1978 K10 Suburban

[FCM]

My dad was putting in an order for some parts and asked if I wanted to add anything on like the tailgate straps that I mentioned a while back. Turns out that my usual vendor was actually more expensive than his, so I added them on to his order. They came in the mail a few days later and were bolted on. It didn't occur to me until then that my bumper was designed and welded in place without much though given to how it was interact with the tailgate. The tailgate hits the bumper before it ever drops all the way down. My dad walked out as I was noticing this and thought maybe the straps were to long, but then saw that the bumper wasn't even "level". No biggie really, I was planning on ditching the front & rear bumpers, side steps, and maybe even the roof rack and designing my own setup that is more in line with my idea of useful.
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I did also buy a really basic body working kit from O'Reilly's and will be starting on the body damage this week if I get the chance. Speaking of body work, I was watching Fast & Loud and saw one of the guys pop hail storm dents out with a torch and body hammer. Does this sound like something that would work for larger dents such as the one my passenger side doors?

 

[98dango]

A torch really only works on small dents. If you have bigger dents you can use a plunger some times to pull them out. They sell tool's such as pops a dent and things like it that will help.

 

[FCM]

It took a little longer than I was expecting for the machine shop to finish the work on the GE&H engine. Once I got the call to pick up my pieces, I was so excited to get them and start slapping it back together. Then I heard the amount of the final bill. It took me about another week to gather up the cash and get the shop their money. With out a doubt, I'm happy that I took the engine in and had it spec'd, cleaned and machined; well worth the money for me.
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Final Receipt

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Engine Spec Sheets

 

[red EOD veteran]

Rough time with the suburban but looks like you're getting through it. Gotta admit the camera falling in the water had me laughing, Murphy is not friendly.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

 

[FCM]

Since I got my engine back, I've not done a lot with it until last week. That lasted an entire hour, maybe. As I was torqueing the rear main cap (albeit to the wrong torque spec and In the wrong sequence) I ended up twisting the original main cap bolt apart with the broken half about three eighths of an inch into the block. That just killed my motivation before nine o'clock in the morning. It was probably for the best since I wasn't feeling real confident or have my Haynes manual to guide me in the process.

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It was still early so I decided to do some shopping for some more parts because I, like an idiot, left the majority of my valve train out in the rain a few weeks back. I had been debating what to get but I finally decided to just go with something that'll get me going for the least amount of coin.

 

[superbuickguy]

What did you decide for a cam?
Neat project

 

[AA1PR]

you have a lot of work into this, but its a solid platform

so whats the overall scheme of the build

 

[FCM]

you have a lot of work into this, but its a solid platform

so whats the overall scheme of the build

What did you decide for a cam?
Neat project

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Overall, the idea is to be able to go from point A to point B, no matter the terrain or environment (within reason) as simply and reliably as possible.
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The cam is listed on my receipt from Summit Racing. If it is too small, there is a larger version in my GE&H rebuild album.

 

[FCM]

Last weekend, I drilled and easyout'd the broken main cap bolt. It actually came out really easy, putting me in a good mood early in the morning. Now that I was back on track to continue, the Hanynes manual was pulled out to help guide me.

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First thing on the list was to install the piston rings; easy peasy. Next on the list was dropping in the crankshaft and bolting the mains caps down. As the crank was set and I was torqueing the new main cap bolts to the proper torque and in the correct pattern, one of bolts kept turning an uncomfortable amount past what I thought should have been good. I decided to back the bolt out and inspect the situation. BAM! I was annoyed. The hole was stripped of the threading. After some searching around the garage, my dad and I found our 3/8 helicoil kit. Thank goodness for helicoil kits. Too bad the bolts are not 3/8. I ended up running up to my local parts store and bought a 7/16-14 helicoil kit.

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That brings this story up to yesterday. I installed the helicoil into the main cap seat and re-torqued all the main cap bolts. Once that fiasco was solved, it was time to install the pistons. Luckily my dad has a set of piston ring compressors or that would have been a real pain in the rear to accomplish. The oil pump and strainer went on with no issues as did the camshaft and lifters. Next on the list was the heads. With the way this build was going I was just expecting more fastener issues, but I was pleasantly surprised as they went on with new head bolts just fine. Instead, the issue came when I went to put on the cam sprocket. The timing chain set that I bought from Summit Racing did not fit. The set was meant for a engine with factory rollers which mine did not have. I got too excited apparently when I placed my order and overlooked that little bit of information. I have the timing chain set put back in its package and ready to exchange for another timing chain set that should be the correct fit.

