77 longbed "overbudget" build - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

hotrod_991 · 05-20-2010, 01:02 PM

ok So i been lurkin around here for some time now and have finally got home from the dessert so its time to start my build thread. I'll start with a few pictures of how it started when I bought her then the slow progress up till now. Thanks for looking at the thread.

The day i paid 700 for her from my dad.

hotrod_991 · 05-20-2010, 01:05 PM

here is the 350 that was installed when i got it. not bad motor just a cam and a 4bbl.

hotrod_991 · 05-20-2010, 01:08 PM

that was as far as I got before i went back to Iraq for the remainder of my tour. Now that I have been home for a few weeks I have had a change to do a few things to it. Ill start with the engine build last saturday.

It was like and auto x-mas all over the garage lol.

here is my 650 edelbrock, and some pictures of my crank after being installed and cleaned up.

hotrod_991 · 05-20-2010, 01:13 PM

some parts pictures.

hotrod_991 · 05-20-2010, 01:14 PM

quick picture of part of the parts pile on the shop floor

hotrod_991 · 05-20-2010, 01:21 PM

and the heartbeat starts to come together. its was about 50 outside and lil colder in the shop saturday so me and my dad were lil bundled up. it was really nice being able to build my first motor with my dad we made a pretty good team. Other than a few new school VS. Old school thinking lol. well enough talking on to the pics.

hotrod_991 · 05-20-2010, 01:23 PM

the finished product minues the accesories

hotrod_991 · 05-20-2010, 01:27 PM

I also did alittle work to the rallies. I sanded and repainted tehm and think they came out really well. Also took the paint off my caps. What you all think?

hotrod_991 · 05-20-2010, 01:32 PM

Also bought a new center grille piece and put in the headlight buckets i got from a board member. I kina like the silver and black not sure yet tho. I think it looks good and kinda matches the wheels. The last picture i just thought look neat out on the ranch pullin parts of one of my other trucks.

hotrod_991 · 05-20-2010, 01:35 PM

That is all so far. future plans for next week are solid back window, get the new motor installed aswell as the 350 tranny also bought from a board member, hand new x pipe and thrush 2 chambers, new front tires, swap dash out for a nicer one, and install lower gears and some trac bars. The truck is in Montana and Im stationed in TX so its all when i can get back home.

palposity · 05-20-2010, 03:39 PM

Nice looking project you have there. Thank you for your service to our country!

silvereagle07 · 05-20-2010, 03:41 PM

Looking good! I like the longbed projects.

hotrod_991 · 05-20-2010, 05:56 PM

Thank you we do it for those at home. And yea I am a longbed fan dont see alot of em round mostly people doing short beds.

hotrod_991 · 05-22-2010, 12:32 AM

so just got a call and was informed that some one decided they like my extra set of 8" rallies more than i did so they relieved me of em. Gotta love it when that happens so its now time to hunt for a nother set.

Driveway Dreams · 05-22-2010, 12:52 AM

This is my first time through your thread. First of all, a genuine "thank you" again for your service. Secondly, good looking truck. I really like how that new motor looks. I like the black accents. Good work to you and your dad. Keep us updated. I think I am gonna like it a lot.

hotrod_991 · 05-22-2010, 11:11 AM

Thanks you for the support and nice comments. This board, and the members of it have had a huge role in me finally starting the project and the drive to continue working on it. Hands down the best group of truck people on the web.

Gordonr1973 · 05-22-2010, 02:48 PM

Keep up the good work! I'm following what you are doing as I'm just starting my build in a few weeks once I get the garage here ready for it and pick up a few odds and ends off of Craigslist & Kijiji.ca

hotrod_991 · 05-27-2010, 07:53 PM

well made it to Montana yesterday. Had to spend time with the wifey but today was all me and my mistress. Got out to the shop around 9 am and got the old motor pulled and spent an hour cutting the old exhaughst out. PITA!! two cuttof wheels later its in pices on the driveway. spent the rest of the day buttoning up the new motor. The first pictures i posted were from test fit. now its all bolted down for good.
We ran into a few snags building it. I dont want my wires running over the valve covers and the 8mm set i bought are not long enough to go around the back of the motor so had to pick up a set of build to fit ones so that is on the list first thing tomarrow. Also did not know that new headers are not sent with new header gaskets. Think that is kinda idiotic personally. same with carbs not coming with the throttle post wich i still have to scrounge tomarrow. Also the motor mounts i bought were not the whole mount just the bushing so I have to take my mount a part with a chisle and a drill lol. got em all changed tho. And finally. The transmission if bought from a board member is not going to work in my truck. Its got the plug for the wire harness that runs the electonic lock up. I dont have any of that stuff, and i have a new 3000 stall NON lock up convertor so we are sticking with the TH350 that is already in the truck. saved some time but still kinda bites. So will be selling the new tranny to fund the rebuild of the old one. On a good not tho the old one is a GM Universal mount wich is kinda cool.
Tomarrow we will be fininishing up the motor while i prep the truck and clean a few things. Then stab start and tune. Should be driveable by tomarrow evening hopefully if not then saturday. Well enough yacking ill post the few pics I took. Not alot today was really focused and working but will get more detailed ones of the instal and motor finish.

