Project C10/K20 Transplant

[gpgofast]

My dad's old "parts truck". He cannibalized the rearend about 30 years ago but otherwise this C10 is complete. Will be mating the body to a K20 chassis. I will probably leave the running gear stock at this time unless I can find a wrecked late 1990's Suburban/K2500. Paint is all original, in great shape other than being faded and virtually NO rust anywhere. About 67,000 miles on the A/C equipped body. It's been sitting in the Nevada desert for about 35 years. Can't wait to start.

Missing a few parts such as brake/clutch pedals, brake booster, etc..I will keep everyone updated as I move forward.

[El Dorado Jim]

will be looking forward to your progress

[gpgofast]

Picked up a titled chassis in Yakima...I wish it already had 3/4 ton axles. We will see once I get the differential covers off. Clean and straight...

[gpgofast]

Linked to photobucket.

[gpgofast]

Frame almost ready to head to the sandblaster. All brake and fuel lines removed. Just need to wank the motor and its off. I will probably leave the axles on with the shackles broken loose to make it easier to haul. I will pull the last eight bolts at the blaster...may have to wait until we get a break in the weather...Going to be hard to paint when it's snowy and cold outside.

Good chance I will be replacing the rear axle with a 14 bolt and replace the Dana 44 hubs with 8 lug units.


[IMG][/IMG]

[El Dorado Jim]

good choice on a new rear end, the 14 bolt out of a 73 or newer truck will fit, you just have to move the spring perches and shock mounts, a 3/4 ton dana 44 front end out of a 73-76 will bolt right in,, ,,,,,,,. I think the ones out of a 71-72 would be pretty hard to find, and I think most of the 3/4 ton rear ends from the early 70's were Eaton, stay away from those....stay away from drum brake front ends on '70 and older trucks..if you change to 3/4 ton axles, you will need the larger brake booster/master cylinder setup from a 71-72 3/4 ton 2 or 4 wheel drive truck,get brackets and firewall brace and rod from brake pedal to booster from a donor truck also has the proportioning valve at the master cylinder....don't try and use your 1/2 ton stuff, won't work!!!!!I have done two of these conversions......keep us updated!

[gpgofast]

Jim,
Thanks for the advice. I found a front end locally with 8 lug hubs. My brother thinks he has a couple of donor 14 bolts "laying around". Sometimes nice to have excess junk around. I will be on the lookout for the correct brake master and proportioning valve.

[gpgofast]

Well, I've "located" drivetrain and need to make a decision on engine. My brother happens to be some kind of "prepper". I wasn't looking to go the EFI route but when someone has a complete engine it makes the decisions for you:

[gpgofast]

Also, I've located a Dana 60 out of a Longhorn and my brother suddenly "remembered" that he had an 8-lug Dana 44 with a bad ring gear.

[gpgofast]

[gpgofast]

Primered...

[gpgofast]

Poorman's rotisserie...

[gpgofast]

[gpgofast]

On the way from Washington to Nevada to join the chassis to the body...




Notice the Dana 60 axle not installed yet. Didn't have eight lug rims in Washington. Will install the axle once it's mated to the cab.

[gpgofast]

Cab cribbed high enough to clear the frame and rear tires...about 32 inches off the ground to the beam carrying the cab...

[gpgofast]

Now have to lower the cab down. Amazing what you can do will cribbing and a hydraulic jack....

[gpgofast]

Cab's all the way down. Needed to lower the rear of the frame to the ground to get the timbers out....



Time for the Dana 60 to go under...

[gpgofast]

Chassis and the cab mated together...

[gpgofast]

Well, I made a little progress this weekend. First time the cab has moved since 1980. Going to start the engine transplant process.

[gpgofast]

Test fitting the TPI. I'm going to have to go with a small distributor and it looks like I will have to modify the engine cross member. Oil pan is about a half an inch deeper than pre-86 small block Chevy.

[gpgofast]

Front clip temporarily installed. Starting to look like a truck. Punch list is pretty long still but at least I can start making a list now.

[notchbackgta]

Originally Posted by gpgofast

Test fitting the TPI. I'm going to have to go with a small distributor and it looks like I will have to modify the engine cross member. Oil pan is about a half an inch deeper than pre-86 small block Chevy.

Is that a Corvette sepentine setup? Do you also have a big cap HEI on there?

[gpgofast]

Yep, Corvette TPI, all is going to fit really well. I need to remove the AIR pump still, but all the other accessories fit really nice. Even looks like the stock AC hose will bolt up.

I will be replacing the large HEI with a small cap HEI, it is just going to to be too tight I think.

[notchbackgta]

I am used to seeing the f-body serp setup, the vette one is goofy to me. If you went with an f-body setup it would probably look cleaner. It has the Alt high on the LH, PS below R4 AC compressor high on the right with the air pump below, but the air pump is removable without really doing anything other than getting a shorter belt, but you can put the "delete" pulley in if you wanted. So from what you have there, it would delete the air pump and bring your alternator in some. You could probably just get away with the LH side bracket from an F-body and re-use the alt and PS pump you already have, that is if the vette depth of the brackets are the same

[gpgofast]

Crossmember