1962 GMC 305V6 4WD Slow DD Build - Cecilia (Pic Heavy)

[FetchMeAPepsi]

Coyote, Andice, how do you guys drill a straight hole and keep it from running off into the sunset? Above I tapped it with a punch to put a starter hole but then it just wandered off to the right and no amount of pushin could get it back where it was supposed to be.

[Andice]

Turn the piece over and start again from the other side. You may have to grind down any excess bolt material. Larger bits tend to travel less. The first one is the toughest - after that you'll be a pro. This will work well on the front fender tail bolts which are almost always ready to twist off

[Cayoterun]

Originally Posted by FetchMeAPepsi

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Coyote, Andice, how do you guys drill a straight hole and keep it from running off into the sunset? Above I tapped it with a punch to put a starter hole but then it just wandered off to the right and no amount of pushin could get it back where it was supposed to be.

Fetch: I've had the same trouble, so I'm readin' and listenin' for new tricks, too.

I have drilled them crooked, but then cheated by using a smaller bolt and adding a nut, but that don't always work due to space or access.

[WDShaffer]

I will admit, I already have the welder...and I use a fiber cutoff wheel. The square stove bolt nuts fit right in place, too.

I have used heat before, too. Using a large torch tip or a rosebud tip, heat the offender to dull red (bright red too close to melting). If a nub is sticking out the back try to screw the remnant through. (Not a task for your PFs...very hot work).

[FetchMeAPepsi]

Originally Posted by WDShaffer

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I will admit, I already have the welder...and I use a fiber cutoff wheel. The square stove bolt nuts fit right in place, too.

I have used heat before, too. Using a large torch tip or a rosebud tip, heat the offender to dull red (bright red too close to melting). If a nub is sticking out the back try to screw the remnant through. (Not a task for your PFs...very hot work).

I'll take it to my FIL's house and use his torch/welder/drill press to see what kinda damage I can do. Worst case I can always run a bolt through it and put a nut on the end but with it being so tight up there I'd rather go back to a welded nut.

Today was kinda weak. I got five 4x4 treated posts with the plan to build a frame to put my bed on before retiring the wood to fence post duty. Here they are kinda laid out. Four are cut at 3' each and I'll space them 6 feet apart, then use one 8' board/log to brace one side by bolting it to two of the 3' boards. The other side won't be braced. If that makes sense at all. Kids won't be allowed over there for safety reasons.



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So I laid out my boards intending to drill holes into them and dry-fit them so I had an idea of what I was doing. Nope - my nails were too short to go through both boards. GRRR!

Here's a shot of my whiteboard with some helper-added tidbits including lyrics to "If I had a million dollars" and some of my son's stinky turds. He's obsessed with drawing turds lately. I hope he's not becoming a fecalphiliac.

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So this means spending money on bolts and by now we know how tight I am. Guess I'll be picking up some 6" spikes or lag bolts next week sometime.

Instead I sprayed PB Blaster on the 8 bolts that I think are all that holds my bed to my frame.



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Then I went out back and replaced a board on my deck, grumbling about my lack of planning. Afterward I met our new neighbors. Seem to be nice people, but who knows. Maybe I can get him hooked on GMCs

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[tommyduncan]

Thank you for taking the time and trouble to do this build thread. It brings back memories of my daughter helping me with a 61 Chevy Brookwood wagon years ago. She is almost 20 now...

I also acquired a 62 with a V6 recently so I read this from the beginning. I won't have it home for another month so I am absorbing all the Info I can from threads like yours

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[FetchMeAPepsi]

Originally Posted by tommyduncan

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Thank you for taking the time and trouble to do this build thread. It brings back memories of my daughter helping me with a 61 Chevy Brookwood wagon years ago. She is almost 20 now...

I also acquired a 62 with a V6 recently so I read this from the beginning. I won't have it home for another month so I am absorbing all the Info I can from threads like yours

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I'm glad I could stir up some memories for you! I have to say this is my favorite time of life right now. I'm not rich and I'm not the healthiest guy but when the Powder Puff and I are out there turning wrenches I'm about as happy as I can be. Each moment is golden.

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Good luck with the 62. it's a fun year but alot of parts arent made for it anymore unlike the 4-5-6's. We gotta get creative in this camp sometimes. Still you caint beat that wraparound windshield in my book. It's allllllll classssssss
Do you have any pics of the wagon? My oldest got my emblems painted this week. Its crazy how much it makes me grin when any of them take an interest. I'll post pics of it tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow (well, saturday anyway) it's the day for the Big Bed Removal! Hoping I have all the bolts lined out and ready for takeoff.

