TECHNICAL FORUMS => Project Builds => Topic started by: 88GMC on January 01, 2013, 11:40:29 PM
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on January 01, 2013, 11:40:29 PM
Truck is a 1988 GMC K2500. She lived most of her life as a plow truck and with 300k+ on the odometer she's needed some work to get to this point. Suspension is bone stock with the body trimmed and reworked for 35s. (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/superyqe.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/uhabe5e4.jpg)
Under the hood is a GMPP 350HO with a few goodies...Cam, heads, intake, ignition, TBI work, injectors, TPI pump, tune, etc. According to Harris Performance(guys who wrote the tune for me) she's right around 400hp 475ft/lbs at the crank give or take. (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/edy4e8yq.jpg)
Next comes the body. I'll let the pics speak for me... (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/anuzyse2.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/a2u3u8ym.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/e7yse8eg.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/adagymad.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/y8a3y2ug.jpg)(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/8ydybudu.jpg)
Then the fun started...
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on January 01, 2013, 11:47:20 PM
This will become...(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/yvumy2ut.jpg) This... (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/bu2utu3e.jpg)
Made a call to Chris and Stephen over at ORD. End product will more or less be a twin to the UA rig they have been runnin in Petersons the past few years. Again I'll let pics do the talking. (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/ybytyra7.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/yze3u3e9.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/ugupamy5.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/9ana4e8e.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/hybe4e6y.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/qagu9apa.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/ty2yda4e.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/he8aqeve.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/syjypu4u.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/uvy6a5ym.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/7eby8u2u.jpg)
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on January 01, 2013, 11:50:34 PM
(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/8a5ugeda.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/qy7utu2e.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/ru6yheju.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/use5ased.jpg) And that brings you up to today where I filled all the holes on one side of the frame in preparation for boxing. It's a pain. (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/02/vy9y7ane.jpg)
Title: Re: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: MrMindless on January 02, 2013, 09:19:50 AM
wow, that was a LOT of body work. Floors were all rotted out, I take it?
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on January 02, 2013, 09:48:42 AM
Lol What floors? I replaced the tunnel, floor boards, inner/outer rockers, body mounts, cab corners, bulkhead, some roof, lower door skins, front inner/outer fenders, radiator support,box, tailgate...
Easier, what I didn't replace was the hood, most the firewall, A posts, B posts and the back portion of the roof.
Garofalo got to experience the floor less wonder back in the day. When I mean no floors I mean no floors. Which helped cause my doors were ratchet strapped together cause the hinges and latches broke at pines lol.
Title: Re: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: Wingman on January 02, 2013, 10:05:17 AM
That's definitely love. I would have scrapped her long ago. Of course, I did own my share of rot boxes in my younger days...
Title: Re: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: Spencer on January 02, 2013, 10:56:26 AM
Easier would have been a full on cab swap! by a long shot.
Tell me about it. Cheaper to buy panels than a whole cab in 2008 when diesel was almost 7 bucks. Freight was gonna kill my non-existent wallet. She's got 8 gallons of bedliner on her now and the inside of the bed isn't even done so hopefully rust won't be an issue for a while.
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on January 02, 2013, 06:47:46 PM
Well got everything but the factory tow holes welded up today. Time to box. (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/03/esy7e5ab.jpg)
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on January 03, 2013, 04:44:57 PM
Today I managed not to make a perfectly good sheet of 3/16" into scrap. (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/04/hu9y6uda.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/04/ydazu5e6.jpg) One side tacked in. One more to go.
Title: Re: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: xjh3 on January 10, 2013, 12:36:47 PM
Wow, coming along nicely! You'll be a little better equipped for those full throttle assaults when you're done!!