hotrod_991 · 05-27-2010, 10:38 PM

sorry guys something came up had to take off. here are the pictures.

hotrod_991 · 05-27-2010, 10:44 PM

the last one is my cousins corvette that my dad and him built. just repainting the nose and doors cause of some chips and such.

79gmc5.3 · 05-31-2010, 08:22 PM

I, like everyone else want to thank you for your service, it really means a lot. Now for this truck I love the color. The green and gold goes well together. That motor is bad a$$. Keep up the good work and keep them pic coming.

79gmc5.3 · 05-31-2010, 08:24 PM

I, like everyone else want to thank you for your service

, it really means a lot. Now for this truck I love the color. The green and gold goes well together. That motor is bad a$$. Keep up the good work and keep them pic coming.

hotrod_991 · 06-01-2010, 10:40 AM

Thanks for the support guys. And I have more pics of the truck just have to find time to upload them with tryn to pack up the wife and get her moved to TX and all. For an update tho I did get the motor all hooked up and running. Ran into more than our fair share of issues already tho. Chased down water leaks, fuel leaks, and oil leaks and seems like everytime we get one fixed something else leaks lol. We finally got her all sealed up and i dorve it to town. Enjoyed it for the evening then the next day could hear the rockers doing the loose dance under the hood

. So back out to the shop we go to adjust.
once I get the tho house and we pull the valve covers and try to roll the motor over we find that the bolt running through the middle of the crank pully into the balancer is striped out and i can pull it out with my fingers :O. Dad ended up having another one. (it always seems like he has every bolt you could need in a bin some were). While dad was adjusting rockers i was installing the new tach, fuel gauge and the floor shifter.
Got all the rockers adjusted and the polly locks tight and went to put the valve covers back on. Enter the new problem: now the covers wont seal! This is the third set in two days and the last ones were sealed so perfect it pained me to have to take em off to adjust the valves. So this morning I ran a bead of red RTV gasket maker around the cover to try and fix the leak. Its not the right way to do it but I have to leave for TX tomarrow so hopefully it will work till i get home then ill change the gaskets again. Well all of the work we did on the truck yesterday was the most fun because the shop had the vette in it getting painted so we were out side working through a rain storm. I took a tarp and laid ot across the open hood and drapped down over the bumper turning the from of my truck into a tent and that actually worked perfectly and we kept on truckin.
I will have to get a few pictures of the exhaughst to post also. Its 2.5 straight sticks into 2 chamber THrush fully welded mufflers and dumps right before the axle lol loud as all hell that for sure but the cam makes of sound bas a$$!! Cant keep the wife from starting the truck all the time haha. Well I will quite blabbin for more look for pics in the next few days guys and god bless.

hotrod_991 · 06-05-2010, 10:54 PM

ok well made it back to texas in one piece. as promissed I will be adding the photos from the last weekend with the truck.

hotrod_991 · 06-06-2010, 04:26 PM

here are the pictures as I promised.

05-20-2010, 01:02 PM	#1
hotrod_991 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 479	77 longbed "overbudget" build ok So i been lurkin around here for some time now and have finally got home from the dessert so its time to start my build thread. I'll start with a few pictures of how it started when I bought her then the slow progress up till now. Thanks for looking at the thread. The day i paid 700 for her from my dad. Attached Images __________________ "Buckle up I wanna try somethin!!" "of course it will hold!, I welded it!" 1977 c10 under knife for full rebuild, 5.3l 4l60e drive rain swap, replacement frame and green repaint

05-20-2010, 01:05 PM	#2
hotrod_991 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 479	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build here is the 350 that was installed when i got it. not bad motor just a cam and a 4bbl. Attached Images __________________ "Buckle up I wanna try somethin!!" "of course it will hold!, I welded it!" 1977 c10 under knife for full rebuild, 5.3l 4l60e drive rain swap, replacement frame and green repaint

