Installing different mirrors on my K20? Also bed question

[willem445]

I have a 1980 Chevy k20 that I have been working on as a project truck. Ive gotten the engine running pretty good so im starting to address body parts. I just recently bought a 1975 C10 and a 1978 C10 as donor trucks.

Here are the mirrors that were originally on my K20.

The mirrors are in great shape and I would like to use them.

The mirrors on the C10 were the larger 3 point mount mirrors. On one of the doors the mirror is fine but on the other door the mirror is missing.



How would I mount the smaller mirrors that are on my truck currently onto these doors from the C10?

Also this is the bed that I plan to use.

For the most part the bed is in perfect condition except for a few minor rust spots that can be repainted. It is a wood bed as well.

Will this bed mount to my truck fine? Both are long bed trucks. Can anyone reccomend a good replacement wood kit?

Sorry if images are very large.

[johnwaynejeep]

For the mirrors,
It should be simple enough. Just take the inner door panels off your project truck and see how the mirrors mount. It's probably just a couple bolts inside. You'll have to measure and drill new holes to the project doors so you can mount the smaller mirrors to your desired doors. You can have a welder fill in the old holes from the 3 point mirrors and repaint.

For the bed,
I'm not sure if the mounting points are different. I would guess they're all the same for the long beds. Take some measurements from both trucks and make sure everything will line up. Measure from front mount to rear mount of the bed, from the axleshaft to the front mount and axleshaft to the rear mount, from left side mount to right side mount and if all these measurements are the same on both trucks then have at it. Before you remove the bed, crawl under it and look at every inch of the bed to make sure there are no mounts, wires, etc bolted to the bed. You don't want to remove the bed to find out the previous owner drilled the brake light wiring the underside of the bed and end up ripping out the wires.

[johnwaynejeep]

If you want new wood for the bed, there are several parts vendors who specialize in older trucks like, LMC, classic parts of America, Brothers Trucks, they all should have bed kits. If you're wood is in decent shape I've heard of people water sanding the wood to smooth it out again and then resealing the wood. I've never tried this and I would look it up the process online or in a library.

[willem445]

Originally Posted by johnwaynejeep

If you want new wood for the bed, there are several parts vendors who specialize in older trucks like, LMC, classic parts of America, Brothers Trucks, they all should have bed kits. If you're wood is in decent shape I've heard of people water sanding the wood to smooth it out again and then resealing the wood. I've never tried this and I would look it up the process online or in a library.

Thanks for the reply.

Ive been looking around and found some nice OAK wood kits for around $370. The wood in it now is decent enough to use but is very close to being to rotten to use.

[walkerb]

Nice trucks. I love the wood floor fleetsides

[hatzie]

Mar-K sells most of the wood fleetside floor parts for the 67-72 fleetsides. They can be used as-is or modified for use on the 73-80 fleetside wood floors.
If you aren't going to use the sport mirrors on the brown doors I'd eBay them.

Dodge used similar Dumbo mirrors with electric remote controls on some of the 1994-1997 fullsize ram trucks. The head could probably be adapted to the GM door mount.

[willem445]

Originally Posted by hatzie

Mar-K sells most of the wood fleetside floor parts for the 67-72 fleetsides. They can be used as-is or modified for use on the 73-80 fleetside wood floors.
If you aren't going to use the sport mirrors on the brown doors I'd eBay them.

Dodge used similar Dumbo mirrors with electric remote controls on some of the 1994-1997 fullsize ram trucks. The head could probably be adapted to the GM door mount.

I did look at Mar-K. The prices seem to be very high compared to others. The OAK on Mar-k is $512 compared to $375 on classic parts. Would the price difference be that Mar-k drills the holes for you?

I plan on using as many parts that I can off of the C10s and either scraping or selling what is left. Hopefully I can get the $475 back that I payed for them.

[dieseldawg142]

one thing to do when changing your mirrors, if the bolts don't go threw the mirror brace inside the door, put a piece of 1"x1/8" flatbar under the mirror bolts to spread the load & save your sheetmetal. my doors went from tri-pod mirrors to the kind you took off & the bolts that went threw just the sheetmetal left nice 1" rips in the metal around the holes

[willem445]

Originally Posted by dieseldawg142

one thing to do when changing your mirrors, if the bolts don't go threw the mirror brace inside the door, put a piece of 1"x1/8" flatbar under the mirror bolts to spread the load & save your sheetmetal. my doors went from tri-pod mirrors to the kind you took off & the bolts that went threw just the sheetmetal left nice 1" rips in the metal around the holes

Good idea. Thanks!

[hatzie]

Originally Posted by willem445

I did look at Mar-K. The prices seem to be very high compared to others. The OAK on Mar-k is $512 compared to $375 on classic parts. Would the price difference be that Mar-k drills the holes for you?

I plan on using as many parts that I can off of the C10s and either scraping or selling what is left. Hopefully I can get the $475 back that I payed for them.

I haven't had the wood in my hands to compare but there are different grades of hardwood and a couple mm makes a fair difference in price.
The rear crossmember from the 67-72 can be mildly modified to fit the 73-80 beds. Mar-K was the only outfit that had em a few years ago and they were willing to provide stamped but not drilled rear crossmembers and custom height under floor crosspieces as well.

[Speeding Dakota]

I'm working on a '83 project and just finish my doors. I removed the larger style mirrors that you have (the white ones) and covered the holes because I'm planning to put on the drop down peep mirrors.
Anyway, once I removed the mirrors and the internal door panel (from the inside of the door) if you look just below the vent window on the inside of the door skin you will see where the factory made marks to drill out based on the mirrors to be installed. Just drill out the 2 that are closer together if you want to use the smaller chrome sport mirror. You will have to fill in the 3 holes where the larger mirror mounts.
Hope this helps.

[willem445]

Originally Posted by Speeding Dakota

I'm working on a '83 project and just finish my doors. I removed the larger style mirrors that you have (the white ones) and covered the holes because I'm planning to put on the drop down peep mirrors.
Anyway, once I removed the mirrors and the internal door panel (from the inside of the door) if you look just below the vent window on the inside of the door skin you will see where the factory made marks to drill out based on the mirrors to be installed. Just drill out the 2 that are closer together if you want to use the smaller chrome sport mirror. You will have to fill in the 3 holes where the larger mirror mounts.
Hope this helps.

Should help a bunch!