Lost My 65

[66-PMD-GMC]

I am sure looking forward to your 65 on a 60-62 frame build.
I found that my 58 Pontiac engine mounts that are out of a 58 GMC truck line up with the center mounts on the cross member etc.. etc... looks like a bolt in deal and I have a 62 swb frame..
You also said that they make a disk conversion for the 60-62 frames and I think I can fab a air spring setup for the front so ...
As I said.. waiting to watch what you will be doing.

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by cris well

Thanks man!

What did you use around the fittings? JB Weld or some kind of silicone?

I think I just used oil resistant gasket sealer.
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[LostMy65]

I think I mentioned in my 66 service truck thread that a friend of mine was giving me a couple Fiero buckets. Well, he came across a couple more, but with speakers in the headrests. I guess it was a rare option.
I mounted these in my 65, and will be swapping the backs that have the speakers when he gets those seats removed.
I told him I wanted to give him something for all these seats - He said how about all four seats for $50.

I know it may look totally 80's, but I'm fine with that.


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[Captainfab]

They look good to me. Are they comfy? That's what matters.

[LostMy65]

They are surprisingly very comfy.
I originally just figured when he offered them for free, they would work until I could afford buddy buckets. I found them so comfy, I told him. Then he said he came across the ones with the speakers in the headrests. I'm pretty settled on keeping them for good and down the road have another one of friends who does upholstery wrap them in material similar to what was on my lost buddy buckets.

[markeb01]

They look almost like the Recaro seats I used to have in my truck many years ago:

[LostMy65]

I think of you often when considering the look I want.
Your truck has been with you for years, and it has evolved with the years.
I think that's another unique feature of these trucks; you can change their personality (theme) through the years.

[LostMy65]

Okay, I figured out what I'm going to do to tide me over as I fix body panels and rust repair.
I want to fix only the critical areas that I don't want to allow to get worse.
The hood has some surface rust and the fenders need some help.
Here is what the truck looked like in 2004:


Here's a truck from these forums where the guy mixed a little blue in with primer gray:


So it got me thinking;
I could add some flat black to blue to match the color,
and then add flat white to lighten the shade to match.


I have some SPI Epoxy Primer that I'll put in direct contact with metal as I clean an area up.
Then I'll paint that repair area with my color match mix.
Then, down the road when I can afford to give it a good paint job,
I can just strip the whole truck and only strip the repair areas down to the SPI Epoxy.

[Captainfab]

Just a FYI, there are certain primers that are tintable. They can be mixed to what ever shade of blue you want. I know PPG makes them, but they are $$$. Seems to me that SPI makes a blue in the Hot Rod Flatz paint they sell. Of course this all is dependant on the budget.

[LostMy65]

Thanks,
I thought about tintable primer, but from my research I understand unless it's epoxy,
primer isn't recommended to be driven out in the elements.
Supposedly it doesn't protect the metal from moisture like paint.
That's just what I understand from what reading and research I've done.

[LostMy65]

So I played around with mixing colors again this evening.
I wanted a little periwinkle hint to the blue so I added a very small dab of red,
I found out that mixing in red means I need to add a lot less flat black.
It's just a little more gray than I wanted.
The rear fender is the color I'm trying to match.
Of course, the color in sunlight is closer to my Avatar.

[gmctrucks]

Nice looking truck im glad you found her. My cousin had a truck like yours don't know what year but it was that body style well he put power steering on it he said it bolted right on he also got a gauge cluster from a big truck and it has rpm's on it and he also put A/C on it it was mounted up under the dash board it went almost all across the bottom and I really liked it because it was a 4 speed manuel she sounded so cool to bad his brother totalled it.

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by gmctrucks

Nice looking truck im glad you found her.

Thanks,
I almost decided to not look for her anymore.
And after finding her, I wasn't totally sure I wanted her back.
Members of these forums who knew my story told me that I had best buy her back or find myself kicking myself later.
I am so glad they talked me into it.
Each day, I become more and more appreciative that I have her back.

[LostMy65]

I updated the pic above.
The pics from lastnight were misrepresenting the color.

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[chevy_man5]

Here is a thread almost specifically talking about wanting to know your story!!

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=526860

[LostMy65]

^Thanks
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[LostMy65]

Just to reiterate some specifics that are scattered through these forums and add a bit more....

