67 GMC Lift thread

[Mr-Jack]

Well finally got the time in-between some of my deployments to actually get a chance to work on the truck. Got a 67 GMC Long bed 4x4 small window that's been sitting for a year waiting for some attention, and here goes some of the progress that i've managed to get done over the past week.

I started when my brother was here actually, and ended up just getting it up on jacks before i got a call sending me out on another deployment.

I got back and was determined to get on with it. I am trying to get this lifted and wired before my wedding at the end of the month. (my fiance and I had our first date in this truck, so it's kind of a big deal) I started pulling the old suspension out and got the stock 10 bolt out from underneath it. Started pounding rivets out and finally got all of them out and now i am to the point where i have to drill out the frame for the eye hanger kit. I'm installing DIY4X FGB52 kit and their eye hanger up front and the flip-n-switch in the back with all new springs. On to some of the pics

Here is what i started out with.

Got her up and ripped out the front end


Didn't have a fancy air hammer yet, so i was pounding out rivets by hand for a bit


Primed and painted the front end parts


don't worry bout the frame, once i get back from my honeymoon, it'll come back off and i'll prep and coat the frame, just wanna have it lifted for the wedding



Still got a lot of work to do, so i'm headed back out to drill the frame for the eye hangers and get this new front put back together

By the way all comments, positive/negative/constructive are welcome. I have thick skin.

Thanks, Jack

[70 beast]

Nice truck!
Cant wait to see the completed lift.
What are some other plans for the truck, like axles, length of springs (stock, 47",52"...), end plans for the truck?

Congrats on tying the knot!!!

[Mr-Jack]

I am keeping the hub caps...if i don't end up using them on the truck, i'll more than likely keep them in the garage. for something.

Originally Posted by 70 beast

Nice truck!
Cant wait to see the completed lift.
What are some other plans for the truck, like axles, length of springs (stock, 47",52"...), end plans for the truck?

Congrats on tying the knot!!!

right now i'm keeping the stock axles, and if i don't sell my 85' K5, i'll use the axles off that for the 67'. it's got a 14 bolt FF in the rear and a heavy duty D44 up front. 52" springs up front and 50" centered springs in the rear.

End plans for the truck will probably be new floor pan and fenders, fix the body and paint two tone black under charcoal grey. I'd like to do a wood bed and possibly stroke the current 350. it's gonna be my weekend truck for sure, but i'd like it reliable enough to drive across country if i want to, so the motor will be in pieces after i get the stance and body work done.

all in all, i could probably drop a lot of money into this project...i dropped about 12K into a rock crawler project a few years back, so who knows what this is gonna run me. I've been wanting a 67 longbed for a long time, and don't plan to get rid of it.

[TheWhiteElephant]

Great work so far, man!

Are you going to use the hub caps? Hit me up if you'd like to get rid of them, I could sure use a set.

[67gmcstepside]

I need to do the same suspension upgrade so I will be watching and learning from you!! Might have a few questions as you progress. Are you planning to go power steering?

[Mr-Jack]

i kind of bounced to get the electrical done but i'll be back at the suspension this week.

i do plan to do power steering and hi steer, just not right now...gotta get this thing in the air first

[67gmcstepside]

I added power steering and it was very easy using CaptainFab's kit.

[modblacksmith]

Nice truck, I'll be watching. What size rubber are you planning on?

[bigbadchev72]

How much lift are you gonna be installing? Do you have the original closed knuckle front end? If so what are your plans for the steering arm?

When I bought my 67 it already had an open knuckle 44 installed with disc brakes and power steering. When you do the swap do yourself a favor and get captain fabs bracket. The 67' dosent have the bumps in the frame for the newer steering boxes. I never noticed it when I had my truck tore apart, but the P.O used washers to space the box from the frame.

I found that out one night when I went to turn out of my parking spot and the box ripped off the frame.

