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Sterlingfire

Sterlingfire

ignant
Joined
May 20, 2020
Member Number
687
Messages
2,525
Loc
the soon to be USSA
Well, got a new rig for the now since my other build is taking too long...
Plus the family wants to get in the woods asap. They've been bugging me for a couple years, so here we go. I'll put my shit box on the back burner for now, but this will be a basically cookie cutter build. Kind of like a jeep with lots of bolt ons and leaf springs.
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It's a 1990 gmc Jimmy, 350 tbi 700r4 241c ten bolt bombs.... drove 12 hours round trip up through the UP and into Wisconsin to pick it up today....770 mile round trip.
Immediate plans are to just throw some fb 33's on it and take the girls wheeling.
 
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McBastard79 said:
Nice sore! Should be a fun build.
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Thanks!
It might be slow...i want to get this capable and get back after my other truck. I've been putting that one off for too long and I'm hoping having to bypass obstacles with this will light a fire to get the other one done... because i probably won't be bypassing much in that :laughing:
 
So the top has some missing paint... looks like the sun did some real damage to it. What should i do to fix? I'm sure it leaks, i can feel the fibers. I'm thinking some fiberglass filler then sand/ prime/ paint as normal?
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Also thinking about my future plans for this while driving it a bit, I'm finding that my plans for an ls and manual are going to have to come a little quicker then i thought... the engine or trans seems to shutter quite bad at speed, I'm not sure if the torque converter is locking/ unlocking or maybe it's simple like an injector is going bad?? I'm probably going to find a throttle body to try out first, but I'm going to start collecting parts for the ls. I know where there are a couple of k2500 trucks with manuals for under 1k right now so supposedly running and driving, and i have a low mileage 5.3 that is just screaming for a home. Little cam and maybe a pair of better heads with a tbss intake might be going in over the winter:homer:
Damn, i didn't want stuff to happen this quick:shaking:
Few more pics playing around in the back 40
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Or you could put some sliders and a winch on it and just enjoy it 🤷
 
Skinny said:
Or you could put some sliders and a winch on it and just enjoy it 🤷
Click to expand...
Well it's not like it will get torn down today:laughing:
I'm just going to get the parts together and use this until it won't drive anymore. Hoping i have enough time to get everything i want to do over next winter unless the trans or engine decide enough is enough before then:lmao:
Until then we're gonna wheel it:smokin:
 
Well a little update, kind of boring one, but i kind of think it's more of a major upgrade more than anything.
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The old seats are shitty, ratty, and don't work worth a fuck... that annoys me.
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So i ripped those pieces of shit out, did some measuring and spent a few hours taking some of the part's trucks better pieces out
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Then i made some backer plates from some scrap 1/8" sheet i had laying around.
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I used a step bit to put big enough holes in them for mounting bolts.
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And viola, i have like new comfy ass seats with built in belts that are clean and safe. Plus cup holders and the bonus seat in the middle. This thing can now haul 6 people around in style!

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the back seats are also getting an upgrade. These are the 3rd row from our shitty old 2000 Yukon. I know they don't match color wise, but they also have the built in belts. That's a big bonus since for now they will be much better than the original back seat that looks like about 8 squirrels raped and fought each other for about 3 hours in the middle of the night a while back...i don't need my girls in that goo at all.
To get these installed I'm waiting on a bracket kit i picked up off ebay. I'm already loving the bolt on options for this beast!
 
Yes, a performance upgrade! I thought everyone who owned one of these tbi beasts installed a throttle body spacer?? Well i guess not, so i did...
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Then i turned the air cleaner lid over for even more horse torques!! Fucking thing runs like it never did before :laughing:

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then i got mad about a big hole in the passenger floor. It felt really soft when you stepped in because of it. Out comes the grinder and now we have a proper hole!
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got out the welder and some scrap sheet metal and went to town. I know there are still holes but my main goal was to strengthen the floor... eventually i will be installing new floor pans on both sides so this temporarily takes care of business.
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Did some more things today. There were 26 of these holes in the floor of the cargo/ rear seat area...(i actually made 12 of them by not putting some test holes in the floor before i sent it for the rear seat upgrade.:homer:)
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I made some plugs to fill the holes after hitting them all with the step bit for clean out. Then i ground what i needed clean since the po had some junk ass $store bed liner crap sprayed all over the entire floor..
popped the plugs in to check everything and they turned out pretty good.
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I used a 1/16 plate to cut the holes from.

