1984 C30 CC/LB "Daily Dually"

[Andler2008]

So I bought this 1984 C30 just over a month ago for $900. The 454 was long gone due to a thrown rod and it had some rockers left as well as a size 12 hole in the Driver side floor pan. The SM465 was still in there too, so that was a plus.

Backstory: I had been looking for an older chevy crew cab dually for about 3 years prior to this one and I always missed out on the good deals, or they were just priced well above what I had available, until now. I only happened to be able to get this one because I had been saving cash for a Magnum T56 for my 2003 mustang ls swap. Well, as you can see, I have a dually and no T56 lol

So far, I bought the LS Flywheel, SM465 clutch, LS7 pilot bearing and all of the associated ARP hardware to get it all bolted together. I installed the motor last night and bolted it down to the SM and used Dirty Dingo conversion mounts to use the OEM truck frame mounts.

I'll be installing the PS pump, alternator, intake and manifolds in the next day or two. I ordered 2 rockers from each side, both rear cab corners and the driver side floor pan last night. Once those arrive and my new spot weld cutters come in, I'll be getting the old ones removed and putting the new ones on.

[Andler2008]

Also, here's some info on the motor, wiring and stuff that I did prior to purchasing the dually.

I parted out a 2001 Suburban to get the motor and wiring. I ultimately made money on parting it out, and was able to keep the engine and wiring, so I definitely came out way ahead.

Engine Prep
-LS9 7 layer headgaskets installed
-ARP head studs installed

Electronics/Wiring
-Modified OEM suburban wiring to be stand alone, using info from LT1tech.com
-Leash Electronics Big Dog II fuse block for the stand alone and additional accessories
-Purchased the HP Tuners Pro Suite and a new laptop. Built a bench harness to eliminate VATS and change a few things before hooking it up to the truck.

Fuel System
-Already bought tons of fittings and 20' of Braided -8AN hose from Vibrant Performance
-Using a Walbro 400 LPH pump, this may change depending on if I use the saddle tanks or go for a single 30 gallon from an older suburban.
-Using the OEM FPR from the suburban on the OEM intake

As far as my plans for the truck, I plan on bagging the front and rear. I have no plans on laying body at the moment, but it's not 100% out of the question. I just want to get the truck running and driving, then fix up the body and remove the rust before doing the big suspension stuff.

Things seem to be moving a lot quicker than I initially anticipated, so I'm getting very excited as more things get completed.

[Warrens69GMC]

Welcome aboard and congrats with your new project!

To post pictures here i take them with my phone, which uploads to google. I then view them in google and save them to my computer.

When you want to post them, I click the "go advanced" button on the post, and click the paperclip in the top header. Select the photos you want to post, then press "upload", then "close this window" in the upper right corner , then you can hit "post reply"

[Andler2008]

Originally Posted by Warrens69GMC

Welcome aboard and congrats with your new project!

To post pictures here i take them with my phone, which uploads to google. I then view them in google and save them to my computer.

When you want to post them, I click the "go advanced" button on the post, and click the paperclip in the top header. Select the photos you want to post, then press "upload", then "close this window" in the upper right corner , then you can hit "post reply"

Yeah, I know how to get them on there, but it seems I do not have access yet. I assume I have a minimum post requirement before I can post pictures.

[Warrens69GMC]

Your pics...

[Andler2008]

Originally Posted by Warrens69GMC

Your pics...

It just let me upload them lol Thank you though

[Andler2008]

I got 4 rocker panels (2 left and 2 right) and both cab corners in last night. Looks like the floor pan and the spotweld cutters will be here today.

I will be ordering an EFI 31 or 40 gallon suburban tank with the fuel pump assembly. I have a walbro 400 that I'll put in place of the OEM pump, so that will be an easy swap to get my 58psi at the rails.

I'll be super busy with my son's football scrimmage tonight and practice tomorrow with a game on Saturday morning. Then I'm taking the wife and kids to the Good Guys 1st Kentucky National after the game on Saturday. Hopefully I'll get some time in on the truck on Sunday as my wife has designated it as her "Sunday Bumday" this week lol.

[BigDooley77]

Looking forward to updates. I'm also building a CCDW.

[Andler2008]

Originally Posted by BigDooley77

Looking forward to updates. I'm also building a CCDW.

lol I literally just commented on your thread. Looks like you've got a good truck to start with.

[BigDooley77]

yeah its something to start with lol its got some rust but not much this summer I'll start tearing the body apart but before I start all that I want as much road time as possible.

[BigDooley77]

Are you going to use a Pollak fuel selector and run 2 separate fuel pumps? or 1 saddle tank? or go suburban rear tank?

