun afternoon at the Silverwood dragstrip when my wife drew standby duty, which allowed me to park the truck in the infield near the finish line, and film the action up close.

http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/769/140si.jpg

I picked up a pair of driver quality chrome radiator aprons from eBay. I found the PIAA lights so amazing I transferred them to my wife’s CRV, and replaced them with a much cheaper set of NOS Unity fog lamps, which I also liked since I previously had them on my 46 Ford:

http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/8391/141w.jpg

http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/4...ordmine001.jpg

About this time we sold our property in Idaho and relocated to Washington, shutting down any truck projects for a while.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

About this time I started getting tired of the all black front end. I pulled the Plymouth grille bar, painted the GMC letters white and reinstalled.

http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/451/post052.jpg

Rust started blistering through the rockers and door bottoms.

http://img856.imageshack.us/img856/5007/post051rust.jpg

So I picked up a pair of NOS rockers off eBay, and since I don’t weld, I checked out a couple of places to perform the repairs. The first place does mostly high end Packard restorations, and really didn’t want to be bothered. They gave me a quote of over $3,000 which effectively sent me packing to look elsewhere.

A local paint store highly recommended a nearby body shop, claiming they were in the same league as the Packard place, but much more reasonably priced. It was also claimed they specialized in street rods and did impeccable work. I asked around and checked with the Better Business Bureau. Finding nothing negative, I agreed to have them do the work.

They installed the new rockers. From under the truck the inner rockers looked completely trashed. They welded patches on the lower door corners, slathered Bondo a quarter inch thick, and ground away the lower rear corner of both doors.

http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/6...52repaired.jpg

They also added dozens of dings, dents, and scratches all over the truck. Here’s a shot of a few typical injuries:

http://img804.imageshack.us/img804/808/post053chips.jpg

The doors were pulled, and reinstalled so badly misaligned I had difficulty getting them to latch. Primer was sprayed all over my interior, including the upholstery, gauges, and black lacquer dash. Any legal action requires giving the shop a chance to correct the problems, and since I wasn’t about to let them touch my truck again I just ate the damages. I was so depressed over the amount of money I spent to have my truck trashed, I walked away for a couple of months and seriously considered selling it. Finally enough time passed I started missing the driving experience. I dove into the repairs which took weeks to correct.

About this time I was ready to make more changes so I repainted the grille and front bumper white:

http://img199.imageshack.us/img199/4876/144lu.jpg

Once the winter was over, I was ready for a wheel change as well. The Weld Wheels were pulled and replaced with a pair of mid 1960’s Dragmaster 15x6 Torque Thrust replica 5 spokes. I also grabbed a pair of 1950’s Buick 15x6 rims for the rear, and changed the overall look with nothing more than a wheel change.

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/5889/post054.jpg

http://img580.imageshack.us/img580/5100/post055.jpg

I replaced the rear wheels with 15x7 American Racing TTO’s, and a new pair of Firestone 255/70-15 tires. I briefly tried running white lettered tires, but soured on it quickly:

http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/9788/post056.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

I may have missed it but what is your steering wheel off of?

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

If you’re referring to the wheel shown in post # 7, that’s a LeCarra Mark 4 wheel with a GMC emblem added:

http://www.lecarra.com/images/Mrk4ele.jpg

It was very light and comfortable but didn’t fit the theme I was after. It went away years ago when I was finally able to locate my all time favorite – a 1960’s vintage Covico steering wheel. It’s a 14.5” dished version with a black vinyl rim. The standard Covico wheels are very distinctive, having equally spaced spokes and a shallow dish compared to Grant and Moon wheels.

http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/6672/covico.jpg

Covico wheels started out as a boat accessory, and all the early models I saw had white rims. By the early sixties it seemed every cool magazine show car, drag car, and high school car had a Covico wheel. The Monogram Big Deuce kit even came with one. As their popularity went wild, colors were expanded to include metalflakes and candy apples.

Unfortunately they were inexpensively made with thin commercial quality chrome, so it is very difficult to find one in good shape today. Mine has thin plating, but is in good condition overall. In the last 30 years I’ve only seen one in better condition.

