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

[Skip44]

I just wanted you to know that people are watching this build. Keep on Keeping on.

Skip

[Ol Blue K20]

Gary, it's looking great. I loved your truck before the crash. I'm looking forward to seeing it back on the road. I'm very glad you kept at it and didn't give up.

[GASoline71]

Originally Posted by Skip44

I just wanted you to know that people are watching this build. Keep on Keeping on.

Skip

Thank you Skip! Keep on Truckin'!

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

Gary, it's looking great. I loved your truck before the crash. I'm looking forward to seeing it back on the road. I'm very glad you kept at it and didn't give up.

Thanks mang! I'm glad I kept at it too! There is light at the end of the tunnel!



Sooo... I had to drop the steering column again from the dash mount so I could bolt the brake rod to the brake pedal under the dash. No way you can do it without lowering the column about an inch. While under there... I noticed a slot where the column brace and the dash come together. I was able to sneak the pigtail for the wire harness from the top of the column through that slot. I was able then able to connect it with the supplied adapter from Ididit (made by AAW) to the factory harness. I didn't have to make a longer adapter after all.

Gary

[GASoline71]

Test fit the carpet today. Will cut it at the rear so it will fit all the way to the back of the cab. The chrome sills are just laying there to get an idear of how it will look. Truck originally had a rubber floor mat, so this will be a nice addition. Hoping to get the carpet cut, tank reinstalled, and the bench seat from my donor truck installed tomorrow.

Also installed the drive line today. I put new U-joints in it and gave it a fresh coat of paint.

I also got the doors put back together with new latch controls, new window regulators, new rubber seals and new wipes and felts. Do your self a favor and print and use the instructions by randy500 in this thread: Door Assembly, the Easy Way Even though there are no pictures, it made all the difference in the world to have his step-by-step instruction!

Gary

[swamp rat]

Looking good!

[Ol Blue K20]

Looks great!

[The Junkman]

Are those the original door opening seals ? I bought some new aftermarket ones and the doors were hard to shut after ,I read on here dodge dakota ones work from 87-96 ,i ended up using some of those i had here at the yard ,doors shut way easier .And they just push on over the pinch weld instead of glueing them on .
Trucks Going to turn out nice by the looks of it so far .

[SCHRUMGMC]

Looking great

[GASoline71]

Originally Posted by swamp rat

Looking good!

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

Looks great!

Originally Posted by SCHRUMGMC

Looking great

Thanks you'se guys!

Originally Posted by The Junkman

Are those the original door opening seals ? I bought some new aftermarket ones and the doors were hard to shut after ,I read on here dodge dakota ones work from 87-96 ,i ended up using some of those i had here at the yard ,doors shut way easier .And they just push on over the pinch weld instead of glueing them on .
Trucks Going to turn out nice by the looks of it so far .

They are the push on style made for the 67-72 trucks by Precision Products. I got them from Dreamers Trucks and Rods in Everett. They were super easy to install and the fit is really nice. I haven't installed the doors yet to see how they shut. But the seals have small hidden holes that allow air to escape to make the doors not open and close so hard.

Carpet is installed along with the seat belts and also gas tank went back in for the last time. I have to cut the hole in the carpet for the original 3/8" steel fuel line to go through the floor and install the line. Then I will install the seat from my donor 1972 GMC C25.

While taking the seat out of the C25 today... I found some pull-tabs and a Vitamin R cap under the old rotten stock rubber floor mat. LOL! Musta been one hell of a party wagon!

Gary

[Ol Blue K20]

Trucks look good with the progress. Nice finds in the donor truck!

[The Junkman]

Originally Posted by GASoline71

Thanks you'se guys!



They are the push on style made for the 67-72 trucks by Precision Products. I got them from Dreamers Trucks and Rods in Everett. They were super easy to install and the fit is really nice. I haven't installed the doors yet to see how they shut. But the seals have small hidden holes that allow air to escape to make the doors not open and close so hard.

Carpet is installed along with the seat belts and also gas tank went back in for the last time. I have to cut the hole in the carpet for the original 3/8" steel fuel line to go through the floor and install the line. Then I will install the seat from my donor 1972 GMC C25.

While taking the seat out of the C25 today... I found some pull-tabs and a Vitamin R cap under the old rotten stock rubber floor mat. LOL! Musta been one hell of a party wagon!

Gary

That's the way the Dakota ones are ,lot better design with the air holes in them .

Thanks I have the old Rainier add in my head now with the guy on the motorcycle lol
RRRaaaaaaaiinnnnnn.....iiiiiiiiiiieeerrrrrr....................BbbbBeeeeeeerrrr........

[GASoline71]

The seat is in the truck! I installed the fuel line through the floor as well.

But the seat will need to come back out. I wanted to use my original seat brackets/slides from my original seat. The ones that are bolted to the seat that came out of the C25 have a lot of slop in them.

But... as you can see in the pic below... the upholsterer left the brackets bolted to the seat when they hog ringed the lower fabric on to the seat frame. So the fabric and the metal rod that goes through the pocket where the hog rings attach are covering the bolts by about an inch! My original brackets/slides are all cleaned up and painted, so I will pull the seat back out to figure out what I'm going to do to get the rear bolts out of the brackets so I can use my original ones.

Gary

[GASoline71]

When I bolted the original 1972 tank back into the cab, I went ahead and hooked the EEC system back up. Except after the 5/16" line comes through the floor I will route it back along the frame rail under the bed and install a check valve in the end of it. Make sure the tank vents correctly. Originally that line would have ran up to the engine bay and into a charcoal canister.

I also reinstalled the seat for the last time. After all these years that the seat adjuster not working, I finally got it to work as it should.

Gary

[Ol Blue K20]

It's looking great. Gonna be nice

[GASoline71]

Cleaned up the headers and gave them 3 coats of high-temp paint. Made sure all the brake line fittings were tight, installed the transmission cooler lines, modulator hard line, and engine wire harness all while still easily accessible. Then bolted in the headers. Threw the carb on top just for fun.

Don't laugh at my chrome water pump... it was free. I'll probably regret it later on, but we'll see.

The ratty lookin valve covers are just what I had on there when I painted the engine. Still haven't decided on what valve covers to get. I REALLY want some old school gold anodized Moroso valve covers. Still need to find a pair. I'm sure they are out there... I really haven't looked all that hard.

Gary

[Skip44]

Did you change your seat sliders to the one you had cleaned up? Did these trucks come with anything other than bench seats?

Skip

[GASoline71]

Hi Skip... I was able to reuse my old seat slider/brackets that were original to the truck (the ones I had cleaned up). The Blazers had a bucket seat setup called "buddy buckets" that had a smaller seat in the middle that had a console in it. Not sure if they were available from the factory in trucks.

Gary

[Skip44]

My 72 K5 had those seats, I'd love to find a set for my truck.

Skip

[The Junkman]

Bucket seats were an option in the trucks .

[swamp rat]

And are now highly sought after

[GASoline71]

My stepson and I pushed the heap out of the garage the other day. First time sunshine has shown on it for quite some time.

We bolted on the radiator support, fenders, doors and the cowl.

Soon the bed will be on and it will be moving under it's own power.

Stay tuned!

Gary

[swamp rat]

Least you have a helper, try doing doors solo.... sometimes it hurts. LOL!

[GASoline71]

LOL... I took the doors off and on quite a few times by myself. Not a fun job.

Gary

[Skip44]

I just ordered Copperhead from the TV show Trucks. It was my inspiration. Well kinda, my truck is a 4X4 after all.

Skip

[jjzepplin]

Nice progress! I bet you can't wait to drive it.