Dad's 1979 GMC Heavy Half Transformation

[Dads79GMC]

Finally finished the rough pieces for the wood floor. Need to get holes drilled for mounting to bedsides, fill in some gaps and prime and add the 3/4" spacers under the pieces that attach to the x-members. Lots of finish work yet to go, but the forming is over. Also need to weld in the quarter round pieces into the corner of the inner fender pieces.

Also started on cleaning up Dad's frame. Still haven't welded in the LWB to SWB kit - a buddy of mine is coming over tomorrow to complete that task.

Photos:
1. Last template laid out
2. Caught my neighbor at home and he put the pieces through his 70 year old hydraulic press - that saves so much time!!! I owe him a steak.
3. Finished drivers side pieces.
4. Cleaning frame while I wait for the welding to be completed on the kit.
5. The mess!

Swap meet today here in Iowa, got'a go! Mike

[Dads79GMC]

Besides being Mother's Day, was able to sneak out to the garage occasionally this weekend to sand, apply POR15 and then some semi gloss black on the frame. Just about ready to transfer running gear to this frame.

Thanks Mike

[MTCK]

Looks great nice work.

[Jaysonb]

Looks good Mike!

[Dads79GMC]

Spent last night tearing down Dad's engine which has been on a stand since early 2007!!! It's pretty clean; iPhone doesn't really capture how clean it is. Gotta have my tea!!!

Mike

[Dads79GMC]

Tonight I worked on the cross members of the SWB wood bed floor. Had to modify a little for LWB to SWB bracket. Scraped off the scale with a wire brush and put on some rust encapsulator and will paint satin black tomorrow. Then I'm gonna finish the pieces that I made earlier, attached them to the bedsides and start working the oak pieces I picked up tonight at the Woodsmith Store here in town. More to follow. Mike

[Dads79GMC]

Today I cut my boards and slowly pieced them together. The perimeter pieces are just laying in place. Still have a lot of tweaking to do and a bit of welding on the perimeter pieces.

Thanks Mike.

Pictures:
1. Cut and slotted boards
2. The remains
3. Test fitting boards
4. Inner fender cuts
5. Installed

[gmachinz]

Looks very nice! I bought some cherry stain from the Woodsmith Store when I restored the interior of an 86 Jag and had new wood trim panels and dash insert cut. That place is addictive!

[Dads79GMC]

One last pic for today!

Four weeks Jayson and it's heading your way!!!

Mike

[moregrip]

I am loving this build! keep the pictures coming!

[Dads79GMC]

Well, Household Six (commander/wife) gave me another full day in the garage!! Today I made sure everything was square, my crossmember were in the correct positions and crawled under the bed and marked all the holes. Then, took the bed apart and drilled all the holes in the wood. The eight larger holes still need to be countersunk, first I need to order those bolt sets. Then I put the thing back together.....again. Did start the lip for the gas filler neck on the drivers side. That's about it for today. This week will be focused on working on our staircase for Household Six!!! Should get some time during the evenings this week to keep hacking away on the truck/bed????? BTW, there is a frame under the bed if you were wondering. Still have a lot of work left on the outer pieces.

Pictures:
1. All squared up and bolted down!
2. Laying out the filler hole, ended up butchering it with a cut-off wheel and jigsaw! Still need to put a lip on the filler hole.
3. Lip welded in place; needs work!!
4. Looks like it'll fit

Thanks Mike

[NewType72]

Oh man I love a correct wood flooring in a Chevy truck. everything is looking killer brother!

