1946 gmc

I figured it was time to make a build thread for my 46 GMC. It will be road-ready in the spring, but I've already got a year of progress. Unfortunately I have a bunch of pictures that I don't have uploaded yet, and don't have a lot of detailed photos, but I'll post what I have for now anyways.

It's on an 85 S-10 regular cab longbox frame. The 46 is a 3/4 ton, so we shortened the box 9" to make it into a shortbox and get the wheels placed where I wanted them in the wheelwells. Driveline is a 74 Buick 455 with a turbo 400, Mercury Mountaineer Aluminum Driveshaft and the S-10 rear with 3.42 gears. The 455 has an Edelbrock performer intake, Comp 268H cam, and a Demon 650 CFM carb. I used the brake boosterand it's inner brace (firewall to dash) from the S-10, as well as the pedals, steering column, and seat. It's got a Vintage Air GEN II Heater, Painless harness, and Northern Aluminum rad (direct fit for a Hemi Cuda).

Here's the frame ready to go after getting everything squared away:


The 455 ready to be mated to the frame:


Frame and driveline all sorted out. We had to make our own motor mounts for the frame side because I didn't have them from the Buick. Lots of work but worked out really well.


Taking the cab mounts off after seeing the cab beside the frame:


Cab finally set on the frame after several times on and off and trimming:



Cab mounted:








Then we had to patch up the driver's rear fender (a part of it was missing) and we built a roll pan between the fenders, and put 50 pontiac LED taillights in the pan. I did my best to make the patina on the roll pan blend with the truck.

Some pictures of the motor and the truck as it is now:



Wheeltubs in the box, and oak plywood stained grey to look a bit aged.
















Wheels powdercoated I have 15x10's for the back and 15x8 for the front, both with a lot of reverse:

nice

cool looking truck.

whats the coupe?

Later

My dad's 33 Dodge coupe. It was originally rodded in the 70's, with a 302 Ford and C4. Brought it up from a family friend in Montana almost 2 years ago.

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Nice any picks on the rad mount...looks good are ya gonna leave it in original patina

Yes, the patina is staying the way it is. Don't have any pics on how I mounted the rad. It had to be kicked out at the bottom to clear the steering box. I wanted as big a rad as possible though to keep the 455 cool, and we did some unique fabrication to get the rad mounted in there to that it works. The bottom mount is a strap of 2" flat iron that is welded to the original rad support, and bolts to the flange on the rad. The top is aluminum straps that keep the rad in place to the top rad support.

Definitely a cool project, I think it looks good just like that!

looks kool keep it up

Great project. You really nailed the stance, looks dead on. And I gotta love the big Buick mill.

Very nice! I like the wheel choice and color.

Willowbilly3 said:

Great project. You really nailed the stance, looks dead on. And I gotta love the big Buick mill.

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Thanks! Took a lot of thinking and looking to get the stance right. Had the back an inch lower originally, but raised it up to get things right. The rear tires are 31x10.5, I like the big and little look which I think adds to it.

I wanted something that's different, and there aren't many 455's around. I was also after the torque, should be almost 500 the way it's built.

klink said:

Very nice! I like the wheel choice and color.

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Thanks! The wheels are actually a little darker than they look in the photo. I have the tires mounted on them now but no photos. I have the right style (handwritten script) GMC hub caps on the way, that I'll have modified to fit the wheels, and I'm going to have the wheels pinstriped too on the outer edge, instead of beauty rings. I'll keep the striping colors I want a surprise, but I'm really happy with the color on the wheels...

Just a quick update, and I'll post some photos to go along later. Got my GMC hubcaps this week, so now I need to send them off to Wheelsmith to get them modified to fit my wheels, since noone reproduces that hubcap to fit the rally type wheels, they're only reproduced to tip the old style wheels with clips. They'll look great, and I'm excited to be able to put them on!

Did you get your hub caps done yet? Love the over all look of this thing and can't wait to see it with the wheels and caps.

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I'm looking forward to seeing those wheels and tires on that thing !

I'm just south of Calgary, doing a similar build - 1941 Chevy on a 1990 S15 chassis. Not quite as far along, I'm just trying to cram a radiator in around that steering box too ! [

The ole Jimmy is coming along nicely.
I like the wheels a lot. I didn't see where you mention you got them.

That truck is awesome!! It has a perfect stance, and great patina!!

Snake Farm said:

Did you get your hub caps done yet? Love the over all look of this thing and can't wait to see it with the wheels and caps.

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Unfortunately my personal and work lives went a little nuts in the last couple months. I'm hoping to get the hubcaps sent off next week. I got the wheels on it and they look awesome, but it's up in the air in my garage so I can't get a good photo of it with them on.

BlackRat said:

I'm looking forward to seeing those wheels and tires on that thing !

I'm just south of Calgary, doing a similar build - 1941 Chevy on a 1990 S15 chassis. Not quite as far along, I'm just trying to cram a radiator in around that steering box too ! [

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Awesome! I hope to use the truck a lot this year so maybe I'll see you around! I had a lot of trouble finding a radiator that would fit and be big enough to cool the 455. I can get the number of the Northern rad I used when I get home tonight, if that will help you? I had to tilt the rad out at the bottom so that it goes in front of the steering box and I have it in front of the rad support at the top, but there is still lots of room for a transmission cooler in front of the rad as well as a 16" Electric pusher fan.

Old Iron said:

The ole Jimmy is coming along nicely.
I like the wheels a lot. I didn't see where you mention you got them.

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They were all custom offsets and I got them from Wheel Vintiques. Ordered them from a company called Wheelmaster based out of Calgary, Alberta. I'm really happy with the way they turned out. When I can get a decent pic I'll post it!

I've got it in my garage now to wire it, then it will be back to my dad's garage to finish up the other details (I don't have a welder or things like that).

Neverdone said:

That truck is awesome!! It has a perfect stance, and great patina!!

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Thanks! I'm really happy with the way it's coming along!

Well I got it to fire a couple days ago. I couldn't run it for very long as I have a fuel issue I'm chasing. Once I figure that out, I'll be able to run it for a longer period of time and actually see how the engine seems to be running.

About 5 or so hours I estimate left on the wiring and it should be buttoned up. Then I get haul ass and get it on the road, and actually take some new pictures of it out of the garage!

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