1964 GMC Model 1002 build journal

[tbucketnut]

Quarantined to the garage the last few days, decided to start working on the back 1/2 since the bed is off.
The frame will get degreased and cleaned,primed and painted. The spicer rear gets new front yoke seal, 2 piece drive shaft gets new ujoints and center carrier bearing assembly, new shocks, wheel cylinders rebuilt and new shackle and leaf spring bushings. I will be replacing the brake hard lines too.

[tbucketnut]

Wrapped up the back 1/2 today. Waiting for my bed wood kit to arrive with all new hardware probably in the next two weeks or so, it is coming the slow way freight. Really pleased on how it all went back together. With these tough times going on right now, it is easy for me to just go out in the shop and lose a day or week or two. The positive thing is the sales have gone on some of these special expensive parts and was able to take advantage of that. Was happy to pay extra to MAR-K and buy American.

[tbucketnut]

Decided to start on the bedsides today, Will do some cleaning up on the insides then some sanding. Managed to glass bead the rear bumper brackets and get them ready for paint. Hope a lot of you can get some garage time in while this COVID19 is still running around.

Stay safe out there,
Steve

[tbucketnut]

Been working on the bed sides and front panel and tail gate. Stripping and doing hammer and dolly and body work. Not a lot of dents this bed was very well cared for over the years. Somebody had coated the bed sides inside of tailgate and front bed panel with bedliner. This stuff really preserved the condition of the parts but it is an absolute bear to strip off. To do it right it would have to be chemically stripped I feel but I plan on recoating the bedsides and front panel inside tailgate with bedliner again so no need to take it all the way down.

This truck has had at least two canopies on it over the years as evidence to the 11 holes in each bedside top rail. I ended up mig welding up the holes, which means I have to repaint the bedsides now. So since it is getting repainted I'm changing the color and shooting the entire truck in a different color. There are a couple places I want to check to see if there is any corrosion anyway like the bottom of the front fenders and front of the doors. So this seemingly easy bed wood replacement has turned into a complete truck re do.

[tbucketnut]

Well one thing leads to another. I absolutely hate needless drilled holes and abandoned drilled holes in the interior of the truck. The rear inside cab panel had 10 holes in it where somebody had installed two different gun racks in it. I have nothing against gun racks and would of kept it if it was still on the truck but the only thing left were the evidence of discarded drilled holes. So I planned on filling these holes and re-shooting the interior in the correct color. Somebody repainted it gold and I just cant take that color.

Again one thing leads to another, I decide to make a panoramic rear window now so I'll be cutting up the outer sheet metal and replacing the inner cab back panel, at least I dont have to weld up the holes now. Always preferred the big windows over the small back window trucks anyway, since there is a well fitting panel being made now, meaning I dont need to hunt down a donor truck. I decided now was the time/. So with shipping the back panel was 5 bills delivered to my door plus I have to buy new glass and weather stripping. I've been saving so much money being quarantined and all, might as well feed my habit this way.

More to come

[tbucketnut]

Spent the good part of the day grinding out spot welds that retain the inner rear window panel. Used a cut off wheel to cut along the top of the panel and around the pinch weld of the small window. It all came out ok. The inside of the roof sheet metal is unprotected and is showing surface rust so I am next going to have to address that.

[tbucketnut]

Good morning, it has been productive here today. It was a pain to grind out all those factory rivets, but at least that job is done. I still need to clean up the mating surfaces of the inner panel and roof and door pinch welds but it is trial fitted and am very pleased with the fit. For anyone wanting to do this, the panel I used is available from Classic Parts. This is one part that was remanufactured and done right, no surprises and I anticipate it to weld up really good.
Thanks for reading,
Steve

[tbucketnut]

Hello fellers. Took a good year and 1/2 off. The pandemic hit and I decided to build a bigger shop. I have completely outgrown my 20 by 24 shop. If you can believe it I did a cab off restoration on my 53 Chev 5 window. Even painted it in there. Never again, seems I was spending 1/2 my time moving things in and out to make room to work. My new shop is 24' by 44' with 13' high ceilings. It took me a year and a half to build it, permit process, getting through the material shortages and so on. Then the move over with tools and machinery. I'm feeling my age lately. I'm now officially starting back on the 64 GMC. Pretty stoked. One of the pics shows a sm420 hanging from the chain hoist. I lifted off the transmission jack, done packing around 150lb transmissions.
Steve

[tbucketnut]

Started removing the two front fenders today. I saw some rust bubbles on both the bottoms of the fenders that will need small patches. Interesting crayon marks on the ends of the front support. 720 trim number and cust for custom cab trim on the other. Oakland Assembly Plant.

[duallyjams]

Congrats on the new shop. I know what it's like spending more time moving thing around to make room to work in a small garage.