1965 GMC build

[nonhog]

This build gets no love here,

Maybe if I throw in a couple rebar vise stands we might get some participation.

Oh I bet plenty are watching the thread, cool stuff. Love the exhaust hanger!

 

[Yarz]

Yep, don't worry, we're watching!

 

[racer-john]

We're watching here too!

 

[Spareparts]

You are being watched, by the silent majority, that is one slick build. You have answered most of my questions pertaining to my 65 GMC build whichI am getting back to after 7 yrs of just looking at. Please keep posting.

 

[Silverbear07]

I am watching as well. Keep up the great work!

 

[vwracer]

I'm watching, great work Robert!

 

[Lone Star Blaze]

Nice work! Makes me miss my 65 C-10

 

[ford33]

I'm watching the build as well. Nice work.

 

[Dirt_Racer41]

This is going to be one cool truck!

 

[BMW Rider]

I'm watching.

I'm not particularly a fan of custom trucks or GM products in general (Mustangs and German cars are my thing), but I do love a good build thread and appreciate any quality custom car or truck. Some fine work you're doing.

 

[Robert Haas]

Thank you very much for your comments

 

[FJ 432]

Showing a vise in the background might increase your target audience.

 

[Robert Haas]

Showing a vise in the background might increase your target audience.

ok

 

[ilovevocs]

Robert, I am impressed; not only with your work but your speed and decisiveness.

Perhaps you don’t see allot of post because no one has anything negative to say....

 

[Robert Haas]

Robert, I am impressed; not only with your work but your speed and decisiveness.

Perhaps you don’t see allot of post because no one has anything negative to say....

I am my own biggest critic, you would not believe the things I say to myself


Waiting on parts is so frustrating. I try to stay ahead of what I am doing to never have to stop but it seems I underestimate how much I can get done or overestimate how fast a vendor will get off their **** and send me what I ordered.

That is where I am at right now, need parts to lay out the steering linkage and a couple tubes from Flowmaster to let me finish up the back half of the exhaust.

 

[jhn9840]

Follow all the work you show here. These quality builds are my favorite part of GJ.

jhn9840
John

 

[Robert Haas]

Quite a bit of work since my last posts

We needed to mount the bed to mock up a few things.

 

[Robert Haas]

The exhaust is complete minus the tips

 

[Robert Haas]

Went ahead and put a rear wheel and tire on to just see what it would look like.

The first two are full compression












the wheel is outboard a couple inches as the axles is not seated






These are at full droop

 

[FJ 432]

I'm not a big fan of lowered trucks but I do like the height on that bed. Seems a shame to cover up all that great work on the frame and exhaust. Nice job.

Are you happy with the height?

 

[Robert Haas]

I'm not a big fan of lowered trucks but I do like the height on that bed. Seems a shame to cover up all that great work on the frame and exhaust. Nice job.

Are you happy with the height?

I have been shooting for 6" at the rocker panels and we are right there.

I hate a vehicle that can not drive in and out of a drive way or over a speed bump and will not build one that is hampered by such normal day to day obstacles.

That is why my builds place so much importance on getting the exhaust system up inside the frame

 

[Robert Haas]

Began final mock up this weekend, need to get the thing all the way together to finalize every thing minus plumbing and electrical.

 

[Robert Haas]

As in most things, plans change mid project and it happened to us. The original plan was to use a 700R4 that Brian had generously donated to the build, so we had a local shop building a strong fresh version and were going to use Brians' as the core.

Here is a picture of the 700 in place during the exhaust build


Notice the cross over pipe for the exhaust. .....

Well when the Dyno video showed up and we realized what kind of suds this 454 actually delivered we sorrowfully admitted we were over taxing that little GM automatic. So Greg and I discussed options and came to the conclusion that a 4L80E build up was required. These transmissions easily handle over 1000 Horse Power and when beefed up can double that. So we called Gary over at the Transmission shop and canceled the 700 build and pulled the trigger on it's great big brother.

This is when great planning and design slap you in the teeth. I had made the entire exhaust system to cozy up inside the frame so nothing at all protruded below the frame rails. Compact and dense aptly describes our build. The fly in the ointment is the new transmission is over a foot longer then the one we had built the entire truck around.

