82 SWB GMC cruiser with an attitude

[haybale]

I learned how to turn a wrench working on these squares when I was in my early teens. When I was is in high school I bought the truck that I'm picking up the restoration on once again. I drove this truck for about three years before I pulled to motor out to replace it with a big block. Well between work, school, and life that didn't happen. Now ten years later I finally have a plan on what I want to do with the old truck and I built a shop in which to do it. So here we go, this is what i'm starting with. I took these a couple months ago when I frist brought her home. (she had been sitting in a pasture for about 5 years)

[haybale]

A mentor of mine told me years ago that before you start a project you need to decide what you want the project to be, then find the one key componet to that and build everything else off of that. So thats what I did. I want this truck to be a comfortable ride that the wife and myself can get in a go across country on trips. On top of that it has to be able handle AND have a cool stance. I think I found the answer.




A No-Limit Engineering Wide Ride IFS front end and their Fat Bar four link both with Coil Overs. For the moment it's sitting on the shelf waiting for me to get the frame ready to install it. I am going to haul the frame to work this week and wash it with some heavy duty degreasers.

I have also picked up an 07 5.3L that I will be building and backing up with a built 4L60E and c10 12bolt with 3.42 gears, and a eaton posi

Pretty much everything under the sheet metal and in the cab will be new, upgraded, or modified. The body will be repaired with a few mods made. I am still fiquring out how and what i'm going to do with other parts of the truck.

[SS Delux]

Looks good, cant wait to see how this turns out !

[LEEVON]

Welcome! I'll be following along. Your friend had great advice. I'm always much happier when I find that "must-have" part of a build and make it happen.

[bikeman59]

Great shop, great truck and great plans. You will have a lot of fans watching this!

[77ChevySharkBite]

Nothing that a little TLC can't fix, I'm in!! Awesome looking shop!!

[rktolds]

Nice project. You are right down the road from me. Tons of coool rides in our area. Look forward to seeing yours.
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[mooseknuckles]

sounds like a good plan....

[Jabes1]

No limit and Fat Man Fab.... NICE!!! I cant wait to see the fab work on the suspension with this build. That cross member looks really nice.

[haybale]

Thanks to all for the complements, especially about the shop. That has been my project for the past couple years, and i am very proud of it. My uncle and my friends helped me build the frame and hang the sheet metal but about everthing else I have done myself. Ok back to the truck, I've made a little progress. I got the frame washed Monday and last night I got it up on stands and level. This actually took quite a bit of time.

I also finished my engine stand and got the engine mounted onto it.

Hopefully I will get some time to work on changing out the front suspension this weekend, after I cut up the oak tree that fell at the rent house yesterday from the ice storm.

[haybale]

I got alittle time out in the shop yesterday and almost got the new front crossmember installed before I had to call it a day. Getting the crossmember into place was not as easy as I thought it was going to be. I had to cut out the pressed out areas in the frame where the old brake line bulkhead fittings where located. Then after I fit the new crossmember, bolted it in on the bottom, I used a rotary file the line up two holes on each side and the drilled the other three holes on each side. I then made filler plates from 3/16 plate to repair the frame. I got those fit and welded before stopping for the day. Hopefully I will be able to get the front done this week so I can move on the the rear.

[northeimcustom]

i cant wait to see more work! sounds like you have an awesome plan. shop looks sweet too, how big is it?

[haybale]

Originally Posted by northeimcustom

i cant wait to see more work! sounds like you have an awesome plan. shop looks sweet too, how big is it?

Thanks, the shop is 45x52 including the enclosed overhang area, most of the overhang is a clean room/lounge/office. I went out last night to try and finish the install on the wide ride but ran into some fittment issues with the motor mounts. I got ahold of Rob and he's working on a fix. Hopefully I hear back on that soon. That pretty much shut me down on the front end so I spent some time cutting and grinding the old brackets off my 12 bolt. Hopefully I get the front end done soon so I can start the back.

[haybale]

Ok I need to vent a little hear so bear with me. Last Wednesday night I was working on the getting the “bolt in” front suspension setup installed after I had to cut on the frame to get it in place. And I found that the motor mounts would not line up. I was trying to install them the way the pictures show them in the threads I found on here that deal with the wide-ride. I have had to use the photos here because the instructions from Nolimit really do not pertain to this style truck and are pretty much useless. The mounts would not line up if you tried to bolt them in place on the top of the frame rail. They were pitched way to far forward and were not sitting all the way on the frame. I double checked everything I could, but since the instructions have ZERO reference measurements, I was having trouble figuring out what the problem was. It seemed the tabs on the crossmember might have been in the wrong location. So I called Nolimit just before they closed to ask for assistance. I explained what was happening and sent them some pictures via text message and Rob told me he would get back to me the next day (Thursday) with measurements. On Saturday afternoon I called again and after a little prodding I got Rob to measure out what everything should be on his jig. Sunday after I got home from work (I have to work every third weekend these days) my daughter and I went out to the shop and I measured out the crossmember and the frame. And low and behold the frame is taller than what the setup is designed for. While looking things over I noticed the upper control arm mount was also pretty close to the top of the frame, and since frame was too tall I figured I had better check that as well. And sure enough the control arm would not get close the recommended starting setting of the adjustor straight down, without hitting the frame. On Monday morning I sent Rob an email telling him what I had found. And nothing, I still have not heard a word from them. Not a “we’re sorry”, not a “how can we help”, and certainly not a “how can we make this right”. Now don’t get me wrong I know what needs to be done to fix it or at least make the system work at this point. It just bugs me that they advertise this system as a “bolt in” for our trucks and it is anything but. My frame is a plain-Jane half ton SWB frame, not anything new or odd. But I am now going to have to cut down the rail height to get this wide ride in. I almost boxed the whole mess up and sent it back. Then I got to thinking that if I did that I will have wasted all the time I already but into this and if I post and show what I do then maybe the next guy that gets sold this “bolt in” will have something to reference. As for Rob and Nolimit, there were a lot of parts I was looking at getting from them still but now they will not see another penny from me.