I bought My 65 in the Summer of 83 from money I made working with my dad all summer.
I was 18.
My first vehicle.
I sold it either late 86 or early 87.
I'm pretty sure it was early 87 when I sold it to the girl who worked at Napa Auto Parts.
When I bought the truck it was a pretty navy blue and was in beautiful shape.
The engine seemed to be a recently rebuilt 283.
The interior was gloss black. With chrome accents like the ashtray.
The seats were Blue Buddy Buckets in perfect shape.
First thing I did to the truck was to change all the knobs, gearshift,
and ashtray handle to oak I got from a dead branch up in an old oaktree out back of the place my dad lived.
(west hills of Portland, OR.)
Then Summer was over and I moved back to Calif.
I decided to forget school and get a job.
Moved into a trailer out back of my grandparents place.

Still just had the stock AM radio, so I bought a Cigarette lighter adapter to plug into the back of my 'Boom-Box'.
The speakers on the box clipped on and could be taken off and put outside on the roof of the cab so we could 'Rock-Out' when us guys would go latenite Catfishing on the Sacramento River. - Build a fire, drink beer, and listen for someone's bell to ring on their pole. Those were goodtimes!
Was working for Lowell Alger Construction and started making money, so I bought a Stereo and 6x9 Triaxial speakers
Cut holes in the doors to mount the Triaxials like all us kids did in those days.
That's about all I did at that time.
....to be continued....

[gmctrucks]

I have a 57 F100 shortbed I put a 302 in it and changed out the rearend to one from a Grand Torino the rearend it had was geared low I have it at my dads house six hours away but the cab is rusting bad I don't know if I should replace the cab or what and the steering is SUPER bad it has big times play on it I think a newer front end should fix it but all it takes is money which I don't have much.

The truck has been in our family since the early 70's im thinking of trailing it up here to Houston and work on it slow. I had all the inside redone but now it has gone to pot along with the paint. I would perfer a truck just like yours im a GM man. Im so confused........ Your truck is nice I love it.

[LostMy65]

I picked up a 12-bolt out of a 69 blazer this last weekend.
3.07 gears.
I've done lots of research on this, and so many posts say that 3.42 is the best ratio.
Although those saying 3.42 are perfect are up in the 30" tire height.
My tires are only 26" tall.
So I took the gear ratio spreadsheet and did a side by side.
Based on the side by side comparison, I won't be any 'doggie'r' than 3.42 & 30" tires.

[66-PMD-GMC]

If you are building a cruzer... the 3.07 rear will be fine.. if it feels like a dog you probably have the wrong cam in the motor.

[LostMy65]

My Hotrod days are past.
It'll just be a nice driver.
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[66-PMD-GMC]

Originally Posted by LostMy65

My Hotrod days are past.
It'll just be a nice driver.
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Then 3.07 is just fine, especially if you have a TH400 or 700R4.. first gear makes up for that higher 3.07 gear..
The big mistake I see guys make is putting some long duration high rpm can in their motor and then wondering why it's a dog with high gears.
Any automotive project needs to be a well thought out package. That is the key to a successful build.

[LostMy65]

I still have the sm420.
The truck currently has a 3.90 rear.
The motor is a 327.
I'm winding out even at 45mph.
My goal here is to get it more driver friendly with the least initial expense.
I wanted to get a 12-bolt under it either way, and the price was right.
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[66-PMD-GMC]

I am not a big fan of the SM420. Great truck trans... a million miles space between gears... it just isn't as inovative as modern transmissions.
I am going with a TH400 for my hauler, the 66.. I have 3.42 rear and 32 inch tires.. it will be fine for what I am doing.
I have a 4 speed OD for my other truck and one for my wifes truck too.
For freeway driving.. you can't beat that 3.07

[Porch]

I got story jus like that 65 gmc I was 13 me and my dad put it on a 80s 4x4 frame never got to install motor mom dad split mom had to sell truck I kept a eye on it for years then when I got job I tried buying back by this time it had a bbc and 400 then I kept trying for years and they would never sell I'll be 33 in oct I traded a fiberglass Tbucket and a lil boot and got it back so there's about 5-7 yrs of jus sitting on drums they took out windsheld it's in poor shape but I got it back I'll have pics soon
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