Big Sexy: A '69 C20 Project Finally Coming Into View

[bddcustoms]

(this is my first build thread!)

2006 - 2011
I found and bought it
drove it, then parked it
tore it down, then cleaned it up.

Now I'm puttin it back together

better than before
(or, at least til my wife figures out how much I'm spending)

[bddcustoms]

A 1969 C20 LWB w/ a 307 and 3-on-the-tree. 4.56 rear in an Eaton full-floater HO52

built in "Bawlmer" (Hon!)

This is what I bought for next to nothing -- couple hundred bucks. My wife think's I overpaid. That was several years ago, and I remind her we are still married (15 years this summer). The truck was cheaper than a marriage councilor!

Honestly, my new toy had a few issues. But I didn't buy it to have it. I bought it to rebuild it.

[gixxerpymp]

Good job man.. Keep it up!

[VA72C10]

Looks like a good project!

[bddcustoms]

At some point in its earlier life the truck had taken a nice shot just ahead of the driver's front wheel, misaligning the forward sheet metal, and guaranteeing me a yet-to-be set date with a frame straightener (the nose is up and to the right just enough to be noticeable in the fender-to-door gap, and the hood gaps, even after I replaced the damaged fender).

Other than that, I pulled the jimmy-ed Y-pipe and put on a cheap headers and exhaust combo, and I yanked the "it's your best-guess what gear" column shifter in favor of a floor conversion kit. I also made note of where it leaked. Otherwise, I just drove it on weekends as I could for a while. Then I parked it for long stretches, saving pennies and planning an attack.

I subscribed to a bunch of mags, watch a lot of Powerblock TV (I'm giving Courtney a ride one of these days ), and most important, I haunt this forum; 67-72...com is the best resource I have!

stay tuned for the mods done to the chassis of this now-torn down big boy

[bddcustoms]

I spent a couple weekends during spring 2007 swapping in an unsmashed fender, busting out a few dozen rattle cans of gray primer, chevy engine orange, and semi-gloss black, replacing cracked lenses and reflectors, and sticking on a few stickers from the Year One boys. I even threw a rubber mat for a '73 - '87 in the bed to cover the swiss cheese floor (if fit well enough). It was drivable, and at least respectable among the initiated.

I would take me another two years to get up the nerve (and the money) to go for something more.

[bddcustoms]

As I thought about the project, I decided on one guiding goal first -- it's a C/20, a big boy truck, and I would design around that. I also wanted to keep (but improve) as much of the original equipment as I could, or at least the "heart and soul" stuff. So, just like some dudes laugh at building up a C/20 rather than its half-ton brother, they also say I should junk the 307, but I say "nay, nay!" I found a 307 build up in an old issue Classic Truck (December 2005 for those of you playing at home) and decided to go with it. So the engine stayed.

I also wanted to keep it 8-lugs, and build around the HO52 rear end I have. But with 4.56 gears, the 3-speed Saginaw tranny had to go (I literally topped at around 45mph highway, and about 9mpg!). I consulted the board, and you guys put me and the project on the path to a 700R4, which I found on the cheap in a Pennsylvania junk yard with low miles. Other than this forum, www.car-parts.com is my next favorite site. So, the rear stayed, though I may yet decide to swap out the original 3rd-member for 4.10 gears, which I understand is the best I can do with an HO52.

I've also decided to save the cab... but thats for another post, probably later this year or early '12.

Suspension is another story. First, I did the junkyard crawl to put disc brakes at all four corners with a '71 c/20 A-arms, spindles, rotors, and calipers set up in the front, and '76 Caddy Eldo caliper/'76 Blazer rotors set-up out back, mounted to my original HO52 axle with a conversion kit from DIY4X.com (DIY4x.com). I chose the Caddy brakes because of the e-brake possibility, though I haven't worked that through just yet.

I also picked up CPP lowering springs and shocks for a 3"/5" drop, rear sway bar kit, and c-notches from CPP. Somebody on this board sold me a front sway bar set up. I did the junkyard crawl again for '72 p/s gear. I have ideas about wheel and tire combos, but will wait just a while more before purchasing, as each year options for 8-lugs improve more and more.

As for the frame, I cut exhaust flow-through holes in my trailing arm mount xmember. I picked up an aftermarket 700R4 xmember from Brothers (took forever to get to me!). I'll be mounting a Summit fuel cell under the bed. I'm also 99.9% sure that I'm going to shorten the frame to make it a SWB (not too many 3/4 ton shorties around). What I haven't decided however is fleet or step. I'm using the Force; it'll come to me eventually...

So, in the end I hope to have a truck nobody says I should want: a 1969 (not a 67/68, or 71/72, but the "other one") C/20 (again, the "other one") with a 307 (see earlier parenthetical comment). And, to further spite consensus, I'm claiming she'll be hot!! -- I could think of no more appropriate project name than: "Big Sexy"

[bddcustoms]

more pics

[RCbowtie69]

Hey from N.C.,you are looking good,keep the pictures coming

[dmack91]

Not much 3/4 ton love out there. Keep up the good work!