70cst 4wd conversion
 

Hey all.

So i'm starting this build thread. Truck started out as a 70cst10 2wd that I spent 2 years restoring in high school. Got it finished the end of 2004 and wrecked it 2 years later. When I crashed it, it bent the frame and I didn't have the money to fix it at the time. Well last fall I got it out of the shed and was going to bring it to my house to work on it from my folks' and the tranny started slipping. After talking to a couple of transmission shops I figured it was going to cost about $650 for a tranny rebuild. Well I found a 70 4x4 rolling chassis on craigslist for 600 and went and picked that up on saturday. Here is a picture of what i'm starting with and the frame I picked up. It came with a 4 speed/np205, and i've already got a guy that's going to trade me an automatic transfer case for what i've got. Also came with a 71 front diff with disc brakes. So this is the thread where I'll be updating everything.

Sorry for the long history. Anyway, got started on it tonight, took off the old shocks, and the frame wiring and also took out the tranny/transfer case.

I'm going to grind the frame down as opposed to sandblasting because i don't have a trailer to haul it anymore (borrowed uncles to go get it). Frame is in pretty good shape. Going to grind it down and rattle can it and call it good.

Going to be a slow conversion because i'm doing it as cash comes in...

On to the pictures.

OH... and a picture of my new creeper and new floor jack

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

Pictures are from my phone, not great but not bad either.

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

Sure looks like a clean start! Good luck with your build;)

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

Thats gonna be a sweet truck when you're done!

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

No new progress yet, long week last week of family stuff. Just ordered a bunch of tools and hopefully this weekend I can get down to Home Depot and get some new lights put up in the garage. It's pretty dim lit in there right now.

Does anyone know or can you point me to a thread with tires sizes for 4wd? I was wondering what size tire I can fit on stock half ton springs. I will probably end up putting new springs in if that makes a difference, just stock height.

Thanks

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

You should be able to put up to a 32x10.5 with no trouble.

I've heard of guys running narrow 33's with stock springs too. Hope this helps.

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

Subscribed!

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

I added two 4 foot T8 lights to the one side of my garage tonight to get some more light in there. Makes a huge difference, I can't wait to get the other 2 up on the other side. You can kind of tell in the pictures how much darker it is on the south side. One picture of my puppy dog Rex.

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

Thinking of doing the same with my 67 C10 Burb. So that means I'll be tagging along also. :chevy:

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

yeah, cool thread... i'd like to see some before and after the crash pics of your 2wd!

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

I really only have about one good picture of it on my computer. If I think about it I can try to get some scanned when i'm at my folks.

Don't have any after. I might take some of the fender when i'm back up there, but thats really all it hit and it bent the frame a bit.

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

Cute puppy!

Must be nice having a shop!

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

Yea the shop is nice for this project, at least until I get the body put back on the frame. Then I'm not sure there's gonna be much room to move around it. It will do for now. I don't plan on being at this house forever.

No big update tonight. I went and met up with a guy and swapped transfer cases. He had an automatic with adapter and I had a manual with tranny and adapter. All he wanted was to trade straight up, so I had to make the deal. Now that I have that, I can get some new gaskets and new mount and be set there. After a cleaning and a fresh coat of paint.

Last night I was going to go out and start on the front diff swap and realized I don't have any sockets big enough for the u-bolts. My new tools should be here this weekend or early next week..... I HATE NOT HAVING TOOLS!!! I should have all the tools I need for a while this purchase.
Hopefully I can have this thing going by Randys (teeitup) get together in early June but between new springs and tires and all the other little odds and ends, i'm not sure the budget is there.

But I will keep you guys up to date. sorry no pictures tonight. I'll clean the shop and get some pictures this weekend hopefully.

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

Looks like a nice project you got going on. Cheers, from a little further south of 75 HWY. Trevor

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

Little update tonight. This week I got all of my tools I ordered in. Went harbor freight with most of them, but also bought 2 snap on hammers. I have always loved the snap on dead blow ball peen hammers. Also bought a chrome 4wd shifter that came with a bolt.

On to tonight.... I was just going to grind/sand off all the grime and surface rust and rattle can it, but I felt the need to call the local sandblaster and he quoted me $100-150 for a rolling frame. I figured I would be mad at myself if I didn't go ahead and do it for that price. So as soon as I find a trailer it is heading down there. So anyway finally on to tonight, I switched out my front differentials. Wasn't too bad with no engine or anything in there. The bolts came out surprisingly easy.

Also, a couple of questions (2nd post) is the steering stabilizer bar supposed to be that close to the leaf spring?

Has anyone had any trouble with clearance issues on the disc brake calipers clearing a 15 inch wheel? I think the axle is from a 73, thats what the date stamped on the gear is.

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

adsfadt

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

15 inch wheels came stock on 1/2 tons from 73 to 87 I believe, in other words the 15 inchers will fit. The steering stabilizer should be ok but you could flip it to the bottom of the bracket, my 80 mounts on the bottom. And I have had 33-12.5-15s on my 70 4x4 without any rubbing.
Great looking build btw!

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

Well bad news. I took off the back wheels for the first time tonight to inspect all the brake parts and see if they were there. Good news there is, bad news is I went to spin the wheels and they didn't. I didn't think much of it at first, so I popped the cover and out comes a bunch of water and there is a thin layer of rust over everything causing it not to spin. So its either get a different rear end or get this one rebuilt.

Anyone think it's possible to just take it apart and clean it real well and put it back and have it work ok?

Another question, I think the front end might be from a 73-up, but then again maybe not, what type of breather is it that goes in the top? I tried taking the one out of the original and screwing it back in, but it doesn't look like there are any threads in there.

Thanks guys!

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

Not a lot of progress as of late. Bought some rallys with 33x12.50 tires, came with caps and rings for $100 bucks. Tires are kind of shot though, oh well. Waiting to pick up a frame from Randy(teeitup) for some rear springs and a rear spring hanger. Then once I get all that in I can get it sandblasted and painted hopefully this summer.

Sorry no new pics yet.

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

I snapped a quick pic with the rallys mounted up front and set in place where the rear end should be. Raised it up quite a bit. Can't wait to get going some more on this thing. Once I get the matching rear springs in place I can get it sandblasted and painted and then start working on the brakes. Just keep addin' money!

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

My suggestion for the surface rust is to soak everything in diesel fuel to clean the rust up easy and replace any bearings that are pitted or have any bad spots... Looking good!

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

Wow, it's been a month since my last update. Well i've got quite a bit done, sort of. I got all different springs from a donor vehicle that raised it up and now it sits level. Got the rear end free and new pinion seal put in, no more leaks. Yesterday I went and bought a pressure washer from home depot for my dad and tried it out. Worked great and got a lot of the grime/grease/junk off of it. I took these pictures when it was wet so thats why it looks kinda good. I'm taking it to get it sandblasted this next week and then i'm painting it with chassis saver gloss black paint. Then I can move on to the brakes and brake lines. I decided that i'm probably going to have the tranmissions I got with this project rebuilt that way I don't get it back together and it works for a week and then goes out.

So on to the few pictures I snapped yesterday.

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

What size are those BFG's?

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

They are 33x12.50-15

Re: 70cst 4wd conversion
 

Nice project! can you sandblast it with the axels on? Will sand get in the linkages or joints and cause wear later on?