Thread: My 64 GMC 1500
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Old October 1st, 2016, 07:30 PM
James James is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Greer, SC
Truck: 1964 GMC 1500 2wd
Age: 69
Posts: 432
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Default My 64 GMC 1500

A 1964 GMC 1500 Fleetside was will to my wife from her father. It has a 305E V6 with a 4 speed SM420 transmission. When I went to pick it up it had no brakes, a dead battery, and old gas in the tank. Body is in bad shape, no major rust just several dents.

I started to examine the truck for needed repairs.

I inspected the brakes system (it has 8 lugs drums on all four corner). I checked the Internet for replacement parts. I soon determined that it should be upgraded for safety. For over a year the hand brake was the only brake I had. I searched the Internet for an 8 lug disc brake conversion kit (trying to maintain the original look). The only thing I found was the rear axle conversion kit. I piece together part from an 81 GMC 1500 and 2500 front brake system. I fabricated my own brake lines. Installed a dual cylinder master cylinder with a stainless 7" dual cylinder booster and a proportioning valve. Modified the brake pedal and bled the brakes system. I also found the forward hand brake cable was coming apart and replaced it with a new cable. When I went to connect the vacuum hose to the intake manifold I discover it was installed backward. So I removed, cleaned, painted and reinstalled the intake manifold.

While I was cleaning the rear axle housing, I had drained it. Only a quarter of a cup of oil came out. I removed the cover and found the gears was ate up. I removed the rear axle and removed the 4.10:1 gear set and installed a 3.54:1 gear set with all new bearing. This axle is a full floater. When I removed the hubs and the bearings was filled with grease (instead of rear axle oil), the seal had ate a groove in the spindle. I installed new bearings and seals in the hubs. I repaired the spindle with Devcon titanium putty (has the best chemical and temperature resistance spec).

On the engine (while waiting on brake parts to come in) I replaced all hoses and flushed the coolant system, added new coolant, new points, condenser, and cleaned the plugs. I removed the valve cover and removed both rocker assemblies and cleaned out the sludge from the shafts. Reassembled and adjusted the valve lash (Hot). I then cleaned, painted and reinstalled the valve cover. Now that I got it running the water pump started to leak, I installed a new pump. While I was doing that I removed the fan shroud that was on it. It was butchered up when the air conditioner was installed (will repair it later).

I replaced the engine oil several times during the course of the work and the transmission once (with synchromesh oil). I had also had the seat recovered.

Now I have it in a running condition and now have 70 miles on it, from running around the neighborhood. Today I am removing the driveshaft to clean and paint it. While it out, on the two piece drive shaft, the support bearing is getting replace and I and looking into seeing what gear is in the transmission speedometer drive so I can correct the speedometer reading (may have to use an external device). I did place two picture galley on this site:
Brakes


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