[Dads79GMC]

Day two of cleaning the garage, finally finished!! It's amazing what a mess we can make....rusty dust, metal shavings, dirt etc. Found my original glovebox door and fuel tank door which demonstrate the color I want to achieve when it gets painted. I posted this on the 73-87 Message Board:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=738689

[Dads79GMC]

So, today I'm down rummaging through my secret closet of goodies (the kid finally got an apartment, dang Soldiers) and I ran across two dash inserts that I'd forgotten that I ordered from LMC a couple of years ago. Well, the first one arrived with the tabs in the middle broken off so LMC sent me another. Since I had an extra one that was damaged, I decided to do a little painting on it since it didn't match my original. It was kind of a pain painting, masking and painting again, but you get the idea. I even found the old can of paint in the garage hiding with the rest of the rattle cans:

Pictures:
1. Damaged Insert. Almost looks like they were cut off??
2. Insert with Can of Paint
3. Inserts side by side. The one in the package hasn't been opened.

Really it wasn't to difficult. Hard to find that part in above driver condition.

Thanks Mike

[Dads79GMC]

Found the emblem as well and took the protective film off the metal.

[Dads79GMC]

I thought the hard part of this wood bed was behind me! Drilling the mounting holes for the bedside and the floor have been more difficult than I expected. I spent the whole day working the drivers side. I seemed to have messed up the forward piece of the inner wheel well and had to fix it:

Pictures:
1. Here's the gap with a tacked in arch to match the inner bed fender.
2. Traced out a piece and tacked it in.
3. Finished piece
4. Some of the inner workings of the bed x-members.

Two steps forward and a three steps back. Gonna have to come apart a few more times I suppose??!! Bed floor's gonna take some sanding.....I guess I should have covered it.

Thanks Mike

[MrFinland]

Excellent work! It's nice to follow this project and your writings.

[Dads79GMC]

Finally at a point where I can take the bed apart. Finished drilling all the perimeter flange holes for the bedsides and finished the fuel hump in the floor. I have the offset stainless washers and bolts and will countersink those after I take it all apart - washers are traced on the wood; I'll do that on a drill press.

Pictures:
1-3. Fuel hump in floor
4. Ready to take apart.
5. To those who've made the ultimate sacrifice.

Have a wonderful Memorial Day

Thanks Mike

[Dads79GMC]

Originally Posted by NewType72

Oh man I love a correct wood flooring in a Chevy truck. everything is looking killer brother!

I missed this one. Thanks NewType72. I've worked on this truck more the last three months than I had the previous ten years. Ahhh retirement! For now.

Thanks Mike

[Dads79GMC]

After today, instead of feeling 51, I feel 81!!! Got the frame stripped of everything except the transmission crossmember. Moving everything over was time consuming, but not too difficult. Had to take apart the flip after not having room for the bolts that attach the shocks to the axle housing...fixed it by trimming the plate under the axle (no pic). The flip bracket I purchased from "specialtyretail" on the forum worked excellent!!

Pictures:
1. Lifted frame with hoist and rolled front end under frame.
2. Front end aligned and beginning to bolt into place.
3. Flipped rear end and rolled it under frame; again, used hoist to lift frame.
4. Rear end basically in place.

I have 2" coils sitting on the sidelines until I get some weight on the frame. Currently running 2.5 spindles up front with new stock spring. In the end, I should be 4.5 / 6 flip?? We'll see!

Thanks Mike

[Dads79GMC]

Pictures of the small notches in the plate below the flipped rear end. Mike

[Jaysonb]

Looks good Mike! I'm going to have to notch the spring plates in the 73, but it looks like I'm going to have to cut out a little more than you did. Your making it look easy...

[moregrip]

Originally Posted by Dads79GMC

Today I cut my boards and slowly pieced them together. The perimeter pieces are just laying in place. Still have a lot of tweaking to do and a bit of welding on the perimeter pieces.

Thanks Mike.

Pictures:
1. Cut and slotted boards
2. The remains
3. Test fitting boards
4. Inner fender cuts
5. Installed

that looks incredible brother! love the detail on the bed!!

[rusty76]

I'm late as always but really neat build. I'll tag along.

[Dads79GMC]

Originally Posted by rusty76

I'm late as always but really neat build. I'll tag along.

Thanks Rusty76