66 GMC

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Feature video — 1966 GMC by Hammer Fab

VIDEO

Feature video — 1966 GMC by Hammer Fab

§ 01

THE BRIEF

This 1966 GMC was started by Levi Green of Hammer Fab and later sold to A. Gouldie in Leander, Texas. It arrived as a heavy-duty 3/4-ton longbed with a small back window, a stump-puller V6, and a Dana 60 rear end. Work began the very weekend COVID was announced, and by luck many of the parts had already been purchased before the supply chain locked up. The truck was shortened, given a bigger back window, and laid out on a Choppin Block extreme air-ride chassis — a five-star package in our opinion. Power comes from a naturally aspirated 660hp Don Hardy LS3, punched out to a 6.8L V8, backed by a Bowler Performance 4L80E and a custom two-piece driveshaft from Dan's Driveline in Las Vegas, NV. The truck has collected top awards including a Goodguys Pros Pick and a GM Iron Builder of the Year contender nod, and it has been tested hard on the autocross and track. It was built to be driven and enjoyed by the owner and bystanders alike — it breaks necks everywhere it goes. After the bed was shortened with no welding involved to preserve the patina, the entire inner bed structure and tilting bed floors were designed in SolidWorks by Levi Green, then laser cut and CNC machined for a new approach to truck bed support. Square tubes mig welded together simply wasn't going to cut it for this caliber of build. The 20/22 inch Ferrada wheels are wrapped in Continentals — 325s in the rear and 275s up front — and the tailgate uses Hammer Fab's billet tailgate latches and stops to eliminate the old clangy chains.

Spec sheet

YEAR: 1966
MAKE / MODEL: GMC C-series pickup
BUILDER: Levi Green, Hammer Fab
OWNER: A. Gouldie
LOCATION: Leander, TX
COMPLETED: Spring 2021
BUILD START: COVID announcement weekend, March 2020
STARTING POINT: Heavy-duty 3/4-ton longbed, small window, V6, Dana 60
AWARDS: Goodguys Pros Pick; GM Iron Builder of the Year contender
USE CASE: Street driven, autocross and track tested
BODY: Original patina preserved; zero filler, metal-finished repairs
BED SHORTENING: No welding to preserve patina
BED STRUCTURE: SolidWorks-designed, laser cut and CNC machined
CHASSIS: Choppin Block extreme air-ride
ENGINE: 660hp naturally aspirated Don Hardy 6.8L LS3
TRANSMISSION: Bowler Performance 4L80E
DRIVESHAFT: Custom two-piece by Dan's Driveline, Las Vegas, NV
WHEELS: 20/22 inch Ferrada
TIRES: Continental — 325 rear, 275 front
TAILGATE: Hammer Fab billet latches and stops, no chains
SOUND / HEAT: Silent Coat sound deadening
FIREWALL: Custom 14-gauge
INNER FENDERS: Bead-rolled aluminum
RADIATOR: PWR aluminum
WIRING: Ken Myers, Seattle, WA
VALVE COVERS: Original V6 with Don Hardy billet LS adapters, plaid dipped
INTERIOR: Jay Schluter seat, Levi Green design
SEAT INSERTS: 3D-printed, wrapped in Relicate distressed leather
STEERING WHEEL: One-off billet by Sparc Industries
ROLL CAGE: Built in-house, tucked out of sight
STANCE: Air-ride, slammed
STATUS: Completed, award-winning, and on the road

§ 02 — Note from the shop

"Patina outside, handcrafted detail inside — a 1966 GMC built to stop people in their tracks, on the street or the track."

§ 03 — Build journal

The updates.

A living log of every meaningful moment on this build — new photos, short notes, and the milestones worth marking.

7 UPDATES · 1 MILESTONES

Milestones

MAR 1, 2021— Completed — 1966 GMC ready for the road

UPDATE 07 / 07

Mar 1, 2020

TEARDOWN

Starting point — a rough 3/4-ton with real history

The truck came in as a 3/4-ton longbed, small-window, V6, Dana 60 GMC with the kind of honest wear you can't fake — rust-through in the lower corners, decades of Texas sun on the paint, and every panel telling its own story. The plan was set from day one: save the skin, rebuild everything under it.

Lower cab corner as it arrived — rust-through and paint history that would later be preserved, restored, and clear-coated rather than replaced.

UPDATE 06 / 07

Mar 15, 2020

CHASSIS

Foundation — chassis and cab mockup begin

The 66 GMC build kicked off the weekend COVID was announced. With key parts already purchased, Hammer Fab was able to push ahead with chassis setup, cab mockup, and the first major packaging decisions while much of the industry was about to hit long delays.

Choppin Block extreme air-ride chassis mocked up with wheels and brakes in place.

Finished chassis underside — Choppin Block extreme air-ride, satin black finish, and clean routing throughout the driveline.

Cab set over the chassis during early fitment to establish stance and engine bay packaging.

SolidWorks rendering of the shortened bed structure and tilting floor layout by Levi Green.

Delrin bed-mount bushings tuned in length and diameter to tighten up tailgate operation, eliminating squeaks and side-to-side slop while keeping panel gaps tight and protecting the patina paint from chipping.

UPDATE 05 / 07

May 1, 2020

METALWORK

Metalwork — zero filler, all hammer and dolly

Every panel was worked back straight with hammer and dolly — no filler anywhere on the body. Inner structure, fender wells, and bed panels were fabricated or refinished in-house so the finished truck would be honest from the outside all the way through.