[Andler2008]

Originally Posted by BigDooley77

Are you going to use a Pollak fuel selector and run 2 separate fuel pumps? or 1 saddle tank? or go suburban rear tank?

lol I literally just ordered a 31 gallon fuel tank and fuel pickup from a 1988 R20 Suburban on rockauto.com. Total cost was just south of $200. I don't like the saddle tanks and switch. Between the location outside of the frame rails and the additional wiring and plumbing for the switch, I'd rather just use 1 tank in the rear between the rails.

I already have the 400lph fuel pump and the proper in tank fuel hose. Now that I've got that ordered, I may put the body work on hold until I can fab up some mounts for the new tank and get it plumbed and installed.

I have 20' of -8AN braided fuel hose, a whole bunch of hose ends, the adapters for the OEM LS truck rails, 10 micron fuel filter, etc. I made sure that the sending unit I got had the threaded o-ring ends that way I can just adapt some AN hose end fittings to it for ease of installation. Hopefully

[Andler2008]

So I got my fuel tank and fuel pickup as well as the tools needed to help drill out the spot welds on the OEM body panels.

I handle staffing for a national logistics company and I'm working with our 2nd shift team to figure out why they cannot meet our Service Levels set in place. I typically work on 1st, but this week I'm on 2nd so it has really thrown me through a loop. Sleep isn't terribly different, but now that I can sleep in until noon, I have been taking advantage lol so no work is getting done until the weekend.

I did have my wife try and help me push the truck into my shop so I can get working on it, but the rear wheels were locked up for some reason so I assume the E-Brake is hanging up. I got it angled towards the front door, but not through as it's a tight space between the attached garage and my shop.

I am hoping to get my father in laws wrecker over to the house to help pivot the rear end and push it into the shop.

I plan on removing the bed as soon as I get time when the truck is in the shop and I'll start removing the saddle tanks and looking to install the new suburban tank. Can't wait to get working on this project.

[BigDooley77]

HAHA yeah these things suck to move mine was right outside the shop door with 3 of us pushing and it wouldn't move so I just finished hooking up what I could had the kid manually select the gear under the truck and then drove it in. I like the saddle tanks but the rear tank is nice too you can hinge the tail light and have the fill neck behind it kind of like an old Cadillac.

[Andler2008]

Originally Posted by BigDooley77

HAHA yeah these things suck to move mine was right outside the shop door with 3 of us pushing and it wouldn't move so I just finished hooking up what I could had the kid manually select the gear under the truck and then drove it in. I like the saddle tanks but the rear tank is nice too you can hinge the tail light and have the fill neck behind it kind of like an old Cadillac.

Yeah I have been considering doing the behind the tail light fill cap. So we shall see.

[LT7A]

Andler, great truck. Look forward to watching it come together.

[Andler2008]

I got some work done on the dually this weekend. I had random blocks of 2-3 hours that I had free so I could work on it little by little.

First off, there are 8 carriage bolts holding the bed to the frame. I have had 4 short bed trucks in my life, and they were all 6 bolts. This is my first long bed, so I just forgot that most long beds have 8 bolts. I spent 20 minutes looking for my handy dandy crow bar thinking the bed was rusted to the frame, then spent 2 minutes unbolting 1 bolt and cutting the other when I realized my mistake lol

There were also 4 bolts holding on the gooseneck hitch, only 2 had to be cut off and I only had to cut off 2 of the carriage bolts on the bed. All in all, not a bad deal. There is a ton of scale rust on the frame underneath the bed, but under the cab. Used 2 2"x27' ratchet straps tied to diagonally across the bed to lift the bed off the frame. Worked like a charm.

[Andler2008]

Started mocking up the tank and I was planning on moving the fuel filler neck to the rear license plate, but I think I may just move it behind the passenger side dually fender. It'll allow me to use the stock vent, filler neck and filler cover on the bed. I'll be making the mounts to hold the tank sometime today or tomorrow.

Still undecided with the fuel feed and return. Wanted to run the -8AN bulkheads, but the fuel hat doesn't have tons of space to allow 2 -8AN bulkhead fittings. So we shall see once I get the mounts mocked up what the best way to go will be.

[Andler2008]

Spent way too long overthinking this fuel tank mount because I know once I begin the 4 link and frame notch install, I'll just have to redo all of it. I'm a perfectionist at heart and I hate doing anything half-assed when it comes to metal fabrication, but knowing it'll all be rebuilt later I just fabbed this stuff up in a few hours over the past 2 nights.

I made the mounts so that the bottom of the fill tube will be 1/2" above the frame rail and it should tuck between the frame rail and underside of the bed quite nicely.

The top part of the bracket is what will be welded to the frame rails and I will use angle steel to bolt the tank flange to the top bracket. I welded nuts to the top tank frame to make it easier to bolt the tank clamps to the hold the tank. I picked up some flat adhesive backed weatherstripping from autozone and will use that as a pad between the mounts and the tank to keep in from rattling around.

