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Top Kick nose

56wrench

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Joined
Dec 4, 2016
Messages
2,074
Location
alberta
i was referring to the new-style cab with the 3116. i thought the late 1990 cab was the new style and the early 1990 was the old-style but i am probably wrong. that was 30 years ago but i seem to remember anything with the 3208 had the cab lifted, so it required the different hood.
 

Willie B

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2016
Messages
4,039
Location
Mount Tabor VT
Occupation
Electrician
i was referring to the new-style cab with the 3116. i thought the late 1990 cab was the new style and the early 1990 was the old-style but i am probably wrong. that was 30 years ago but i seem to remember anything with the 3208 had the cab lifted, so it required the different hood.

What I think of as the square body pickup was introduced 1973? In pickups it was used until 1987, when you had a choice of classic or the newest style. It appears the square body cab was used on heavier trucks a few more years, then some were built with each cab. They made it seem bigger with skirting, and big flaring fenders. My friend had a crew cab 8' box single rear wheel 3500 1990 model year. It had the older cab.
I'm not sure when they did away with that cab, probably when some warehouse was finally empty.
 

Willie B

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Jan 2, 2016
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4,039
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Mount Tabor VT
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Electrician
Actually, I put rocker panels & cab corners in the 1976. Used pickup parts.
I'll have to compare cowl & firewall, don't know.
 

Willie B

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Jan 2, 2016
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4,039
Location
Mount Tabor VT
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Electrician
Grill.jpg






The old girl is back! The nose I bought up North was in sorry condition! Sanding through many layers of paint, I found numerous cracks in addition to those I knew of. In retrospect, my broken original grill would have been an easier fix.
I did the glass work in the basement during winter. It doesn't smell too good, but is well isolated from the living area.
Paint waited for a warm day, as I hate heating the garage 24 hours a day, (wood furnace).
I did a lot of reinforcing around the hinges. Originally, hinges attached with four bolts through 1/4" of fiberglass. Now I've added wings to the hinges, filled the voids near the hinges with Tiger Hair, and added 32 stainless screws. I also added 1/4 x 3 30" tall to the bottom of the hinges & 1/4 x 2 x 3 Rectangular tubing to sandwich the flat panel behind the grill.

Hinge.jpg

It looks perfect from 10 feet away, except the rest of the cab is faded somewhat. Now the dump body needs paint. Seth is lobbying for Caterpillar Yellow.
With new radiator, I took her out 40 miles today, not a flaw!
 

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,430
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
I am still kinda partial to the old 9500 conventionals, little to no cab room but what a hood!!

images
 

Willie B

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2016
Messages
4,039
Location
Mount Tabor VT
Occupation
Electrician
I am still kinda partial to the old 9500 conventionals, little to no cab room but what a hood!!

images
I will agree, that is a mighty pretty truck. Mrs. B thinks I've lost my mind owning one 1/3 that size, think she'd accept one of those with a dump body?
I've never been a fan of the nose on my truck. There were other GM trucks in the weight class much prettier. I hadn't known of the fiberglass around the hinges being a problem on this particular style.
 

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,430
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
Does take considerably MORE pasture to turn the 9500s around in!! My own little honey thinks I have gone MAD as to the KW!!!
 

Willie B

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2016
Messages
4,039
Location
Mount Tabor VT
Occupation
Electrician
The shake in the truck is now the most pressing frustration. Seth picked up the reins and accessed hundreds of knowledgeable people I hadn't talked to. I was hoping there was somebody a bit closer. He found a company says they can perfect the driveshaft. They are three hours away. Said they could do it "while you wait" but 2:30 today he said it'd take too long to finish, better not wait. That'll be 12 hours road time for this, I sure hope it works!
They condemned ALL U joints & carrier bearing, including the new u joint. I'm not feeling absolutely confident, I'm sort of desperate. I'm in this project pretty deep now, I don't feel I can stop at this stage.
 
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