05-20-2010, 01:08 PM	#3
hotrod_991 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 479	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build that was as far as I got before i went back to Iraq for the remainder of my tour. Now that I have been home for a few weeks I have had a change to do a few things to it. Ill start with the engine build last saturday. It was like and auto x-mas all over the garage lol. here is my 650 edelbrock, and some pictures of my crank after being installed and cleaned up. Attached Images __________________ "Buckle up I wanna try somethin!!" "of course it will hold!, I welded it!" 1977 c10 under knife for full rebuild, 5.3l 4l60e drive rain swap, replacement frame and green repaint Last edited by hotrod_991; 05-20-2010 at 01:10 PM.

05-20-2010, 01:13 PM	#4
hotrod_991 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 479	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build some parts pictures. Attached Images __________________ "Buckle up I wanna try somethin!!" "of course it will hold!, I welded it!" 1977 c10 under knife for full rebuild, 5.3l 4l60e drive rain swap, replacement frame and green repaint

05-20-2010, 01:14 PM	#5
hotrod_991 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 479	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build quick picture of part of the parts pile on the shop floor Attached Images __________________ "Buckle up I wanna try somethin!!" "of course it will hold!, I welded it!" 1977 c10 under knife for full rebuild, 5.3l 4l60e drive rain swap, replacement frame and green repaint

05-20-2010, 01:21 PM	#6
hotrod_991 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 479	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build and the heartbeat starts to come together. its was about 50 outside and lil colder in the shop saturday so me and my dad were lil bundled up. it was really nice being able to build my first motor with my dad we made a pretty good team. Other than a few new school VS. Old school thinking lol. well enough talking on to the pics. Attached Images __________________ "Buckle up I wanna try somethin!!" "of course it will hold!, I welded it!" 1977 c10 under knife for full rebuild, 5.3l 4l60e drive rain swap, replacement frame and green repaint

05-20-2010, 01:23 PM	#7
hotrod_991 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 479	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build the finished product minues the accesories Attached Images __________________ "Buckle up I wanna try somethin!!" "of course it will hold!, I welded it!" 1977 c10 under knife for full rebuild, 5.3l 4l60e drive rain swap, replacement frame and green repaint

05-20-2010, 01:27 PM	#8
hotrod_991 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 479	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build I also did alittle work to the rallies. I sanded and repainted tehm and think they came out really well. Also took the paint off my caps. What you all think? Attached Images __________________ "Buckle up I wanna try somethin!!" "of course it will hold!, I welded it!" 1977 c10 under knife for full rebuild, 5.3l 4l60e drive rain swap, replacement frame and green repaint

05-20-2010, 01:32 PM	#9
hotrod_991 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 479	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build Also bought a new center grille piece and put in the headlight buckets i got from a board member. I kina like the silver and black not sure yet tho. I think it looks good and kinda matches the wheels. The last picture i just thought look neat out on the ranch pullin parts of one of my other trucks. Attached Images __________________ "Buckle up I wanna try somethin!!" "of course it will hold!, I welded it!" 1977 c10 under knife for full rebuild, 5.3l 4l60e drive rain swap, replacement frame and green repaint

05-20-2010, 01:35 PM	#10
hotrod_991 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 479	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build That is all so far. future plans for next week are solid back window, get the new motor installed aswell as the 350 tranny also bought from a board member, hand new x pipe and thrush 2 chambers, new front tires, swap dash out for a nicer one, and install lower gears and some trac bars. The truck is in Montana and Im stationed in TX so its all when i can get back home. __________________ "Buckle up I wanna try somethin!!" "of course it will hold!, I welded it!" 1977 c10 under knife for full rebuild, 5.3l 4l60e drive rain swap, replacement frame and green repaint

05-20-2010, 03:39 PM	#11
palposity Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Syracuse NY Posts: 684	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build Nice looking project you have there. Thank you for your service to our country! __________________ Project #1 "Pops"--1980 Chevrolet Scottsdale C10 3rd Generation in the same original owner family. GOAL: Restore to "almost" original. View Project Pops HERE Project #2 "Cletus"--1986 Chevy K20 4.10 Gear Ratio GOAL: Restore into a heavy duty work/plow rig View Project Cletus HERE - SOLD DD--2008 Duramax CCSB

