1950 GMC build after 31 year slumber

[RickyBobby]

Great work!!

 

[bob w]

Yep, nice job fitting the patch panel in there.

I keep forgetting to go to the post office for a flat rate box to send that stuff to you. I'll get 'er done soon though.

 

[jfg455]

Thanks for the kind words fellas.

No worries Bob.

Still not happy with the fit along the top. Old and new stampings don't seem to want to come together the way I think they should. Some cutting and moving may be in order. [

 

[jfg455]

Well I have been able to slide out to the garage here and there in the last week and get a bit more done on the 50.

I got the floor on the drivers side patched




I finished fitting the old door back into the drivers side panel after a ton of hammering and dollying swearing etc...


And I got the passengers side panel all fitted and welded in. I even managed to put a small dent in the new panel near the bottom! Lol [cl

 

[jfg455]

Today I worked on the hole in the roof over the quater window. I can't say enough about RRR members helping each other out! This roof section from AZ was just about perfect and it is 63 years old!

Here is what the rats did to it by buiding a nest inside the roof and peeing on it for 31 years...




Here is the absolutely mint repair piece...


Outside piece all fittind...ton of hammer and dolly work as my roof has been used and abused for most of its life...


And the inside panel roughed in...And yes, before you ask, I did cut the piece too short on one side! I will knock out a filler piece this week and fix it.

 

[Dirtyrat]

It would have looked too clean without the dent... I say leave it! =)

 

[bob w]

It's all looking excellent. Gotta love that rust free western metal.

 

[GJunktionMike]

With tin skills like that, when are we going to see it chopped.

 

[jfg455]

It would have looked too clean without the dent... I say leave it! =)

The dent stays for now due to the fact that I can't get to the back side to knock it out. And I don't feel like welding a post to it and pulling it..[S

It's all looking excellent. Gotta love that rust free western metal.

Amen to that!

With tin skills like that, when are we going to see it chopped.

GJ you do notice the pics are blurry on purpose right? lol
This one will stay full hieght but I do have an idea (and 80% of the parts) for a wild 35 ford pick up that will test all of my limited metal skills. Lets just say C5 vette running gear, chopped, channelled, stretched full fenders and full tube chassis...

 

[RickyBobby]

The c5 stuff does work good....

 

[jfg455]

So I have been plugging away at the 50 in between the 59 ford V8 swap work and life. I welded up 4524 holes in the fire wall, made a trans tunnel cover which I will not be showing any time soon, and started the big job of wiring the truck. My buddy with the Vega and T bucket gave me a 12 circuit Speedway harness. Although the wires are good quality and long enough they don't give you any real schematics. Just some vague sketches. But I made it work. I also modified the engine harness by getting rid of the stock underhood fuse box.

 

[MercuryMac]

Hello jfg455, Man, you've put your heart into the old girl, with a lot of tin work. I hope the people that give you their opinion in the future will appreciate all your work; I do.
Keep on tinkering.

 

[DJ3100]

I can't figure out why they needed so many holes in the firewall. I had 72 holes in the '53 firewall, but the center and bottom above the toe kicks were missing.

For me the Speedway harness would be a piece of cake compared to that engine harness. Does the engine fit between the inner fenders?

Looks like you're making some good progress.

 

[jfg455]

Hello jfg455, Man, you've put your heart into the old girl, with a lot of tin work. I hope the people that give you their opinion in the future will appreciate all your work; I do.
Keep on tinkering.

Thanks Mac! it has taken a ton of work to get to this point but it is worth it to me due to the family history.

For me the Speedway harness would be a piece of cake compared to that engine harness. Does the engine fit between the inner fenders?
.

The GM harness is not as bad as it seems. Mostly due to the fact that I still have access to the GM factory connector end views, schematics and such. If I had more time (and I will do it in the future) I usaully strip the entire engine harness bare, remove the circuits I don't need and re-route the harness to be much neater. That will reduce the bulk of the harness nearly in half.

 

[jfg455]

Any guesses to whether or not they will work? I did get the column wired, the engine to the point of cranking and the fuel pump coming on, just got my heat / A/C unit today along with the rubbers, stripped the doors (found the drivers side is missing the window channel tracks [S), made a battery try to mount it on the firewall and went away for the weekend! Phew!

 

[jfg455]

So I was able to get a bit more done. I installed the gear shift indicator into the top of the dash so the wife won't whine to much about counting detents. One gauge is in and the main harness is wired. Electric wiper conversion is in and working. A/C compressor is in and mounted. Modified the Vintage Air universal bracket. They wanted an additional $125 for a bolt in bracket. The universal was free with the kit. Pic of my battery mount. A pic of the under dash nightmare that should be neatened up soon. I hit the key and the motor fired right up! THEN I remembered I didn't have the trans cooler lines hooked up! Looks like my floor won't be rusting any time soon. Lol

 

[DJ3100]

OK, I missed that you converted the speedo to the newer electronic one - well I didn't miss it, I just didn't understand it. I can't picture how you'll get it to read the correct speed - any hints?

No question now that the tranny is actually pumping fluid - good plan.

 

[jfg455]

I can't picture how you'll get it to read the correct speed - any hints?

No question now that the tranny is actually pumping fluid - good plan.

The speedo acuracy is fairly easy for the LS motor / 4L60E swap. The speed sensor produces a constant 4K pulses per mile signal (in AC voltage) to the PCM. The PCM then routes a single 4K puleses per mile signal via one wire to the speedo. The gear ratio and tire size are all in the PCM programing. If you are running a factory gear set (ie: 3:42) with a comon factory tire size then you just pick it in the list via programing. When it gets fun is when you have an odd ratio or odd tire size. then you have to do the math for the rolling circumference and match it with something close in the PCM. Clear as mud? [cl

 

[jfg455]

I got the A/C unit all mounted under the dash, got the cab actually bolted to the frame for the final time and even patched a rusted out piece of the windshield frame.

 

[jfg455]

Today I worked on putting in the Bear Jaw latches from speedway. There is almost no room between the window channel and the door edge. The latch has to sit about 3/8" out from the stock one due to the channel being behind it. There is a pocket in the body where it will slide in so it is not a big deal. I re-used the stock handles outside and inside. Just had to add a little here and there.

I also had to make up 2 new window channels for the drivers side door. I wondered why the window would only go 1/2 way down. Figured it out when I dismantled both doors and found there were no channels at all in the drivers side! The picture is the old passengers side next to the new drivers side I made.