Here’s a 1962 Car Craft Covico installation article on a Corvair, along with a typical ad showing the various colors and prices. I always preferred the conical shape of the Covico adapters compared to the Grant bell design, but they only fit on early steering columns which I no longer have. If I had an early column I’d have a Covico adapter.

http://img834.imageshack.us/img834/7727/covico01.jpg

http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/3838/covico02.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Love the truck and al the stories that really sucks what that shop did to your turck seems like customer service is a lost art!!

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

In order to fit the International Dragmaster wheels, I had the front rotor hubs turned down a tiny amount for clearance. Since these were not disc brake wheels, caliper clearance was very tight. The wheels worked fine, but I had to direct the guys balancing the wheels to keep the weights almost directly on the centerline on the back of the rim or they would interfere with the calipers. The wheels appear to be early-mid 60’s production considering they have no safety beads, and have the large hole for the valve stem.

http://img690.imageshack.us/img690/3...ragmasters.jpg

Well it appears I got a few things out of sequence, so here are a few topics I missed that happened a bit earlier:

I eventually picked up a chrome hood latch to go along with the chrome radiator deflector panels. The chrome is driver quality, but was cheap and looks good from five feet away.

http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/4...0hoodlatch.jpg

When it came time for air conditioning, I removed all the original GM engine brackets and replaced them with Alan Grove Components. I had these powder coated gloss black before installation, and many years later they still look great and fit perfectly. I didn’t take any pictures when it first went together.

To increase cooling capacity, I installed a Be Cool radiator picked up from Summit Racing. Being a cross flow design, the installation was somewhat of a pain because the lower outlet is above the passenger side frame rail. The hose has to leave the radiator, turn right, go down then back up to the water pump. I always ran an outer hose over the lower hose to prevent chafing between the frame and the lower hose. Once running, I immediately discovered the radiator had a pinhole leak near the upper hose outlet. I took it to a local radiator shop for repair, and they said it was a very poor design and wouldn’t work on it. Not sure if it was inherently a bad design or they weren’t good at fixing aluminum radiators but since the truck was my daily driver, I sent the radiator back to the factory for repair and had a new core fitted to my Impala radiator which was quickly reinstalled. The Be Cool came back repaired some time later, but was never used again. It was the most efficient radiator I’ve ever owned. When the thermostat would open, the coolant would drop five degrees immediately. But the lower hose was a pain to deal with, and since my other radiator proved adequate the Be Cool unit sits in the basement. It was installed for such a short period of time it appears I never took any pictures of it.

An Old Air Hurricane air conditioner was installed and turned out to be a huge disappointment. Here’s a shot of the interior when it was first installed:

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/5360/post61ac.jpg

For starters the heater was for warm weather climates only, not North Idaho where winter temps frequently drop below zero. Without adequate heat the defrosters were useless in cold temperatures. There was also an internal defect in the diverter valve directing air between the defrosters and the floor. It would latch so tight in one position or the other it could not be operated with the original dash controls. I switched to a choke cable, but the valve snagged so hard it tore the T handle off the cable. I had to resort to operating the lever with a wrench from under the dash which wasn’t very convenient.

The fan motor burned up twice. Old Air customer support was fantastic. They were very friendly and supportive and replaced the first motor promptly at no charge. When the second motor burned up, I wasn’t interested in a replacement, and rewired the system to utilize a fan motor from a Pontiac Fiero instead. The most annoying feature however was a loud shrieking noise emitted from the compressor at about 2500 engine rpm. I took it to every shop in town trying to discover what was wrong with it, and after spending hundreds of dollars having it purged, charged and lubricated with no improvement, I finally tore the whole system out and threw it in the garbage. In addition to never working well, I got sick of the mess under the hood. Here’s a picture of the engine compartment right before it was removed:

http://img542.imageshack.us/img542/4740/post062ac.jpg

Years later a forum member advised the compressor may have had a bent shaft causing the noise. Amazingly none of the professional A/C outfits ever suggested that might have been the cause of the racket. A decent diagnosis might have saved the system and the investment.