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on January 10, 2013, 01:19:37 PM
Thanks. Boxing has had better results than expected. I have one half frame rail done and a quarter of the other and there is ZERO twist. Went to the shop last night and got next to nothing done. But... (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/11/abaqure5.jpg)
His plan is to make the truck better equipped for Rausch as well as play with the Cummins a bit more. Never enough power lol. So between him and myself, the woods will be loud lol. (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/01/11/dyjaha7e.jpg)
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on February 27, 2013, 07:04:03 PM
Got a bit of work done today. I wasn't entirely happy with how the boxing came out the first time around so I cut it all out, made new plates and burned them in for good. Next item on the list is make a crossmember to replace the one between the cab and box and make all new cab mounts. (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/02/28/ububy5ys.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/02/28/3ehemany.jpg)
Title: Re: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: s0l0ithz on February 27, 2013, 11:25:41 PM
Looking good
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on March 04, 2013, 07:06:24 PM
Got a crossmember built and burned in today. Think it turned out ok. Zero frame twist so must be doing something right. (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/03/05/u8yhu7e7.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/03/05/ene9usy4.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/03/05/yvy8ygu2.jpg)
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on March 20, 2013, 03:26:26 PM
Well today I started cutting out the last of the factory crossmembers and welded in a new rear crossmember. Next is plate. (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/03/21/sunyju9e.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/03/21/dejevaha.jpg)
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on March 23, 2013, 09:52:55 PM
Got some more work done. She's 100% boxed now.
Sleeved the frame for the bed bolts first. (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/03/24/ymevejyr.jpg)
(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/03/24/azydajuv.jpg)
Then plated the the joint between the plates. (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/03/24/y8ede4yv.jpg)
(http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/03/24/2a7asesu.jpg)
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on March 28, 2013, 08:15:29 PM
Got the last crossmember till the suspension is in burned in. (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/03/29/esudaguh.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/03/29/5atuzu9u.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/03/29/ba9e4uba.jpg)
Title: Re: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: MrMindless on March 29, 2013, 09:37:57 AM
Looks like absolutely as much work as building a complete frame!
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on March 31, 2013, 02:08:55 PM
Yea. Periodically I look at it and wish I just started building an Ultra 4 car. On the flip side, I really want to see this through and hope it turns out pretty badass.
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on April 16, 2013, 08:33:14 PM
Got a bit more done. Few days ago finished welding up the frame for now. Today primered the frame, pulled the old kingpins out of the 60 and painted the knuckles a healthy coating of Chevy orange. Super original. (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/04/17/8y2ezady.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/04/17/jy7uzede.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/04/17/epa9e3y3.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/04/17/u6emaby3.jpg)
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: GBR928 on April 17, 2013, 08:19:26 AM
Looking good!
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on April 23, 2013, 02:46:16 PM
Waiting on a few more parts to start assembling the 60. Got some small stuff done while waiting. Made guards for the lower kingpin grease fittings and painted some stuff up. (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/04/24/upe4umas.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/04/24/use3a7y2.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/04/24/jupu4y5y.jpg)
More once my spindle studs show up.
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on May 03, 2013, 11:39:14 AM
Small update. Started putting the 60 together. Got my transmission back from the builder. Had it built up with Red clutches, HD cage, shift kit, etc and a 2500 stall to match the new cam. More to follow. (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/05/04/a5u5a8u5.jpg)
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: MrMindless on May 03, 2013, 12:50:33 PM
2500 stall sounds very good for off road use. Interested to see how it works out. Hopefully it's not too loose for crawling.
Tapatalking in traffic
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on May 04, 2013, 11:38:47 PM
I hope it works out ok. My problem is that I am very much so a big HP guy but I like to crawl. It's been tough finding a balance between the two. I have plans to tear down the current engine and build a 383 with 11:1 compression so that's really where the need for a stall converter came from. I'm at right around 400hp at the crank now with the current set up with the power band between 500-1500RPM so I have to swap the current cam out for a bigger one to utilize the transmission in the mean time which in no way upsets me lol. In all reality it's gonna end up a full body rock bouncer/mud truck rather than a crawler lol.
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: GBR928 on May 15, 2013, 07:56:04 AM
2500 stall sounds very good for off road use. Interested to see how it works out. Hopefully it's not too loose for crawling.
Tapatalking in traffic
571 is 2500 stall it'll be fine. :)
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on May 28, 2013, 04:37:23 PM
Little update... Well the Hillbilly Hotrod has logged more miles on a rollback lately than driving but SHE IS BACK, up and running like a beast. Also got some done on the new frame. It's coming but not quickly. (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/05/29/ara6ehe6.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/05/29/5a3ama8a.jpg)
Title: Re: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: MrMindless on May 29, 2013, 10:00:39 AM
Well the Hillbilly Hotrod has logged more miles on a rollback lately than driving
That doesn't sound wonderful at all.
