Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

If your using the truck mainly as a daily driver I'd just do a frame swap from a Avalanche or Tahoe, those frames are straighter then the trucks and you can find some with a factory air ride, so your end result would be a smoother ride overall. There are a few guys on here that have don't the swap, just look it up in the search. If mine was more of a daily driver I would have done that swap. 4 Link in the rear wouldn't be too bad, if you have air ride or a good coil over set up, there are a few companies out there making them.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Well in the last few weeks I came across some good finds. Picked up a set of OE West Coast Mirrors off of a '68 C30, besides some surface rust they are solid and almost ready to bolt on. Then this past weekend made a trip south and picked up a slightly used long bed bed floor.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Here's a picture of the bed floor I picked up from brandX over the weekend. It now has a coat of primer on it.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Well, while I'm waiting for the engine for my step dads truck to get back from the machine shop. I've been itching to get back to mine as I have parts stacking up for it now.

Don't hate me but this 4-Runner came into work the other day (I'm a Parts Manager at a Toyota Dealership) and I'm thinking I've fallen in love with this blue, It looks great with Satin Black and Red. I'm pretty sure this will be the color of the truck once the bodywork is complete.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Well, I'm finally back on this thing. Got the step dads LS swap out of the garage after it being there way too long. On to building the cab mounts for this girl, after doing enough math to make my head smoke, took the cab off the frame and started fabbing up the mounts. Looks like the rear mount falls to just the inside of the frame rail, and the front cab mount falls dead center of the frame rail. On the rear I'm going to build a small pocket that will accept the mount, give enough room for the Energy Suspension poly mounts. On the front I'm going to be notching the frame and adding some reinforcements so I don't loose any strength. I'll make sure I keep track with pictures to show the process.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

sub'd

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Making progress. How bad is the cab?

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

It's not too bad, most of the stuff that needs replaced, there are new available. There are only a few pieces that I'm going to have to make. Like the top of the door jam, is rusted out on the driver side. And the top of the windshield area has a few pin holes from the seam leaking. After I get done with the body mounts on the frame I'm going to test fit the cab and move on to metal work on it.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Spent some time last week and got the body mounts started. Still have to clean up some of the top holes with the de-burr bit. I'm going to do a little more filler welding to the front mounts, so I can grind the welds down and make it look smooth. Going to do the same on the frame seam right there to. I like having the smooth frame look, even if it means more welding and grinding. Hopefully finish up the rear mount supports this week, time permitting.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Got the rear mounts burned in right before I ran out of welding gas. Started the grinding process to smooth everything over. While doing so the handle on the grinder came loose and swung around and got me.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Nice build and great work on it! Nice work on those cab mounts. I have a 72 gmc cab that is on a 03 half ton burb chassis and the guy put the front cab mount bolt straight through the frame. It works, but IDK if I'll complete the project or separate it.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Thanks Dieselwrencher, I did a good bit or research on how the cabs fit the frames before hand. Came up with something that looked better then some of the ones I saw. If I was to this frame swap again I think I would have picked a burb or a avalanche frame to start with.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Worked out in the garage almost all day Saturday tearing the cab apart. Found a bit more rust, so I need to order a few more pieces before I can start going back together. I want to thank 72_tigger for helping with the cab last weekend. Not going to explain all the rust, I'll let the pictures do the talking.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

A few more pictures of the rust.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Nice job on the cab mounts and I really like your rotisserie the cab is on. That will really help in repairing the rust on the cab. Nice job!

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Thanks landarts, glad I took someones offer on letting me use the rotisserie, its made life way easier.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Figured after two days of working on the cab I'd have more done. I got the new driver side floor welded in and the cab corner started. Still have to do everything to the passenger side.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Making good progress- always surprising how much thin metal you find when you dig into it

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Yeah, the more I vibrate the cab taking the driver side apart, the more I see I need to replace on the passenger side. Just ordered a floor board for the passenger side, it looks like Swiss cheese since I took the rocker off.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Forgot to post the floor pan pictures the other day. Got the rocker and cab corner lined up last night. Need to take the outer rocker back off to finish the inner rocker. Give everything a final grind, then time to move on to the passenger side.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Floor patch looks great, keep up the good work on bringing it back to life.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Nice work- do you think you should take the cab off the rotisserie and mount the doors before you weld the outers on? Just to make sure everything lines up? Just my .02

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Normally I would say yes to taking the cab off and fitting the doors first. But in my case the bottom of the doors are rusted out and I have all the metal to fix them, so I'm just going fit the doors to the cab. Kind of a backwards way of doing it.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Thanks

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Finished up the Driver side last night, now just have to seam seal and grind everything smooth. Should see the new passenger side floor board before the weekend, hopefully be able to get that started and finished in the next week.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Looks great!
Can I mail you my truck? :)
Mine's slightly better to start, but even southern ones rotted.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Thanks, I don't think there are too many of them that don't have rust on them.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

No pictures to post today, but after having to wait to get a second passenger side floor board shipped to me, I got the passenger side installed last night. Got both in from Fedex damaged so I ended up using the one with the least amount of damage.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

I got the passenger side floor board welded in and the passenger side rear cab cut completely out this weekend. Was only able to work on the truck here and there as the wife wanted to go to IKEA and furniture store. But first couple pictures are of the completed driver side I forgot to post. Then some in process of the passenger floor.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Shows how much I had to cut out of the passenger side cab corner. I have to remove the plates that are in the back of the cab too and weld in some new metal under them. I followed a bunch of rust the more I cut into it. Since the new rear cab support isn't exactly the same as the original, I decided to put the cab corner on first and make sure that is all lined up before I messed with the floor and brace.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Almost forgot to post this. Decided to scrap the Dana 44 front axle, went and bought a Dana 60 king pin axle. Came out of a '79 Ford F-350.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

So this passenger side has been fighting me the entire way. The lower A-pillar and B-pillar are completely different then stock. To the point I had to cut the B-pillar apart and add metal to it, and on the A-pillar I'm going to have to modify the outer rocker. Once I figured that part out I ended up building a piece for the rear of the cab and modifying the inner rocker piece. Still need to grind the welds and do a bit of metal finishing and it'll be all good. Have I said how much I like this re-stamped metal yet?

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

You’re burnin’ up some wire! Going to be a solid cab when you’re done

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Looking good, a little grinding and paint and she will be like new again. Nice job saving this one!

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Subbed

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Thanks guys, don't have any updates after the weekend. We decided to get new furniture a few weeks back and that showed up this weekend. I did however get to put my step dad's '71 to work on Saturday. The county highway department came down the road cutting back all the trees and left a mess in their front yard.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

Don't have any pictures for the update, just sitting here grinding all the seams smooth. Seems like a never ending step.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

How's the grinding going?

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

I'm about 3/4 the way done. Since its on the rotisserie, I decided to order the inner roof panel and replace that while I can put the cab upside down. Problem I ran into is UPS lost the panel in shipping and now it could be 5-7 days until they pay the company I bought it from and then 5-7 from then until I see the piece. I'd like to move on from the chronicles of the rusty cab, but I keep having hiccups.

Re: C20 to K20 Conversion "Simply Toxic"
 

If the inner is shaky, good call on changing it. Stinks that they lost it. You'll have a solid cab when it's done