Hi, my name is Joe from Maine, and I'm a squarebody addict

[Geektrucker]

.. it's been 3 months (of agonizing winter) since I last tinkered with my truck.

For those of us from the Northeast (and maybe other areas), you know spring is on the way when you can finally see the top of your grill! That gets a guy thinking about all the many (many, many, many) projects that need to be done, which is why I came here.

I've spent the last two weeks reading almost every thread on here soaking up all the info and stories I can (thank you for sharing!).

I'm currently on my second square body, the first, an 87 K10 / R10 Silverado that sadly was put to rest last winter when the frame finally gave out and she broke her back

So now I've been given an 83 3/4 2x that's been a scary beast to work on. The P.O. was literally an idiot drunk, and his mechanic was worse.. when I first ran it last fall, it had a horrid valve cover leak (to the tune of a almost a quart of oil per day on light driving)... so the first thing I did was buy some new gaskets.. only to discover that the gaskets in it WERE new.. the damn cover bolts were less than finger loose!

I have yet to find a single bolt on this damn thing that is / was anywhere near tight, never mind torqued.

From what I can tell in my research, I'm the third owner with 93k (I'm pretty sure 293k) on the clock. It started life as a 6.2 3/4... the original owners had it dressed to haul a fifth wheel and added 1 ton spring packs ON TOP of the existing 3/4 ton springs! This thing has more leaf springs in it than a 10 ton dump truck!

At some point in it's poor life, a Targetmaster 350 and Turbo400 was installed (read: hacked) into it from an unknown donor, which makes it a bit of a challenge getting motor parts vs chassis parts. It's got one of those wonderful dual-dip-stick oil pans that are a PITA to replace / gasket / deal with.

The body is rough with many hacks along the way (the drivers side rocker is more fiberglas than metal) and the bed is beat up... but the interior of the cab is bed-lined (thickly) and the frame is good. In addition, the last owner just replaced all the brake lines, brakes, and rotors / drums less than 2 years ago with little use since then, so she's ugly and tired and wheezy and slow... but damnit she stops on a dime and gives 9 cents change! Especially with the Hydraboost brakes!

So.. to make a long introduction longer.. I have a laundry list of things I'll be working on and need some advice from others, especially regarding this particular block and this tranny (which is giving me some fits)... thanks for having me, and thanks for the info given already and the info I hope to get soon!

Below is a couple pics of the Hi-oh Silver and "Black Betty" as I got her, and almost as she sits now (rattle can recon, better tires and the dog dishes put on). Oh and the mirrors on it now are a result of the free doors I got and being the freak I am, figured I'd just leave 'em!

 

[HotRodPC]

Welcome to GMSB from Moore, OK Joe. Yep, survived another tornado just last week. This missed me by 1/4 mile to the South this time, instead of 1/4 mile to the North like the last EF5 did May 20th 2013.

So you've been lurking around here awhile before you posted. Good to know someone is getting use of all this info. Yep, the poor 87 is a gonner. But the 3/4 ton looks to still have a nice stance to it. Since you in the rusty area, maybe as time permits get some type of coating on the 3/4 ton frame. Have you scrapped that 87 K10 frame yet? How are the front spring hangers and stuff? Are they worthy of saving so someone can convert a 2wd to 4x4? Just a thought.

Them later Targetmaster 350's aren't all that bad. The early ones got a bad wrap for sure. And is it a real Targetmaster, or is it one of the GM Goodwrench crate motors?

 

[Geektrucker]

Welcome to GMSB from Moore, OK Joe. Yep, survived another tornado just last week. This missed me by 1/4 mile to the South this time, instead of 1/4 mile to the North like the last EF5 did May 20th 2013.

So you've been lurking around here awhile before you posted. Good to know someone is getting use of all this info. Yep, the poor 87 is a gonner. But the 3/4 ton looks to still have a nice stance to it. Since you in the rusty area, maybe as time permits get some type of coating on the 3/4 ton frame. Have you scrapped that 87 K10 frame yet? How are the front spring hangers and stuff? Are they worthy of saving so someone can convert a 2wd to 4x4? Just a thought.

Them later Targetmaster 350's aren't all that bad. The early ones got a bad wrap for sure. And is it a real Targetmaster, or is it one of the GM Goodwrench crate motors?

Thanks HotRodPC... glad to hear you dodged them 'nados... got a friend just moved to Tulsa area a couple weeks ago.. she's rethinking that move! I'll take a 4' blizzard any day over a tornado!

Sadly, the ONLY things not completely rotted or worn out and useless on the 87 was the G80 rear-end, the 2 year old rebuilt TH350, and the t-case.. the first 2 going into my step-son's 84 SBSS 5.3 twin-turbo project... still have the t-case, but up here, they're a dime a dozen.

