Johnny Rocket…Gearhead!

How I worked up to a 1964 GMC pickup 327 install!

Something you may not know about me is that I, over the last few of years, have become a bit of a gearhead. I have always liked cars. My first car was actually something that you may see in a car show today.

 

Ah, the eighties…white jeans and a mullet…and a 1976 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme.

The problem was, I had no idea how to work on cars when I was 16.

 

Then I met this guy. Greg “Lars” Larson, gearhead extraordinaire! Lars started wrenching on stuff when he was wearing Garanimals. If I was gonna hang out with this guy, I better obtain some gearhead cred.

 

Pepe the pickup was sitting in the weeds at my in-laws farm in North Dakota. I asked my mother-in-law if I could tinker with it someday. Next thing I know, I was the owner of a 1964 GMC pickup, that had not run in over 30 years. I ended up putting the engine from my 1995 GMC into my 1964, so that I could get it on the road. I also added a few custom touches, including a new wood bed and some very unique gas tanks.

That got me on the road for a while. However, on the return trip from a car show in Wisconsin, my 305 v8 gave out. So, what to do? How about build something even more cool? How about a 327 sbc? To the internet! A few clicks and I was the proud owner of this.

Now what?

I finally tore into my project a couple of weeks ago. I will be documenting my “327 project” here. I will be posting pics of my progress over the coming weeks as I get Pepe ready for the road again this summer.