Well with tears in our eyes we grabbed a borrowed 4L80 case and bolted it to our mock up engine block and lowered it into the truck. I had already accepted I might have to throw away over a hundred hours of work and that stung quite a bit as we have some actual timeline issues to deal with.

So once in a while the Build Gods take mercy on a couple good hearted novices and this is how the new transmission lays in.

 

[Robert Haas]

We also began construction on building our fuel tank.


Here is the plywood buck mocked into final position. We estimate 25 Gallons and change.

 

[FJ 432]

So once in a while the Build Gods take mercy on a couple good hearted novices and this is how the new transmission lays in.


Hell yeah. Looks like you meant to do it like that from the start.

 

[Mario428]

Just found this thread.
Very very well done Robert. Good planning and execution.

 

[BuffettFan]

I've been watching in awe!
Love the build. My first "car" was a '65 C-10 big window Custom.
More bondo than metal, unfortunately.

 

[Daveo]

Pretty cool stuff! Inspiring, I'm in the middle of a 55 chevy truck....

 

[SuperCat]

Years ago my Dad had a '64 Chevy p/u, fleetside longbed, typical small window, bone stock 283 w/ powerglide. I really admired how classic and beautiful that body style looked back then, and still do. If I ever run across a clean one for sale, I will be in serious trouble. Your build is top flight work, so incredible that so much can be done to improve an old workhorse.
Did you create the entire design plan for this build?

 

[Robert Haas]

Years ago my Dad had a '64 Chevy p/u, fleetside longbed, typical small window, bone stock 283 w/ powerglide. I really admired how classic and beautiful that body style looked back then, and still do. If I ever run across a clean one for sale, I will be in serious trouble. Your build is top flight work, so incredible that so much can be done to improve an old workhorse.
Did you create the entire design plan for this build?

We just love this truck design. Greg and I had made the build decisions over breakfast one sunday morning and he found the truck the following weekend.

 

[Robert Haas]

Did I bother to show you folks what got dropped off last week?

 

[Bears Fan]

Awesome build! The engine is a work of art along with that frame

 

[Aroberson77]

Nice job so far! Some nice parts on this build, and good choice on the 4L80E, better to change now then after the first burnout when the 700R4 would have broken.

 

[skrap metal]

great job, looks like a lot of fun.

 

[shelteredV]

Awesome build! Your fabrication is gorgeous and that exhaust is a work of art. Who does your engines for you? May I ask why you didn't opt for a LSA? Besides the fact that I'm partial to them, they are a great package combined with the 6LE

 

[Farmall450]

That exhaust is immaculate...what a build. Killer truck Robert.

 

[SuperCat]

You can't just show us a big block without specs - tell us what is inside and show us the numbers on the transmission killer!
Can't wait to see more.

 

[Robert Haas]

Awesome build! Your fabrication is gorgeous and that exhaust is a work of art. Who does your engines for you? May I ask why you didn't opt for a LSA? Besides the fact that I'm partial to them, they are a great package combined with the 6LE

There is just something **** about looking under the hood and seeing a Big Block Chevy staring back at you.

 

[Robert Haas]

You can't just show us a big block without specs - tell us what is inside and show us the numbers on the transmission killer!
Can't wait to see more.

Pretty standard fare really. High nickle Bowtie Iron block with 4 bolt mains and one piece seals. 454 C.I.

Steel GM performance Crank with forged H beam rods. Forged pistons with some dome work.

Roller Cam, with 1.65 Billet Aluminum roller rockers, all studs are screw in of course.

Motor built to exceed 7,000 RPM



It is knocking on 600 HP with a 6000 RPM button in the MSD. Expect low 700 HP with no power adders.

Let me see an LS do that

 

[Robert Haas]

As big of a weekend as we have had yet. Chassis is finally off the fixture.

Back in August when we purchased this truck we made the forecast of having the chassis as a roller by mid Dec. Well we missed that by 2 days.








Greg (The owner) wants to take it for a spin.



Finnaly able to move over to the assembly side of the shop.







I had to fabricate these Sway Bar mounts. (Boxing a frame does pose some problems) I like how they came out.