78 gmc heavy half stepside project

[INSIDIOUS '86]

Santa came with some summit parts today. Although I'm quite cross at the fact I got no stickers haha
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[INSIDIOUS '86]

Update. So I got the engine pretty much ready to go. I decided to take the heads in and have them cleaned and change out the valve seals for some new ones also had matching edelbrock springs put in for the cam (edl 5802). I did some bowl blending and minor porting for the last few weeks and had a performance valve job done and angle milled. Why so much work for just a 305? Well if you pull the short block out of the picture everything else put on is good for another engine but I have it put together for about $400 1/4 that being clutch and flywheel.


I'm degreeing the cam here, I use the intake centerline method. The summit 1102 cam calls for a 107* intake centerline and I came up with 108* which accounting for inaccuracies in such that you can be a degree or two off on the crankshaft when you turn it. Either It's good enough.


As I was getting the lifters ready I lubed the lifter bores with leftover cam lube. The summit kit gives you plenty which is a good thing. Another thing to note is that when you do this before installing lifters put the engine in final position so I put it on number 1 firing position, this makes it so that you don't wipe your grease off your cam. Just a thing I like to do. I haven't tightened down the rockers yet as one of them was kinda screws inside with a big raised ding. It pays to look at the details. Even if your engine is a used slightly worn 305 being half assed together.

Another detail. I like to braze my pickup tubes to the oil pump. This is a summit brand pump but its really just a melling m55 in a plain summit box. When you braze take the relief spring out as well and then let it cool slowly. I improvised at school and threw it in a rod oven and that worked fine. Also past couple years they haven't done so great in cleaning up their castings such as edges and passages. Carb cleaner and a dremal to radius edges.


Here it is together if you look closely at heat passages I used some coke can tin to block off the heat riser passages to the intake. I never have really had much issue with cold starts or winter weather here in wash with a proper tuned carb. I never use a choke either although I will hook it up and use it on this engine with my 650 demon. Not the carb that's on it now. That's my nice $75 Craigslist Barry grant gold claw. Goes on my red truck when I don't care about how much gas I use haha. I put some pull tabs on the heat riser blockers if I want to pull them out if winter starting gets that much worse. Worth a try anyways. Also LOL I re used the intake gaskets haha.

Btw girlfriends jewelry cleaner is great for getting air bubbles out of lifters while they soak in oil haha. Shhh don't tell her btw
Also summit lifters look like reman or repro oem style lifters. They have a good crown but surface finish on the swirl is kinda rough for my liking but if anything wipes out then I'm sure summit will replace and I will use different lifters. But for now I think they will do. Also use leftover cam lube on the bottom of the lifters before install.


This week I'm going to try and get the firewall painted and the trans mounted and my clutch pedals in as well. Also cutout the trans tunnel for the big hump floor.

Keep tuned guys! More progress to come in the coming weeks. Just got done with this quarter of school so I have more time on my hands to get things done. The cheap way of coarse but hey do it right and cheap is ok
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[INSIDIOUS '86]

Getting some progress done on the firewall today. Hopefully I get the engine department detailed and ready by next week!
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[INSIDIOUS '86]

Got a lot done today. Trucks almost ready to accept the engine. Hopefully the weather holds out. Pics soon!
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[wraprail]

Why are you using the sm465? Do you already have one?
Just curious why you would use this boat ancor when there are lots of other choices

Originally Posted by INSIDIOUS '86

I'm degreeing the cam here, I use the intake centerline method. The summit 1102 cam calls for a 107* intake centerline and I came up with 108* which accounting for inaccuracies in such that you can be a degree or two off on the crankshaft when you turn it. Either It's good enough.

Just wondering , Shouldn't you have the rocker arms installed and take your dial indacater reading from the retainer on the intake valve?
I never seen anyone just take your reading from a lose pushrod just sitting on the lifter. Maybe something new.......

Originally Posted by INSIDIOUS '86

Been going to school full time and have only 15hrs work a week so its hard to make any progress

What grade are you in now SID?

[INSIDIOUS '86]

Originally Posted by wraprail

Why are you using the sm465? Do you already have one?
Just curious why you would use this boat ancor when there are lots of other choices


It's cheap an durable and my m22 that I have stowed away is worn with a stripped first gear. Plus I'm saving it for a more worthy vehicle.

Just wondering , Shouldn't you have the rocker arms installed and take your dial indacater reading from the retainer on the intake valve?
I never seen anyone just take your reading from a lose pushrod just sitting on the lifter. Maybe something new.......