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[tommyduncan]

Originally Posted by FetchMeAPepsi

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Do you have any pics of the wagon?

This is the only pic I have. My best friend was with me when I bought it and when I was ready to sell it we made a deal. He painted it red. This is the reflection of it in the quarter panel of his 66 El Camino that he painted himself


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I sold it to him to buy a gutted 63 Nova SS Convertible. I have been dragging it around for years while other projects came and went. I have since located all of the hard to find convertible only parts and it is just waiting for the time to be right, which is very soon!


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The main reason for wanting a truck was to tow my Nova, Jeep, and for home projects. I traded a motorcycle for a 63 Chevy long step but it is not close enough to what I want.


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So I cut my losses and bought the 62.

[FetchMeAPepsi]

Great looking wagon and '63. As you can see I'm partial to longsteppers myself

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When you start the nova Id like to see a build thread on that too.

[FetchMeAPepsi]

Wow guys. Today....what a day. I'm so sore I feel like....well,



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I just spent most of the day trying to get this bed done. Here's what I've done so far.

For this portion you'll need:

A helper. Strength not necessary.
A severe lack of brain cells
A 1/2 inch socket
A 9/16 socket
A 5/8 socket
Socket wrench. Required for the tight spots.
An impact wrench if you have one. Not necessary but handy.
A hammer
A pair of GOOD vice grips or two pair of crappy Stanley brand vice grips. (one will be ruined)
Some PB Blaster if you haven't shot them already (BIG difference
A flathead screwdriver
5 4x4 fence posts (about $7.50 each at Lowes)
6 - 10 6 inch lag bolts (About 0.75 each at Lowes)
A drill and a drill bit that is lag bolt'ish in diameter
Some musk'les or some spinach to make you some musk'les



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I don't have any muskles. Yeah I know everyone's a butt flexing workout freak now. Not me though. My arms are smaller than the fence posts we're working with. What can I say? I got a life. I'll never be a gym rat.

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But you make due with whatcha got right?

Here we go.

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There are 8 bolts holding the bed to the frame, plus two holding it to the bumper in my case.

Get those vice grips and grab the first bolt-head. These have to be held still while you unscrew the nut from the bottom. I started in the driver's side front.



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Get it clamped on good too or you'll be playing Whack A Mole as you jump up and reattach it after every turn. If you're using cheap Stanley brand of vice grips here's where they'll start to wear the teeth off. That's why you need two pair.

Ok, then move underneath and get your socket put on this nut on the frame. I PB Blastered mine and let it sit a full week so they came off really easy. Bzzzzt! Done.



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The next one is right toward the tailgate about 8 inches from the first. Top view:



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And bottom view. All of the front nuts are between frame braces like this.



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Then I moved to the one by the tailgate. I skipped over the one closer to the rear center line because the nut is in a goofy place on the inside of the frame.

Clamped on:



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And bottom view on the nut:



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Now we move to the weird one just cabward from the one we just did. Clamp on it up top as before. Then brace the vice grips against something because this bolt is far out in the middle. It'll spin like a top if you don't brace it. I chose the Powder Puff Mechanic's feet as my brace. She got the giggles when it turned and pitched her off.

Ignore the blue step on the left. I had to put the removed pieces in the bed to keep them from being underfoot.



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For the nut you have to lie down and crawl under the truck. Then look back the way you came into the frame. Peek-A-Boo! There it is. PB Blaster it now if you haven't before.



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Getting under there is tough on old worn out bones. I use a

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that turns into a seat to get under there with my bad back and hip. It's a transformer. Did I mention it's awesome?



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Yeah, it's great

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Sorry, I think about it every time I have to get down low and it friggin HURTS. It makes life a lot easier.

Anyway, slide around under the truck with a socket wrench. There's no spot for an impact here. Also I didn't PB Blast this because I didn't see it earlier. This was a tough nut to crack by hand.



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The powder puff liked standing on the vice grips so much she stuck with it for the remaining bolts. I moved to the rearward bolt on the passenger side next.



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TIP: To keep from losing my nuts I hand threaded them all back on the bolts after removing them. I had to drive Cecilia to the back yard so this also kept it in place. Tough to explain a truck bed in the middle of the road to the neighbors.

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Here's my helper standing on the bolts again.



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I removed the other two by the cab without fanfare. Here they are in one pic because I was winding down and getting tired.



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