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All welded up and ready for grinding.
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here the holes are gone that i don't need anymore. Just have to finish the seat tie in kit and we'll have the interior finished for now.... just need another set of hands and the girls have all been busy after school and work this week.
 
Well got the rear seats upgraded yesterday. The old seat belts are taken down, just hoping the penetrating oil will bust the rust loose so i don't have to cut them out:homer:
The brackets were cheap on ebay, asserting 47 delivered. They're not the greatest, and i will be upgrading the rear tie ins as they are weak as fuck IMO, but for now, to get on the road, they will work.
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This should be it for a bit I'm hoping. We've got a run at a localish ohv park on the 29th that I'm planning to take the girls to, so with any luck we'll make it until then problem free. :shaking:
 
Well made it until then problem free :laughing:
It was a good day. Especially for the first outing with the rig. The girls had a good time. They got to decorate the k5 for a Halloween trunk or treat, and participate in a pumpkin carving contest involving driving around a shortened version of their obstacle course. All 3 had a great time. That's my middle daughter's boyfriend. Good kid, if he sticks around I'll bring him back. He's got a jk and now has the itch :laughing:
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Next run is December 2nd. I need a winch, and the front diff welded, rock sliders would be nice as well.... plus my oldest daughter is buying parts to build up her newly bought s-10... build thread on that might be coming soon. It will be simple, welded 04 super duty front, 14 bolt rear, on leafs, 37's, and stock 4.3/4l60e/231(for now)
Having another dedicated rig to go with will be really nice..
 
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wvracer821 said:
its great to see you getting out and using it especially with the kids. Those are memories they will have forever.
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Thanks man!
That's the only reason i put the shit box on the back burner and bought this, to get the girls back in the woods wheeling. There were a couple of early in the day hiccups, but nothing major and it all ended up just fine. We will be doing this much more! I can't believe it took me 5 FUCKING YEARS to get back wheeling again:homer:
 
Damn thing had a loose wheel bearing, so i did the only logical thing. Took it apart for some needed mods.
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frame repair kit for the steering box location.
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a- bomb bumper from diy4x....i got the weld it yourself version.
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then of course the stock front springs won't work with the a-bomb(though no one tells you that lol) so had to go with 52" springs up front, which is where my troubles began
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pitman arm that came with the cross over kit. The kit also came with a right knuckle and the steering arm to go on top.
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More later.
 
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For the next few mods i needed to get rid of the stock cross member below the motor and build a high clearance one to clear the cross over.
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got it bolted in to the stock spots on the motor mounts as well.
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decided since the front diff was out i should drain it and peak inside....i found some nasty old shit in there... real sickly too, so i let that sit upside down over the oil catch can for able 2 days
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wanted a locker but didn't want to waste money on a ten bolt, so i went old school and welded it up
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then got my a bomb installed
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got some cheapo pro- comp shocks and welded the stock shock mounts where i wanted them.
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fucked up one of the ears on the stock shaft replacing u joints so i splurged and bought a short side chromoly shaft....113 shipped is not bad i don't think. When i go up to 37's, I'll just get the rest of the shafts in chromoly to help live a little longer for those prices.
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More later
 
After all that was installed i started on the rear shackle flip i ordered up from cfm industries.
It all came apart pretty nicely except one bolt that i cut off... was not bad at all IMO
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to get the rivets out i x marked them with the grinder and knocked the heads off with the air chisel, after that used my air hammer punches to knock the river out. So simple.
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painted up and ready to accept new parts
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ended up having to drop the gas tank to get the bolts in, but still not bad considering everything came apart without any fuss.
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Installed with new shackles from Michigan truck spring.
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cheap shocks again!
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and the new stance. Kind of low in the front but good enough to get it to the trails!
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More to come...
 
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