the stopgap GMT400: a drivabeater thread

In reply to Dusterbd13 :

Look at the head on that thing!  

In reply to John Welsh :

I know, right? Stuff of little kids nightmares right there. 

Im channeling my inner Andy Nelson. He once said that if you have 15 minutes, do a 15 minute job. 

Tonight i had about 45. So i got the heater hoses, radiator hoses, and shrouds in. As well as the stock, 200k steering shaft (want to see what i have before swapping more stuff. Easy enough to do later)

Tonight was unbend the frame (unknown why, but when i went in the shop this morning, the frame was bent severely at the notches. Like touching the axle bent) and bolt in the djm notches. Three hours. Also got it prepped for getting them welded in. 

In reply to Dusterbd13 :

Looks great!

Can't wait to see it painted!

In reply to a_florida_man :

HOORAY,

It looks like 101 posts and you graduate from "New Reader" to "Reader" woohoo.!!

Lol. Welcome! Keep hanging out with us and we'll turn you into a dork in no time!

Supposedly the bed will be done this weekend. Im pushing myself to have the truck ready and waiting for it.

Which means:

Weld notches

Torque and lube suspension. 

Alignment 

Double check ALL fasteners

Set front wheel bearings

Bleed cooling and steering system's 

Fix taillight harness

Fuel pump module replacement 

Figure out parking brake cable issue

Its gonna be tight. 

Glad you're doing all this, you'll be a wealth of knowledge I can use when I start fixing up mine. Undecided how far I'll go with mine at this point but it's due for some TLC.

In reply to untchabl :

Just let me know when you get started! Hopefully by then mine will be done. 

Just made an appointment with the welding shop to get the notches welded. My 110 won't touch this stuff. Friday morning. Really need to get my ass in gear tonight after work. 

Glad to see the progress you made and that you took the time to get it right. Take care of that shoulder and let it heal right.

I definitely want to come see the paint job when it is done. I will need the 944 painted at some point.

Thanks ted! Hopefully you will get to see it soon when i bring you parts. 

Tonight: 3 hours

Adjusted wheel bearings

Torquedthe suspension, and did a nut and bolt check.

Rough alignment 

Cotter jeys and grease

Bled steering and cooling

And then ran it around the block!

Brajes feel great. Need to pur exhaust back on before fridays appointment. Douvle check stuff after the mile. Fix taillight harness and install rear lights. Clean crap out of cab.

It even rides and drives considerably better than before, even with no bed, and an eyeball alignment! Calling this a major win!

And a picture of the buffed tailgate 

In reply to Dusterbd13

Wow, tons of progress...

Can't wait to see that thing painted like the tail gate.

Will this be the car hauler at the challenge this year?

In reply to a_florida_man :

It's either going to be exhibition class, or not present.  If i get the mutant miata finished, we'll use dads truck again. However, this one will flat tow it to local events regardless. 

And the tailgate blew my mind when i saw it in person. Hopefully the whole truck turns out like it.

I know that logistics are a big part, BUT this truck needs to make a comeback trip, regardless of competition status.

Parking lot build to full revival... thats cool.

Along those lines, has there ever been any though to having a car show 'on the side'.

Sort of like the parts swap.

I'd have to think that a parking area for active teams to display other interesting rides and projects could really net some cool stuff.

This is a unique crowd and I can only image what else might tag along...

I have a feeling that something like this will happen with the 20th anniversary of the challenge coming up. Sort of a class reunion if you will.

If the actual challenge car doesn't get done, I'll be bringing this one down in October. 

a_florida_man said:

I know that logistics are a big part, BUT this truck needs to make a comeback trip, regardless of competition status.

Parking lot build to full revival... thats cool.

 

 

This is significant. Emotionally I sometimes hate seeing perfectly functional cars "ruined" as Challenge cars. Many many cars get a chance or two at the Challenge and then......death. They don't fit into the rules anywhere else, they're not street cars any more, so what do you do? Part them and crush them? I know that's just the nature of the Challenge, and many of these cars are already at the part and crush phase of life when they're dragged back for one last go round, but...... Even Jeremy said "I ruined a perfectly functional truck" at the end of the Challenge, so I find it particularly cool to have the vision to reverse that. 

mazdeuce - Seth said:

a_florida_man said:

I know that logistics are a big part, BUT this truck needs to make a comeback trip, regardless of competition status.

Parking lot build to full revival... thats cool.

 

 

This is significant. Emotionally I sometimes hate seeing perfectly functional cars "ruined" as Challenge cars. Many many cars get a chance or two at the Challenge and then......death. They don't fit into the rules anywhere else, they're not street cars any more, so what do you do? Part them and crush them? I know that's just the nature of the Challenge, and many of these cars are already at the part and crush phase of life when they're dragged back for one last go round, but...... Even Jeremy said "I ruined a perfectly functional truck" at the end of the Challenge, so I find it particularly cool to have the vision to reverse that. 

This isn’t how I build my stuff, I always have the vision for post challenge life.  Darth Nader, for example, I want to drive the crap out of it on the street.  I wanted a car with the performance of a modern corvette without actually having to look at a modern corvette in my garage.  That’s why it’s taking so long every step of the way.  I could get it challenge done much quicker, but then I would have to undo or redo things to do them better later.  If you have a post challenge goal, it’s sometimes easy to lose sight of that in the rush of a short term build.  If Darth doesn’t make it this year, I’m not going to pull my hair out.  It’s not going to be “done” in challenge trim but the missing bits will be stuff that’s unnecessary to the budget like a console, radio, and carpet.  

Believe me, I feel the same when something gets chopped for the challenge only to be cast aside for the next idea.  But without people and the willingness to do that sort of thing, the challenge probably wouldn’t exist today.  

With the amc, and the mutant miata, I've tried to plan for life after the challenge.  With mixed results. 

I do enjoy bringing new life to cars teetering on the brink though.  The plan for this one is 10 years and another 100k. Probably why I'm being so thorough and anal retentive. 

And it HAS to earn it's keep with truck stuff.

one year the challenge should have a reunion tour and see how many ex-challenge cars they can get to come down regardless of still eligible or not, just to see some of the history

John Welsh said:

In reply to Dusterbd13 :

Look at the head on that thing!  

That’s what she said 

Damn, that tailgate is remarkably flat!

If he's as cheap as you say I may just start shipping stuff to him. LOL

Lol. Theres a list of local grm guys waiting to see the truck finished. Arts probably going to be busy for a while.