building my own 454SS - 1990 c1500 truck

Scion cement?

Dusterbd13 wrote: Scion cement?

This. It looks perfect for a truck.

Dusterbd13 wrote: Scion cement?

Brilliant. No flake, no metallic.

ClemSparks wrote: I really want a shortbed in this bodystyle. I just haven't come up with one yet. It'll happen eventually.

Nice timing on your 18 month update. I actually got an '89 Regular Cab Shortbed here in the last few months myself. Got it with the top end of the engine torn apart (PO blew a head gasket, tor down, and lost momentum). Heads are back from the machine shop. Waiting on nicer weather to start bolting parts back together and see if it runs

I'll (continue to) be inspired by your build!

patgizz wrote: color ideas? i like the red, but i'm not in love with or tied to it. i'm doing bodywork and paint in my garage/driveway so black might not be the best idea. no white.

Metallic silver with black 454 decal and red SS.

G_Body_Man wrote:

Dusterbd13 wrote: Scion cement?

This. It looks perfect for a truck.

Agreed. Biiiiiig plus 1 for this

i don't know what that is, will check it out.

fenders came, as did the cab corner. what a horrible piece of taiwanese garbage, the body line is horrible. good thing i only need a couple inches out of the very corner.

waiting for it to warm up so i can finish stripping the parts truck for the column, cluster, glass, and possibly the power door guts.

Awesome. I'd love to build something with a 454 one day.

I want to pick up one of the later vortec 7400s, though, and drop it in something with a snail off to the side. Caprice, sleeper Chevelle maybe?

But that's pipe dreams and you're building something real here. And on the cheapy-cheap too. Keep up the good work.

back to work. the parts truck is gone. i got my cluster, column, and a few other bits off of it. i got pissed at the rear window and left it in. apparently i glued it in way too well because it was impossible to get out. have another 454 sitting here now.

because switching work vans got in the way, i delayed my start. delay done. just ordered a roll pan, correct 88-93 chevy grill, and decided i'm doing what i've wanted since i was 12. going full on 454SS look. i have a few of the black/red 454SS bowties in their gm packages in the garage.

also about to put in an order for viper red paint. won't have to change the firewall, and once i googled red 454 ss i knew i had to stay red.

new 275/60/15(correct size) firehawks ready to go on the SS wheels once i put rollers on the truck for the bodywork and polish the chrome. should start getting before and during pictures soon. only departure is i'm going tan inside, that was not available on the SS. the other departure is going to be a 9" ford rear axle with disc brakes, but i'm going to put that together after the body is done and just swap it in. want to get the same gear as stock because it works really well with the 5 speed and then my speedo will work fine. there was no oil in the 10 bolt when i got the truck, so even though i filled it the thing howls.

so today i actually worked on the truck instead of just collecting parts.

the circuits on the taillights were fried, common problem. and being from texas, the lenses were shot. so new ebay LED's went on. i got the most stock looking ones i could find.

also this finally happened, 4 years after it was broken.

got a little help while i taped the new one in

also, over winter i had my winch battery sitting on the front seat on a bag. acid leaked, ate through bag, ruined my seat oh well, i went bench because at the time i had one kid so all 3 of us could fit. have another kid now, so all 4 of us won't fit, so buckets are back in order. i want to get the correct ones for the truck with matching console. might be hard to find them in good shape, may have to buy a whole suburban or something to get the seats.

also front bed wall has a puncture wound and back corners have a nasty bump on each side below the taillights, so i have a parts bed now with rust over the wheels to cannibalize to help me correct those bits.

sploosh

so i have 4" worth of rear drop(2" springs/2" shackles) and i have 2" spindles for the front. i was initially only going to take the back down 2" but looking at it now, i'm doing everything. have some brand new belltech shocks for all around as well as tubular lower LCA's for the front. don't think i have uppers, but i haven't looked at the box for a while.

Hi Patgizz.  I think I own your old truck.  I tried to send you a PM put the admin wouldn't let me.  I bought it last year.  It has the acid stain on the seat and puncture in the bed.  Also has a Reese hitch on it with no bumper and a GMC grill.  Was this yours?

aw man, i was hoping to see a finished product.  always loved the 454ss

Any new pics? Can't view the old ones.  I went down to the dealer when I was maybe 18 to look at these.  Way out of my budget of course.. 

harryvette said:

Hi Patgizz.  I think I own your old truck.  I tried to send you a PM put the admin wouldn't let me.  I bought it last year.  It has the acid stain on the seat and puncture in the bed.  Also has a Reese hitch on it with no bumper and a GMC grill.  Was this yours?

Welcome to the forum! It sure sounds like the same truck. I would love to see some pictures.

In reply to Floating Doc :

Thanks. I haven't started on it yet but I will post some pics.  I picked up a donor 3/4 ton with a 454.  I will be using it for the tan interior and all the engine accesories, also the wire harness because I will be putting a 4L80E in it.  I'm looking for a 454SS rear axle...like trying to find a needle in a hay stack.

Did you do anything to the 454 before you put it in, rebuild or seals?  Is it stock etc?

harryvette said:

Hi Patgizz.  I think I own your old truck.  I tried to send you a PM put the admin wouldn't let me.  I bought it last year.  It has the acid stain on the seat and puncture in the bed.  Also has a Reese hitch on it with no bumper and a GMC grill.  Was this yours?

Yep, would you be the guy that john sold it to after he broke the transmission?  Or are you farther down the line?  The engine i put in was a stock 95 one

I think I'm farther down the line.  I bought it from Will who bought it from a guy in Howell, MI.  Hopefully this fall and winter I will be gutting it out and getting it painted.  I found a 14 bolt semi floater in Texas that is being shipped here as i type this.  The guy I bought the truck from works at an axle shop so he said he would redrill it to a 5 bolt lug.

I tried to upload pics but can't figure out how to do it. 

Hit the picture icon, go to the far right upload tab, then when you hit upload it should let you go to documents and browse to the picture.  Once it finishes uploading the ok button should turn green and you can hit it to get back to your post.  If you don't see the ok button you may have to scroll down some.

Excited to see this thing, loved these trucks back in the day.

Patrick some picks please......dead_sled's routine ain't gettin' it ......oh and  I have a pair of buckets in burgundy from my '91 ext cab sans seat brackets cuz I mounted swap meet Recaros to them that could be yours for nothing more than PICTURES............late 

Truck belongs to harryvette now.  I took if as far as i wanted then sold it when I got the ram and it became redundant.