1996 GMC K1500 "Swamp" Truck Build (frame off restoration)

I'm to this forum but not new to OBS trucks. I have had 2 in the past 10 years and they really have a soft spot in my heart. My first OBS truck was a 1990 GMC that a friend gave to me. It was a reg cab long bed V6 5 speed. That truck got me through college and then some. I put a lot of work into it and still kinda regret selling it, but at the time I needed something a little more reliable. While I had the white truck I bought a 91 reg cab step side 4x4 with a v6 that needed a lot of work. I had to punt that one due to me getting married, but I did make some money on it in the end.

Heres a pic of the truck when I got it



And right before I sold it



That brings me to today, I have had my eye on this truck for a while. Its a 96 extended cab stepside sierra 4wd. I was going to buy it a few years ago but I decided to get a newer truck. It was parked because of the 4l60 losing reverse (surprise surprise). Anyway the truck has a 4 inch bracket lift and what looks like a 2 inch body lift on 35s. It was in pretty rough shape last year when I was looking at it, but it had a lot of potential. Body is very straight, besides the driver side fender and door, and the bed. The frame is straight and rust free, and its pretty complete. I guess the previous owner didn't like the factory green paint and he spray bombed the truck flat black. Its not to bad but, not great either.

Here are some pictures from last year.











This is the part of the story where it takes a really bad turn. The truck was parked right next to the Amite River. In March we had massive flooding in South Louisiana. So yeah the truck flooded...... bad.... as in water all the way to the head rests bad. The lady that owned it told me it was going to the scrap yard, unless I wanted it. Well I'm pretty sure it should have gone to the scrap yard but I couldn't let a good OBS go out like that, so she's all mine, clear title and all.

Obviously it needs a lot of work, but since I already have another reliable truck, I can tear this thing apart and build it back up the exactly the way I want it.

My plans are, completely strip it down to the frame, replace all the wear parts, like the tie rods, ball joints, ect. Remove the lift, prep and paint the frame and suspension components, gut and replace the interior with a stock style interior with a few nice upgrades. Replace and repair the dinged and junked body parts. Swap the cut up stepside bed for fleet side. LS swap, probably a 5.3 or a 4.8, maybe a 6.0 if the price it right. 4l80, stock transfer case and front diff. And finally, lower the suspension.... I'm sure some of you guys will not like that, but my days of big 4x4s are over and I want something fun and fast. The plan is to run some type of lowering keys and a flip kit.

Sorry for the really REALLY long post, but its a fun story.

I have really big plans with this truck, and for once in my life i'm going to actually have the money to do most of the work.

Here are some pictures of the truck after the flood and at the house dirty and washed up a little bit.













Let me know what you guys think, comments and suggestions are always welcome. Im really looking forward to building this truck up.

I read the Headline and thought "ok cool, somebody's building a truck for the swamp" nope, it's literally a truck from the swamp...

Any day that a vehicle is saved from the crusher is a good day.
I say turn it into a weekend wheeler, it's survived a swamp once...



EDIT: just remembered, I was talking to a buddy in Louisiana same time as your flood, he got flooded out from going to work for a little while. Huh...wierd

Yeah the flooding was pretty bad here. But when you live in a by a rive in a swamp, you just get used to it. A lot of the houses here are built high up on stilts so that when it floods they don't loose that much. Still sucks though.

Maybe that's why all of the southern trucks I see are built on "stilts" suspension. There's an idea, build the truck above the flooding level...or don't, that could be awkward to drive.

So I finally got some time to work on the truck a little bit. I basically got most of the interior stripped and pressure washed the inside. My next step is to get the suspension and body lift off. I might try to get the body off the frame before I remove the suspension lift, i'll just have to see if I can get enough help.

Here are some pics. the interior is basically shot. I don't know if any of the interior components are salvageable. Obviously the water did a number on the truck, but it was "red neck rigged" before it was underwater. So basically I'm on the look out for a clean parts truck.













The front two tires are km2's and they are actually in really good shape. Hopefully I can get some money for them, along with the suspension lift and maybe the body lift.

Did that truck have a full NBS center console in it???

Damn shame about this rig going under, looks really slick. Hopefully you can turn it around!

It did, but it was not installed very well. The whole interior was a mess, besides it being obviously dirty and full of silt, the driver seat was broken, it was full of a bunch of random stuff, and a lot of it was held together with sheet rock screws. It was a mess, but I'm going to get it all fixed up and looking nice.

Gonna try and get it to turn over? Even though i'm sure its shot, would be fun to do a motor blow!

Justin S said:

Gonna try and get it to turn over? Even though i'm sure its shot, would be fun to do a motor blow!

Click to expand...

I've toyed with it, but the dipstick is rusted... So for me it would be a lot of work for something I'm not going to use. Im going to give the 350 to my buddy and he's going to bore it to a 383 and put it in a G body el camino and make it a drag car.