|
|
1967-1968 GMC Grille & Bumper Upgrades - A Face Full Of Chrome - Tech1967-1968 GMC Grille & Bumper Upgrades From the February, 2011 issue of Custom Classic Trucks By John Gilbert
|
|
I've noticed a peculiar trait that GMC trucks from the classic years possess. It seems like they either left the factory as plain as a pair of orthopedic shoes, or they came dressed to the nines with every factory option imaginable-even more than Chevrolet made available. In the case of my '68 GMC 1500, she's just about as plain as they come except for a few extras that make it more of a heavy-duty truck. Under the hood, instead of the base-model 230-inch six-cylinder, there is a 307-inch V-8, and in place of a three-speed column-shift transmission, there is a compound four-speed. In the looks department, with a painted grille and front bumper on my Jimmy, using an orthopedic shoe for a hood ornament might add a little pizzazz, but it wouldn't be a very honorable way to reward the old girl for its many years of dependable service. In my eyes, the only way befitting the truck is chrome, and a lot of it. As a heads-up to anyone that's... As a heads-up to anyone that's never replaced the front bumper on a '67-'72 Chevy or GMC truck, unbolting one from behind is a lot more hassle than '66-and-earlier, or '73-'87. Trying to take one off almost gives you the impression GM pulled an employee off a forklift and told him to guess at engineering some mounting brackets. If one doesn't care about having to reuse any of the hardware or the hardware are just too rusty to be saved, the fast road is to cut the heads off the bumper (carriage) bolts from the front side. In years past, trying to find a'67-'70 GMC grille that was in cherry enough condition to use wasn't an easy task, let alone finding a good candidate to have chromed. Add to the mix, the '67 model with the GMC logo stamped in the center is a one-year-only design, and one is looking for something that is as rare as hen's teeth. Because of their rarity, it has never been easy for GMC owners, but that's all about to change thanks to the folks at LMC Truck, in Lenexa, Kansas, who are coming up with a new example to fit any '67-'72 GMC in a pinch. For my '68 I was looking to shave the GMC letters off the hood to clean up the looks, but I wanted to retain a GMC logo to identify the truck's brand, so I ordered a '67 grille. The front bumper on '67-'72 GMC and Chevy trucks are pretty much identical, but I wanted the deep luster of triple-plated chrome, so I went with LMC Truck's Premium bumper. In addition to upgrading the '68's looks, I brought the lighting up to snuff with new headlights, park light lenses, and side markers. The very first step if you want to stand a good chance of getting things off in one piece is to presoak every nut, bolt, and screw with a heavy dose of penetrating oil and allow it enough time to wick its way in. That said, it is time to start removing the old and installing the new.  This is a view of the two...  This is a view of the two bolts on each frame horn that mount the front bumper. Notice there's zero clearance to unbolt the top bumper bolts directly, and the bolts that hold this L-bracket aren't that easy to access.  Provided there isn't heavy...  Provided there isn't heavy rust, unbolting the one bumper bolt on each corner is a straight shot. If the bumper bolt starts to round-off the square hole in the bumper using a 1/2-inch open-end wrench works to keep the bumper bolt from turning.  Approaching from the backside...  Approaching from the backside and undoing the nuts often requires the help of a good pair of vise grips. From the front side, the bumper bolts can be cut off with a plasma, oxy-acetylene, or a die-grinder if need be.  Getting to this point will...  Getting to this point will feel like a major accomplishment. To remove the grille, it's a lot easier to remove the front bumper first.  Take note of how the L-brackets...  Take note of how the L-brackets are positioned on the front bumper. They must be removed and mounted in the same manner on the new front bumper before it can be installed. It's also a good idea to ensure the threads on the L-brackets easily accept new bumper bolts before attempting to install.  Whether by hand or using an...  Whether by hand or using an impact wrench, putting constant load on the bumper bolts while unscrewing the nuts will keep the bolt from spinning in the bumper.  Enough can't be said about...  Enough can't be said about how much of an advantage it is to presoak the hardware before attempting to disassemble the grille, bumper, and lights.  