77 K10 stepside build

[3x2GTO]

I don't have much computer experience, but I'm going to take a stab at a build thread. My goal is to share all my experiences both good and bad, and hopefully help others that are in the hobby, or thinking about joining. Today is 7-15-2025, so let's get started with some back story, then I'll get to the present day. Here's "Woody" 1977 k10, was a real life wood hauler, bought him from an estate. The previous owner ran his own body shop and had replaced the radiator support, doors, fenders, cab, hood and had the color edged in before unexpectantly passing away. Originally 350 4speed, 44 front, 12 bolt rear, short bed stepside with AC. Here's a picture of the day I got it home, it had a rough fleetside bed, 33x12.50's on rally wheels, the 350 had been replaced with a 1972 sbc 400,different spring pack at every corner and broken belts in the tires. Squirrelly comes to mind, but the engine was good.

[3x2GTO]

I've set a budget of 25K for the project, that includes all body work, but no paint, we'll see how that works out, please follow along. The first thing I did was to drive to Arkansas and pick up a rust free Texas short bed stepside bed. The bed was off a 1978 truck and was in great condition, it even had the Texas dealers name etched in the rear bumper and has the original GM wood floor. I swapped out the white 78 fenders for some orange 76 ones that came with Woody.

[3x2GTO]

In the past year or so I've done the following work on Woody: Everything is new. steering box, tie rod & ends, steering stabilizer, drag link, ball joints, brake hoses, pads and lines, rear brake drum and shoes, gas tank with brackets and sending unit, gas line, all shocks, complete dual exhaust, 33x10.50x15 BFG's, Tuff Country EZ ride front lift springs, Tuff Country rear spring with Super Lift 2" block kit, AMD rear bumper kit with new tail light harness from Lectric Limited, rear diff yoke, ORD HD front spring shackles and hangers, ORD steering box brace, ORD rear shackle/hangers, ORD U bolt plates, Atchison Technologies front rear spring hangers with crossmember, Edelbrock Carb/intake with AED throttle bracket, timing gear set, engine gaskets and a tune up.

[3x2GTO]

Installed AMD rear bumper kit and new tail light harness, finished up installing the U bolt plates from ORD, painted rally wheels with Krylon 1403 dull aluminum and had new tires installed, The truck has about an inch of rake, looks good and rides really well for a lifted short bed. I credit the EZ ride springs for the good ride.

[3x2GTO]

Woody had a cab change in the past, someone installed a 1978 2wd cab and didn't change the floor hump, they had slit the floor so the T case was sticking through it. I bought a correct floor hump from a member here (44th Miss Inf). I just have it screwed in place for now, because I'm going to install a 1 piece floor in the future. But it fits good and looks OK for now.

[3x2GTO]

OK, were up to date now, today is 7-16-25 and I'm working on getting the factory AC working again, there's a lot of issues with it. The AC harness has been cut and spliced under the hood, vacuum line from the round vacuum reservoir to control panel has been cut. I retaped the harness for now, spliced the vacuum line with some tubing and heat shrink wrap from ACE hardware, got vacuum to the controls and have at least 1 bad actuator. Pulling out the heater box today, replacing heater core, bad actuators, adding a seal or two and paint it up a little. Hopefully get all back in place today, tomorrow for sure.

[3x2GTO]

In the last 2 days, I cleaned & painted and added a new seal to the heater/AC box, installed a new brass/ copper heater core. I also replaced 2 bad vacuum actuators with used ones I had on hand, spliced a vacuum line and added a check valve. Everything is back in the truck and working like it should! Between Dorman and ACE hardware, I found everything needed to make the repairs. I also got 4 rivet nuts at ACE for the used radiator hold down plate. I have a new brass/copper 4 core radiator I'm going to install next week, so I got the rivet nuts in today and the top plate mocked up. I still have route and heat shrink the spliced vacuum lines, blast and paint the hold down plate etc.. I should have the new fan shroud and cushions this week, so should be able to get that all done. Next on the list is adding an inside hood latch, I found everything needed for that on Ebay.

[Mike80D]

Great job so far. You’re going to end up with a nice truck.

[3x2GTO]

Thanks for the encouragement, it's been an uphill battle all the way.

[3x2GTO]

The dash and heater box are all back in and all the doors work, converted over to a new brass/copper 4 core radiator, nothings painted yet, but it's all bolted up. I found an NOS GM filler panel, so going to install an inside hood latch. Also bought a donor truck for the bucket seats, hope to have them in soon.