Project Black Out, 1981 stepside... need help planing

[kserieskid]

New to the forum. already had a ton of help just reading some of the posts on the site. Right now im starting a new project. The truck is a white 1981 chevy stepside. It is from Nevada and came to NH in may. some guy had it and lost interest in it so I picked it up on the cheap. Truck is legit cleaner than a lot of the newer trucks out here.

my plans:
Drive the truck in the summer and very little in the winter, only when the roads are dry
needs to tow a small load ( 2 place horse trailer and a small car from time to time, me and a buddy flip a few cars a year)

what has been done so far:
complete cooling system
power steering lines
blower moter ext
tires good year wranglers on 15inch rims, wikid cheap from wallmart
inner tie rod
u joints for rear
transfer case output shaft seal
re wire the whole dome light and replace with some leds

big current plans:
undercoating
rebuild front driveshaft
window channels and door seals/tint
fix temp gauge

summer plans:
axle swap
built 350

so in preparation for the axle swap here's what I have

I own a 3/4 ton that is getting junked in the spring with a semi floater rear axle that im just gunna drop in and use till it blows up. just because I own it already and have done a swap with a semi floater so its familiar to me.

my question right now is will the axle shafts and spindles fit on the half ton axle that is already in the stepside? the axle in my 3/4 ton is not in the greatest shape and I was wondering if I can just swap spindles and shafts so I don't have to buy two new sets of gears

thanks this is all in prep for the summer I really like to plan my projects out to save money

thanks, kserieskid

first two pictures are from the week I got it
last one is the just the other day, slowly taking all the stupid chrome stuff of and blacking it all out.
also going to make a custom headache rack

[bojak]

Good looking find. Changing everything to black? Wheels and step too? I think it would be cool just wondering how dechromed you are going.

[kserieskid]

I am going to black out just about everything, bumpers grille push bumper I have a spare set of aluminum blazer rims that im going to blast and powder coat black, im not sure about the mirrors yet just because I want to ditch those trucker ones not a big fan.

do you know any really good axle guys that might be able to help me with my front 44 questions?

[NASTY-LSX]

nice truck!!!

[nhbowtie]

nice truck....

[crashz]

Nice truck!

I'm just down the road from you in MA.

Does the 1/2 ton have a D44 front axle or 10bolt? The 87 would have a 10bolt front. Though similar, I don't think the parts interchange between D44 and 10bolt.

If they are both 10 bolts, the outer spindle parts should bolt right up. Essentially identical axles other than the hubs, bearing and brakes.

[kserieskid]

hey thanks crashz!
its nice to hear from people in the area!!

well after looking at the axles quickly today im almost sure they are bolth 10 bolts the covers are identical

sweet so the spindles will swap over umm do you think the axle shafts are the same in bolth axels, what im trying to get away with is not having to buy two sets of gears, the 87 3/4 ton has 4:11s witch is awful for the driving that I do so my plan was to either keep the carrier in the ten bolt or take the ring and pinion from the half ton front end and swap it over to the 3/4 front end and just buy the gear set for the rear, I do know the 3/4 ton shafts and 1/2 ton shafts take the same ujoint (moog 377) I work at a parts store so I get to play on the computer some times


here is some progress pictures
had to rewire the dome light from the fuse box all the way back it had a clock patched in to it some how and it melted the wires the entire length.
and I also re wired my 4 pin round/ 7 pin flat hook up and put the led tail lights I had off my 87 flat bed on

[moregrip]

Originally Posted by kserieskid

hey thanks crashz!
its nice to hear from people in the area!!

well after looking at the axles quickly today im almost sure they are bolth 10 bolts the covers are identical

sweet so the spindles will swap over umm do you think the axle shafts are the same in bolth axels, what im trying to get away with is not having to buy two sets of gears, the 87 3/4 ton has 4:11s witch is awful for the driving that I do so my plan was to either keep the carrier in the ten bolt or take the ring and pinion from the half ton front end and swap it over to the 3/4 front end and just buy the gear set for the rear, I do know the 3/4 ton shafts and 1/2 ton shafts take the same ujoint (moog 377) I work at a parts store so I get to play on the computer some times


here is some progress pictures
had to rewire the dome light from the fuse box all the way back it had a clock patched in to it some how and it melted the wires the entire length.
and I also re wired my 4 pin round/ 7 pin flat hook up and put the led tail lights I had off my 87 flat bed on

love those LED taillights!

[andrewmp6]

On some parts you not sure about going black on try plasti dip.Its rubberized and will peal off if you don't like it with out damaging anything.