 

[FCM]

After I received the correct timing chain two weeks ago, I ran to the auto parts store to grab two woodruff key and a couple of bolts. When I asked the keyboard jockey about the woodruff keys, he just looked at me with a dumbfounded look, called over to his compadre and asked if he knew what it was. Again the same look. I ended up spending a few minutes explaining what they were and what I was using them for. We eventually came to an understanding and I was shown to the back and given my pick as to which ones I wanted.
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Ok, so timing chain and cover bolted up. That was last weekend.
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This weekend I started buttoning things up and pulled the threads out of the one of the intake manifold bolt holes. I was already in a bad mood so I just dropped my tools and drank a few hard ciders. This morning I was feeling much better and already had the helicoil kit for a 3/8-16 bolt. Five minutes later, I was back on track and now looking for the little things to bolt up; water pump, alternator, power steering pump, and fuel pump.
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Funny story: For the life of me, could not find the rest of the parts that I took off the original engine to finish up the GE&H engine. I've been looking for them two weeks. I looked in the garage, up top in the loft, in my dad's pile of parts, around the car part. Well, today I was talking to my dad about the oil pressure sender and he wanted to show me where it was on in relation to the firewall (yes, I already knew but was humoring him). So we walk over to BOPAS and popped the hood. Wouldn't you know it, I had never pulled the engine out of BOPAS, just the heads. Everything I was missing or using random parts for was sitting right where they were supposed to be. And to think, I was about to drive out to the auto store and drop about two hundred and fifty dollars on all this stuff.
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I am now ready to start pulling parts from BOPAS and swapping them over to GE&H. I think I might actually be able to have it turned over in two or three more weekends!

 

[BBslider001]

What part of Texas? As in what town? My in laws are all from Waxahachie and Plano. We get back there 2 times a year to visit family.

 

[huntsonora]

This build is classic! Can't wait to see the adventures you go on with this truck

 

[sylgeist]

You have the same luck as my build! Keep it coming!

 

[FCM]

What part of Texas? As in what town? My in laws are all from Waxahachie and Plano. We get back there 2 times a year to visit family.

I live in Bryan, but currently do all my work out in Austin County.

 

[FCM]

It has been three weekends since I last wrote anything and I haven't actually done anything until yesterday. I finished putting the engine accessories on the new engine but still have a few minor things to get to make it complete.

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More importantly, I moved BOPAS from the "hill" to the carport slab. That alone was a chore since I was the only one at the house and all the running vehicles were gone. The "hill" is actually just a low mound of dirt that I park on. The 'burban rolled off the hill like I planned, but my brakes where nonexistent so it rolled to the end of the driveway before it stopped. The hard part was now. The driveway is crowned and has a small rise and fall to the slab, then another rise to get onto the slab. I, of course, was on the opposite side of the driveway that I needed to be on and I am only strong enough to push BOPAS a few feet up the driveway. On an important side note, my Dad recently bought a hi-lift. With that said, I grabbed the hi-lift and started jacking the rear of the 'burban until the tires where just touching the ground. Gravity is a great way to build momentum. With every push off the jack, I was easily able to roll BOPAS forward a few feet. Thank you Mr. Newton.
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Once I got the 'burban on the slab, I decided to start disconnecting the original engine from everything so I could pull it out of the way. I don't know how many times I've had to do this in the past, but it has been more than a few times and I still always seem to forget something. Luckily Dad had just walked over and saw the power steering lines still connected before I ripped them off and screwed up the steel lines. ALWAYS TRIPLE CHECK BEFORE LIFTING. My girl came over as I was setting the engine down on a pallet, so my day was over after that.

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This morning, I was going to start working on getting the GE&H engine in between the frame rails. I'm not really feeling motivated... at all. Instead I put all the tools that I've been working with for the last few weeks away, organized my work area a little, and gathered up all my parts from another build that fell through ('77 Chevy K10) that would fit onto BOPAS. Surprisingly, most of the parts are interchangeable from a 1/2ton short bed pickup to a Suburban. The ones with Pat next to it are mine.