I take two measurements first off the lifter then off the valve. I tried this way just cause I got lazy and didn't want to set up a whole bunch of times. Being just a 305 it's not anything special for me to be super precise on.





What grade are you in now SID?

I'm in 9th grade taking welding certs
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[INSIDIOUS '86]

So here's the update. Some of you may have already seen them but I will post anyways. I got the firewall painted and the frame washed up and detailed the hoses and lines with some acrylic lacquer to get the paint off them. All of this was done with conventional spray paint. Being that its under the hood and not in sunlight it will holdup fine and is 100% better than how it looked before. Now don't worry guys I'm not doing that on the exterior, that's getting real paint. Knowing that paint work is 90% prep sure you can get great results with hairspray it just isn't that great at wearing at all in weather and sun etc..

I went to put in the manual pedals but being an automatic truck the pedal mounts aren't made to fit manual pedals so I kinda made them fit with a sawzall haha
Seeing as how I had my fun tool out I proceeded to cuss at the truck for not just "bolting together and cut a big hole in the floor haha
Just have to drill and install clips for the big hump floor pan
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[INSIDIOUS '86]

$50 junkyard score not pictured is my summit air cleaner that I found under the hood of a truck and the saddle blanket I got for free in its glorious fuglyness

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[wraprail]

Hey SID, manual or automatic does not change anything on the truck.
Unbolt the auto pedals and bolt in manual. If you cut something you are doing something wrong.
Just giving you a heads up before you screw something up. Although looks like its too late for that. Lol.
Also don't know if you know this but get the bellhousing with that granny tranny. Your M22 bell won't work.
Wait..... You have an auto in the red truck... Right? ......................wait....................Wut?
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[INSIDIOUS '86]

Originally Posted by wraprail

Hey SID, manual or automatic does not change anything on the truck.
Unbolt the auto pedals and bolt in manual. If you cut something you are doing something wrong.
Just giving you a heads up before you screw something up. Although looks like its too late for that. Lol.
Also don't know if you know this but get the bellhousing with that granny tranny. Your M22 bell won't work.
Wait..... You have an auto in the red truck... Right? ......................wait....................Wut?
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I have a full setup for the m22 that's all separate. Don't think I will add that to the red truck though.

An I looked at a friends truck today and the bracket is different for auto to Manual trucks. So I did have to cut. I will have to get a new pedal "cage" for the truck so I can make it right in the future. I know gm has things cross over in a lot of these trucks but I gues that's not one of the parts.

Driving my friends sm465 I can see why these things take a while to shift. Feel like I'm rowing a boat and pushing a never ending clutch pedal to the floor to disengage the clutch. So I will prob dick around with the z bar ratio and see if I can make the pedal travel smaller. Albeit this wil make it harder but still nothing compared to some of the heavy clutches I've driven with haha.
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[INSIDIOUS '86]

Found a perfectly heinous seatcover at the wrecking yard. I washed it and found 23¢ an a pocket knife. Apperantly It hadn't been washed ever as when I looked in the wash the water was completely dark chocolate milk brown. Ughhh.... So after three washings it's clean and I threw it on. I gotta say its not that ugly like I wanted but at least it has pockets. I'm thinking of dying it black where the red is

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[INSIDIOUS '86]

Not a whole bunch done this week weather has been wack and won't make up its mind between rain and sun. Went up to easy Steve's place and helped him with his truck with Cory D got some notch work done and welding.


Got a "bad" distributor off Craigslist for $5 the guy complained it he couldn't tune it. At the local parts yard I got some factory hei weights to replace the garbage mr gasket style curve kit. These don't curve until way way late in the rpm and then only give little advance. And going light on the spring makes them come on at idle. My guess is these came with the distributor as the plastic bushings of stock hei weights wouldn't fit over the pins.
So I got on my lathe and made some bushings then went a step further a ground the center plate edges to get the curve to come in quick and fail in more total advance. I will show you guys how to super tune an hei later when it's running. Which may take you a day or two of tweaking and tuning. This is really useful for guys running vortec heads which like 32-34* total advance vs 36-38*

Moved it forward and pulled off the bed with my pet gorilla and my midget buddy

Then played around with some color on my air cleaner lif from the parts yard. Simone before me already scuffed it and primered it. I'm not sure on the combo but nothing's certain yet
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[INSIDIOUS '86]