While the A/C was in place I discovered a need for an electric fast idle solenoid. An Edelbrock EDL-8059 was installed and tied in to the A/C controls.

http://img135.imageshack.us/img135/7186/edl8059w.jpg

http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/180...64solenoid.jpg

Whenever the A/C was switched on, the solenoid increased the idle speed. After the A/C was gone, I realized how convenient it was to use the fast idle solenoid independent of the choke valve. So I wired up the solenoid to a dash mounted toggle switch (along with an indicator light), and control the idle speed and choke separately. On all but the coldest mornings, the choke isn’t needed. Just flipping on the fast idle electrically keeps the engine running fine until warmed up.

In all the years I’d owned the truck, the dash knobs remained a mix of new and old mismatched junk. For years I tried to buy a full set of 49 Ford knobs or early Cal Custom chrome ball knobs, but never found any worth buying. Most were rusty, chipped, dented or dull. Here’s a photo of the type with vanes on them for better grip. I wanted the other type that was completely smooth.

http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/1...071ccknobs.jpg

So I went with a set of dash knobs from a 1960 Galaxie. They were black with stainless highlights and blended well with the interior. They had a nice grip shape, and finally they all matched.

http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/9...laxieknobs.jpg

All was right with the world until I went to a local Goodguys show and discovered the Clayton Machine Works ball knobs:

http://img13.imageshack.us/img13/2871/claytondk802.jpg

Since I had recently invested in the Galaxie knobs I wasn’t too enthusiastic about replacing them, and especially at $15.00 each. So I stewed about it. The following year I was looking them over again, when I discovered SoCal Speedshop had also released a similar knob at less cost and with a longer shank that was almost a duplicate of the original Cal Custom knobs. Here is one attached to a switch:

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/4...69ballknob.jpg

They became a must have, and quickly replaced the Galaxie knobs. The knobs that could be salvaged were handed over to my son who happens to own a 1960 Galaxie.

Here’s what the new one’s looked like:

http://img848.imageshack.us/img848/8...0ballknobs.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

I like that LeCarra wheel. I am looking for one for my truck. It really won't fit my scheme either but i sure like the way it looks. Thanks for the info.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

It was a very nice wheel. The internal padding is very dense and easy to grip. The leather is warm in winter and cool in summer. The only maintenance issue being the wheel itself being made out of aluminum, and requires periodic polishing.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Thanks again. I am probably gonna go with that same one on my truck. I also like the 60's Corvette & Chevelle wheels but they are really expensive.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Those wheels are beautiful and would certainly go with the theme of the truck. In reality I’m hopelessly stuck on Torque Thrusts. I thought they were the most perfectly designed wheels ever created when I first saw them in the early 60’s, and that enthusiasm hasn’t diminished over time.

On to the next segment in the saga - in 2005 things were going well enough to do a transmission swap back to a stick shift. The TH350 was in excellent operating condition, and had served well for 13 years. But I grew bored with the automatic and longed for the enjoyment only afforded by side shift manual 4 speed.

I started the swap around a Borg Warner Super T10 from an 82 Firebird I inherited from one of my sons. The gear set in it was in beautiful condition, but it had a cracked synchro ring and a funky tail housing designed for a torque arm which mounted the shifter on the passenger side of the transmission. The shifter also looked pretty goofy, being designed for a production car to mount directly on the centerline of the transmission tunnel. The only photos I have of this trans are very poor quality, as they were originally captured on video tape, converted to DVD, and then photographed off a TV screen:

http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/5629/001ggd.jpg

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/5844/002uqw.jpg

I found a complete rebuild kit online and had it installed by a local manual transmission expert. After two installations and removals for additional repairs, and needing even more repairs - I got sick of all the fruitless effort and replaced the Firebird box with a brand new Richmond Super T10 from Sallee Chevrolet in Oregon. I opted for the 2.64 low gear so it would have plenty of pull off the line with the 3.08 gear set I was running at the time.

http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/531...speedphoto.jpg

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/9...10specs002.jpg

In the planning stage, I really wanted to use an original cast iron bellhousing with the tin cover on the bottom. Knowing these only come in the large flywheel 168 version, and “assuming” my TH350 used the smaller 153 tooth flexplate, I tried to save some money by not replacing the existing 153 tooth starter. This turned out to be a mistake when I later discovered the TH350 actually used the larger 168 tooth flywheel and starter. Had I done a thorough check, I could have actually saved money and used the preferred 2 piece bellhousing.

