My New 'Burban -- 68 K20

[lowrollin70gmc]

First, a quick background on myself; I built my 70 GMC when I was in high school and it's just too nice to bring out to California, so I added a 67 Chevelle to the fleet as my Cali daily driver and that worked for a while, but thinking about the future it just wouldn't work. A rear wheel drive car just isn't practical for winters back home for when I leave the Marine Corps. After returning from Afghanistan a few weeks ago I decided to look for a project to take me drift busting in style a few winters from now.

So I found this 68 K20 Burban on Craigslist with an odd drivetrain. She's running a 478ci Toroflow Diesel with a 5 spd OD behind it and a divorced Spicer model 23. The front rolls on a drum brake Dana 44 and the rear a drum Dana 60. I'm guessing by the highway manners that they're filled with 4.10s and it feels like limited slips. The lift is unknown but there are 3" blocks in the back and what looks like add a leaves on the front and it rolls a set of old 35s and I was told used to fit 37s at this height. I might put 37s back on with some fender trimming and a new set of proper rear springs.

The body is in decent shape other than a few hack ups by previous owners (taillights, mirrors, and prior sunroof). Rust is minimal compared to my past projects, as my 70 GMC had no floors and the 67 has a small case of cancer.

Anyways, I think it's a good canidate for my needs, as the body is nice but not crazy awesome, as it will be a winter daily driver. The drivetrain is weird, but it may get a Cummins 6BTA and NV4500 combo after my next deployment. So far I've already rewired the batteries with 1/0 wire as the starter already had 3/0 cable and I will likely rewire the entire truck including an electric fuel pump to push into the mechanical lift pump that would make starting the Toroflow easier for now.

Enough of the talking, and more of the pictures!

[vectorit]

Pretty cool!
Though I do not know what is goin on with the power train, but the axles are most likely spinning 4:57 ratio if they are original.

But who cares... It's a manual trans K20!

[rsavage]

Great Burb. That will go through a lot of snow. Cool roof rack too. Congrats.

[lowrollin70gmc]

I might have to jack up an axle and see what the ratio is for sure, as I'm going to start looking for a open knuckle disc 44 for the front.

Oh, and Vectorit, I saved some pics of your burb a little while ago as motivation. What mirrors are you running? They look great and would be a vast improvement over mine.

[vectorit]

Originally Posted by lowrollin70gmc

Oh, and Vectorit, I saved some pics of your burb a little while ago as motivation. What mirrors are you running? They look great and would be a vast improvement over mine.

The mirrors I have are the 5x7 rectangle chrome/stainless OEM.
Funny, those mirrors were the very first part I bought in my resto some 10 years ago. I was thinking about that when you asked the question, and I had to think about where I got them. Anyone remember "Golden State trucks" back when they were in SoCal?

Here they are in the LMC catalog, but hit up one of the board vendors since I am sure they will give a better deal to you on them.

http://www.lmctruck.com/features/cb/CBMIR.htm

[thirdstreettito]

Leave the Toroflow in it!

[dougo]

Cool & unique! Nice burb.

[mosesburb]

Holy Toroflow!! That thing is cool!! There was a 71/2 Longhorn for sale awhile back that had a Toroflow in it. I wanted it, but couldn't talk myself into it and I also had nowhere to hide it from the missus if I did get it.

Very cool period correct diesel swap you have there. I vote to keep it as is. Anybody can put a Cummins in one of these, but this is truly unique!!

Very Cool!!

[Beelzeburb]

Looks like a nicely done Caddy tail conversion.
Kinda crazy how far down that Spicer 23 hangs down though. Still, it'll be a nice winter driver for sure.