Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

I wasnt intentionally trying to go through that hole but my front tire slid in and I figured I would go all the way... If I had reverse gear, and a higher rpm motor I might have been able to back up when I first slid in.


Drove the truck home and parked it for the night. Two days later I drove to the carwash and when I stopped smoke started pouring out of the engine bay. Popped the hood and found oil all over my passenger valve cover, head, and pan towards the rear of the vehicle. Only happens when I stop...

The game plan is, limp it to the shop next week so they can install the new rims, limp it back to the house, pull the transmission, pull the motor. Rebuild the transmission, and go through the motor resealing it and reinstalling it if its good. Hopefully, time and money permitting, it will be done in a month in a half.

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

I love your thread. Real people with real situations. Keep on truckin.

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

hey man that picture at Sheetz is that at the corner of 401/Ten Ten Rd? I have a friend that has an 85 he's getting ready to pull the current lift and all off if youre interested.

I go to Wake Tech.

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

He also have 2 350's for sale. He's doing and LS2 in his.

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

That's the one. Depending on what size lift and if the 350's are solid and run good I'll definitely be interested. I'll shoot you a pm with my number. I'm about 15 minutes away from wake tech.

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

So thanks to a good friend of mine I was able to aquire a set of Mickey Thompson valve covers. They are straight with no dents or dings. He told me the PO sprayed paint thinner on the covers and never wiped it off. Stamped number is 3276000

I'll be going a little bit of a different route with these. I'll be out of town this weekend so any progress will most likely start Monday.

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

Here's an ad I found for the M/T covers.

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

I'm really digging this build! your making me wish mine was a 4wd instead of a 2wd ... dangit!

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

Thanks. Just remember... You break less things on pavement then you do off pavement! haha.

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

Not me. :waah:

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

I started working on the valve covers yesterday. Sprayed them with paint remover, scrubbed them with a scotch bright pad, sprayed down with a pressure washer, repeated about 3 or 4 times. After stripping all of the paint and gunk off there are a few nicks but I'm not too concerned about them. Being that they are cast late '58 through '68 I'm surprised that they aren't torn up. Definitely worth the $40 I payed for them.

Spent about 2 hours on the first with 120 grit. It's a little rough but there are still some spots in the metal and scratches I need to get out. I haven't started on the valley's and hard to get areas yet because I am lacking in the sanding tool department. This weekend I'll pick up some attachments and start on all the nooks and crannies but for now I'm focusing on spots and scratches.

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

That's about all I could do in one straight session without losing my marbles

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

Still looking for a th350 or a SM465 setup. My never used farm truck plate came in today and I mounted the last 2 rims on the truck.

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

Cool valve covers. I'm sure a trans will turn up just got to keep digging.

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

Thanks. There aren't as many squares in this area compared to yours so parts are kind of scarce.

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

Nice work

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

Thanks. I see your motor is coming along nicely.

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

They're around here but you don't see as many round eyes on the road as you do the '81-87s. Some and about most of the junkyards around here don't keep them either. Kinda sad really. But they can be found.

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

Looks good! I love them rims!

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

Thanks. How's your truck coming?

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

Hows the build going?

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

I've taken a momentary pause in the build until I figure out what I'm going to do about the engine.



I found a guy a little past Siler City that will build the TH350 for $450 so I'll drop that off next week.

I've seriously been contemplating putting a 5.3L engine into the truck and I need to come to a decision if I want to reseal the 305 and drive it while I wait or just save the money for the 5.3l swap.

I ordered some LED bulbs for the gauge cluster that should be here tomorrow. I need to get a new circuit board for the back of the cluster because it is shot. Those go for about $80 and for $70 more I could get a tach cluster to put in.



Glad to see you back and well Jon.

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

I say save the $$$ and upgrade to a tach cluster. That will also replace the circuit board at the same time.

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

I might as well. I've been wanting a tach cluster for a while now and have been hawking all the local yards might as well pay a little more and know it works /looks good.

Re: Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.
 

Decision has been made. LS it is!!!! Have a lot of planning and thinking to do as to how exactly I want to do this.


Basically, 5.3/4l80e/np241.

5.3 stock bottom end with LS6 top end plus or minus 2 turbos... Most likely plus!

Stock transmission and a stock tcase. I don't know about Axles just yet and if I want to keep the 12 bolt or not.

The truck has to be as stock looking as possible so I'll keep the gas tank underneath.

This quickly turned from a "kind of built fun daily driver" to a full out twin turbod LS powered square body.

End goal is 600hp. Without blowing up. Some say stock bottom end won't work. I'm going to make it work. And not blow up right away lol.