Well my first F-body was a 82 Trans Am that I ended up putting 220,000 mile on. I know that GM built them well in that year, so it is with particular excitement that I am starting a long awaited project.
I want to explain what the vehicle is and has, what has been done to it, what needs to be done to it, and figure out a priority list. This all has to be done on a budget over time and will be my main source of transportation while being a project. NOT EASY!
WHAT IT IS:
Make: GMC
Model: K3500 (1 Ton)
Year: 1982
Body Type: Truck
Doors: 4
Engine: Turbojet 454 (or in metric speak 7.4 liter)
Fuel: Gas
Trans: Turbo Hydromatic 400 (3 speed)
Drive: 4 wheel drive
Color: Almond Mahogany (a deep Brown with Red)
This truck is basically the front half of a suburban with the back half an 8' bed, all set on a 1 ton chassis powered by a big block 454! Lets start with the drive train and work our way around.
Engine: 454ci This engine was from the smogger era so it has a low rise manifold and a quadrajet feeding some small oval port (truck) heads. Two owners ago the engine was baked due to a negligent driver so the engine was rebuilt and has about 10k miles on the build. Caring for the engine is a very heavy duty radiator and an oil cooler (disconnected). Also there is AC but it has been disconnected.
Done:
New Plugs (Bosch Platinum)
New wires
Recharge battery
To do:
Oil Change
power steering flush and change
coolant flush and change
AC rebuild
New belts
new intake (Edlebrock Performer Airgap)
new carb Edlebrock 800
New large oval port heads (I already have 2 sets)
roller rockers
reattach oil cooler
new chrome valve covers
Drive Train:
Front axle: Dana 60
Rear axle: Corporate 14 bolt with locker
Transmission: Turbo Hydramatic 400 (1 Ton version)
Transfer Case: New Process 205
Done: nothing
To Do:
Fluid change on all (full synthetic)
Front locker
Add ORD 3 stick transfer case
Add rock rings on the front and rear differentials
Add slider on rear axle
Add trans cooler
4 Door Cab:
Done: fix all external lights
clean interior
To Do:
Steam clean and undercoat
Rhino line the cab interior and lower body panels (will look something like the F350 King Ranch two tone trucks)
Install new headliner
New windshield
Tint rear windows limo black, front windows max legal
new carpet
new front seats (leather)
new smaller steering wheel
CB radio
new stereo/DVD entertainment system
Defender Roof Rack and offroad light system
full new paint job with same color (driver side doors need work)
Bed: has dual gas tanks and a drop in bedliner
To do: Remove drop in bedliner
Add Rhino liner
replace dual tank switch valve
add cross bed tool box
Suspension: has somewhere between 4 and 6" of lift (can go 8" more legally but why?) The springs have been upgraded from the already beefy 1 ton springs with sets from Boyce Equipment.
To Do: the ride is a little bouncey needs better shock dampening
Wheels/tires: Currently rides on brand new 33" BFG ATs.
To do: see if the current 33" setup or 35" setup gets better mileage through GPS test go with best combo
add front tow hooks
add front reciever hitch
purchase and set up a reciever hitch winch system
The cool thing about this project is how much stuff I currently have. Alot of the equipment I am transfering over from my current truck. I have a new tool box full of tools, plus more under the seat of my current truck. I have some performance heads. I have the roller rockers. I have a 6 disk cd changer. I have a nitrous system. I have a full set of extra 35" BFG ATs. On and on.
Here we go.
BBB