Bare-metal bodywork on a corner panel — worked straight by hand, with zero filler used anywhere on the truck.

Freshly prepped inner bed panel in satin black before being tucked back into the truck.

Inner cab structure refinished in the working teal shade before final assembly.

UPDATE 04 / 07

Jun 1, 2020

METALWORK

Cab prep — preserved shell, refined underneath

As the build moved forward, the cab underside and firewall areas were cleaned up and protected while preserving the truck's hard-earned exterior history. The goal was never to erase the patina — only to elevate everything supporting it.

Cab underside refinished and protected before final assembly, keeping the preserved shell honest top to bottom.

Cab interior in progress with sound control and structure work underway before final trim and seating.

Cab-in-progress view showing the metalwork and floor before final trim.

UPDATE 03 / 07

Oct 1, 2020

PAINT

Fauxtina — matching what forty-plus years of Texas sun did

New and replacement panels were blended into the truck's original story with fauxtina work by Levi Green — every fade, burn-through, and edge wear matched by hand so no single panel gives itself away. Once everything read as one truck again, the whole body was sealed with satin epoxy clear coat.

Refinished inner front fender with fauxtina blending — matching sun fade and worn edges before the panel goes on the truck.

Cab quarter with hand-blended patina — the goal isn't fake wear, it's a seamless match to the panels that came in on the truck.

UPDATE 02 / 07

Dec 15, 2020

DETAILS

One-off details — the parts most people never see

Every fastener that shows and plenty that don't got the same treatment as the big stuff. Custom in-house parts were designed, machined, and finished to keep the truck looking correct from any angle, including the ones that only the builder ever sees.

Custom machined caps embossed with a subtle bowtie silhouette — one of the small in-house details tucked into the finished truck.

UPDATE 01 / 07

Mar 1, 2021

DELIVERY MILESTONE

Completed — 1966 GMC ready for the road

Started by Levi Green of Hammer Fab and later sold to A. Gouldie in Leander, TX, this 1966 GMC was completed in Spring 2021. It has earned a Goodguys Pros Pick and GM Iron Builder of the Year contender honors, and it has been proven on the autocross and track. The truck left the shop with its original patina protected by satin epoxy clear coat, zero filler anywhere on the body, a Choppin Block extreme air-ride chassis, a 660hp naturally aspirated 6.8L Don Hardy LS3, and a custom interior by Jay Schluter from Levi Green's design.

Front three-quarter — original patina over a slammed stance.

Rear worm's-eye view against a Texas sky — GMC tailgate, laid-out stance, and the truck's true proportions from ground level.

Rear worm's-eye view — tailgate, bed side, and laid-out stance from ground level.

Head-on — chrome bumper, GMC grille, and hood patina.

Straight-on hood shot showing the weathered original paint.

Driver-side three-quarter, laid out on the air-ride.

Shop wall backdrop — front three-quarter in sunlight.

Rear three-quarter — GMC tailgate and Texas plate.

J024

Full driver-side profile in front of the old shop doors.

Passenger-side head-on angle, laid out low.

Interior from the passenger side — custom leather bench by Jay Schluter with Levi Green design cues.

Bench seat detail — 3D-printed window inserts wrapped in Relicate distressed leather.

Bed floor lifted — finished rear structure, air system, and chassis details underneath.

Engine bay — plaid valve covers and orange GMC powerplant detail.

Underside view — clean chassis layout and driveline from front to rear.

Goodguys Builders Choice award detail on the wood bed floor.

J032

Studio-style profile rendering of the finished truck.

§ 04 — Process

Chapter by chapter.

Every build is documented as it moves through the shop. Here's how this one came together.

C033

ORIGINAL PATINA, PRESERVED CAB UNDERSIDE, FERRADA WHEELS

01CHAPTER

Body & stance

The original GMC sheet metal was preserved, shortened, and set up for a low air-ride stance on a Choppin Block extreme chassis — with no welding on the bed so the patina stayed intact. The inner bed structure and tilting bed floors were designed in SolidWorks by Levi Green, then laser cut and CNC machined for a precision support system instead of the usual welded square-tube approach. Most of the patina is original, with repairs and fauxtina by Levi Green blended in so the time-capsule look is seamless. The finish was protected with a satin epoxy clear coat, including the underside of the cab so the preserved shell stayed as considered underneath as it did on top. Rolling stock is 20/22 inch Ferrada wheels wrapped in Continental tires, 325s in the rear and 275s up front.

C034

JAY SCHLUTER UPHOLSTERY, LEVI GREEN DESIGN

02CHAPTER

Interior craftsmanship

Silent Coat sound deadening keeps the cab quiet and cool. The custom leather bench was built by Jay Schluter from a design by Levi Green, featuring 3D-printed window inserts wrapped in Relicate distressed leather. A one-off billet steering wheel by Sparc Industries and a tucked in-house roll cage complete the detailed cockpit.

C035

660HP DON HARDY LS3, BOWLER 4L80E

03CHAPTER

Drivetrain & chassis

A 660hp naturally aspirated 6.8L Don Hardy LS3 sits between a custom 14-gauge firewall and bead-rolled aluminum inner fenders, cooled by a PWR aluminum radiator. The original V6 valve covers were retained with Don Hardy billet LS adapters and water-transfer dipped in the rare factory plaid pattern. Early in the build the truck was mocked up on its Choppin Block chassis, then the custom bed structure and finished underfloor packaging were worked out around the driveline. Wiring by Ken Myers of Seattle, WA keeps it clean and reliable.

§ 05 — Gallery