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New Ride! 78 GMC. *The build thread that never was?*

y5mgisi

y5mgisi

1 ton status
Joined
Aug 11, 2002
Posts
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Location
Portland Oregon
Yes sir! Picked up a 1978 GMC 3/4 ton 350/400/203/14ff/d44. Paid 1700 for it. I think i did pretty good on it. Its got a part time kit in the t-case, new carpet, pretty new edelbrock carb and intake, headers, dual 2.5"exhuast with flowmaster 40's, cruise control, fancy seats, etc. Certainly the best driving truck I have ever owned.

Plans, dont include much actually. Going to ditch the canopy, and the front bull bar, put a different set of wheels and tires on it and clean up the engine compartment. I really like it.

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Looks good! So what exactly are you going to clean up in the engine compartment? The only things I can see that I may even think about doing something with are the vac line wraped around the radiator hose and the red wire draped along the firewall but it looks pretty neat and clean to me!
 
Ya not too much to do under there but there is kinda some weired wiring going on and cobbled vacume lines and the plug wires need replaced and clipped together etc. Not too much but a few little things. Thanks for the compliment btw.
 
Good solid looking truck. Paint scheme reminds me of my old suburban, except it was rusted like crazy (Ohio winters).
 
LOL well thank you but it's not THAT nice. The arm rest us torn and the door pockets are missing. Certainly not to bad though. Again, I appreciate the kind words.
 
Thanks! And ya, the canopy is getting sold hopefully. I'll give it away or trash it soon if not. Any way, weekend after next im going to test its towing capability's by using it to tow my 78 burb back up to my cabin in eastern Oregon. Its about a 250 mile drive so we'll see how she does. It has a 400 trans so all should go well. The previous owner used to haul a 5000 pound camp trailer with it and said it did pretty well. Should be fun! Plus it will return home with a better set of wheels and tires!
 
I dig it. Dispite the minor blemishes you mentioned about the interior, I think the inside looks awsome. Great find.
 
Nice find!! I'll agree on getting rid of the cap (and the push bar and steps...)

The tie down cleats on the bedsides are unfortunate, but hard to remove easily so I'd prolly just leave them. Inside is definitely decent...

Rene
 
Yes the push bar will certainly go. Crazy as it is the steps are growing on me... Who knows, might keep em, might not. I'm headed to u-pull it tomorrow to try to find a couple things and I'll keep my eye out for stuff on craigslist too. Should have at least some kind of update tomorrow. Don't know how much I will really get done cause it's supposed to rain tomorrow... Lame. One way or another I shall add new pics! Thanks again for the compliments!
 
I thought I had a hell of buy on 88 wrangler for $2200, I,m sending you shopping next time.
 
Lol seriously its not that nice. THe pics do it a little too much justice. I mean imnot trying to down play it but it does have some flaws. My thought is $1700+This Truck+ not too shaby.

Anyway i didnt get everything done today that i wanted. Mostly becasue of running around to get everything! But that was ok as it rained durring the run around sesion. Finally got started on it at about 4:30... So i replaced the broken headlight bezel with one form the junkyard and started the "tear down".I got all the stuff for a pretty complete tune up, and a set of valve seals to get rid of the chevy salute in the morning.So i got about half way done replacing the seals when it was time to call it a night. No big deal. I will have to find my stupid camera which seems to be MIA, Casue you have got to see the underside of the dist. cap. The previous owner had put the "coil button" in upside down! Im kinda surprised it ran... And one of the spark plugs had the insulation cracked but still seemed to have been firing well enough. All the plugs looked old but basically goos as far as rich/lean and blow by. So anyhow tomorrow i will head out early in the morning and do the other 8 valve seals and put all the tune up stuff on. Hopefully find my camera so i can get you pic feinds your fix!
 
Well my camera is still lost but i can assure you im all finished up! Got the remaining seals in and put it all back together cleaner and with the new tune up stuff. Runs much better now! And shouldn't do the smoke show either... Also sold off the canopy today as well. Feeling pretty acomplished.
 
Well im disgruntled. I did the tune up and everything and it ran perfect. Ultra smooth even. Now all the sudden it just went to crap! Idles like its running on 4 and hesitates when taking off from a stop light! Its like it runs good most of the time while driving and it still runs good wide open but my driveabilty just isn't there. Gotta do some diagnosing next weekend. What a bummer. I was so happy to have a truck thats just ready to go and now its not.
 
Sweet truck man! To bad your not closer Id take that topper off your hands.
 
As far as the module goes, No i did not move it but today i replaced the harness that goes from the module to the coil (therefore i had to remove the module) and did apply die-electric grease and that made no difference. And i know you are supposed to run the thermal grease stuff but at the moment the die-electric was all i had.

BTW i all ready sold off the canopy for 40 bucks.
 
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