1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Quick history;
A friend of mine bought this truck off of craigslist for parts. We drove 5 hours from Kentucky to northern Ohio. It was dark when we got there, checked everything over with flash lights and loaded it up for the 5 hour drive back. The next day in the light after looking the truck over I decided I liked the patina too much to cut it apart. I bought the truck from buddy and decided I wanted a quick and cheap build using what I had laying around. The truck started out as a C-20 two wheel drive Custom Camper. The truck was in pretty good condition, the motor and trans were gone, but someone had taken care when removing them. everything was unplugged and tied up, not cut. The truck had the usual rust in the rockers, cab corners and radiator support.

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Pictures

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Phase 1 Quick and Cheap.
Several years ago I bought a Suburban body on a rolling frame to build a crew cab. The frame had been converted to 4x4 and was powder coated. The plans for the crew cab are to set the body on a late model truck frame. So I stole the powdercoated 4x4 frame from the Surburban for this truck. To make it fit under the pick-up we had to move the some of the cab mounts around and drill holes for the bed to mount. We also cut a few inches off of the back of the frame so the bed would fit. The wheel base was off around 2 inches but we fixed this with later model longer springs and moved some things around. We installed a 305, 350 turbo and 205 transfer case. I picked up some 3/4 ton rearends from a buddy and we had the truck running and driving in around 3 weeks.

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Picture 1, the 14 bolt converted to disc using parts for the same year model front end and a set of brackets made by a friend of mine. The springs I had were junk so I bough a 4 inch Rough Country spring lift.

Picture 2, the 305 I had laying around, has about as much power as a golf cart

Picture 3, Interior Untouched

Picture 4, shows how good of shape the floor was in and my homemade shifter comming through the floor.

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Phase 2, The fun begins.
After about a week with the 305 we decided it needed more power. I drove it into the garage. We removed the 305 and had planed to install a 6.0L LS with an adapter flywheel to use the 350/205 trans and transfer case already in the truck. Sometime overnight the plan changed from doing a quick and cheap ls swap to a diesel convesion. A few weeks prior, I picked up a Duramax LB7, Allison and transfer case on Craigslist. It came with the wiring, computers, radiator, inercooler and other parts. This was going to be the powerplant for the crew cab. However I decided it was taking up entirely too much space and would be a while before the crew cab was ready for an engine.

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

nice

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

It's looking sweet. Are you using Ken for the stand alone wiring? 4 or 6" lift?

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Welcome to the 67-72 board, and very nice truck! That all worked out well. A 4 door build is on my list of to do's some day as well.

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Thanks everyone.

Yes Im planning on using Ken from stand alone harness. I am planning on mailing it in tomorrow. 4 inch Rough Country liftkit. Progress has been a little slow lately because I have been traveling a lot for work lately.

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Updates:
Homemade lift pump and dual filters (same as cat filters)
4 inch mandrel bent exhaust with flow through muffler
The huge Allison transmission fits under a stock high hump
Drivers side battery box
Passengers sides inner fender modification to fit stock air filter box

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Nice work. Is that lift pump a knock off holley blue?

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

2018 just got really good for reading material...

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Dieselwrencher, I can't remember if its a knock off or the real deal that has lost its stickers. I am going to give it a try because I had it laying around. I made the mounting plate for the filters extra wide, so if the Holley doesn't work I'm going to go with a purpose built lift pump like in the picture below. The picture below is where I got the idea, I found the picture on Google, not sure who it belongs to. Also, I really like your truck and build thread. I have done several LS swaps but this is my first Diesel swap. If you have any ideas or advice, or if you see me doing something that could cause problems please comment or send me a message. Thanks

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Thanks, and no problem, will do. I got burnt on a knock off holley blue is why I asked. I happen to have an airdog for a duramax setting in my shop. I don't know if it even works. I can't remember where it came from.

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Dieselwrencher, If my home made set up doesn't work out I might be interested in it.

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Picture 1 and 2 show the new front cross member. The old one probably would have worked, however it was bent pretty bad and it got in the way of the stock Duramax radiator hoses. The new cross member also ties in the front spring hangers and incorporates a standard size receiver through the bumper for a portable winch or removable tow hook. I may make a license plate holder that slides into the receiver to cover up the hole. The last picture is of the added gussets in the engine area for the added weight of the engine.

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

That will work out great for a portable winch! Great fab and welding too!

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Good looking build

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

awesome build I'll be following this one!

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Thanks guys, I cant take credit for all the welding. All of the heavy welding was done by my buddy Mike.
I have just about figured out the brakes and steering. I started with a hydro boost unit from a 2005 gas 2500 Chevy, I assume they are the same as a Duramax truck. I cut the studs off of the mounting bracket and drilled holes to match the studs coming out of the 68's fire wall. I removed the clocking tabs on the bracket so I could spin the bracket upside down to better align with the 68's studs. I had to enlarge the hole in the firewall so the large nut from the hydro boost would fit. I used the stock 05 lines from the power steering pump to the hydro boost. The 05 line from the hydro boost to the steering box had to be modified. The late model lines are O-ring and my steering box is flare. So I simply cut off the o-ring, and flared the end. I had to do a little modification to use the nut off the 05, but I would recommend finding the old style nut made for a flared line. I then used my old return line from the steering box to pump and the 05 hose from the hydro boost to the pump. If anyone wants a better explanation or more pictures of this just ask.

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

For the time being I decided not to mess with a heater. So to bypass my heater core I used this hose from Autozone. I have used the same hose to bypass a heater on LS swaps. One side is 5/8 the other 3/4. Simply trim the long side till its the right shape and hose clamp it on.