Tried getting the motor in today...well it's Halfaway in haha. Need to move the crossmember forward and finesse it with a hammer some more. Firewall got effed putting it in. So I have to go back and re work it. Damn sm465 is so heavy that I have to pick it up from the back of the engine almost haha. Cory D dropped the tanks and pulled the front leaf spring hangers easy Steve is doing a flip on his project so were going to trade again. So I got my drop hangers back. May put them on this or the red truck. Idk for sure so we shall see. But right now it looks literally like the truck exploded in the yard haha
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[INSIDIOUS '86]

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[INSIDIOUS '86]

Getting so close guys! Literally building this paycheck to paycheck. $50 here and there every week. You would be surprised at what you can do on a budget
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[cochino12]

looking good!!! My wife is always b*&^$ing about my truck blowing up all over the place hahaha

[INSIDIOUS '86]

So the engine being in I have proceeded to install the starter and driveshafts. Got my new pushrods in and got the rockers adjusted. Unfortunately I found out that my passenger side shock mount is cracked. I only found it cause me and a friend where having fun with the one ton springs and I saw it moving up and down with the whole suspension. I got the front bumper mounted and the rear frame cleaned up and painted. I found four free tires in good shape to beat on too! Found a old line lock cylinoid from the 67 belvedere gtx race car My family had built. I visited the wrecking yard again and got a free alternator and bought a gauge bezel and got my gauges put together. Getting my insides of the front fenders painted along with the core support. Got a spare fuel pump mounted with home MADE gaskets. If you can't tell low budget and used parts are the key. But so far it's been fun. Fun not spending insane amounts on new and rebuilt parts. What's worked for me so far is targeting wear items. Brakes ball joints u joints wheels bearings engine and trans and a solid rear end. Keeping these all in check and making sure they are all in spec. My truck has never let me down or on the side of the road because of that the stepside will be the same way but 4xcheaper! I will show you how as well. Have a safe Independence Day everyone!

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[INSIDIOUS '86]

I made these in a cnc plasma class at college. I got a blazer the step side and my truck that started it all. The red insidous'86 Scottsdale all will have a sheet metal panel made like this of thier own. I'm talking to a local guy about contracting a bunch of cutouts like this to make available to the forum. For real low cheap too! Hopefully we can strike a deal .
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[Billy81]

Those bullet valve cover hold downs are pretty sweet..

[INSIDIOUS '86]

Got the front end put together and the wiring ran. Still have to go through the brakes get a new master cylinder and rear pinion yoke and a radiator and hoses. Then I just have to add oil a battery and plugs and wires and it should move. Then tie up some details and she's good to go!

Here's the frame all painted up

Getting the front end together


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Also found the passenger side front shock mount is cracked so I have to take that apart and clean it up and weld er back like normal.

[77ChevySharkBite]

Coming along nicely bro!!! I had to catch up some but looking sharp!!
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[INSIDIOUS '86]

Originally Posted by 77ChevySharkBite

Coming along nicely bro!!! I had to catch up some but looking sharp!!
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Thanks I would have had this ironed out in a month but between school work and my kid money gets tight
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[INSIDIOUS '86]

Got a few new things this week for free at the pick n pull. Nice when you you go with freinds who buy a lot of parts and you fill a wheelbarrow and the don't check the small stuff underneath. but I found a 73 gmc with the complete front end on it. So I grabbed the brackets and hood latch support. Then we found a tach dash in an 80s truck. So we got that too. Truck had a complete air dam system under as well but I was to tired to pull that after hauling wheelbarrows and tailgates for a few hours in 90* weather haha.



Got off school to a nice sunset of the port here. And got some pics of my red truck and the nice skylight

I will prob write a build thread on it although its quite far into the project hopefully I can get a vid up for you guys with the stepside running!
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[Low Elco]

Keep it hustlin', baby! I like the whole lo-dough thing! Cant wait to hear it barkin'!

[INSIDIOUS '86]

So lets look at the budget and how I got here with the little money I have spent.

The truck cost me $500 and was just a shell with the wheels that are on it. I had a back window,The seat and the steering column. Months prior I had gotten a gmc grill for about $35. I already had bumpers and headlight bezels but that was it trim wise. Before I even bought the truck I traded a Holley 600 carb and $200 for a complete sm465 pedals and floor hump conversion and a hydro boost for my red red truck all from Cory D and easy Steve on the forum here.
I got the 305 engine and tpi intake on trade with one of my freinds friend with another Holley 600 I had laying around. These carbs I all got free new for helping people with projects.

And right now my two year old is showing his awesome tantrums so I will give you the rest in a bit
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