The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network - 1971 K10 Stepside

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1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

It hasn't been on the road since 2001. The VIN tag, the partial VIN on the frame, the VIN on the SPID and the VIN on the door sticker all match, which will be nice when it comes time to get a VIN verification at the DMV.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

I like the truck, and good plan.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Quote:

Originally Posted by 68bowtie (Post 9337458)

I like the truck, and good plan.

Thanks. I'm on the fence about going with an NV4500. An SM465 with big tires and 3.73 gears would probably be just fine on the freeway.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Pat,
my old 69 K10 that i restored back in 95 had a 350, 465, 205 combination with 3:07 gears with 35 inch tires and on flat ground it got 18+ mpg, in the mountains i seldom used 4th gear pulling hills but off road in 4low first gear it would crawl fine.
looks like a solid project and a good plan you have.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerry moss (Post 9337465)

That's impressive gas mileage. I'd be ecstatic if I got even close to that.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Cool truck, I'm a more of a 67-8 we'll more 67, don't get me wrong I would have all 67- 72 if possible, not one I don't like. 69 and 70 4x4 to me, look the strongest, had a meaner tougher look, well that's me. Nice project you got there it Especially looks killer next to your 98. Caught my attention, had me curious for a spilt second, air brake LOL 🤣🤣.
NGN
Nick

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Quote:

Originally Posted by NGN (Post 9337508)

I prefer the 67/68 trucks as well. My first truck was a 67 C/10 stepside that I drove every day for 12 years. Second choice for me is the 71/72 grille. I like the bowtie in the center of the grille instead of on the hood. The one downside in my opinion is the use of plastic for the inner grille. For 69/70 at least the majority of the grille is metal. Isn't it funny how much better the 67-72 trucks look compared to the newer stuff??

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Nice find! For what it’s worth my K20 has a 5” lift with 4:11’s, 35’s, with a 465 and it runs 65 mph at around 2500. With the assumed numerically lower half ton gears you’ll be even better than that. The shift spacing/RPM drops can kinda suck on the 465 with bigger tires, but with that L31 you should have the torque to do what’s needed. That looks like an excellent start to me. Get rid of the cobbled together crap on the hangers and you’ll be in business. Make sure and check around the steering box for cracks in the frame and also the front crossmember and engine cross member for loose rivets or bolts. The 4x4 trucks are pretty notorious for this. I’d add an ORD steering box brace that ties that area of the frame to the front crossmember, which triangulates the whole area. If the frame is cracked, several places sell the plates to fix it. The swb K10 and blazers have thinner/weaker frames than the lwb K trucks do so they do have the potential to crack more than the lwb K’s. Both my swb K10 and my K20 had cracks in the frame around the steering box.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Quote:

Originally Posted by 57taskforce (Post 9337600)

Thank you for the guidance! This is my first K truck. I will inspect the frame once I've removed the hidden shaft-driven winch and can look around in there. I added the ORD brace to my long, long parts list.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Looks like it had had some repairs done to it.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Picked up a windshield yesterday, and received a Precision seal for it. Sprayed the opening black in preparation for install.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Yep that definitely has had some work done. You have the factory brace so that is a good thing. Neither of my trucks had it. Some got it some didn’t.
My suggestion… strip it down and be really sure of what you’ve got. If it wasn’t repaired correctly those cracks will continue to spread. This is the repairs I did to my K10 last winter just so you can see what it entails. Mine had been poorly repaired in the past and had several cracks that had still spread after the repairs. I drilled both ends of every crack I found and then “V” beveled them as deep as I could without cutting thru the rail then filled them back in with the Mig and flap disked almost smooth; I always try to leave the top a little high when I can so as not to thin the metal out too much. Then once that was done I welded the repair plates over top. Be really sure you get every one. They can be hard to see at times. Mine got ran for a long time with no front crossmember so it was really bad compared to my K20 because of the extra flex and movement in the frame rails.

Note the washer welded to the top of the frame where the front crossmember is now bolted. I did this on all the holes for the front crossmember and the engine crossmember. The holes in the washer a drilled ever so slightly undersize of 7/16 so I could ensure a tight fit in with every thing and do my best to eliminate all chances of movement in the frame.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Thanks! I will pull off the steering box and give it a thorough inspection.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

These two cracks actually opened up with a loud “pop” as I was welding another on the side of the rail in an area near by. I ended up wire wheeling the rail to bare metal nearly a foot on both sides of the repair area as much as possible to make sure I got them all. This is the bottom view of the crack circled in black above.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Dang. Hopefully any cracks in my frame will be visible from the steering box side. It would be a real challenge to remove the plate someone welded to the inside.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

I can see one crack directly forward if the steering box.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

I’d bet it probably goes from one of the steering box holes to that bottom rivet. Definitely look all that over really close. I got my plates for my K20 from ORD and for my K10 I got them here. Same identical parts but 1/2 the cost.
https://www.amazon.com/G-PLUS-Suppor.../dp/B09WMBFC1C

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Quote:

Originally Posted by 57taskforce (Post 9337661)

I will get those plates. Thanks!