[kserieskid]

Originally Posted by andrewmp6

On some parts you not sure about going black on try plasti dip.Its rubberized and will peal off if you don't like it with out damaging anything.

useing your advise Im doing the grille today and headlight bezils. in white first to see what i like better. doing white first. then ill change it to black and see whats better

Whould alos like some input on these emblemes. they were a junk pair that i found under the seat so i modified one of them. useing a dremil i just cut thoes squares off. idk if im a fan or not would like your input...

will post up some photos with the grille in tomorrow night.

thanks
kserieskid

[kserieskid]

as promiced here are some pic of the grille in the white verson. going to leave it like this for a few weeks and see how i like it. then ill try black and see how i feel about that

also got a 12v sourse fixed up finally. the one in the dash was all messed up so i rewired an ignition on only wire to the dash mounted one then i added this thing i got from wallmart it has a 12v on one side and 2 USB ports on the other side

any remarks on the grille are welcomed

[kserieskid]

Thanks andrewmp6 never thought about plasti dip that would work perferct for my mirrors and grille!!! thanks for the idea

[kserieskid]

been a few weeks now think tonight im going to do some undercoating on the step side. been working on the plow truck for the past few weeks going to stay up and stay ahead of the drive way going to be nasty here in new England. but while im in-between plowing im going to be undercoating and doing some paint on the tail gate will post pic tomorrow

[Rubble]

The axles on the 10 bolt will swap from 1/2to 3/4 ton.I have stripped spindles& axles from 1/2 ton 10 bolt to use in my 3/4 tons,they fit.I believe the wheel bearings are the same too,because the spindles interchange.

[andrewmp6]

If you really wanna go nuts you could plasti dip the whole truck people do that now.Take a look at https://www.dipyourcar.com/home.php he has gallons you can spray with a house spray gun or kits that come with everything even a spray gun.

[520CheyenneK10]

My first time seeing this thread. Damn nice rig as she sits!!! But hey to each his own....looking forward to seeing the project come together. Wish you all the best as you customize her.

[nekkidhillbilly]

i love the truck as it sets so idk man

[kserieskid]

Sorry to say its been a long time since I posted! been busy with a new Ambulance service and applying to fire departments all around NH!!! but here is some progress

Did some undercoating over a month ago but I did not get far with only 4 cans!! so I plan to go back with some roll on bed liner for the wheel wells and rocker and floor ect

also did a smog delete all but the pump, to broke to get a new belt right away. found some plugs at a local part store that fit right in. also did some valve cover gaskets and wire loams with the spreaders. heres some pics for your pleasure

[kserieskid]

more pictures from recent nights at the shop

so I know I called this project black out but after recently seeing some newer 2500s inparticular the GMC with almost a full white front I wanted to get every ones thoughts on the fallowing

white bumpers, white mirrors black grille and black rims

[cadillac_al]

I would enjoy it as is. Why make more work for yourself? Definitely undercoat it and maybe wax the **** out of those nice rocker panels. Gotta love a good deal on a rust free truck in New England.

[kserieskid]

not to much to show in progress on this post. been super busy with snow, work at the parts store and my new Voly EMT job. but i had a chance to show a low buck project. it dosent really get more low buck than this.

took the old floor mat from my 1987 3/4T thats getting junked and made some floor mats for my 81k10. cut the peices big first then trimmed them down to size. add some heat with a pipe in the vice, and boom you got custom floor mats for free!!! so if you have one of these old mats laying around do not throw it away make some mats for another truck!!!

[dbash]

I am partial to all black myself. My Bumpers, Step, mirrors, door handles and Chevrolet logo on the tailgate are "simulated" black chrome to break up the solid black. The pictures do not show the contrast very well but in person it pops.

The process is a dark silver powder coat with a couple black tinted clear coats applied over top. This process was developed by a local shop to end around the EPA restrictions here in CA that are killing off chroming altogether in our state.

Nice truck you have there! Can't wait to see it finished.

[kserieskid]

This week i had some time do dig into the steel i had gotten for rack. not doing anythig to fancy just a simple one that fallows the lines of the rear window. I did get steel that was way to thick so far this thing might weigh in at like 80 to 100 lbs but im into the steel for maybe 60 to 80 bucks. backrack does not make one for the truck. and i did not want to buy one for close to 300 bucks then cut and modify one. other companys do make them for rangers but there still expensive. so here is all the stuff tacked in to place just need to make 3 more bars to finish all the cuts and what not

[kserieskid]

hey everyone got a quick update on my build. the other day i finished up all the cuts and tacked everything in place for my rack. going to finish it up this week and start looking for some lights. found some square led ones on amazon pretty cheep.

if any one has some lighting sugguestions feel free to chime in

also ordered my weather stripping kit from 1A Auto got the door felts windo channel, vent windo seals and door peremiter seals. but im still in search of the one that bolts to my door

here is some pic of the rack up on the truck and on my work bench

[kserieskid]

quick update on the stepside. stuck the back rack of to the side for a week or so. Got all my door seals togather and im in the process of getting them in. i pulled every thing apart and i need to now drill the rivets out of the corner windows to get the seal in to them and put it all back in.

got the windo tinted while it was out and and heres a pic of the reminants of my seals and felts