After ordering the 153 tooth flywheel, clutch, and bellhousing - I ended up having to replace the starter anyway! This was actually a blessing in disguise since the new starter is the preferred permanent magnet design. Much smaller and lighter (easier to install), it produces more torque and has been a fantastic upgrade.

The 3858403 one piece aluminum bellhousing was sourced from Ebay, as recommended by Novak as a confirmed compatible part number.

http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/5223/3858403bh.jpg

The slave cylinder kit was ordered from Novak Conversions:

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/143/n...3installed.jpg

They have subsequently changed the slave cylinder and bracket to a different design, but the version I have continues to work flawlessly. The folks at Novak have proven on several occasions to be very friendly, helpful and supportive. I would not hesitate to use or recommend them as a supplier.

Since I already had the Master Power Brakes power booster, master cylinder, and firewall plate, I contacted them to purchase the clutch master cylinder and bracket separately. This turned out to be a major disappointment and was subsequently scrapped.

It suffered from two major problems. 1. The bracket mounted the clutch master cylinder too low to provide the proper pedal ratio with the clutch pedal arm. Used as designed, the push rod bottomed out in the clutch master cylinder each time the pedal was depressed, risking the chance of fracturing the cylinder. 2. Also the bracket flexed during operation causing the clutch master cylinder to collide with the power brake booster.

I fabricated several designs of links attempting to correct the pedal ratio problem. Here’s one example. Ultimately I gave up on the entire design because the master cylinder bracket was just too flimsy for the design to be viable to my standards.

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/4905/link02v.jpg

http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/8549/link05.jpg

So I gave up and started searching for components to create my own design. I discovered Wilwood offered a master cylinder that would tuck right in behind the passenger side of the booster in perfect alignment with the original 1960 clutch operating lever. All that was needed was a new larger firewall plate to accommodate the new location. Since I wanted a larger custom shape, I simply sliced this up out of a chunk of 1/4" steel:

http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/7...cylinder01.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

And here is the under dash portion showing the master cylinder connected directly to the 1960 clutch arm which previously operated the OEM dual master cylinder. With this arrangement the pedal ratio is exactly as designed by the factory.

http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/6290/clutchrod01.jpg

Before installing the transmission the first time, alignment pins were fabricated by cutting the heads off 4 correct sized bolts with a Dremel tool, and ends slotted for installation and removal with a large screwdriver. They point straight to the rear, although they looked skewed in the photo due to curvature of the camera lens. These pins help prevent damage to the clutch plate when human arms get too fatiqued trying to wrestle the transmission in place:

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/3...gnmentpins.jpg

This photo also shows the clutch selected, a Centerforce I chosen for all the wonderful advertised features. I have to admit it works perfectly, but I’d be much happier with a stock replacement pressure plate. After accelerating, when engine rpm is up and torque is removed just prior to a shift, the weights have a tendency to float and rattle annoyingly. I don’t imagine anyone would care in a race car, but I’ve found it irritating ever since it was installed. Cost and work effort will keep it in place for a long time, but I’ll never buy another one. I don’t mind noise in my hot rod, but I don’t like rattles.

No driveshaft modifications were needed swapping from the TH350 to the manual 4 speed, other than replacing the forward driveshaft yoke with a TH400 version. Both transmissions use the same tailshaft mount.

Once all this was sorted out it was time to move on to the shifter and shifter stick. A new Hurst Competition Shifter was initially installed. And here’s what the first shifter mechanism looked like. The shifter fit in front of the and below the high hump pan.

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/5417/0001kjz.jpg

The stick that came with the shifter seemed ridiculously long to me:

http://img600.imageshack.us/img600/2663/stick01.jpg

So it was quickly replaced with a shorter stick from Hurst. And yes, I had 3 bucket seats installed for a long time. It wasn’t very attractive but sure was practical for grandkids and having my squeeze sit next to me.