05-20-2010, 03:41 PM	#12
silvereagle07 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Bailey, NC Posts: 2,462	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build Looking good! I like the longbed projects. __________________ Jeramy '84 GMC project truck '85 Chevy 4X4 SOLD '07 Chevy Trailblazer SS 5th Annual SHPHC Car/Truck Show Pics http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=543605 UPDATED PICS! CHECK 'EM OUT

05-20-2010, 05:56 PM	#13
hotrod_991 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 479	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build Thank you we do it for those at home. And yea I am a longbed fan dont see alot of em round mostly people doing short beds. __________________ "Buckle up I wanna try somethin!!" "of course it will hold!, I welded it!" 1977 c10 under knife for full rebuild, 5.3l 4l60e drive rain swap, replacement frame and green repaint

05-22-2010, 12:32 AM	#14
hotrod_991 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 479	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build so just got a call and was informed that some one decided they like my extra set of 8" rallies more than i did so they relieved me of em. Gotta love it when that happens so its now time to hunt for a nother set. __________________ "Buckle up I wanna try somethin!!" "of course it will hold!, I welded it!" 1977 c10 under knife for full rebuild, 5.3l 4l60e drive rain swap, replacement frame and green repaint

05-22-2010, 12:52 AM	#15
Driveway Dreams I have car A.D.D. Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Greeley, Northern Colorado Posts: 4,147	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build This is my first time through your thread. First of all, a genuine "thank you" again for your service. Secondly, good looking truck. I really like how that new motor looks. I like the black accents. Good work to you and your dad. Keep us updated. I think I am gonna like it a lot. __________________ -Gerald Building vehicles in memory of the first "car guy" I ever knew, my Grandpa. Bob Dunham 1935-2009. Rest in peace. 61 GMC Suburban SOLD The 86 build thread SOLD Are you a Colorado member?Click here.



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05-22-2010, 11:11 AM	#16
hotrod_991 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 479	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build Thanks you for the support and nice comments. This board, and the members of it have had a huge role in me finally starting the project and the drive to continue working on it. Hands down the best group of truck people on the web. __________________ "Buckle up I wanna try somethin!!" "of course it will hold!, I welded it!" 1977 c10 under knife for full rebuild, 5.3l 4l60e drive rain swap, replacement frame and green repaint

05-22-2010, 02:48 PM	#17
Gordonr1973 Home Built '87 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Calgary, Alberta Canada Posts: 1,829	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build Keep up the good work! I'm following what you are doing as I'm just starting my build in a few weeks once I get the garage here ready for it and pick up a few odds and ends off of Craigslist & Kijiji.ca

05-27-2010, 07:53 PM	#18
hotrod_991 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 479	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build well made it to Montana yesterday. Had to spend time with the wifey but today was all me and my mistress. Got out to the shop around 9 am and got the old motor pulled and spent an hour cutting the old exhaughst out. PITA!! two cuttof wheels later its in pices on the driveway. spent the rest of the day buttoning up the new motor. The first pictures i posted were from test fit. now its all bolted down for good. We ran into a few snags building it. I dont want my wires running over the valve covers and the 8mm set i bought are not long enough to go around the back of the motor so had to pick up a set of build to fit ones so that is on the list first thing tomarrow. Also did not know that new headers are not sent with new header gaskets. Think that is kinda idiotic personally. same with carbs not coming with the throttle post wich i still have to scrounge tomarrow. Also the motor mounts i bought were not the whole mount just the bushing so I have to take my mount a part with a chisle and a drill lol. got em all changed tho. And finally. The transmission if bought from a board member is not going to work in my truck. Its got the plug for the wire harness that runs the electonic lock up. I dont have any of that stuff, and i have a new 3000 stall NON lock up convertor so we are sticking with the TH350 that is already in the truck. saved some time but still kinda bites. So will be selling the new tranny to fund the rebuild of the old one. On a good not tho the old one is a GM Universal mount wich is kinda cool. Tomarrow we will be fininishing up the motor while i prep the truck and clean a few things. Then stab start and tune. Should be driveable by tomarrow evening hopefully if not then saturday. Well enough yacking ill post the few pics I took. Not alot today was really focused and working but will get more detailed ones of the instal and motor finish. __________________ "Buckle up I wanna try somethin!!" "of course it will hold!, I welded it!" 1977 c10 under knife for full rebuild, 5.3l 4l60e drive rain swap, replacement frame and green repaint

