Project Ssybil Begins

[BrentBTK]

Just picked up this '71 GMC as my new driver/project. It will need to stay on the road most of the time, so things will be in bits and pieces, but I'm super excited to get started. Here's the pics from when I brought her home on 11/27/21

[BrentBTK]

Put on new shoes and gauges. 18x9 all around with 255/40/18 and 275/40/18 on the rear. They'll look better when the drop suspension arrives. Dakota Digital gauges went in pretty smoothly, but I still have no fuel or speedo. I ran new wiring from the tank and still nothing. I've ordered a new sending unit for the tank and a new gear set for the trans. Hopefully that'll take care of those, not sure what else they could be.

[cwcarpenter98]

Sweet! Mine has been a driving restoration for the past 6 years. I have more fun driving it than I do working on it

[BrentBTK]

Guy who sold it to me said, "I couldn't find a heater switch, so I just wired one in" as he points to a toggle under the dash. Alrighty then. I just traced the switch, went to the battery. That's is. WTF? So.... I'm thinking maybe I can just wire up the blower on said useless switch and at least have some heat... Not so fast. I started pulling it all out and the ducting is shot. Okay.... I'll block off everything but what I need. I pull everything out to see the wiring, and down the rabbit hole I go. I have no idea what goes where or what it does when it gets there. What a mess!

[BrentBTK]

AAW Wiring harness has arrived. I've traced and pulled most of the old, cobbled together wiring in preparation. Not gonna lie, it's awful intimidating, but I'm gonna take it like life. One small thing at a time. Here we go!

[Old_Truck_Fan]

Nice work in just a few days! I also went with the AAW Wiring Harness. I'm still working on the install but have been impressed with the quality of the kit. I recommend getting their crimpers if you haven't got them already.

[BrentBTK]

Thanks! I got the fuse box mounted yesterday and most of the connections made up under the dash. I'm also impressed with the quality of the kit, while overwhelming to look at as a whole, they break it down very well. One disappointment I discovered was the "Complete" kit does not include any of the A/C wiring.... Ironic since trying to get a working blower motor was the whole reason for doing this Here's a couple quick pics of the fuse box test mounted before I spent some time cleaning up the hole.... which was a mother with the limited tools I have available.

[BrentBTK]

Got the engine bay mostly wired up pending battery connections yesterday, then ran and wired up the front and rear lighting kits. Couple things I noted. First, accessing the starter wiring is a *****! Specifically the purple solenoid wire. Gawd! I managed an 11/32" socket on a 6" extension on a 1/4" ratchet snuck behind the manifold. Putting it back on was another exercise in joy and happiness. I think that wire ate up about an hour of time. It may have been easier to just remove the exhaust manifold, but I didn't wanna, lol. Second, when I removed the backup lights, I destroyed the pigtails coming out of the housing. Oops. The new harness only goes up to those pigtails. That has been my only complaint about the harness so far. It has replaced every other connection in the lighting system, but not that one. New assemblies ordered, but on backorder. Of course

[BrentBTK]

After about 25 hours over 3 and a half days, I finally got to the point where there was nothing left to do but turn the key and see what happens. I hooked the battery up, turned the key on and began inserting fuses. Nothing blew, so I checked voltages, said a little prayer and cranked her up. She fired the first time and ran like a champ. The voltage at my alternator has never been so consistent. Everything worked, first try!! WaHOO In fact, the horn works too well... It is constantly on. Every time I plug the relay in, it starts. It wasn't connected when I bought it, so I'm thinking there is a problem in the contacts. If that's my only issue on a full wiring harness, I'll take it! Gonna leave her up on jack stands, suspension parts have begun arriving...

