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CK5
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Grandpa - 1976 GMC Crewcab
- Thread starter kennyw
- Start date
As things tend to go, I drug home a new project.
Short term plan: clean up the wiring, fix the fuel tank/delivery issue, get a new battery, install good used tires, install a good hood, grill, and drive it for a bit.
Long term plan is to install the 12V 5.9L Cummins, Allison, and 4x4 swap. Possibly with a Super Duty D60.
Then, I needed a parts truck...
Short term plan: clean up the wiring, fix the fuel tank/delivery issue, get a new battery, install good used tires, install a good hood, grill, and drive it for a bit.
Long term plan is to install the 12V 5.9L Cummins, Allison, and 4x4 swap. Possibly with a Super Duty D60.
Then, I needed a parts truck...
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I pulled this one into the shop today.
The crewcab runs and drives but wasn't ready to do so when I first looked at it. I made a deal with the seller that included him making it run well enough to load on the trailer then came back a week later and picked it up. That involves a fuel line inserted into a fuel can, so one of the first tasks will be getting the fuel tank pulled.
I also have a set of wheels and tires from the wrecked parts truck that will replace the rotting 16.5" stock ones.
The crewcab runs and drives but wasn't ready to do so when I first looked at it. I made a deal with the seller that included him making it run well enough to load on the trailer then came back a week later and picked it up. That involves a fuel line inserted into a fuel can, so one of the first tasks will be getting the fuel tank pulled.
I also have a set of wheels and tires from the wrecked parts truck that will replace the rotting 16.5" stock ones.
Just before that, I had the parts truck in the shop to pull a few things needed for the crewcab. Grill, fender badges, and and related pieces. They all need a bath before installing though.
Of course, the bent hood and tube grill were the first to go.
Quick project to fix, or at least improve the tailgate. It was missing all of the rubber bumpers, and had a later Chevy gate. Now it has all the correct hardware and letters on the tailgate, and half of the correct colors.
Nice project!
Those 76 GMC grills are hard to find.
Happy to see the tube grill hit the trash.
Those 76 GMC grills are hard to find.
Happy to see the tube grill hit the trash.
How do you find all these trucks?
Back in the day I would just drive around and if I seen something I liked I would just drive in and ask if they would consider selling. I bought a lot of vehicles that way. For cheep!
The way it goes now is not even safe to ask.
Market place? Or old school? What’s your secret? Its fine to give up your way… I’m not in your area. lol!
You find alot of decent projects, parts rigs.
Interesting to know how you go about it?
Back in the day I would just drive around and if I seen something I liked I would just drive in and ask if they would consider selling. I bought a lot of vehicles that way. For cheep!
The way it goes now is not even safe to ask.
Market place? Or old school? What’s your secret? Its fine to give up your way… I’m not in your area. lol!
You find alot of decent projects, parts rigs.
Interesting to know how you go about it?
Sometimes it's Marketplace, looking at the ads that that have poor descriptions and pictures after I see the seller dropping the price. Other times they find me through word of mouth. But I do mark stuff I see in fields on a map to try and circle back on someday. I'm also in an area without major road salt use, so rust issues are not as bad and these trucks are still common.
Both this truck and the wife's 86 GMC K2500 were marketplace ads with bad pics and poor descriptions that no one showed up to look at for months.
Both this truck and the wife's 86 GMC K2500 were marketplace ads with bad pics and poor descriptions that no one showed up to look at for months.
The first thing I looked for was a grill. I drove 3 hours out of my way and violated my biggest rule in parts trucks, don't buy a truck without a title, because the grill was good.
looks like the dash is good too
Grill, dash bezel, fender badges, and 3 point seat belts will all get used on the crewcab.
I sold the core motor to a local guy, he opened it up and said it was very clean and good to run. looking at the interior, I'd guess the parts truck only had 120K miles on it .
Perfect! That’s how I look too!
Halfway through taking the front end apart the power went out, luckily it came back 5 minutes later.
Someone must have hit something and taken out the grill and to panel before installing the tube grill. I had to replace the top panel as it was from the wrong year, and the holes they drilled to mount the grill support brackets were not quite right.
Overall, it is cleaning up nicely with the correct grill and better tires.
Someone must have hit something and taken out the grill and to panel before installing the tube grill. I had to replace the top panel as it was from the wrong year, and the holes they drilled to mount the grill support brackets were not quite right.
Overall, it is cleaning up nicely with the correct grill and better tires.
Yesterday, I finished swapping the rear wheels and torqued lug nuts. I'm short a few lugnuts from the set I swapped with the wheels and used another incomplete set to finish the last wheel, so I'll need to find 5 more that match.
Today, I went out with the plan to get it running off the fuel tank. There is gas in one tank but the other appears empty. I'm guessing the selector valve died and it is defaulting to the passenger tank that is empty. I'll add a gallon and pump it into a bucket to test in a bit but had other things to do while it was already on the lift.
I also needed to swap the battery cables as both were too short. I found the positive cable was also likely shorting on the header because it was routed wrong.