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on May 29, 2013, 10:37:32 AM
Yea is it bad when you run out of tows with AAA a month after you subscribe? Thank god Ben owns a rollback or I'd be in debt lol. There's the initial rollback trip after I chunked the 700r. Then put the new trans in, found the valve body was stuck and wouldn't allow it to shift into 2nd or 3rd so back onto the rollback for the trans shop. Got it back from the trans shop, able to spin the tires straight up into 2nd. Drove it one day and the radiator decided to split at the bottom of the tank in the Bass Pro parking lot. Back on the rollback. Got that swapped out, drove it for a few hours, starter went and shorted out a few relays. Back on the rollback. Been driving it for a week now and knock on wood, she seems to be doing alright lol.
Title: Re: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: Wingman on May 29, 2013, 10:52:10 AM
pics or it isn't true... ;D
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on June 20, 2013, 11:28:51 AM
Well I have a huge update. The 88' is now 2wd till tons. I broke both CVs and nuked the dif. On the upside, this followed me home... (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/06/21/utapehub.jpg)
Title: Re: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: MrMindless on June 20, 2013, 11:38:18 AM
rollbacks LURVE YOUUU
Title: Re: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on September 03, 2013, 04:36:43 PM
Well, I have been slacking with the whole forum updates and going to meeting and such this summer. Finally an update. Finished up most of the body mounts. Got my 14b geared and under the truck. Got the chassis up on jackstands at the height it'll be on the 42s. I think I kinda underestimated her final size. Not only is she gonna be heavy, but all around bigger than expected. Because monster truck. Now time to finish up the 60. (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/09/04/y2a4uge4.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/09/04/qube4e6y.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/09/04/5a9uty2y.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/09/04/puma8a5a.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/09/04/ve3apasu.jpg) (http://img.tapatalk.com/d/13/09/04/e3uzu4a4.jpg)
Title: Re: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on September 03, 2013, 04:38:18 PM
Title: Re: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: smichaelR22 on September 04, 2013, 07:49:16 AM
looks good-
couple thoughts
LOOSE THE 14B drums get stage8 locks for the 60 spindle nuts do the 4th ubolt conversion and loose the 2 studs in the housing
Looks good!
Title: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on September 04, 2013, 02:28:52 PM
Haha I know. Haha speed holes and drum brakes don't mix. I will lose the drums eventually. Problem is I still have a hefty list of stuff to buy and a very very empty wallet. Didn't cost me anything to put the drums on. All new parts for free. Hard to argue.
On the 60, plan on running a U-bolt. And the spindles are that prone to loosening up? They are ARPs with the lock nut. Figured that'd suffice.
Title: Re: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: smichaelR22 on September 04, 2013, 02:46:10 PM
the stage8 lock nuts for wheel bearing preload are worth their weight in gold, with 42's on the streets you will be servicing your wheel bearings every 100miles with out them
make sure your 14bolt has the c clip and keyway for spindle nuts, swap parts from a yard axle if you dont already have them in your year.
Title: Re: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on September 05, 2013, 11:02:44 AM
Yea. I def could see not having the keys in the 14 spindle nut being a problem. And gotcha on the stage 8 kit. I was thinking of another part. Def gonna have to look into it.
Title: Re: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: xjh3 on September 06, 2013, 06:55:31 AM
This is looking really good! Wish I had the ambition to build something from scratch like this! Maybe someday.
Any target date for completion? Just curious, I think I know the answer ;D
Title: Re: 1988 GMC K2500
Post by: 88GMC on September 08, 2013, 12:25:31 AM
I plan to finish it before I die lol. To give you a general idea of what the time line is:
I started this project in 2004. I built the motor and got it trail worthy-ish in 2007. I bought the tons and frame in 2008. I started buying parts to make a roller in 2010. The frame finally rolled into the shop last fall. Completion date is kinda like the cable company...
