Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20
 

This is my truck, a 1978 Chevrolet Cheyenne k20
454/Turbo 400/NP203. 44/14FF
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I bought it just after I graduated High School
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I had little mechanical experience when I bought it and didn't really know what to look for in a vehicle, never mind a square body Chevy!!


First I had a new carb put on, and got the front end done. After a year of driving it on dirt roads I found out about rust!

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The box started turning to dust before my eyes!!

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I almost wanted to flat deck it!
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After putting the new box on I knew that the cab was probably just as bad, but I lacked the time and skill to do anything about it, so I drove it more or less untouched for about a year-and-a-half.

After buying a newer truck I put the Chev away for a couple years and broadened my mechanical knowlege. After spending considerable hours working on the Chev, my F-150, and a Bronco II in between I decided I kind of liked getting grease under my nails so I took a pre-apprenticeship course in Heavy Duty Mechanics and have since started an apprenticeship.

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Last spring: Enter the '73 Cab!
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I bought it from a friend of a friend for $150. He drove it up as a Washington state truck. He only wanted the chasis and box as this cab had a pretty big dent on the passenger side B pillar and I was feeling ambitious!

I stripped the cab, my current cab, and bought a welder
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The door panel of the donor cab was a little bit bent from the hit the B pillar took so I popped it back home with a the very high-tec bottle jack and 4x4 method.

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The donor cab was rustier than anticipated, but I had already gotten this far and didn't feel like searching for another cab

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I started cutting and welding the firewall with some patch panels from LMC and some I made myself

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Here is where I'm at as of today (Dec 3, 2012) On my next set of days off I hope to have the driver side almost complete aside from the cab corner which I will do last.
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Bought a winch bumper yesterday for $50 Merry Christmas to me!!
The winch on the bottom is an old one that has been kicking around for years, its only a 5000LB winch, I will have use a snatch block until the winch breaks and I have an excuse to buy a bigger one!

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Re: Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20
 

reserved

Re: Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20
 

reserved for more!

Re: Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20
 

hopefully the truck is painted by the time I get here!

Re: Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20
 

I'm Hoping to have lockers at this point!

Re: Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20
 

Who knows what will be on here by this point

Re: Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20
 

One last reserve box

Re: Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20
 

wow... tons of work! can't wait to see more! i myself had a 78 short box that was tons of work, we replaced everything but the frame and rear end

Re: Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20
 

You're more ambitious than I. That's too much body work to handle, but right on :metal: I too have utilized the special bottle jack method to straighten fenders :lol:

Re: Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20
 

Nice truck and cool story! Good career path decision as well. Good luck with it all, and keep up the good rust repair work!

Re: Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20
 

Cool truck. Nice work!
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Re: Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20
 

I would love to have a K20 longbed. Cool to see you rebuilding it.