Dad's 1979 GMC Heavy Half Transformation

[Dads79GMC]

Today I installed my Built By Brooks LWB to SWB kit on Dads frame that has been sitting in the barn for about ten years. Here is where I got the idea:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=717809

I performed the install basically by myself until the very end when I had one of the boys help me slide it together, which took a couple attempts and some additional grinding on the original cut. Yes, had to slide it apart and grind about a 1/16 off the forward cut, then everything lined up.

I plan on having a buddy of mine weld around the outer bracket. I left the bolts loose for for now and will tighten prior to welding when I'm sure everything is square, which it pretty much is now. Once I get the outer bracket welded, I'll take some of the bolts and the inner bracket out and weld the original cut, grind down and reinstall the inner plate and bolts. Will also weld in the inner bracket too. I believe it'll hold!

Enjoy the pictures. Mike

[Dads79GMC]

Additional pictures.

[Dads79GMC]

And more!

[Jaysonb]

Looks good Mike! There's no turning back now!

[Dads79GMC]

Nope! Now I have two SWBs!!

[Dads79GMC]

Everything under the other frame will go under this frame, which is where the pieces came from to begin with. Haven't decided on the LS/4l60E, might put Dad's original 350/350 back on the original frame. Gonna have to start another build thread at some point on the other truck.

[OutlawDrifter]

I've always been a big fan of the 327/350hp cam for a nice streetable setup in a 350. I had one in a 67 swb with a 283/PG that ran awesome, also put one in a 305 I drove daily in a 78 El Camino.

[Dads79GMC]

This retirement life has me pretty productive around the house and on the truck(s).

Noticed that my back crossmember was bent inward and suddenly remembered that I had purchased a crossmember from "thinair" in Omaha some time ago to replace it if I ever planned to use the frame. It is truly remarkable how these frames use common holes. I figured the one that I purchased would go in the same holes vacated by the old bent crossmember; nope! There are another set of holes, six inches toward the front that the new crossmember will go into. It's also nice to have another SWB factory frame laying around to compare cross-measurements with etc.

Does anyone know if I have to move the spare tire piece forward (toward front of truck) six inches as well if I plan to use it?

Thanks Mike

[Dads79GMC]

Had a couple hours this afternoon to wrap-up the LWB to SWB kit on Dad's frame. Kind of a pain getting the replacement rear crossmember holes to line up by yourself, but an old jack, a ratchet trap, a couple solid blocks and a brick came in handy. Time to take it to the welder!!! Mike

[Dads79GMC]

Today I decided to attempt to recreate one of the wood bed pieces. Of course I picked the most difficult piece to take the dive on. So, I had a scrap piece of 16ga sheetmetal, kind of rough, that I found in the barn last week; thought it would be a good piece to practice on. Before beginning, I measured the thickness of the original and it was pretty much 16ga - had to find the cleanest piece to measure.

Pictures:
1. Piece to be recreated laying on sheetmetal.
2. Traced piece laying on garage floor.
3. After metal brake, laying next to original piece (neighbor has one).
4. After rolling the bead.

More to follow:

[Dads79GMC]

Continued:

5. After welding inside corner piece.
6. Falling in line. Picture looks distorted??
7. Checking Fitment on inner fender.

Seven more pieces to go.

Gotta emboss the end now?????

Mike

[Dads79GMC]

Creating the right rear piece that has been shortened six inches:

Pictures:
1 Original Cut Down 6"
2 Template
3 Template 2
4 Rough Piece, had to hand bend the bolting flanges
5 First Test fit

In pic #2, you can see that there's a tab that makes up the thickness of the wood. At some point i'll have to create all of them, I'm just waiting to do that until all the pieces are made and I have some wood to test fit with.

[Dads79GMC]

Pictures:

6 Looks to be short
7 Yep, it's short; had to do some extending; cut and weld scrap piece in extending the bead
8 Fits now
9 Better, second fit after welding in piece and building up the weld by bed post
10 Screwed to bed side after drilling holes

Six to go!!

Thanks Mike

[Dads79GMC]

In order for the bead to work, you have to leave some excess material to the outside in order to pass through the dies. After rolling the bead, I cut off the excess then smooth it out.

Mike

[81k]

Those are some fine fabrication skills you are showing off. Great work!

[evan]

Cool project. I'm in for updates.

[Dads79GMC]

Thanks 81k and even.

[daddyjeep]

Very nice work. It sure is nice to have the proper tools.

[Dads79GMC]

Originally Posted by daddyjeep

Very nice work. It sure is nice to have the proper tools.

Thanks daddyjeep! On the second piece I made, the neighbor was gone and I resorted to bending over the piece myself with a plain old hammer and a piece of steel. May not be able to rely on the neighbors hydraulic brake; he tends to be gone a lot seeing grandkids and other activities. The only real tool I have is a cheap bead roller from Eastwood ($139) that isn't suppose to do 16ga, but I'm pushing it through OK, for now. Six pieces to go, hopefully I doesn't fail! All I use for cutting the sheetmetal is normal DeWalt Jig Saw, or cut-off disc on a grinder. Nothing special.

Mike

[Dads79GMC]

Three more pieces complete. I have the two driver side inner fender pieces and one passenger inner fender piece to complete. Then the detail work. All of the straight piece have 3/4" risers that need to be welded in to compensate for the wood and will be drilled for attachment to the x-members. I did order some strips (whatever they're called) and hardware for the SWB stepside. Haven't decided on what wood to use. May go with hickory??? Thanks Mike

Pictures:
1. Three templates laid out after cutting (jigsaw)
2. Bead Roller (Eastwood). Had to reinforce to eliminate deflection or whatever you call it.
3. Working the back driver side piece
4. Same
5. Need to trim the piece by the bead then DA sand

[Dads79GMC]

Pictures:
1. Front passenger side piece
2. Front driver side piece
3. Rear driver side piece
4. Started work on the rise in the floor for gas tank filler thingy. That shouldn't be too difficult?????

Gonna have to go out some larger sheet metal piece(s) to do the curved pieces around the inner fender(s).

Thanks Mike

[Dads79GMC]

Shifted some things around the garage and brought in the Dad's frame from the barn. Going to weld the LWB to SWB kit tonight and hopefully get it cleaned so that I can paint it this weekend. Plan is to then, as mentioned before, transition everything over to Dad's frame from which it came from originally. The cab in the picture is the 85 I picked up in November that will one day go one on the frame to the left, that's for another build thread.

Also ordered some SWB step-side wood bed strips to see how they'd work out on the floor I'm working on. Six came in the pack. kind of relieved that all the holes lined up and they'll work just fine. Nothing fancy, just steel strips and bolts that'll end up being the color of the truck.

Thanks Mike

Pictures:
1. Dad's frame moved into the garage
2-4. Test fitting bed strips

[Dads79GMC]

Pictures:
1. Bed temporarily moved other frame to make room for the Dad's frame
2. A look inside bed

[Jaysonb]

That's turning out awesome Mike!!

[Dads79GMC]

Thanks Jayson! One bad thing about retirement; honey-do list is must longer than when you have an excuse Been putting up new trim and painting inside the house, then sneaking outside during this evening to work on whatever my ADD wants to work on.