Then the main stud for the cable stripped onthe solenoid while installing the new cable, so I pulled the starter to replace it. The spare was pulled from a milk crate so I went ahead and tested it. It tested good, but the main stud was a hair loose, so I pulled the solenoid, cleaned contacts, and tightened everything up. Then retested, and reinstalled.
View attachment 20251108_150451.mp4
Next, I found the starter trigger wire lug had a hole that was too small to fit over the stud on the solenoid. I was able to hold the lug with vice grips and step the hole up with a drill until it fit properly.
Once it was back on the ground, I moved to cleaning to ground cable contacts and decided to replace incorrect hardware on the alternator while I was at it. I dug through every location I could think of in the shop but could not find the correct spacer other than on a complete motor, but that has a home so I just compared the spacer I had and found one extra washer made it the right length. After tensioning the belt, the pivot bolt tightened, popped loose, then tightened again. I pulled it out to find a very short piece of a helicoil fall out.
Looking at it closer, i didn't find the rest of it, so I started looking to see if I had one, but none the right size. I messaged my local friends and none had them either, so I ran to the hardware store (the good one two towns over) but they only carried the better but thicker inserts that would require redrilling and tapping the hole. At the hardware store, my wife asked what size I needed, then proceeded to tell me she has then at the machine shop in the first town we drove through, but she left her keys at home. Trip#2, we grab helicoils and the install tool, but needed to stop at Lowes to copy keys.
Finally get home, install the helicoil, and replace two more suspect bolts holding the alternator bracket, and I was able to tension the belt properly again.
Today, I went out with the plan to get it running off the fuel tank. There is gas in one tank but the other appears empty. I'm guessing the selector valve died and it is defaulting to the passenger tank that is empty. I'll add a gallon and pump it into a bucket to test in a bit but had other things to do while it was already on the lift.
I also needed to swap the battery cables as both were too short. I found the positive cable was also likely shorting on the header because it was routed wrong.
Then the main stud for the cable stripped onthe solenoid while installing the new cable, so I pulled the starter to replace it. The spare was pulled from a milk crate so I went ahead and tested it. It tested good, but the main stud was a hair loose, so I pulled the solenoid, cleaned contacts, and tightened everything up. Then retested, and reinstalled.
View attachment 20251108_150451.mp4
Next, I found the starter trigger wire lug had a hole that was too small to fit over the stud on the solenoid. I was able to hold the lug with vice grips and step the hole up with a drill until it fit properly.
Once it was back on the ground, I moved to cleaning to ground cable contacts and decided to replace incorrect hardware on the alternator while I was at it. I dug through every location I could think of in the shop but could not find the correct spacer other than on a complete motor, but that has a home so I just compared the spacer I had and found one extra washer made it the right length. After tensioning the belt, the pivot bolt tightened, popped loose, then tightened again. I pulled it out to find a very short piece of a helicoil fall out.
Looking at it closer, i didn't find the rest of it, so I started looking to see if I had one, but none the right size. I messaged my local friends and none had them either, so I ran to the hardware store (the good one two towns over) but they only carried the better but thicker inserts that would require redrilling and tapping the hole. At the hardware store, my wife asked what size I needed, then proceeded to tell me she has then at the machine shop in the first town we drove through, but she left her keys at home. Trip#2, we grab helicoils and the install tool, but needed to stop at Lowes to copy keys.
Finally get home, install the helicoil, and replace two more suspect bolts holding the alternator bracket, and I was able to tension the belt properly again.
Although I did not spend a penny on parts today, running to the hardware store still cost me $200 because my wife found things to buy while we were there.
Only 6 hours into a 20- minute job overall.
Only 6 hours into a 20- minute job overall.
This weekend I've been working to get this truck roadworthy. Replaced heater hoses, upper radiator hose, and filled radiator. Added a fuel filter that was missing in the carb. New. Air filter. Organized wires and hoses in the engine bay. Then tried to run it, and it would not keep the fuel bowl filled.
It ended up needing a new fuel pump to pull from the tanks and run. But that found another issue where the carb is leaking from just about every gasket and won't run below 1/2 throttle because it now gets too much fuel. I found a new, Chinese knock off Quadrajet on Amazon for $200 and it will be here tomorrow.
With the new GMC V35 Crewcab, this one is going to be put up for sale as soon as the title arrives in the mail.
It ended up needing a new fuel pump to pull from the tanks and run. But that found another issue where the carb is leaking from just about every gasket and won't run below 1/2 throttle because it now gets too much fuel. I found a new, Chinese knock off Quadrajet on Amazon for $200 and it will be here tomorrow.
With the new GMC V35 Crewcab, this one is going to be put up for sale as soon as the title arrives in the mail.
I kind of wondered if the newer one was going to replace this one in the complete project
I would keep them all if I could afford it, and was retired with enough free time to work on them all.
I also added PEX to all of the door strikers today. The drivers door wouldn't shut without slamming it before. It still needs to shut firmly, but a large improvement now and no longer requires slamming it shut.
View attachment 20251116_130157.mp4
New carb has it running well, but it still needs to be properly adjusted.
View attachment 20251118_185230.mp4
View attachment 20251118_185230.mp4