Speaking of frame and coating... I've spent the last couple of hours scouring the site for some good tips on cleaning up a frame to do just that... you or anyone else have any recommendations on best method (short of frame off which isn't possible right now - no garage ).. This summer I'll have to take the bed off to repair a couple of the cross members (anyone with suggestions on where to get new ones?), but think just a wire wheel to get any scale off then coat it? I know POR is the best answer, but budget requires I find a more cost effective solution (more time than money).

Regarding the Targetmaster, from what I've read about them, I have one of the original ones (originally only available thru dealer installs) by the fact that it has the dual-dip-stick setup. My understanding was when GM started releasing them to the public under the Goodwrench name, they only came with a single dip-stick option. Correct me if I'm wrong

 

[HotRodPC]

Ohh that pic is sad !!!

Yep, just wire wheel the frame the best you can, or @89Suburban swears by a needle scaler and then cheap out and go with the Jasco Prep and Prime. I forget what member it was now, but he did the Jasco Prep and Prime to his frame and it turned out great. At $7 a quart, that'll be my poor man's POR15 too. I intend to use it.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_99271-78-QJPP00717_0__

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[Geektrucker]

Ohh that pic is sad !!!

Yep, just wire wheel the frame the best you can, or @89Suburban swears by a needle scaler and then cheap out and go with the Jasco Prep and Prime. I forget what member it was now, but he did the Jasco Prep and Prime to his frame and it turned out great. At $7 a quart, that'll be my poor man's POR15 too. I intend to use it.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_99271-78-QJPP00717_0__

Holy change of shorts Batman! I didn't see your link at first, just did a search... first link that came up was Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Jasco-QJPP00717-Prep-Prime-1-Quart/dp/B000UDCAKA

Guess I'll follow your link and pick it up at Lowe's instead! Any clue on how many quarts needed for a long bed? The front half of the frame is pretty great, being a former diesel, it was well oiled!

 

[350runner]

Hi, my name is Joe from Maine, and I'm a squ

welcome from Texas!

Sent from the dust in front of you!

 

[HotRodPC]

Holy change of shorts Batman! I didn't see your link at first, just did a search... first link that came up was Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Jasco-QJPP00717-Prep-Prime-1-Quart/dp/B000UDCAKA

Guess I'll follow your link and pick it up at Lowe's instead! Any clue on how many quarts needed for a long bed? The front half of the frame is pretty great, being a former diesel, it was well oiled!

Holy change of shorts Batman??? So you haven't been officially broke in and met the "Poop Thread" yet. Sounds like you might just have a post for the Poop thread if you need to change your shorts.


82 pages of talking **** right here.
http://www.gmsquarebody.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4980&page=82

 

[bucket]

Howdy!

And that frame was SHOT!

 

[mistaake]

Holy change of shorts Batman??? So you haven't been officially broke in and met the "Poop Thread" yet. Sounds like you might just have a post for the Poop thread if you need to change your shorts.


82 pages of talking **** right here.
http://www.gmsquarebody.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4980&page=82

That thread isn't nearly regular enough...

 

[CSFJ]

Welcome from Michigan. I am all to familiar with rust myself. If things go well, I'll be descaling and cleaning the frame on my '87 this summer too.

 

[BiggG74]

Welcome from Washington State. Just got out this weekend and tinkered with my 76 GMC. Heheh found a wire nut holding some wires together on the truck. Haven't traced it yet but it's wrapped in electrical tape. Be another project for another day.

 

[Mr Clean]

from N.E.

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Wire wheel is your best bet, and it is a PAIN IN THE ASS. When done right, it looks nice, when your done.

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[Geektrucker]

So as so many of us experience (and sometimes complain about).. life has a way of getting in the way of your addiction.. er hobby... er working on the truck. Haven't been on here in several months, with a new job (mids, 4 10's), my 23yo son moving in, and various and sundry other things, I haven't done a thing to Black Betty. Except...

In one of life's great twists of irony and a shitload of Irish luck, I have gotten rid of Black Betty. Why? Flash back a few posts...

Sadly, the ONLY things not completely rotted or worn out and useless on the 87 was the G80 rear-end, the 2 year old rebuilt TH350, and the t-case.. the first 2 going into my step-son's 84 SBSS 5.3 twin-turbo project...

First, let me say, that it was actually an 81 fleet side... and secondly, and more importantly, my step-son decided to sell it

So let me pic ***** a moment...