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/1803/stick02x.jpg

I still kept thinking I could make the shifter better, so I began studying the Hurst Super Shifter. Rather than buying a whole new shifter, the shift rods and mounting bracket for a Street Super Shifter were acquired and installed. This moved the shifter back into the floor behind the pan, with the shifter head actually protruding into the cab. I hated cutting the floor, but the difference in performance was like night and day. With the straight rods and higher mounting, it feels like a power shifter by comparison.

http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/8416/0002pwv.jpg

This of course led to more shifter stick adjustments and removal of the center seat. This is a shot of the new shifter mounting, and absence of the center seat. It’s also pretty obvious the strain the boot is under.

http://img404.imageshack.us/img404/9377/stick03.jpg

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

I’ve always preferred the appearance of the conventional chrome Hurst bent handle stick with a white knob, but this configuration put so much strain on the boot it tore the first one. So, once again my machinist son was called on to fabricate a straight stick of solid aluminum round stock. This was bent about 15 degrees to the right and worked perfectly.

http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/5755/stick04.jpg

Months later I had to switch to VA medical coverage and was prescribed medication that swelled and paralyzed my right hand for over a month. I simply didn’t have the strength to operate the shifter, so I had my son fabricate yet another shift handle roughly 3” longer than the previous version. This allowed me to continue driving the truck.

Eventually I decided I wanted the shift knob a tad further forward! The higher mounting and straight rods made the shifter work much nicer, but it also moved the shifter head back several inches which placed the knob too close to my elbow. It finally occurred to me a simple adapter could be fabricated to move the shifter handle and also angle it forward at the same time. I worked up a template and transferred the dimensions to a chunk of scrap steel plate. The bottom of the stick moved forward 1 ¼”, while the knob moved forward about 2”, putting it in a much more comfortable position.

After driving it for a day I realized the knob was a tad too far forward in 3rd gear. Since the adapter raised the stick almost an inch, and my right hand had returned to normal, I no longer needed the long stick and went back to the shorter version. I also reset the angle about ½” to the rear. While I had the handle off, I also cut the upper rear corner off the adapter. Although nobody else will ever see it, I thought it looked crappy so a cosmetic improvement was in order. Now all 4 gears are within perfect reach:

Here's the steel plate in mock up:

http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/5937/plate01.jpg

The finished adapter with a quick coat of silver paint:

http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/8718/plate02.jpg

The long stick bolted to the adapter:

http://img31.imageshack.us/img31/2011/plate03.jpg

And the long stick/adapter covered with the boot:

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/4538/plate04.jpg

Here's the short stick on the adapter after the rear corner was removed:

http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/9840/platez1.jpg

The rubber ring on top of the adapter is a valve cover smog grommet. It holds the boot up, minimizing binding on the rubber and preventing pinching wear.

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/7040/0004hq.jpg

And finally the current short stick reassembled:

http://img375.imageshack.us/img375/5198/platez2.jpg

Ever since I’ve owned the truck I wanted to install a full diamond tufted interior, including the bench seat. At the time all this shifter business was going on, the only shifter that might have worked is the model designed for the 55-57 Chevy bench seat. I thought long and hard about reinstalling the original bench. It would have required going back to the earlier forward shifter mounting, and a complete new shifter since the handle is welded on the 55-57 Chevy shifter. Since I didn’t have that kind of money, and severe spinal deterioration barred the use of the bench seat, I finally let the seat go and settled on the buckets. Of course now, many years later – Hurst has finally offered a bolt on version of the C shaped shift handle! This would normally reopen a can of worms, but now that I’m retired any more ridiculous, unnecessary, and expensive changes have to be held to a minimum.

http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/4576/5388620.jpg

By 2006 I was tired of the 3.08 rear end gears and had 4.09 gears installed by a local expert. This made the truck “fun” to drive. It accelerates like a bullet but spins about 3,000 rpms at 60. This is fine for the type of driving it sees, since the truck rarely goes on the freeway.

Re: Markeb01 Build Thread
 

Cool build thread Mark as usual very well detailed, I always liked your GMC nice little truck...Vernski:metal: