" Quality Time "

[ECU PIRATE]

Going to work on this a little at a time........... I told myself this time around, I would find something that I could drive while working on it instead of tearing it apart and let it sit until it was done the way I saw it in my head. This is going to be a Father / Son project with my 71' year old father. He is the one that found the truck after driving by it for a year.

An almost rust free shortbed stepside out of his hometown in North Louisiana. The PO told him it was a 79' but, I think it is somewhere in the neighborhood of 77'-78'. About the truck: straight 6 w/ 3 on the tree , stepside bed with fender mounted spare tire.

Immediate plans are change the fluids, new battery , new fuel pump , new tires , new bed wood, and possibly be re-shot the existing color.

The last couple of trucks that I have gotten my hands on, I ended up parting out. This is one is a keeper just for the simple fact that Dad and I both like the way it looks. After the smoke clears, I may have to put a little 2/4 drop on it. Eventually, I would love to drop a 402 BBC in this with a Muncie tranny and new rear gears and see what she can do.............................

[ECU PIRATE]

A few more pictures. The truck is still in Louisiana at the moment about to head to the body shop. I have had to rely on my cousins to get some pictures for me.

[E.D.75GMC]

Nice score, I'm jealous! Unless the drip rails, grille, tail lights, and a few other things have been changed I'd say that's a 73

[73Super8]

Sweet what a find! That grille if it's original to the truck it's a 73-74. Plus it lacking rain gutters on the cab. Very nice. Beat me by 3 minutes. Lol

[rusty76]

Cool truck. Any interior pics? I love the look of the old truck.

[ECU PIRATE]

Thanks Guys. I will get my Uncle to check out what the title says. I believe it is the original color of the truck. I will post up some interior shots tomorrow. The door panels that are currently in the truck are 77-80 and tan to boot. I have set of factory buckets and a console out of my old 77' K5 that may be finding their way into to this little gem. Dad is an old gear head from the early 60's so, I know there are going to be some things we are going to clash on during this process.

If it is a 73', then I am really pissed off for selling my 73-75 tach cluster (4) months ago. I need find some more of those early 69-75 white hub caps like the one on my spare

[ECU PIRATE]

Some interior pictures

[ECU PIRATE]

Floor and dash

[ECU PIRATE]

Crusty door panel

[ECU PIRATE]

On closer inspection, those are 73-76 door panels. It may be that Christmas came early........

[ECU PIRATE]

My Dad just got off the phone with my Uncle concerning the truck. The truck is a 73' with 77K original miles. He found a needle in the haystack right there. This changes all of my future interior and exterior plans now....

[73Super8]

Sweet! Definitely a diamond in the rough. What a great truck to find. I've always wanting a stepside.

[dragonball98312]

Nice score right there buddy

[walkerb]

Nice stepper. Love the spare tire fender. A very nice score

[ECU PIRATE]

Many thanks men. I think it was a great buy. Dad does not care too much for the fender mounted spare tire. Personally, I think it really sets it off. Old trucks need to have a spare mounted on the fender

[ECU PIRATE]

Found the deal of the week on Craigslist for the old girl. Drive 100 miles round trip but scored a brand new in the box McGaughey's c-notch kit and a set of spring hangers and shackles (all from LMC), for $50!!!!! I am probably not going to notch the frame but the rear is definitely getting lowered 4". I will have to post up separate pictures since my iPad only does one at a time

[ECU PIRATE]

C-notch kit by McGaughey's

[flashed]

Nice truck ,I have a 74 stepper barnfind with 63,000 miles now .Mine has the side mounted spare and everyone loves it as most have been done away with. My paint is not as nice as yours but this one is my daily driver and Im trying to leave it alone .

[rusty76]

Kool find on the lowering stuff. That's so cool it's a '73!

[ECU PIRATE]

Found a set of 20's for a good price ( $80 ) that I am thinking about getting. However, I like the idea of running stock steelies with the original dog dish hub caps more and more. I am thinking about getting the steelies and hub caps powder coated black and doing the Chevy logo in yellow.

[73Super8]

I would stick with the dog bowls myself with fat tires.

[ECU PIRATE]

I picked up these used ADR43 "Raiden" 20's yesterday for $80. Discontinued and in need of a serious powder coat but, they were cheap and they are 20 x 9. I am leaning towards using these more and more to avoid issues with drop spindles and grinding control arms.

[ECU PIRATE]

More goodies for the old girl......... Pulled these out of a 78' GMC High Sierra. Dad and spent about 1/2 an hour trying to get them out. I snapped off one of the bracket bolts in the seat frame but, that can be repaired. I really did not need the console however, we will keep it as a spare.

[ECU PIRATE]

Console and door panels that will be cleaned up dyed and installed

[ECU PIRATE]

My Dad and I picked these up yesterday to do the power steering conversion. We paid $90 for all of this. More than I would have paid in my regular yards but, what of the chances of finding an early 70's Chevy truck with a 250 inline 6 and power steering? We pulled these out of a Big10. I could not get the harmonic balancer off and we were running out of time. I will probably just pick up an aftermarket HB. I think I got an extremely good deal considering what I have seen the PS pump and brackets go for on Ebay and the Parts boards.