You must be registered for see images

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You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

and lastly, and most interestingly,

You must be registered for see images

Here's the run-down
81 C10 short-box fleet side
MY6 3 speed w/ OD (manual)
250 4.1L Inline 6 (NOT original motor, BUT truck DID have a 250 factory)
31x10.5 on badly painted chrome wheels (unknown width, think 15x10's)
Some horribly tall rear-end gears in the rebuilt rear-end.
Clock says 47k... no real clue on odo, but inclined to think 147k

When I first got it, the kid that owned it before my step-son (second owner), decided to do a "redneck lowering" job on it by removing all but one rear leaf! Oh and he couldn't be bothered to install shocks!
There was a really nice Alpine head unit in it... that had a busted volume knob and a big speaker box behind the seat. And the install was hacked

So far, I've added some leaf springs back in, and a set of new Monroe's all the way around. I've also removed the head unit (THEN I found the remote for it under the seat), and wired in a 200w amp, and a set of factory 4x10's and corner brackets. From the amp I run a headphone jack into my 7" tablet for all the music I want. I'll be mounting the tablet in place of the cubby hole in the bezel above the heat controls and run a digital dashboard on it (more on that project later!)

So... between the 250 inline 6, those super tall, super heavy 31's and some wildly tall rear-end gears, this thing is a serious speed demon... NOT!

Hopefully I'll be posting somewhat of a build thread soon, I plan on keeping / rebuilding the existing setup. I know it'll never be a V8, but there's alot that CAN be done to a 250 to improve it (and the sound), and because the 250 that's in there is a NON-integrated head, I have many options.. and right now, you just can't beat a steady, solid 18+ MPG in a squarebody!

Oh.. what happened to the step-son's LS twin turbo project you ask? Yeah the damn fool built it! Spent all kinds of money on it, and decided to find something else to put it in. He's got about 8k invest, and it's been sitting for half a year now with all of about an hour run-time on the dyno. He DID manage to eek out almost 600 BHP.. without turbos.. so there is that.

Lastly (to make a long post longer )... need some help over in the tranny section where I'll post my issue... need to know what size clutch to put into that MY6 (11" or 12") or how to measure.

 

[Skweegle89]

So as so many of us experience (and sometimes complain about).. life has a way of getting in the way of your addiction.. er hobby... er working on the truck. Haven't been on here in several months, with a new job (mids, 4 10's), my 23yo son moving in, and various and sundry other things, I haven't done a thing to Black Betty. Except...

In one of life's great twists of irony and a shitload of Irish luck, I have gotten rid of Black Betty. Why? Flash back a few posts...



First, let me say, that it was actually an 81 fleet side... and secondly, and more importantly, my step-son decided to sell it

So let me pic ***** a moment...

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

You must be registered for see images

and lastly, and most interestingly,

You must be registered for see images

Here's the run-down
81 C10 short-box fleet side
MY6 3 speed w/ OD (manual)
250 4.1L Inline 6 (NOT original motor, BUT truck DID have a 250 factory)
31x10.5 on badly painted chrome wheels (unknown width, think 15x10's)
Some horribly tall rear-end gears in the rebuilt rear-end.
Clock says 47k... no real clue on odo, but inclined to think 147k

When I first got it, the kid that owned it before my step-son (second owner), decided to do a "redneck lowering" job on it by removing all but one rear leaf! Oh and he couldn't be bothered to install shocks!
There was a really nice Alpine head unit in it... that had a busted volume knob and a big speaker box behind the seat. And the install was hacked

So far, I've added some leaf springs back in, and a set of new Monroe's all the way around. I've also removed the head unit (THEN I found the remote for it under the seat), and wired in a 200w amp, and a set of factory 4x10's and corner brackets. From the amp I run a headphone jack into my 7" tablet for all the music I want. I'll be mounting the tablet in place of the cubby hole in the bezel above the heat controls and run a digital dashboard on it (more on that project later!)

So... between the 250 inline 6, those super tall, super heavy 31's and some wildly tall rear-end gears, this thing is a serious speed demon... NOT!

Hopefully I'll be posting somewhat of a build thread soon, I plan on keeping / rebuilding the existing setup. I know it'll never be a V8, but there's alot that CAN be done to a 250 to improve it (and the sound), and because the 250 that's in there is a NON-integrated head, I have many options.. and right now, you just can't beat a steady, solid 18+ MPG in a squarebody!

Oh.. what happened to the step-son's LS twin turbo project you ask? Yeah the damn fool built it! Spent all kinds of money on it, and decided to find something else to put it in. He's got about 8k invest, and it's been sitting for half a year now with all of about an hour run-time on the dyno. He DID manage to eek out almost 600 BHP.. without turbos.. so there is that.

Lastly (to make a long post longer )... need some help over in the tranny section where I'll post my issue... need to know what size clutch to put into that MY6 (11" or 12") or how to measure.

You would get at least another 25mph out of that brown beast if you would ditch these god awful Ford floor mats.


Sent from an old rotary telephone.

 

[Mr Clean]

I concur..the F word mats have to go..........And what is up with those mirrors? Please get rid of those too.