The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '73-'87 Trucks -- "The Rounded Line" Rebuilding a 1977 GMC, C-15, Short Bed, 2WD

I got this truck for $500 running but barley. At first I was ordering parts for a 250 because that's what the air cleaner said. When I got to the lifter covers I realized I had a 292. As I investigated more I realized they also put in a Muncie SM 465 4 speed granny gear trans and a 12 bolt main behind that. But they where idiots! They put the clutch plate in backwards, forgot to put lock-tight on the pinion gear, hydrophiliced a bolt cracking the block near the oil pan and they tack welded the engine mount in on the torque side.

At this point I have replaced the clutch, fixed the cracked block, drilled and bolted the engine mount (to be replaced) and replaced the pinion seal tightening the nut (yes it is loose but as long as I am not pulling it is okay). While replacing the beat up old carburetor and tuned it I realized it has an RV cam. It came with headers and I will be getting a 4 barrel intake at some point. Next I am going to rebuild the rear end with a limited slip.

Then I will start on the body. I found a 80's short bed with a blown 250 head and no title for $1,500. The cab and bed are clean of rust so I can cut the coroners of the cab out and replace my bed. It has the factory L6 A/C, gas tank on the other side and a bunch of other useful parts. I will get it once the VA stop hazing me and gives me my travel pay from nine months nine months ago!

P. S. That is my 86 jeep in the back ground. It has 330,000 thousand miles, it only uses 1/4 of a quart in 3,000 miles and the oil is still clean!

Welcome to the site, check out our newest forum, the rounded line. That's a lot of miles!

Cool truck, it's a diamond in the rough. Nice score.

Welcome to the Stovebolt.

John

Yes I am very happy with this score as a rough diamond!

And ya, as a mechanic I made too much money off Jeep's and Ford's to ever want to own one. But I got it barley running for $500 as well. Then when I fixed the cooling system I realized it did not use a drop of oil! So I then put around $3,000 in parts into it and have put 30,000 miles on it in one year. It is an impressive truck and off the road.

A LOT of miles...

Welcome to the 'bolt. I'm really starting to like the squarebodys again

Rusty, Yes, they where designed as work trucks, nothing fancy. When I get it restored I am going to put on the tailgate: "It's just a truck!"

Welcome to the ‘bolt! Nice start to your project. 30,000 miles in the first year! Wow! Sounds like you have things under control. Good luck with the rest of your build!

Welcome to Stovebolt. Keep trucking brother, I'll see you in the garage forums.

I agree. I sold my 1953 panel several years ago, now have an '86 pickup. Can't believe how many comments I get, from all ages. Way more than from the '53.

As loathe as I am to agree with Brother Rusty on anything ... I fear I must on this one. But only the round headlight ones.

John, Just for that, I'm driving my square body with square headlights, 4 of them, to the next Stovebolt reunion.

Yes most people like looking at old trucks. But most everybody has either loved a square body or known someone that loved a square body more! It was an era when a truck was just a truck and did not have be a behemoth kissing your butox to be appealing!

Chiana River,

Harrumph! Well put! And Leo can just go drive his 4 square headlight truck all he wants, if that's what parfaits his banana split.

New trucks are ridiculous. One of my friends has a couple years old GMC and the darn thing is so tall that it requires a motorized step to even get up into it. The Duramax drivetrain is amazing, yes, but the bed is five feet off the ground! How you gonna load stuff into said 5' long bed without hurting your back liftin' it in? And this giant rig has less cargo capacity, literally, than an 1984 Toyota HiLux longbed pickup. What a joke. It's a jacked up four door station wagon only the cargo area is open.