[Hoods69BadBowTie]

Nice looking truck looks like it's coming along great. Keep up the good work and try to have some fun as well good luck.
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[chevroletc10@msn.com]

Keep the pics comming i bought the same kit for my 67 on a 72 frame and have not had time to get it on.

[thirdstreettito]

Updates?

[Mr-Jack]

Sorry guys...I in the military, and have had to deplay out on the road so i'll get to the questions and then get to some pictures.

Modblacksmith - I'm going to be running 35's got them in the shop right now. just need to mount them on the 15" steelies first

BigBadChev72 - It should net around 6" of lift total. It's kind of a frankenstien kit that i've pieced together so we'll see how the rear end goes. For right now; until i get high steer, i have a dropped steering arm. I'll be doing the power steering conversion and the high steer at the same time. I already have everything to do the power steering conversion except the brackets for the box

So I got back about a week ago and had my daughter here for spring break and didn't get much time to work on the truck, but this week was a differant story. So far, i've been doing some tuning...the truck sat for about a year and a half without being started with 3/4 tank of 10% ethanol mixed gas. So i drained the tank ran a sea-foam treatment through it. Changed the plugs, wires, flushed the oil and got new oil in it. Adjusting the timing and discovered a lifter tick. found my feeler gauges last night so i'll be in there adjusting today. Last night i finally got the 2" wholes drilled thru the frame and realized how much i really miss my plasma cutter. Got the new eye hangers temp installed (temp because the kit didn't come with washers and i don't like the bolt head on frame metal) got the axle sitting under the front end right now on the shop floor cause i forgot to pick up the new ubolts for the new leaf springs. But after my class today, i picked them up and i'm ready to get back dirty again. I'll snap a few pictures and post them up in a few

Again, Sorry for the lack of progress...i've been on the road guys.

[Mr-Jack]

Ok...since most guys just wanna see pictures...i'll post some up.

I get side tracked sometimes...my goal is to get it lifted, but i decided to do a few things to the motor and interior while i had it at a managable height.

New Seat Covers...don't laugh at the old lap belts...i'm replacing them


Decided to strip the old paint off the bumper and hit it with some hammered rustoleum



Then went to the spring hangers and the spring eye hangers. A good air hammer will aid a lot. I would rather have used a plasma cutter for the eye hanger instead of a hole saw, but i got it done

Front spring hanger


Inside shot of front spring hanger


Did some minor tuning for now so here's a shot of the motor. Not cleaned up yet, but i'll take care of that later


Here's a shot of the front eye hanger that replaces the original equipment.
This is after about 5 minutes of drilling:

Here's the outside

And the inside (sorry for the crappy flash pic)


Here's a shot how it is now.


I'm about to go out there and hang the axle and get some tires under it. All coments good or bad are welcome here.

Jack

[72Blazing]

What front leafs are those? I see they are Tuff Country Easy ride. Are they 52'' springs?

[Mr-Jack]

Yup...supposed to be centered 52's, but they are 3/4" offset

[Mr-Jack]

Well, I got under it today, and with a little bit of cursing some Sea Foam Deep Creep, and some PB Blaster...oh and of course a BFH (actually a 3 lb sledge) I got the original steering arm off the 67...then installed the new one. I'm going to see if the drag link will adjust out far enough to reach the steering arm cause if not i'll have to find one. Looks like the lift is going to net around 7" right now but hopefully the springs will settle it down a bit. gotta take the rims and tires into work with me tomorrow and mount the rubber on the rims.

I went to a local 4 Wheel Parts to see what they had to offer as far as adjustable drag links for lifted trucks, but the one they had messured approximately 13" with the link ends all the way in, and stock for this truck, (well at least mine) messures approximately 18" and the distance from the pitman arm centered with the hubs straight all the way to the end of the steering arm is 23" I doubt that the 4 Wheel Parts drag link would work. So does anyone know of a drag link that will work for my application, cause if not, i'll be doing the power steering sooner than i wanted to and doing cross over steering with a front axle swap. Which sucks, cause I'm pretty happy i was able to get off a 45 year old steering arm off.