[haybale]

The motor mount problem.

My Helper

The A-Arm Hitting

The frame measured out to six and a sixteeth inches overall height before I cut it.

I cut just enough that the "roll" of the corner was removed and the cut was about sixteen inches long so that it cleared the a-arm in the back and the motor mount in the front with a little room to spare.

[haybale]

I started building the filler plates to go back in and got the right side tacked in place before calling it last night.

Since I cut the frame I think I am going to need boxing in that area but with the frame being wider at the bottom and all the bolts I have to be able to get to I'm still trying to fiqure out how I'm going to do that. Any advice is welcomed.

[85supersierra]

Man that sucks. Sorry to see your havin so much trouble,and even worse that you are getting no help from no limit. I was looking at their four link rear for my truck but I think I will hold off and see how yours works out.

[85supersierra]

any progress

[haybale]

Originally Posted by 85supersierra

any progress

Sorry things have been a little crazy. Between work and spring projects around the house I haven't had much time. I am actually writing this from my desk at work (it's mothers day Sunday) while I wait for a piece of equipment to show up to be repaired. I did get the rest of my motor mount parts in so I can mock up the motor and finish the front "bolt in" cross member modifications but I havent had time. I went with the slider adapters from Dirty Dingo and Energy Suspension mounts. I did go ahead and get all of the rear suspension out and strip what I didn't need on the motor for mock up off. Sorry no pics. Hopefully I will get some time soon to get some work done in the shop but it looks like the next couple weeks are going to be as bad as the last couple.

[haybale]

It has been awhile since I posted but I have made some progress. The last time I posted I was still working on getting the front suspension in place. After I finshed the frame cut down I remounted everything and drilled the holes for the motor mount brackets. I installed the Dirty Dingo adapters and the poly mounts and test fitted the engine into the frame. Everything seemed to fit really well but of course I forgot take a picture. With that done I finished installing the front suspension components and everything else fit well. I did have to remove the front cross brace to allow for mounting the sway bar. That will have to be modified or a new piece built. I sprayed the unpainted/unpowdercoated parts with some primer till the mock up is done and I can paint them. Since the new rotors are 5 x 4.75 I used a die grinder to modify the old wheels for now. I really don't want to spend the money on wheels to mess them up while working on the truck. That and I cannot decide what wheels I want to use.

[haybale]

I have also been working on the rear suspension. I stripped down the frame and cleaned everything up where I would be welding components on. I sprayed the areas that I would be welding on with weld thru primer.

[haybale]

I lined everything up and tack welded all the brackets in place on the frame and the rear end. Which I know I took pictures of but I can't find. I welded out the brackets on the rearend and prepped it for building. I assembled with rearend using an Eaton Posi carrier, Richmond 3.42 gears, a Richmond install kit, Moser rear cover, and Moser street axles with a 5x4.75 stud pattern to match the front. I got everything setup assembled and painted with Eastwood's extreme chassis black. I untapped it this afternoon and this is the finished product. And some pictures from during the build.

[haybale]

Well I will try and put the rest of the pictures up tomorrow, for some reason the uploader is not working for me. I am also going to try and get the rearend under the truck tomorrow and I will take pictures of that as well. I will try and update a little more often, my work has finally put us on a rotation so I am getting some much needed time off.

[haybale]

Here are the pictures I was trying to put on last night. I used some plastic sheeting and made a small paint area in my office. That is the only area that I can keep warm enough right now. The trick was getting the engine lift thru the entry door by myself. The legs completely collapsed on the lift where still 39in and the door opening is 36in. The paint I used was Eastwood's extreme chassis black in spray cans. It laid down really well and looks great. I used an acid based product called Etch Tech to help remove the rust and then sanded and wire wheeled the housing till no signs of rust could be seen. Before spraying I wiped the whole rearend with rubbing alcohol to get any oil or dust off.

[haybale]

I got the rearend under the frame this afternoon. After wrestling the engine lift out of the office, it's 39in wide with the legs collapsed and the door is 36in wide, installing the rearend was easy. I am leaving the brackets on the frame tacked for now, I will weld them out when I make sure everything is set right and I finish the mock up. I think it looks pretty good. I also called Wilwood and I think we have a brake setup figured out. Hopefully I have that in my next days off.