Hank Hill's 88 GMC RCLB Build

[HankHill_K2500]

Figured that since the snow is about to melt I should make a build thread for my truck. It will be slow going at first but I have lots planned for it.

My truck is a 1988 GMC K2500, 5 speed standard, 350 V8 TBI converted to LPG Propane. My grandparents bought the truck brand new in 1988 and took it back to their farm. It was converted to propane in February of 1991 when propane conversions were the big thing to do at the time, especially in British Columbia. I've always loved the truck since I was a kid and used to go on road trips with my grandparents and sit in the middle of the bench seat and play with the numbers on the gear shift. Before I got the truck in 2012 it spent most of its life as a farm truck, but my grandpa likes to tinker and is a fabricator and kept the truck in good shape. At one time the box had been freshly repainted and a fork from a loader placing a hay bale in the back crushed the side of the box, and now the only way you can tell this is that the paint isnt quite matched and a bit of the striping is gone. I insisted on paying for the truck or at least paying for the new windshield but my grandpa was having none of it and gave me the truck for free. Even got a tool box as well.

All original, just over 350,000 kilometers

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Here it is when I first got it.

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My grandpa had made a custom cup holder that I had taken out but Im thinking of putting back in. Thats the orangey thing in that ^ photo.

It didnt take long for me to start making it look nice

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That screen protects the radiator ^

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Some of my beautification has been un done by now because I've either done it not properly or since its been sitting for a long while its just deteriorated.

In no particular order:
Made an 8-ball knob for my 4x4 out of a real 8 ball.

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Installed dual CB antennas and a PA speaker (And took out the cupholder for some place for the CB to fit. Priorities!)

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Replaced the tape player and stereo with a CD player. Mainly because we broke the tape player trying to play Rod Stewart's Blondes Have More Fun in it.

Had the Y-pipe replaced and the catalytic converter deleted

Installed Dixieland horns. They sit atop the driver's fender around the washer fluid and point downwards. Theyre uninstalled right now and I dont have a pic.

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To-Do list:
Have transmission, clutch and t-case checked. Clutch possibly replaced.
4x4 drive axle replaced
4HI
6 inch lift
New tires (33s before lift, 35s after)
True Dual 3" flowmaster 40 with electric cut-outs
Re-lamp gauge cluster
Rear window tint
Headache rack and bed rails
Headliner replacement
Overhead Console(?)
Cosmetic stuff (emblems, window rubbers, grille, bumpers etc.)
And much more.

I also want to take a tachometer and maybe a transmission temp. gauge and try to custom make my own moonie gauges to fit into the radio delete pocket.

Thanks for reading!

 

[The Baron]

Wow that's a clean truck. I like the color combo too. Not a huge fan of the wheels though, but I love it when trucks stay in the family. My 800 was my uncles, then my dad's, and now mine.

 

[HankHill_K2500]

Yeah its really nice for an 88 for sure! The colour is one of my favorite things about the truck, its one of those schemes thats not too rare, but you dont see them so often either. Not too many people enjoy the dinner plate wheels haha, I like running em cause they're classic but once the truck's more done up I'll try to get some new OEM wheels or something.

Same here! And its also nice because you know what kind of life the vehicle has had. And then you can pass it on too, which is really cool.

 

[HankHill_K2500]

Went and talked to my grandparents today and found out that the only really major thing that has been replaced is the transmission, and it was done while still under warranty! So aside from general maintenance like ball joints, alternator, starter, stuff like that, which is already pretty old again, its all original, including the clutch! I have the papers, just havent gone through them and honestly not sure where I put them but Ill search! Im leaving the province for a job tomorrow so the build will be on hold for awhile but on the bright side Ill have the money to finally get her up to speed.

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The propane sticker

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Engine needs a little tender lovin'

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[twomanymontes]

Nice looking truck!!! Paint the flares to match the brown and it will look better!

 

[ChrisAU]

I love that truck!

 

[HankHill_K2500]

Nice looking truck!!! Paint the flares to match the brown and it will look better!

Oh hey, never thought of that! Ill give it a photoshop and see what it looks like.

I love that truck!

Thanks! I really like yours as well

 

[HankHill_K2500]

Finally got back home from camp! Of course the first thing I do is work on the truck hehe.

I put the custom-made wood cupholder my grandpa had made back in and attached a newer CB on the bottom of it. I had originally taken that cupholder out because I figured it wouldve been in the way of the CB, but trying to drive a stick shift after going through the Tim's drive-thru is just no bueno lol.

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Still need a new Coax and to put the other equipment on the CB. One day soon I would like to get an X-Force Midnight Special 250A amplifier. Might need to upgrade the alternator or run a dual battery for that though.

Decided to also take out the headliner because it was starting to sag and I would like to change it (to probably camo haha).

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Little wire brush from work made quick work of the foam

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Every single one of these plastic retainers holding the headliner in were brittle and had to be broken; they were impossible to salvage. Anyone know where I can get some new ones?

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[HankHill_K2500]

Bought some stuff offline today and plan on doing a town run tomorrow.

Ordered this camo fabric for the headliner

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Ordered new Energy Suspension Polyurethane body mounts. This is a much needed item haha.

Also got some retaining pins for the headliner that will work, hopefully, and last but not least, ordered a cheap 32" Curved LED light bar

Worked on the truck a little today, mostly to prep for these parts. My grandpa had a screen protecting the radiator which is a really awesome thing to do, almost none of the fins are bent, but the screen was held in place by two blocks of wood screwed in through the grille and I figure they would be in the way of the light bar. Also, is that little rad on the driver's side for the power steering fluid? Do standards not have a trans cooler?

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Took the screen off the pieces of wood and zap-strapped it onto some sticky-backs. Now its cleaner and easier to replace the screen, which I will have to do soon, its pretty beat up.

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Noticed my passenger low beam light was slightly off. The bezel wasnt fully around the light and wasnt "clipped" into position, and then after being fixed, it was wayy off.

Drivers

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Passengers before

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Passengers after

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[GreysonChance]

Lookin' real nice! Reminds me of what my old man used to have Ever thought of putting some brass/chrome gold on it? Just think it'd look nicer