[cwcarpenter98]

I would assume that you took the horn contact parts apart in the steering wheel area to replace the turn signal switch wiring. If you don't get the plastic ring and metal contact plate lined up perfectly, the contact plate will be constantly grounding the system, thus allowing the horn to go off. I did that once with my truck, so I know from experience

[BrentBTK]

Originally Posted by cwcarpenter98

I would assume that you took the horn contact parts apart in the steering wheel area to replace the turn signal switch wiring. If you don't get the plastic ring and metal contact plate lined up perfectly, the contact plate will be constantly grounding the system, thus allowing the horn to go off. I did that once with my truck, so I know from experience

Hehe. I actually never got into the steering wheel, the new harness replaced from the column plug out. I have a feeling that may be the issue though. I'm knee deep in suspension at the moment, and will revisit the horn once it's all buttoned back up.

[BrentBTK]

I've spent the last 2 afternoons installing new CPP tubular upper and lower control arms, 2.5" drop spindles, 1.5" drop springs, shocks, tie rods, pitman and idler arms. I'm almost there, then it will be time to start on the rear. Yesterday was an exercise in frustration. As my wife was going out of town, I knew I'd be without a vehicle for the next 3 days, so off I went to the auto parts store for the odds and ends. Specifically, new rotors, pads, bearings, and front shocks as the ones I ordered are on backorder. I get there, and the fella behind the counter informs me that the new rotor is a complete hub assembly, bearings already in. Sweet. No front shocks in stock, not sweet. I take the rotors and pads home and go online to order the front shocks from their website for same day delivery. Sweet. I finally get to the point of installing the new rotor on the new spindle, and what do ya know? NO BEARINGS!!!!! BAH!!! About this time the shocks I ordered show up. They are rear shocks. BAH!!! Now I'm stuck with no vehicle, no bearings, and no front shocks. It's just one of those days. I managed to get most of the steering made up and the control arms mounted on both sides. Today I have a friend picking me up to take me back to the parts store. With a little bit of luck, SSybil will be back on the ground tonight. A few progress pics below.

[BrentBTK]

Man. What a couple days. Got a ride to go get the "included" bearings, got back, and realized I didn't get the inner seals. Grr. My bad, but at this point I'm starting to get frustrated with Counter Guy and multiple trips. My ride takes me back for the seals, and as I'm leaving I say, "I really don't want to see you again." Yeah, right. Go to put the bearings in, and the inners are too small. WTF?? BAH!!! Of course, there's 2 options, and Counter Guy failed to mention that when I picked them up. Breathe... Back to the store I go to exchange the bearings and not kill Counter Guy. Bearings go in like a champ, rotors slide onto the new drop spindles, whew...okay. I think we're cooking with gas. Time to load the new pads into the calipers and put em on. 2 problems. First, the hoses are now too short, the line is too tight to get the caliper on. Well, there goes any hope of driving her this week. Extended brake lines found and ordered. Second, the new pads seem to be wrong, they include rivets on the back that prevent them from sitting flush in the caliper. Now I really wanna kill Counter Guy. Him and the part store can take a long walk off a short pier. In a fit of frustration, I just ordered the Wilwood dual piston caliper kit. Hopefully, that problem is solved. Since the brakes are on hold, I went ahead and buttoned up the new steering components and got it all lubed. Pics of the almost finished front end below:

[BrentBTK]

Moved to the rear suspension, the leaf springs are on backorder until February, but I went ahead and installed the lowering brackets and shocks. It went about as well as I would expect. She fought me every step of the way. The new brackets were about 1/4" wider than the old ones, so I had to trim the pins and grind down the bushing to get them to fit. I had to do the same thing to the shock bases. About the time I finished that up, the new brake calipers showed up, and they slid into place like a dream. They sure are purdy, too . I'm dying to get them bled and test the whole thing, but I'm still waiting on the extended brake lines to show up. I couldn't resist putting her back on the ground though to check the new stance. Very pleased! Once the rear springs get here, I think she'll be perfect .

[BrentBTK]

Updating the build. I've added a Flaming River tilt column, tool box, tonneau cover, and seats out of an '03 Silverado.