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Exciting update: I received my computer and wiring harness back and got the engine to fire up over the weekend.
Harness was doe by Ken at standaloneharness.com
Computer was tuned by Nate at Stulldiesel here in KY
Once I got it primed and found enough battery power, I had to jump it off my 16' Duramax, it fired right up. No smoke, and surprisingly quiet coming straight out of the down pipe. One note, my lower inner cooler boots had not yet arrived so it had no boost. see the link below for a start up video

https://youtu.be/s2cPyPCa_TY

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Awesome! Is that a 55 setting next to it?

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Yes it is. This is my 55 Chevy rat rod. 2005 6.0L with a magnacharger, 4l80e, and a Ford 8.8 narrowed rear end. If I ever get around to making a build thread for it, I will post the link on here.

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Oh man, that is so bad a**! I love it. That isn't a rat rod. :lol: It's too cool. Haha

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Thanks!

Progress is going to be slow for awhile. The wife and I are remodeling our bathroom.

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Not much progress lately. Work and the bathroom remodel have been taking most of my time. I did some work on my fuel system. Since everyone is running sump kits in there late model trucks, I decided to make my own sump. I bought a 1/2 NPT weld bung off Amazon, drilled a hole in the bottom of the tank and TIG welded it in. Painted the tank while I was at it. Note, I took the tank to a radiator shop and had it cleaned before I drilled and welded it. I installed a plug in the bung and filled the tank with water and let it sit for a few days, no leaks. For the return, I bought a new sending unit with a 3/8 line. I am going to cut off the sock filter and use this as the return.

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Nice work!

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Finished up the fuel system. I used 1/2 hard tubing for the supply and 3/8 for the return. Replaced the original 5/16th sending unit with a new 3/8 sending unit. I cut the sock filter off the end and connected this to the return line. I mounted the factory Duramax fuel cooler in the return line. For now I skipped the dual filters and lift pump and went directly to the stock engine mounted filter. To connect the new lines to the engine. I cut the flex tubing with quick connectors off of the factory lines. slid the flex line over my new hard line and hose clamped them.

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Driveshaft, Shortened 85ish 3/4 Chevy, had it laying around. Using a 1410 to 1350 bastard joint from NEPCO at the transfer case. 1350 heavy duty Spicer joint at the rearend. Hopefully this will hold together for a while. I plan to upgrade the rearend later when I change to a drivers drop Dana 60 in the front. I will be going to 1410 U joints all around at that time.
Finished my hydroboost set up, had to make the brake pedal push rod longer, I cut the loop of the end of the push rod and welded a long coupling nut to the rod. I then used a hardware store clevis to connect it all.
Here is my laser etched stock replacement locking fuel cap.

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Well its been awhile since I have posted. I got the truck on the road about 2 weeks ago and have been meaning to take a video of it running. Below is a link to a walk around with the truck running. I still have a lot to do before I can take it on a trip. But for now I can cruse around town in it.

https://youtu.be/eynmXnjoBKQ

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

That was fast and the truck looks and sounds awesome! Great work! I love the property there too.

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Thanks Ryan, I love the view out here too. I choose the property because there are no close by neighbors and I have a lot of loud hobbies. So I have been driving the truck some. My dad and I stripped the interior out and did some sheet metal repair to the typical areas. inner and outer rockers, cab corners, floor braces and lower A pillars. We also had to make up a couple patches for the floor for some small holes, not too bad for an Ohio truck. While we were at it, Dad painted the dash, roof and rear of the cab. We then rolled on truck bed liner behind the tank, on the floor (inside and underneath) and inside of firewall. I will be installing a new rubber mat, but hopefully the liner will help with sound a little and keep new rust from starting. We also glued down some flat rubber on the flat areas for extra sound deadening.

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I'm planning on repainting the truck eventually, but for now I didn't want the new black metal sticking out like a sore thumb. Dad got creative with some spay paint we had laying around and some kitchen spices for the textured surface rust.

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Very nice work! That looks great and was pretty fast!

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Its been a while since my last update. Put a new lmc high hump floor mat, had everything re-apolstered. Hooked up some temporary gauges from a 90s camaro that my buddy had laying around. I did run into some troubles. At some point, one of the u joint clips came out of the drive shaft, allowing for the u joint to shift and throw the drive shaft out of balance. This ended up cracking the tail housing. Turns out the first couple years of these transmissions had a weak casting. I will be replacing it with the updated version and an aftermarket brace to help prvent another break. Besides the tail housing, i bought a dana 60 and 10.5 out of a super duty so I can hook up the 4 wheel drive and have rear disc with parking break. Im planing to install them over the holliday weekend.

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Also bought a cold air intake and filter super cheap from Amazon for an 01. It also came with a heat shield box but I haven't had time to modify it to fit.

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Heck yes, your interior is sweet! Nice new axles too! The only thing I don't like about them is the metric lug pattern.

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Thanks! I'm happy with how it turned out. Just need to make a bezel for the gauges, one day I plan to do some after market ones set up for the diesel but this works good for now. On the axles, The metric pattern might have been a deal breaker, however I had planned on buying new wheels eventually for the truck and was able to find the ones I wanted in the metric pattern.

Re: 1968 Custom Camper Duramax
 

Over the Long weekend, we got the front and rear axle mounted up and rolling. The rear was quick and easy, we just cut off the spring perches and welded them back on, at the correct spacing. The front axle took some engineering to make everything work. The springs pads on the super duty axle are about 3 inches wider on each side then the Chevy axle. They can not simply be cut off like the rear, because the drivers side is cast into the center section. We decided to make a set of spring hanger brackets that will move the springs out 3 inches. They are plenty strong and tie into the front cross member that was already installed. There are easier axle swaps to get the pinion on the drivers side. The main reason I decided to use this axle is because they are cheep and plentiful. People in my area were asking double or triple the price for a worn out late 70s Ford Dana 60 then what I paid for my low mile matching set.