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

I'm glad you got it. It looks like decent start..Welcome to the K club!!

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20 (Post 9337853)

I'm glad you got it. It looks like decent start..Welcome to the K club!!

I think it will be a fun project.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjmoreland (Post 9337861)

I think it will be a fun project.

I think so too! Let me know if and when you need help. :metal:

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20 (Post 9337907)

I think so too! Let me know if and when you need help. :metal:

Will do!

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjmoreland (Post 9337909)

Will do!

:metal:

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

I picked up an NV4500 yesterday. Bought it from a guy way out in the desert in eastern Nevada who pulled it from a 1993 2500 WT with a V6 about 6 years ago with the intention of using it in a project that fell through. He said the truck had a little over 100,000 miles on it. He told me this after I had paid him for it. Hopefully that is accurate. It spins smoothly in all the gears. That's all I know at this point. He included a couple of shifters and a couple of original bell housings. My understanding is that the original bell housing won't work because the slave cylinder hangs down on the passenger side and will interfere with the front driveshaft. He also threw in a bunch of old Holley carbs and parts. I don't think I'll be able to use any of them on my SBC since they are 850 CFM models. Traffic on the way back was pretty bad because Running Man just finished up.

This transmission is a 2WD version, so I will be converting it to 4WD by installing a new main shaft and tail housing.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Sweet Project, Sub'd to follow along.

Those leaf spring brackets look scary with those square tubes booger welded to the bottom of the frame! ORD makes some really nice stuff. I have their Shackle Flip hangers on the rear of my K5

PO was really rocking out with (2) 6x9's cut into the bottom of the doors. :metal:

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Quote:

Originally Posted by loudchevy (Post 9338590)

I really hope those booger welds are as weak as they look when it comes time to grind them off. It's gonna take way more time to remove them than it took to make them.

I will be welding up those gigantic speaker holes, but on the bright side it made it very easy to reach inside the door to help roll up the sticky window. :lol:

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

That’s a nice haul. I didn’t realize you could get a V6 with a 4500, I always figured they were all 3500’s, and I also didn’t know you could get a 88-98 2500 with a v6. I learned a few things today.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Quote:

Originally Posted by 57taskforce (Post 9338608)

I wasn't aware of that either. Based on what I can find doing a google search, the NV4500 was offered in the 88-98 W/T model, along with a V6, to increase the tow rating of the truck. Strange combo.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjmoreland (Post 9338610)

I wasn't aware of that either. Based on what I can find doing a google search, the NV4500 was offered in the 88-98 W/T model, along with a V6, to increase the tow rating of the truck. Strange combo.

That is interesting. Must have been a slug when loaded up or towing anything with a V6.
I have a 4500 in my 93 and it's going strong at 150k. I did change fluid in it at 100 just because it seemed like a good interval.
It's a good transmission. It has always had a touch of synchro "bite" on the 1-2 upshift if you're being speedy, but that's minor and avoidable.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Quote:

Originally Posted by clay68c10 (Post 9338640)

Is your first gear so low that you don't usually use it?

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Installed the windshield. Usually i start at the top and work downward so that the corners are easy. This truck is so high off the ground though that it was too difficult to push up on the glass, so I started at the bottom this time. Those corners sure were a battle.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Post a clear pic of the barcode tag or tell us what the big letters on it are and we might be able to decode it. The later NV4500s had a more square shifter housing so this one is 95 or older.

I put my glasses on and it looks like the tag has GXB on it and my doc says this:

MODEL YEAR 1994 - 6.34:1 RATIO GEAR SET
4X2 C-TRUCK 15960760 GXB ALL EXCEPT 6.5D

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Quote:

Originally Posted by franken (Post 9338681)

Post a clear pic of the barcode tag or tell us what the big letters on it are and we might be able to decode it. The later NV4500s had a more square shifter housing so this one is 95 or older.

It says GXB on the label. The guy I bought it from said it was out of a '93.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

I updated post #34 w/ more info...

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Quote:

Originally Posted by franken (Post 9338684)

I updated post #34 w/ more info...

Thanks!

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Quote:

Originally Posted by pjmoreland (Post 9338641)

Is your first gear so low that you don't usually use it?

Yes, it's a true granny low. Nice for taking off with a trailer or 4-wheel crawling in LO. Or parking in a crowded lot.
That said, the shifter calls it L, so the 1-2 shift I was referencing would be the 2-3 to those of us that remember the old school 4-speed shift patterns.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Picked up a seat today. It's out of a '72 GMC.

Re: 1971 K10 Stepside - Getting a Roller Roadworthy

Nice find! Looks like a Cheyenne seat to boot.