Project Muscle Truck (again!)

GASoline71

'cause chicks dig scars
Joined
Nov 13, 2005
Messages
3,600
Location
The Great Pacific Northwest
Well... I have been neglecting my little hot rod for awhile... But I have finally got to tear into it again. I'm sure most of you will remember when I got this thing...

1972 GMC 1/2 ton truck... I'm going to make it into a Pro-street muscle truck hot rod.

The first pic is what it looked like when I brought it home...

The next pics are of the engine on the stand. 350 small block. The cylinder heads, the transmission and the front of the truck completely take apart. With the exception of the A-arms/suspension and steering, which I left intact.

The UPS truck is showing up regularly now, and I have been getting really excited to get this project rollin' again. I will pop back in with more updates as they come...

Lots more to do...

Stay tuned... :)

Gary
 

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gary--nice pink-em-up. question, are you going to go a get a scrap yard truck--and put factory air in it????? and going to put a 700R4 behind the engine??? pro street--neat--but as you get aged--you need air!!!!! and the 700R4 for mileage---(smiley)
 
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Thanks mang! :thumbup:

For now the TH350 is gonna have to do... still on a budget.

Around here ya really don't need A/C... Western Washington state stays pretty mild through the summers.

This truck is only gonna be pretty under the hood, and in the cab... Everything else is gonna stay the same for awhile, dents and all... A total rat rod...

Gary
 
Lol, spin those tires!!!! Man I love those trucks a good buddy of mine had one in highschool and man we had some goodtimes. Cherry red, mags and the four barrel wide open. :)
 
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Justin... It was you that kept me in it. A while back you had asked me what I was doin' with it... and I was thinkin' of givin' it up. Then the ol' squisher told me I wuz crazy, and should keep goin'...

...and I did. Thanks buddy. :)

Here is a pic of the mag wheels I got for it. Old school ET slots. They used to be my Dad's. He had them on a 1970 Chevy 1/2 ton. So its kinda cool he passed them on to me. :thumbup:

I love these trucks...

Gary
 

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After you get it built and then you get tired of it, call me and I'll buy it from you. But you gotta fly me out there and then I'll drive it home. ;)
 
Two of those trucks were in my youth both owned by buddys one was ridiculously high geared and I actually outran the cops in it one night :/:. 1st and only time I ever ran(myself) and I'm just thankful to have gotten away with it.

Well one other time I was racing a friend of mine on a local backroad here that's a renowned straight stretch(Buchanan Rd, the 100mph road), he was in front in a kick ass camaro with a tunnel ram through the hood toying with me. Well when we came over the crest and there was the pigs, err I mean cops, the lights came on he hit the brakes and I floored it flew by him and gonzo.:lol:

I still laugh when I think of that. RIP Gerry Schunter you were a true bro, when questioned by the cops he claimed complete ignorance on who he was racing.


Glad I could be of assistance Gary.8)
 
ha, I took one for my buds once, three of us turnin donuts etc in a parking lot one night, off duty cop in the lineup at a theater, dialed in my plate, they yanked me over 6 days later with lots of fanfare (I think it was 6 ghost cars and 2 marked), I pulled over he came up to the window and said did you 'etcetc on such and such a night"? and I said, yeah, I guess I did. I got a warning for excessive noise, ha! he said if I was a prick or denied any of it they were going to throw the book at me, excessive speed, reckless endangerment, dangerous driving, you name it. Polite and honest got me OUT of trouble that night.

When I asked him at the end "did you catch any of the other people?" he said no, they only got my plate.
My buddies bought me a beer not long after. :)
 
Well ,you can tell that's a west coaster .The ones around here of that vintage have long ago rusted to nothing . Lots of salt on the roads in winter .
 
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An update... :)

Tonight I cut the old exhaust out with a Sawzall. Also tore the engine down completely. Knocked the rods and pistons out, and took the main caps off...

I left the crankshaft just sitting in the block until I transport it to the machine shop this week. 4-bolt main block... that's cool! :thumbup:

I also tore off the heater box because I have to replace the firewall seals, and I think the heater core is shot. I stuffed rags in the holes to keep the critters out. I guess I need to starve my cats more... I'm findin' mice and rats in the garage again. Bastids!

The UPS guy showed up today as well with more stuff I recently ordered for the truck...

I have a long way to go... but I'm hoping to have it done by mid summer...:D

Gary
 

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So what,turn the crank ??? A word of advice,while you have the engine out go ahead and replace the Welch plugs .Old engines it's not a fact of if they rust through,rather when .

A 4 bolt 350 is a good old engine .:D
 
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I'm sure he was talking about the freeze plugs Steve. I always replace those after a rebuild. ;)

Yep al, the crank looks good. It will be turned at the machine shop. Block will prolly need to go .030 oversize. No biggee...

It has 1.94's Justin. Since I'm on a tight budget, they will have to do for now. 2.02's are in the future. However the castings that I have now have a larger intake runner in them. They are a fairly desireable head. They were available in 2.02 as well, but I didn't get that lucky... :)

Gary
 
For the price of finding and working over a set of .202's, look at a set of alum's Gary. Ready to go out of the box and proven.

I was hoping to hear of a 383 build, but then you had to say "budget":lol:
 
I'm sure he was talking about the freeze plugs Steve. I always replace those after a rebuild. ;)

Yep al, the crank looks good. It will be turned at the machine shop. Block will prolly need to go .030 oversize. No biggee...

It has 1.94's Justin. Since I'm on a tight budget, they will have to do for now. 2.02's are in the future. However the castings that I have now have a larger intake runner in them. They are a fairly desireable head. They were available in 2.02 as well, but I didn't get that lucky... :)

Gary
Yep ,a Welch plug is called a freeze plug by some although they often don't pop out if the blocks freezes .
The reason they use plugs is so they can shake out the casting sand from inside the block ,head whatever .
Ah too bad you aren't closer because I have a set of 2.02 heads .Although I'm not really sure how good they are . I replaced them with a set of 1.94's on a Chevy van I had at one time ,took off the 4 barrel and replaced it with a two barrel .Damned thing was breaking me up putting gas in it even at 60 cents a gallon back then .
 
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For the price of finding and working over a set of .202's, look at a set of alum's Gary. Ready to go out of the box and proven.

I was hoping to hear of a 383 build, but then you had to say "budget":lol:

Aluminum heads are not in the budget right now. So these 1.94's will have to do for now.

:)

Gary
 
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That is exactly what I want Andy... but for $550 apiece, I have to wait. I have a lot of parts for just the truck alone I have to get as well.

Not to mention the trans needs rebuilt, I need an exhaust system, and new tires, and, etc....

Thanks though... ;):)

They are on my list for later... :thumbup:

Gary
 
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