I also ordered the -8AN to 16x1.5mm and -8AN to 14x1.5mm adapters for the fuel feed and return so I can easily run the lines from there. I have to buy another 20' of -8AN braided line too since this truck is so damn long lol. Things are progressing quite nicely.

[Andler2008]

Christmas is now over! Both my kids and my wife had a very great Christmas, which is all I can ask for. Had some extra cash from just saving it to make sure there is enough for Christmas and anything that may happen, just in case, so I decided to get all the nickel and dime stuff that would be forgotten when go to start it up and some other goodies.

Got quite a few things, some small, some large, but all important.
Speed Engineering LT's for $264.99
Direct fit rad for the C30 specifically, $107
Radiator mounting pads $15
2 AWG battery cables(25' Black & 25' Red) $75.25
10 GA black TXL 25' $27.50
10 GA red TXL 25' $27.50
Universal air filter $15.99
O2 Sensors $20.99 x2
Battery Terminals and Covers $23
Battery Cable Crimping tool and cutters $30
2 AWG 3/8 stud compression lugs for battery cable $10.95
red and black heat shrink tube $10.99
Oil Pressure Sensor $17
4" aluminum elbow for Air intake $34
2 4" intake couplers with adapter rings for MAF $11.36 x2
3/8" power and ground insulated stud junctions $15


Had the TXL wire from EFI connection come in and it looks like the red wire is 12 or 14 AWG, so I'll have to send it back and get a replacement order in. Also, I picked up a 25 gallon craftsman oil-less air compressor that was set out for trash and wasn't making pressure. I got it home to find that the piston sleeve and piston ring were destroyed, so I ordered a rebuild kit for it and will have it going in a few days. Only cost $40, so if it works, it'll be nice to have until I can get a new pump for my 60.

I also got a set of fans from a 2006 suburban, but they're way too wide. Looks like it was for a 34" core and not the 28". I was supposed to pick a set up from someone selling them on FB marketplace, but they weren't responding to my calls when I arrived to the location we were supposed to meet. I ended up going to the junkyard down the street and hastily pulled them from a truck since it was christmas eve morning. I didn't have a tape measure to check the length, so I ended up with a shroud that was way to wide. If I can't make them work, I'll just look to sell them and buy a set that fits. Only cost $40, so it's not to bad if I can't use or sell them.

[Andler2008]

I also got the powersteering lines connected to the gear box from the hydroboost, then I need to find a better high pressure hose from the pump to the hydroboost because the BB hoses face forward as does the female fitting from the pump. Then just some simple low pressure hose plumbing and it's set for the power steering/hydroboost system.

I removed the driver side front fender and core support to get a little more working room with the headers, power steering and wiring. Core support was removed mainly so I can mount the radiator and the fans easily so I'm not having to bend over the front end trying to make it work.

Current plans for the weekend, I have to tear down a 2004 YZF400 motor for a good friend who fried the crank bearing. After that, truck stuff will start.

1)Install and check fitment of new LT headers.
2)Install wiring harness
3)Build battery box for 78 series battery, may mount to frame where old saddle tanks used to be
4)Mount PS pump, Alternator and Radiator

All of this is depending on how well the LT's fit and any additional nuisances from the truck that prevent me from getting this **** done lol

[SBTork]

Very cool build! Stick with it man, it'll be worth it for sure

[Andler2008]

Found this on CL last night. This is some new-found motivation for sure.

https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/...786404566.html

Attached some pictures just in case the post expires or gets taken down.

[BigDooley77]

How's the project coming along any updates?

[Andler2008]

I cleaned up the garage around it yesterday lol

I just bought a 30' camper and a 21' open bow boat to camp down on the river with the family this summer since 3 of our friends families also have campers and boats. One of them happens to be the head coach of our sons football team and the others just have kids on the team. So this is the perfect opportunity to have some fun, make some memories and drown in the maintenance costs and time of campers and boats

I did however, decide to go ahead and buy the Thorbros Monster 4 link, Watts link, and lowering spindles for the dually. I'm going to buy a couple sticks of 4"x3" tubing to build the rear frame rails and the C-Notch. There is so much pitting on the frame underneath the bed that after I cleaned it up and smoothed it out, it was just too thin for my taste. So once that stuff comes in I'll see if I can find some time to get it all setup.

My son is in select baseball that started 2 months ago and my weekends are going to be filled with boating and hanging out at the campground. This leaves very little time for literally EVERYTHING else.

I'm trying to squeeze every bit of time out of the day (reduced sleeping to 4-6 hours in the past month) and it's still not enough. Drowning just a bit, but I'll make it work. I LOVE THIS ****ING DUALLY SO IT'S STILL THOUGHT ABOUT DAILY. If that counts lol