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| The Official "GMC INDY HAULER" build thread (Page 24/26) |
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motoracer838
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APR 06, 08:30 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by MinnGreenGT:
BTW - I was just telling my Dad about this project the other day.... glad to see you're still working on it - even if gradually. I've thought a number of times of undertaking an Indy Hauler project, but it's always stayed pretty close to the bottom of my list 
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I've got big plans for the next phase (and about 95% of the parts) but I'm having so much fun driving it the way it is, I don't want to take it back apart (also don't have much time for it at the moment)... Maybe I need to build another one. (Yeah, like I need another car...)
I don't want to say just what is going to happen to it (let's just say it involves a lot of parts off a C5 Vette I picked up last year for another project)
Thanks for checking in, updates will come when they come... (I swear it takes me forever to get anything done these days)...  
Cheers Beers n Gearz, Joe
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motoracer838
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AUG 07, 07:47 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by motoracer838:
(let's just say it involves a lot of parts off a C5 Vette I picked up last year for another project)
Cheers Beers n Gearz, Joe |
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OK, slight change of plans, at this point about the only thing from the Vette will be the C6 wheels that came on it. I am redoing the front end, removing the C4 spindle experiment. (the Mad Scientist isn't happy with the results, the brakes are a big improvement over stock, but the resulting geometry (massive bumpsteer) made the truck an evil twitchy beast...) All that will be left from current will be the springs, lower control arms and most of the steering linkage...
The upside is the truck shares front end components with the G body ('78-'88 Monte Carlo, regal etc...) and there is a lot of aftermarket support for the Pro touring crowd. Last week the first new parts went on, Front sway bar went from 1-1/8" to 1-1/4" and a set of Ridtech HQ rebound adjustable shocks went on, replacing the KYB Monomax junk. (on even moderate hits they would blow through the damping making the bumpsteer issues even worse.) The shocks have made a big improvement but are not a cure all for a bad setup...
Soo... Up next are the rest of the parts to fix the front. Starting with a new set of G body/ S10 drop spindles, (if you've been following along, you know one of the benefits of the C4 spindles was that I got about a 2" drop using them) Set up with what is know as the LS brake swap, (stop me if this sounds a bit familiar) you start by machining the braking surface off the stock rotor turning it into a hub and adding a slip on rotor. (in this case from a 4th gen Camaro, hence the LS name) The rotors I'm using are the Stop Tech Evolution series, drilled and slotted and 12" in diameter. (another 1/2" larger than the C4 parts.) The dual piston caliper is also from the 4th gen Camaro and running EBC yellow stuff pads. Also in the mix are a set of aftermarket upper a arms from BMR racing and a bumpsteer kit from UMI.
All I need now is some time to work on it... Joe
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motoracer838
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SEP 10, 02:05 PM
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Will they fit???
(well that didn't take long, looks like photosuckit found a way around the "patches")
 044 by Joseph Martin, on Flickr
These are the ZR-1 replica wheels and Nitto tires I bought for the Fauxrrari project last year when pennies counted, (like most people, I thought Killary would be president and I was trying to future proof my projects...) The reality is that project is still a ways off and I'd like to do more upscale wheels for that project. with that said, they do me no good just sitting around gathering dust...
Among the other upgrades for the Hauler is a new .030 over roller cam 350 that will make about 425hp, this will do what the current engine hasn't done, (not for a lack of trying) is kill the stock rear end. research over at V8S10.org shows that the 8.8 used in the Ford Exploders is almost a "bolt in", giving disk brakes limited slip diff and better ratios (3.73-1 and 4.10-1, I'll be using the 4.10-1, up from the 3.41-1 that is in the truck now.) but are a bit wide, mounting surface to mounting surface. The upside, the 8.8 has the diff offset to the right 3 inches, by using another right side axle shaft you can shorten the left side cheaply, at that point I need to notch the rear of the frame rails a bit and run 1/4" spacers for inner clearance and cut the inner wheelwells and push the fenders out about a 1/2" to tuck the tires (the rears are 17x11 with 315-35-17 tires, up front are 17x9.5 with 255-40-17)
Horsepower gives you options, Joe[This message has been edited by motoracer838 (edited 10-05-2017).]
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motoracer838
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SEP 23, 11:01 AM
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Update, I have got my hands on an Explorer 8.8, with disk brakes, posi and 3.73 gears, current gears are 3.42, may eventually wind up with 4.10"s. Still need to get some parts to do the install, will do it along with the front suspension (need to swap the current wheels end to end due to different offsets to make it all work with the new parts, not ready to do the body mods to accept the ZR-1 wheels...)