[Mr-Jack]

I'm thinking about just building my own drag link...does anyone know what ball joints to get for the steering arm and pitman arm?

[Mr-Jack]

Think I might have found them...is this the right info for the drag link ball joints?

7/8" - 18LH thread
P/N ES2027L
Length - 6.5"
Taper length - .690
Major / minor diameter - .791x772
Thread Diameter - .875x18tpi
Thread Length - 2.5"

[Mr-Jack]

So...got a little more done this week. Finally got the axle hung and on rollers...


Had to cheat a little on the steering for now. I know this looks bad, but i have the new solution coming next week. I added the raised steering arm, But the tie rod ends coming from the steering arm and pitman arm were still a bit short, so i adjusted the sleeve out just so i could turn it around there's about a half inch in the drag link sleeve right now. but that's when i started looking online for some solutions. I found a place out of California called WFO Concepts and saw that they sell new stock ball joints. I called them up and asked if they make the sleeve for them, and they do make them for any length. Made out of DOM and come with jam nuts instead of the slotted stock compression sleeve. So it will look more like a tie rod but will get the job done until I go high steer. so don't laugh at my redneck drag link, I assure you it's safe enough to turn the truck aroun and won't be on the road. Oh...and i cut the U-Bolts down...Just after this picture was taken.


Here are a couple of shots how it sits with stock rear end with worn 31's opposed to the new lift on new 35's



Gonna tear the rear end out this weekend. Hopefully time flys with the rear

[Mr-Jack]

Some of y'all might have noticed that the radiator core support wasn't installed in one of the above pictures...cause i wasn't about to put the old ones back in cause they were all worn out terribly. so I went down to Classic Heartbeat in Olympia, WA today and picked up a new set. Also picked up some new inner fenders down there as well, so i'll be installing them soon. Also got my new shocks on order. So I didn't get much done today. Hung out with the ole lady, but tomorrow it's back to the rivets on the rear end installing the shackle flip. More progress and pictures to follow.

[Mr-Jack]

Looks like I have to correct a camber problem. But the rear end is coming slowly but surely...got the right side hanger off last night but the left side doesn't wanna give up the leaf spring bolts. Don't really wanna cut the bolts, but I will if I don't get them off tonight. I had to cut two in the front end, so I'm not opposed to it.
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[Mr-Jack]

Well...got some stuff done, and now it's kind of back to the drawing board so to speak. Installed the springs in the rear that I had picked out, but turns out that I received the wrong ones...They centered the axle perfectly, but didn't quite fit truck LOL...so now i'm thinking that the add-a-leaf and some custom springs are in order, cause this just doesn't work.



Better note tho. I got the new drag link sleeve installed that I had made from WFO concepts. it's nice and beefy



Going to be getting back at it this week. Going to replace all the brake lines with a kit from Inline Tube. But here's how she is sitting now.

[Mr-Jack]

Well...got to looking around at the brake lines and decided to order a new harline kit from Inline Tube...all the fittings are stripped and corroded anyways...plus i got an adjustable valve for the rear brakes, cause the first owner, converted the front axle to disc and used the stock proportioning valve without properly adjusting rear brake pressure, so i figure since i'm doing the brakes i'll add the valve too. should be here by the weekend. Also got new shackles and top plates coming from DIY4X...then it's all about the final tune before i can get it rolling

[Mr-Jack]

So in order to get the rear end up in the air to figure out what direction to go with the springs. I took the new spring packs apart and added a few leafs out of the new pack and mated them along with an ez-inch to the original springs and hopefully tomorrow, i'll be able to see the stance of the rear end...still waiting on my shackles and top plates from DIY4X. If my frankenstein spring pack works, i'll be heading down to a local place to have them build me a custom spring pack.