A strong push forward while...  A strong push forward while turning the screwdriver counterclockwise increases the odds of not stripping the Phillips head out.  When removing the headlight...  When removing the headlight rings to remove the headlights, take care not to mistake the Phillips headlight adjustment screw at right. Rough roads can knock headlights out of alignment as well. Either way it's best to have an experienced person adjust the headlights.  What I thought to be a burned-out...  What I thought to be a burned-out headlight turned out to be broken wires. A lot of repeat labor can be saved by testing new lights at the plug and inspecting wires before they are concealed behind bezels and trim pieces.  The grille is held in with...  The grille is held in with 10-24 J-nuts at the top that in most cases break before a 5/16 wrench can be used to unbolt them completely. Using a pair of needle-nosed vise grips worked good to keep the J-nuts from turning or breaking.  The bottom of the grille is...  The bottom of the grille is held in with 5/16-18 J-nuts that are also prone to breaking after exposed to years of use. I'd advise going to a local hardware store, and stocking up on a dozen of both sizes before starting on this job.  One never knows what to expect...  One never knows what to expect when they are working on an old truck. Somewhere in the truck's life a shade tree mechanic used pop rivets in addition to bolts to hold the grille in. After I figured out what the problem was, I had to cut and drill the rivets out.  To prevent any damage to the...  To prevent any damage to the new '67 grille from LMC Truck, I first made sure, by feeling by hand, that there weren't any high or low spots that would scratch or bend the grille.  Made by Malco, this hand seamer...  Made by Malco, this hand seamer works great to straighten any flat flange area such as the upper grille support.  To do an incredibly, professional-looking...  To do an incredibly, professional-looking job of straightening the sheetmetal surround for the GMC's grille, I squeezed the Malco pliers tight as I slid them along the surround and pulled the metal straight.  To handle the high spots around...  To handle the high spots around the bolt holes, I used a flat chunk of steel as a dolly on the inside and then tapped the outside of the spot flat with a hammer.  Discovering a narrower than...  Discovering a narrower than original gap is not uncommon. A test-fit proved the new grille was slightly too wide for the '68's opening. I loosened the truck's fenders and opened up the gap to fit the new grille.  Not only does installing new...  Not only does installing new hardware help to create a better-looking job, new threads make things go together a lot easier. Of course, new bolts that are too long or have the wrong threads are a whole new nightmare of their own. LMC Truck prides itself in offering hardware kits that contain all of the right goodies.  Shaping and aligning was the...  Shaping and aligning was the key; It took several attempts to make sure the grille would fit into place without bending or damaging the chrome. Notice in the final fitting the grille slid straight back into place. If a new grille will not fit, the odds are the problem lies in the truck's dimensions.  Headlights dim and light quality...  Headlights dim and light quality diminishes before the bulb eventually burns out. To regain lost ground, I replaced all of the lights in the '68 with made in USA Sylvania bulbs. The Sylvania Silverstar Ultra headlights offer the traditional appearance of a Fresnel lens with brighter, whiter light.  The brighter the better, so...  The brighter the better, so in an upcoming upgrade I'll be installing a quartet of LMC Truck's crystal clear headlights featuring made in USA Sylvania bulbs encased in a cast-aluminum housing.  As part of the upgrade to...  As part of the upgrade to help handle the increased load, I installed LMC Truck's heavy-duty wiring harness, as can be found archived on Custom Classic Trucks website in the Tech section. A parabolic reflector is responsible for the crystal clear look.  Here's the front end in all...  Here's the front end in all its shiny glory. Not bad for a day's work!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Thinker??? - Haul Monitor
Ryan talks about the friendly badgering that goes on around the shop and overcoming obstacles that seemly pop up out of nowhere during a project....
more
|
|
|
|
|