05-27-2010, 10:38 PM	#19
hotrod_991 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 479	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build sorry guys something came up had to take off. here are the pictures. Attached Images __________________ "Buckle up I wanna try somethin!!" "of course it will hold!, I welded it!" 1977 c10 under knife for full rebuild, 5.3l 4l60e drive rain swap, replacement frame and green repaint

05-27-2010, 10:44 PM	#20
hotrod_991 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 479	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build the last one is my cousins corvette that my dad and him built. just repainting the nose and doors cause of some chips and such. Attached Images __________________ "Buckle up I wanna try somethin!!" "of course it will hold!, I welded it!" 1977 c10 under knife for full rebuild, 5.3l 4l60e drive rain swap, replacement frame and green repaint

05-31-2010, 08:22 PM	#21
79gmc5.3 6.0L power......... Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Acworth GA Posts: 292	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build I, like everyone else want to thank you for your service, it really means a lot. Now for this truck I love the color. The green and gold goes well together. That motor is bad a$$. Keep up the good work and keep them pic coming. __________________ What ever the mind of man can conceive......... he can achieve! My built thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=375914 1979 GMC Sierra 6.0 L 4L60E 1995 Mustang GT 347

05-31-2010, 08:24 PM	#22
79gmc5.3 6.0L power......... Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Acworth GA Posts: 292	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build I, like everyone else want to thank you for your service , it really means a lot. Now for this truck I love the color. The green and gold goes well together. That motor is bad a$$. Keep up the good work and keep them pic coming. __________________ What ever the mind of man can conceive......... he can achieve! My built thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=375914 1979 GMC Sierra 6.0 L 4L60E 1995 Mustang GT 347

06-01-2010, 10:40 AM	#23
hotrod_991 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 479	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build Thanks for the support guys. And I have more pics of the truck just have to find time to upload them with tryn to pack up the wife and get her moved to TX and all. For an update tho I did get the motor all hooked up and running. Ran into more than our fair share of issues already tho. Chased down water leaks, fuel leaks, and oil leaks and seems like everytime we get one fixed something else leaks lol. We finally got her all sealed up and i dorve it to town. Enjoyed it for the evening then the next day could hear the rockers doing the loose dance under the hood . So back out to the shop we go to adjust. once I get the tho house and we pull the valve covers and try to roll the motor over we find that the bolt running through the middle of the crank pully into the balancer is striped out and i can pull it out with my fingers :O. Dad ended up having another one. (it always seems like he has every bolt you could need in a bin some were). While dad was adjusting rockers i was installing the new tach, fuel gauge and the floor shifter. Got all the rockers adjusted and the polly locks tight and went to put the valve covers back on. Enter the new problem: now the covers wont seal! This is the third set in two days and the last ones were sealed so perfect it pained me to have to take em off to adjust the valves. So this morning I ran a bead of red RTV gasket maker around the cover to try and fix the leak. Its not the right way to do it but I have to leave for TX tomarrow so hopefully it will work till i get home then ill change the gaskets again. Well all of the work we did on the truck yesterday was the most fun because the shop had the vette in it getting painted so we were out side working through a rain storm. I took a tarp and laid ot across the open hood and drapped down over the bumper turning the from of my truck into a tent and that actually worked perfectly and we kept on truckin. I will have to get a few pictures of the exhaughst to post also. Its 2.5 straight sticks into 2 chamber THrush fully welded mufflers and dumps right before the axle lol loud as all hell that for sure but the cam makes of sound bas a$$!! Cant keep the wife from starting the truck all the time haha. Well I will quite blabbin for more look for pics in the next few days guys and god bless. __________________ "Buckle up I wanna try somethin!!" "of course it will hold!, I welded it!" 1977 c10 under knife for full rebuild, 5.3l 4l60e drive rain swap, replacement frame and green repaint

06-05-2010, 10:54 PM	#24
hotrod_991 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 479	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build ok well made it back to texas in one piece. as promissed I will be adding the photos from the last weekend with the truck. __________________ "Buckle up I wanna try somethin!!" "of course it will hold!, I welded it!" 1977 c10 under knife for full rebuild, 5.3l 4l60e drive rain swap, replacement frame and green repaint

06-06-2010, 04:26 PM	#25
hotrod_991 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Thibodaux, LA Posts: 479	Re: 77 longbed "overbudget" build here are the pictures as I promised. Attached Images __________________ "Buckle up I wanna try somethin!!" "of course it will hold!, I welded it!" 1977 c10 under knife for full rebuild, 5.3l 4l60e drive rain swap, replacement frame and green repaint

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