Joe
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motoracer838
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SEP 24, 01:47 PM
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"Even a blind squirrel gets a nut now and then"... I was having a rather frustrating day at the wrecking yard yesterday (wasn't "tooled up" enough for the task at hand, jeez I hate 12pt bolts...) when I stumbled upon an Explorer that had an aluminun diff "support" cover from Trick Flow, (didn't even know they made these) They retail for $149.95 at summit, got it for $6.00...
Cheers Beers n Gearz, Joe
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motoracer838
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NOV 22, 10:14 AM
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Have some time this weekend to work on the Hauler, Out with the old, ill handling...
 IMG_20170704_145509239 by Joseph Martin, on Flickr
For those not familiar, the current setup uses C4 Vette spindles and brakes, while giving a big improvement in braking, the resulting geometry makes the truck evil and "twitchy". Can you say severe bumpsteer??? To fix this and take advantage of what has been learned in the Pro-Touring world, I'm installing the parts described a couple of posts ago.
 IMG_20170903_190219646 by Joseph Martin, on Flickr
Also took the time recently to mock up the Blazer with a set of C6 replica wheels and the C4 ZR-1 wheels originally purchased for the Fauxrrari project.
 IMG_20170704_153722963 by Joseph Martin, on Flickr
 IMG_20170704_153738642 by Joseph Martin, on Flickr
 IMG_20170904_114456355 by Joseph Martin, on Flickr
 IMG_20170904_114506739 by Joseph Martin, on Flickr
Cheers beers n Gearz, Joe[This message has been edited by motoracer838 (edited 11-22-2017).]
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RWDPLZ
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NOV 22, 02:48 PM
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I'd still love to see the Indy graphics package installed on the truck. Imagine all the 'WTF?' stares driving by.
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motoracer838
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NOV 22, 07:15 PM
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| quote | Originally posted by RWDPLZ:
I'd still love to see the Indy graphics package installed on the truck. Imagine all the 'WTF?' stares driving by. |
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It's funny, for as bad as the paint is, when I get around to painting it, I'll probably recreate the current paint. I've tried imagining it in other colors and it just doesn't work for me. I can see a magnetic door sign with the Indy graphics for shows and such...
Today's progress.
 IMG_20171122_162903308 by Joseph Martin, on Flickr
Didn't get as far as I would have liked, oh well... I have cycled the suspension through it's travel, the only bumpsteer I see is at max droop/extension there it toes in very slightly, dramatic improvement over the old setup, I can't wait to get it buttoned up and to the alignment shop... 
In other news, I scored a fiberglass cowl hood for it, been needing a hood since the hailstorm last may...
 IMG_20171116_192620086 by Joseph Martin, on Flickr
Unfortunately, the previous owner had to go and hack it up for a 6-71 blower he was running at the time, good thing for me, I have the skillz and materials to fix it. Needles to say it was cheap... 
Joe
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motoracer838
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NOV 30, 06:00 PM
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Got the truck buttoned up over the weekend (job took longer than it should have, I have a nice shop with soo much stuff in it that I had to do this in the driveway...) Still need an alignment, (have it roughed in pretty good.) but it is a massive improvement in how the truck dives, the fact that I got an improvement over already good brakes is a bonus...
 IMG_20171123_140920845_HDR by Joseph Martin, on Flickr
There is a minor problem.
 IMG_20171127_141326362 by Joseph Martin, on Flickr
The math says it should have wound up within a small fraction of an inch to where it sat before I took it apart, that's not the case... It's
sitting a good inch high, (I've driven it enough that it's done settling. Probably going to have to take possibly a half coil off the springs to get it back to where I want it.
I've Changed my mind again regarding the wheels, in an effort to keep the project simple, ( I still haven't gotten back to working my '88 coupe that I took apart over a decade ago...) that the C6 replica wheels will be going on. did some test fitting while I had the truck apart last week.
 IMG_20171125_123925660 by Joseph Martin, on Flickr
 IMG_20171125_123822381 by Joseph Martin, on Flickr
These are the rears, 295X35X18 on 18X9.5, the fronts are 255X40X17 on 17X8.5.
Joe
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motoracer838
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DEC 14, 01:47 PM
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Fun with steering boxes, as much as I'd like to just pick up the phone and order a Turn One box, this is a daily driver first and that $800 can do a lot of good in other places... so I went to my local Pull and Pay, they sell boxes for 29.95 with a $10 core charge, with tax it's still less than $40, $30 if I take the core back. Pulled a box from a '96-'98 Jeep Grand Cherokee. (they had 11 to chose from)
 IMG_20171213_172106726 by Joseph Martin, on Flickr
On the left is the stock S10/G body 20-1 box, on the right is the Jeep box, The 20-1 box took 4 1/8 turns stop to stop, the Jeep box is 3 turns stop to stop, I've read that the box has better "feel", (ok we know how the internet is, we'll see)I hope to get the box on tomorrow...
Joe
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