69 K-10 Build for Dad

[Wasted Income]

Just finished up my Blazer build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=529064, and figure I'm starting to get rolling on this (re)build so I'd start a build thread.

I've had this truck for 18 years or so now. Started building it with my dad when I was 14, and it was an incredible father-son project. The "first" time we built it, we took it down to a bare frame








Drove it all through high school, took my wife to prom in it, and brought my daugher home from the hospital in it (ok not really...it was cruddy and rainy that day, but she went for her first ride 2 days later....but you get the point).





The truck has been through many iterations.
It's will have had 5 engines...(250 I-6, 350, 5.3L, 6.0L, 5.3L), 8 Transmissions (3 on the tree, Muncie M22, 700R4, 2 4L60Es, and 3 4L80Es)
It's been N/A, nitroused, turbo'd and is now going back to N/A.





In the quest of a more family friendly hot-rod, I tore the blue truck apart, stealing parts here and there for the Blazer project. I couldn't stomach selling to anyone as a running truck, since it'd make me sick knowing that someone else was driving MY truck.



Now to the point of this story:
My dad helped with funding and building this truck, as well as my younger brothers' high school hot rods....but he hasn't had a fun toy of his own since he sold his 72 SS454 Chevelle 35+ years ago. He loves this truck as much as I do, and has spent a lot of time riding shotgun and working on it with me.



SO....I figured the best bet was to put it back together for my dad and give it to him. He has always liked the 4x4 trucks of this era, and is a big LS power fan, so that's what we're building.

[Wasted Income]

Dad wanted a 4x4, so we searched and found a very clean 72 3/4 ton 4x4 frame for sale near Branson, MO. It was in pieces, but that's no big deal.



We really "started" on this project this past weekend...on father's day. So that's pretty fitting. We are bolting the frame together for the time being, so that I can fabricate the necessary mounts to put the LS engine and 4L80E trans, along with the NP205 t-case into the frame. I'll then blow it all apart again and have it powdercoated before final assembly.



Here's dad doin' work.


Here's the powerplant that's going back in. 2005 5.3L L33.


The lift kit also showed up last week. It's a Tuff Country Soft Ride 4" with new leafs all around.

[Ol Blue K20]

Nice story... subscribed and Watching!!!!

[mcbassin]

Love your plans. I'm in.

[Hart_Rod]

Gonna be a great build!

[sourkraut]

Will be watching

[Wasted Income]

Getting ready to hit this project hard. Been collecting parts and trying to figure out exactly how I want to approach this build.

Should see some real progress soon, but in the mean time, I picked up a FWD LS4 5.3 for the heads and some other goodies to complete the L33.

[akdg87]

Originally Posted by Wasted Income

Getting ready to hit this project hard. Been collecting parts and trying to figure out exactly how I want to approach this build.

Should see some real progress soon, but in the mean time, I picked up a FWD LS4 5.3 for the heads and some other goodies to complete the L33.

that exhaust manifold intrigues me...seems like you could fab up a really easy turbo kit with that, probably would choke down the turbo a bit

[duallyjams]

Moving along pretty fast on this one.

[68 Four on the Floor]

Originally Posted by Wasted Income

Getting ready to hit this project hard. Been collecting parts and trying to figure out exactly how I want to approach this build.

Should see some real progress soon, but in the mean time, I picked up a FWD LS4 5.3 for the heads and some other goodies to complete the L33.

Ok I'm way behind on this one. I was under the impression that the l33 heads were the same as the ls4.. am I mistaken?

[Farm Shop]

Originally Posted by 68 Four on the Floor

Ok I'm way behind on this one. I was under the impression that the l33 heads were the same as the ls4.. am I mistaken?

You're right, they both use 243's, but I'm pretty sure his L33 came as a short block.

[swamp rat]

Subscribed!

[Wasted Income]

Ok, so the Dirty Dingo mounts and 4x4 crossmember showed up last night. Normally I'd build all this stuff myself, but I'm pretty burned out, and in kind of a hurry...so buying and bolting stuff in is a nice change of pace.





Everything is just loosely bolted together right now until I can square everything up and tighten it all down. I'm pretty impressed with the DD stuff.



I do a ton of LS swaps, so I made a mockup engine and trans out of a blown up LS1, and a busted 4L80E case. I can pick the whole thing up by myself....but it is still pretty heavy, lol.









Hoping to get any other fabrication that needs to be done, finished up this weekend, so that I can send the frame off to powdercoat.

Can't wait to have a rolling chassis again!

[Tom Vogel]

[QUOTE=
I do a ton of LS swaps, so I made a mockup engine and trans out of a blown up LS1, and a busted 4L80E case.
QUOTE]

Are you blowing these up yourself? Sorry, couldnt resist!
Are you goind to use 1/2 ton reworked springs on this one?

[Wasted Income]

[quote=Tom Vogel;6279255]

Originally Posted by
I do a ton of LS swaps, so I made a mockup engine and trans out of a blown up LS1, and a busted 4L80E case.
QUOTE

Are you blowing these up yourself? Sorry, couldnt resist!
Are you goind to use 1/2 ton reworked springs on this one?

Some of them I do...some I don't.

I've bought a Skyjacker Softride 4" lift with all new springs for this project.

[Wasted Income]

Had my little helper out giving me a hand for a bit yesterday.



The old trans crossmember for the NP205 wouldn't work with the NP241 adapter, so I had to weld up the holes and re-drill for the newer mounts







Planning to run the factory 5.3 A/C compressor on this build...fits nice, but need to trim the frame some to allow room for the refrig. lines.





Plasma cutter to the rescue

[Wasted Income]

Got the frame back from the powdercoater on Friday morning.







By the end of the day yesterday we'd made some pretty good progress...

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by Wasted Income

Can you get me a pic of how the stabilizer is mounted to the axle?? Thanks!

[Wasted Income]

Originally Posted by swamp rat

Can you get me a pic of how the stabilizer is mounted to the axle?? Thanks!

Hope these help.

[swamp rat]

Originally Posted by Wasted Income

Hope these help.

Thank you very much!! Big help indeed.. downloading for reference.

[y5mgisi]

Subscribed!

[Rodzzilla]

This is going to be nice.

[lopemaxx]

looking good jeff

[Wasted Income]

There was a little bit more slop in the rear diff than I was comfortable with, so out it comes, and in will go a brand new Eaton posi, Richmond gear 3.73 set and all new seals and bearings.

[mcbassin]

Very nice progress on the chassis! Looking good. Wish I had the $$ for one of those Eaton posi units...