My '77 Stepside
 

After 6 months of summit orders and turning wrenches I finally finished my small block build and my got my truck running again. I’ll skip the BS and get straight to the good stuff.
4 Bolt Core
4.04” bore x 3.75” stroke
Blueprinted & Balanced rotating assembly
5.7 GM Heavy Beam Rods
KB Hypereutectic Flat Tops
Decked, Line Honed, Ect.
Should come in at 10.5 to 1 CR

Improved Vortec Heads
Z28 Springs & Retainers to allow .525” lift
Lunati Hydraulic Flat Tappet 268 Cam
Performer RPM Intake Manifold
1.5 to 1 Full Roller Rockers
Long Tube Headers w/ Duel 2.5" flowmaster exhaust.

B&M, 2400 stall, TQ
T350 w/ Shift Kit
4:11 (open :( ) Gears

Right now I have an Edelbrock 1406 on top which will be out as soon as I find the right Holley. I have been looking at the avenger 670, any other suggestions would be great.

I am not completly done with the project, still need to finsh bolting up trim and various other parts and it still needs a good tune when I find that Holley.

Pics:

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

Nice step keep up the hard work..

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

Nice job! Just a thought for ya, that heat rap on the headers will rust them out over time.

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

lookin good man,another lowered s.w washington truck. cool

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

I don't have a suggestion for the carb given your setup.
But, it look like you're getting there.

Dig the Model A tails and the Rallys with the hats. :cool:

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

Looks awesome!:metal: What size are those rear rallyes and tires?

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

295/40/r15 in the back and 255/40/r15 in front.

In regard to the heat wrap, it was a substitute to sandblasting and repainting the headers that the PO had installed on the original 305.

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

Could you please post some more pics of the rear, I love it and want to add a sport bumber also. What rear lights do you use?

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

I'll take more pics of the rear when I get a chance. I believe the lights are model A reproductions. They were installed and poorly wired by the PO.

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

Nice job keep up the good work. I really like what you have done with your truck.

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

Sweet stepper,

I know you said your not done yet so may be your planning on it but if not i'd ditch that grill for a stocker or a billet one.

Nice job!

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

what brand tires are they? I didnt know anybody made a 40 series tire in a 15" rim.

And great looking truck

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

love the valve covers...

how does it run with your setup??


dd

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

love the truck man, much love for you 73-87 guys yall know what works

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

Sorry for the confusion, they are 50 series tires, not 40. I have only driven it 10 miles of light driving, seems to run great, not too much throttle yet. I don't want to do any too lean damage or have a big flat spot with the 1406 and have apporval from the wife for a new carb, I just haven't decided yet on what to get. I am looking forward to getting it completly tuned and broken in so I can start the next phase of the project;) .

Also, I picked up a 4 core radiator from a big block truckfor cheap and installed it, but I'm still running a little too hot for my comfort. Does anyone make a good N.O.S. shroud for these (instead of looking all over a junk yard)? I plan on replacing the flex fan w/ a clutch when I get a chance and spacing it correctly from the radiator, any other suggestions?

Here's a few mor picks for y'all (Progress Pics & 1 Before the Swap)

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

Great work! And the Holley 670cfm Street Avenger that what im running on my 350 and WAS running on my 305 the run awesome easy to tune and performance is great...but if ur trieng to save gas stick to the edelbrock lol. Good job I love looking at other stepsides!

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

What's the Drop you are running on that?

I just traded one of my cars ( 80k mile. '93 Taurus SHO w/bad trans.) for my Brother's '81 Chevy SWB, It came with similar rims and tires, same size as your rear, but all the way around. With the Truck currently sitting at stock height they look a bit goofy. I'll probably wind up changing them out (Lazy; I hate Chrome..), but they look good with your drop.

I plan to post some pics later and show off the crappy paint..

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

Oh. By the way, are the Caps on your rims Plastic, or steel? Mine came with that style but they are plastic and don't stay on too hot (only have three...) Currently I am running the steel semi-smoothie caps. If I stay with these rims I might have to find the crown caps in Steel.

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

good looking truck..i like what youve done so far,

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

Shaffer,
They are steel caps, which I have never worried about coming off. I don't know what the drop is, it was done by the PO. However, I estimate it is probably 3" in the rear and 4" in the front.

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

i would get a fan shroud.www.classicparts.com has em.that's where i get most of my stuff.it will help with temp,also,others will disagree.but,the clutch fan also helped.i'm running a 4 row diesel radiator,180 degree thermo and i almost have the opposite problem(too low).your temp sending unit and location is also something to play with.as far as the carb.i like my 1406,i came from a holley although it was old.iv'e got a crate 350 also but don't think it's built as much as yours.been my past experience that some of those high performance internals you got in there run warm.but hey,it keeps us out of trouble trying to figure it all out ;)

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

That's where I got the shroud for my '77 big-block Suburban. Fit just fine, also may want to buy the clips for it.

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

Wait so your running 4:11's on an open diff. Sounds interesting lol must do some crazy one wheeled burnouts!

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

I think it's a very nice looking truck good job and good work.

As for the fan, I was going to comment on it also, I think it's a GREAT choice.

I ran a really mild big camm'd 350 in my 76 and it had a 2 core radiator, with a smaller 6 blade flex fan and no shroud. it NEVER got hot.

I run that same motor now in my monte carlo, and it has a smaller comp 268 cam now, I tried to run that same radiator in it, thing stayed hot. I tried a shroud, no improvment. I had to run a 3 core radiator due to the small opening for a grille and long distance between it and the radiator.

The 86 4x4 we had ran a 3 core with a stock 5 blade clutch fan, condition unknown. it ran fine. I put that fan on mine, ran up to 180 while driving, wouldn't cool it off one bit.

At least with the small flex fan all I had to do was run it to get it cooled off. I only had troubles idleing in traffic with the flex fan, and the old radiator. Once I started moving it cool off great, harder I ran it, faster and better it cooled.

So when I got the new radiator I got a new 7 blade wide paddle blade, flex fan. it only raised to about 190 or so IN traffic on 90's with high humidity or triple digits, with or without heat index. When I'm driving, it doesn't go past 160-180. I run a 180 thermostat in it.

Some might say yea your problem was the thin radiator, and they'd be right, but the clutch fan killed it. it cost me a valve job, and a whole top end tear down and rebuild. Have to change head gaskets, and do a valve job on it after it got up past 280. So for me, no more clutch fans EVER.

For a truck, maybe, it does good on the 84 we got and the one on the 86 done fine also. it sure sucked on my car though. I mean it ran fine, but when it got up to 280 and pegged my guage(mechanical autometer one) all of a sudden it started missing, and then BAM, upper radiator hose blew of the water neck. So I shut it down. I think that's the only thing that saved it. I managed to get water from the creek we stopped by and made it home.

Later on though it would smoke when you started it up, and I went to do valve seals on it, but when I hooked the compresor to it, it leaked into the exhaust, wouldn;'t hold the valves shut, so I had to take it apart for the valve job.

SO if she don't run hot on you I'd leave her alone.

Re: My '77 Stepside
 

nice