New Project '78 GMC Jimmy

[BCHauler]

Just a thought, but given the issues inherent with just having a lap belt, what if you swapped in a set of buckets from a newer gm truck or SUV that have the integrated seat belts? Maybe safer and save your noggin from any future forehead dents.

 

[gloriavoxdei]

That has absolutely crossed my mind. If i can find a set in tan cloth and a matching 3rd row from a suburban I will be doing the swap.

 

[swamp_beast]

shoulder belts were an option for gm trucks in those years and easily swapped in just buy some belts from a 79 or later gm truck pop off the small plastic plugs on the pillar and there ya go

 

[1976K5Chalet]

Looks oddly enough like a 4W Pop Top. For reference up in commerce city is coyote rv....they can do wonders on the old campers since i do believe he is related to the original owner from way back.

 

[gloriavoxdei]

It is similar to a FWC but wood framed. I framed houses all through high school and 3 years after so I'll be doing the referb. I'm very familiar with phoenix and love the camper they built for Larry, I'm just too poor to pay someone else to do it for me. I'm honestly debating getting rid of the camper and looking for a real FWC. If a forum member in Colorado wants it they can have it for free.

 

[gloriavoxdei]

I pulled off the camper on Friday night and put back on the top with the new tailgate. Since it snowed on Saturday I figured it'd be a good time to take our three kids four wheeling and give mommy a break. Nothing serius, just some BLM land 15 minute from our house. They had an absolute blast and didn't want to go back home. My 5 year old decided he want's a K5 when he can drive. All in all it was an awesome way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

 

[gloriavoxdei]

Man it's been a long time since I've been on here. I'm currently TDY at Vandenberg AFB in California so I haven't been able to do anything on the Jimmy but I have a 700r4, the 14 bolt and a set of 16" steel wheels waiting when I get home. Living so close to the ocean has given me the bug to run around in the K5 topless so I'll be back on it when I get back home in October.

 

[CumminAlong]

Project is looking great! Really liking the budget-mindedness of this build. Keep up the good work!

 

[gloriavoxdei]

Thanks, as an A1C in the Air Force with a family to support there isn't much extra money for me to play with. So as the saying goes it becomes an "adapt and overcome" kind of situation. I actually enjoy trying to do this as cheap as possible. I have less then $1000 in it so far including the accident damage.

 

[gloriavoxdei]

Got home Saturday night to a crowd of friends and my beautiful family. After a day of seeing folks and settling back in I got out and messed with the Jimmy for a little bit. The battery was dead after sitting for 4 months (my wife only started it once while I was gone) so I threw it on the charger for a few hours and she fired right up. There is a charging issues I found when I drove it to the mailbox with my two older kids and it didn't have enough juice to crank over once we got there so we got to walk home in the dark which was more fun then it sounds like with the kids. I either need a new battery or alternator, haven't had time to mess with it yet. I did enjoy driving the old girl again and I'd forgotten how much power the 400 makes now that I have the carb and ignition dialed in. On the list now is a Quadrajet carb since I learned all about fuel starvation and slosh when I took my kids out in February. My wife and I have also decided that the frankentruck vibe needs to go so a new paint job is in order. Now in keeping with the spirit of this build and amazing level of my cheapness the Jimmy will be getting a Rustoleum roller paint job. I think we've decided on Sunburst Yellow for the color while maintaining the white top and bumpers. I have a set of 16" steel wheels for when I do the 14 bolt swap that will also be getting repainted white in keeping with the base model look. Now to find some patch panels off a junker to patch the rust in the quarter panels. I'm too cheap to buy the replacement panels when I can probably get them off a truck bound for the crusher for free. Anyone know if I can use the arch and corner from a suburban or truck bed? They look like I could make the work but haven't looked too closely yet. I also updated the spotlight with one I "stole" off a wrecked Crown Victoria police car at work, I'll post up some pictures soon.

 

[gloriavoxdei]

I finally put a bumper on the front I had laying around. Ultimately I want to get a painted one but this'll work for now. I also took apart the instrument cluster and cleaned the guage faces and needles, it looks 100x better now. Well, here's a picture of the front with the new bumper.



Next up will probably be the axle swap followed by the Rustoleum paint job. My friends have all been calling it the FrankinJimmy so I guess that's her name now, kinda fits I think. I am also actively looking for a good Four Wheel Camper for a Blazer since I'm going to be working on base 2 hours away and figure it'd be easier and cheaper to just crash out in the back of my truck then make that drive home on the night between shifts (2 on, 24 off kinda thing). The one I have is too much of a project so if any of you see one in Colorado let me know.

 

[gloriavoxdei]

Here are some pics of the new spotlight. It's a Unity as was the original which had been all smashed up before I got it. Installation was simple as the shaft housing for the new spot when right into the old hole.





Pics of the cleaned up instrument cluster, only took about 30 minutes and the difference is night and day.



Here is the current radio. As you can see the dash is completely untouched and I'm going to keep it that way. I want to keep the AM/FM/CB/Cassette but it takes a 15 pin female mic and I haven't been able to find one anywhere so it seems I may have to find a factory GM one to replace it.



Finally is a pic of the freshly cleaned interior. The dash is absolutely perfect and the rubber floormat is in real good shape but will be getting replaced by a LMC Poly floormat in the future. I also put on a different set of valve covers but no pics of those.

 

[chilliwak]

I think your Jimmy is looking really good Gloria! Why not give the truck a camo paint job...



I can paint it like this for you if you want....:ylsmoke:

 

[gloriavoxdei]

Thanks Chili, I actually have the CUCV template but my wife doesn't like the camo thing. I like the urban camo you have on your rig, were did you get the aluminum flashing you used on your camper?

 

[gloriavoxdei]

Just figured I'd give an update. I put an add on Craigslist offering to trade my top and tailgate for a Four Wheel Camper. I went a month and had no calls on it and then out of the blue a guy up in Denver texted me. Long story short I traded him my top and a tailgate I have with no glass for the camper. It needs a little work but is in better shape then the other one I had. The part up against the cab is made of MSD and deteriorated so I will be replacing that with 3/4 plywood and I'm now looking for a damaged k5 top to pirate the front 6" off of so I can secure it to the cab better and get a good, weatherproof seal. It was originally a shell model the original owner set up so I'll be further modding the cabinet to incorperate a heater, propane tank, ice box and 4 burner stove. I am keeping the back seat for my kids so it's going to be unique. Here is a pic of the camper sitting on the FrankinJimmy, I'll post some more up in the next day or so.