The Big Red Machine

[3/4ton Randy]

Hello GMC enthusiasts, I am restoring a 66 GMC. I hope to make it my daily driver. I intend to keep the v6 and maybe put an overdrive transmission in it.
It's a long bed step side, with no power steering or A/C.

[3/4ton Randy]

I have been working on this truck for a couple of years; I decided to paint it red.

[3/4ton Randy]

I have heard that you can swap a front crossmember (with disc brakes) out of a 73-87 pickup. So I went to the junkyard and got one. It works! You will have to enlarge a hole on one side of the frame, and drill a hole in the other.

[3/4ton Randy]

I found a double groove crankshaft pulley at a junkyard... maybe I can use it to drive a power steering pump. Too bad nobody makes a serpentine conversion for these motors! Or brackets for power steering pumps!

[3/4ton Randy]

I am also going to upgrade to electronic ignition, so I bought a HEI distributor. BUT the stock distributor drive gear has an unusual (to me) method of attachment to the distributor shaft. So, how do you adapt the two? I'm still working on that one. I'm trying to find out if someone can make me one that will attach with a roll pin.

[BillT]

Truck looks good.

My favorite color for a truck.

The picture in the garage reminds me a lot of my '64 C-30 when I reconditioned it back in the early 80's. It was also Red.

[POWERSTROKE]

My first truck, I Really hate to admit, was a faded yellow '74 Chevy LUV truck, correct color for it, 4 yrs old and holes rusted all through the body, was a money pit. Bought a '78 F-150 SWB reg cab 4wd in '80, never so happy to see a vehicle disappear as I was the day I sold the LUV, only lost $1000 plus another $1000 in repairs. F-150 was Kelly Green metallic with light mint green cab roof. Traded it after 7 yrs for 2-tome '87 F-150, medium blue and silver metallic, after 9 yrs traded it for '96 F250 4wd in Bright RED, 22 yrs later bought '18 RAM 1500 4wd also Bright Red.
SON had a '93 F-150 Lightning, bright red, was a swb twin kinda to my F250, put 150,000 miles and 11 years on it.

Yep, Proper trucks are bright red. Tu-tone red/white if you want to show off.

Keep us posted on your progress on your truck.

[James]

I am also going to upgrade to electronic ignition, so I bought a HEI distributor. BUT the stock distributor drive gear has an unusual (to me) method of attachment to the distributor shaft. So, how do you adapt the two? I'm still working on that one. I'm trying to find out if someone can make me one that will attach with a roll pin.

I also have two distributors (with the window for adjusting the points) with that type of gear. It is suppose to fit the 351 & 478 GMC V6. If you can find an distributor (without the window) on for a 305 on ebay you won't have to make one. Or you can buy a clevis pin cut to length (and reusing the square pieces) and stake it in place.

[bigblockv6]

I found thete is no difference on the distributor gear whether it be a window distributor or the one without, I ended up welding the slotted part of the shaft and turning it in a large then drilling a hole for the drift pin of course that was 27 years ago. Someone on Jollys site just drilled a hole in the gear and shaft and installed a roll pin. Check out Jollys 6066gmcguy.com under V6 performance upgrades on the proper procedure.

[FetchMeAPepsi]

Another longstepper! They're so slick nothing can hold a candle to 'em. I like that color too.

[3/4ton Randy]

Thanks to help from Jeanie and WE7x I was able to get a copy of the drawing to perform the Ehrlbacher mod. It's used to locate the hole in your distributor gear so you can use a roll pin. I took the gear to a shop that had EDM services (electrical discharge machining) and they performed the work. Dizzy can now be installed!

[3/4ton Randy]

Sorry for the poor picture quality! It just shows the roll pin installed.

[3/4ton Randy]

I do a good bit of highway driving, so the SM420 trans needs to go. I looked around and found a 6 spd Tremec conversion. This should work great with 305 V6! The Tremec is a lot longer.

[Ed Snyder]

I do a good bit of highway driving, so the SM420 trans needs to go. I looked around and found a 6 spd Tremec conversion. This should work great with 305 V6! The Tremec is a lot longer.

Keep us updated with photos and details of your 6 speed conversion!

[TJ's GMC]

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