1965 C20 Meets 1973 K20

[eclipse85k10]

Ok well this truck is a mismatched bunch parts from different years. It started out as a 1963 Chevrolet C20 with a 292 and a 4spd. My grandfather bought it in 1965 and used it to start his spray and fertilizer business. After years of carrying around chemicals the original bed and cab rotted out and the body swapping began. The cab was replaced with a 65 cab and flatbed.

So fast forward to my highschool years in the 90s, I got it as my first set of wheels and we found a bed for it from a 64 Gmc. The summer before my senior year we picked up a c10 with a "327" small block and swapped it. Later on after getting another truck my friend and I decided to pull the engine because the head gasket was leaking, the "327 turned out to be a 262 small block with heads from a 400 and a big cam.

My dad was unhappy that I ruined a running truck so it was no longer movable on its own power, so I sat for years behind his shop and work moved me to Reno. I liked the truck as a 2wd and had plans some day to build it up but i have so many other projects and have never gottan to it. After my dad finishing his last project a few years ago he decided to start on the 63-65-64 pickup when he acquired a donor truck, 1973 Chevrolet K20 from a friend.

So far my dad has started working on the body swap, I wish I was there to help him but I'm gonna fallow his build and he has been sending me pictures. He has removed both bodies and started to fit the 65 cab on the 73 frame.

Here is a few pictures of the progress and one of the 65 buired in snow behind the shop and the previous owner of the 73 kissing it goodbye who owned it for 20 years.

[eclipse85k10]

Found a few old photos of "65"
Also the new chassis has a d44/14ff and 350/th350/np205

We do have a replacement Chevrolet tailgate that my dad stumbled upon that is in great shape

[Captainfab]

Welcome to the forum

The body looks to be in real good shape.

Your dad's got a fair amount of work ahead of him building all the body mounts on the frame. He'll end up with about a 3" body lift fitting that body on that frame. BTDT.

Where abouts in Washington is he?

[eclipse85k10]

Some pictures of the body mounts mocked up.

CaptainFab, hes in Spokane

[chev-obsession]

this is looks like a cool build. thats a plus that you got a big back window as well!

[eclipse85k10]

Ok time for any update... First news is I'm being relocated back in Spokane, WA from Reno so I'll be there to get my hands on this project and also get you some better pictures with my camera.

So what he has so far, he has the body mounts tacked and the body on, the front clip is just mocked and the bed is also just mocked up and he found out that the wheelbase is longer than he measured, the rear tires are at the back of the fenders. So he is thinking the frame needs to be shortened 3inches. I'm trying to talk him into waiting and barrowing a plasma from my cousin and also doing an angle cut.

Here are some pictures of it. oh btw he was insistant on having it driveable to more around so there is a big of him driving it in the yard.

So I gotta come up with a name for this project. For a long time we called the truck "the 63" but when I got it in H.S. and realized the cab was a 65 with no knee knockers I called it "the 65" or the "green truck" Well I think we'll call it a 65 since the frame was the last of the original the 63 and I really dont want to repaint it that green so it needs a new name

Ok last thing... the last pic I just found got me excited about this truck being a 4x4. Only thing is I gotta convience the old man to let me swap out the axles. I want to put the 6lug 10bolts from my suburban with 3.73s under it for two reasons. I rather have 3.73s on it for better highway rpms and I want 6 lug so I can use my 15x8 rallys from my 85 K10.

[eclipse85k10]

ah cant help myself....

Whats a good power brake booster to look for that'll fit? My dad said the booster from the 73 was too big to fit.

[Captainfab]

That's one of the reasons why I make the booster brackets that I sell. That way you have a choice between a larger booster, or a smaller dual diaphram booster. You can see them in the links in my sig. Let me know if you're interested.

Originally Posted by eclipse85k10

ah cant help myself....

Whats a good power brake booster to look for that'll fit? My dad said the booster from the 73 was too big to fit.

[eclipse85k10]

My dad took a look at your bracket and likes it, since he already has a big booster from the 73. He says he is over in CDA a few days a week running delivers and he'd like to meet up to buy one.

[Captainfab]

I'll send you a PM......

Originally Posted by eclipse85k10

My dad took a look at your bracket and likes it, since he already has a big booster from the 73. He says he is over in CDA a few days a week running delivers and he'd like to meet up to buy one.

[fryer1979]

Cool build. I've been thinking a lot about doing this same thing for my next build (mama wants to keep a 4x4 in the stables). Any details you could provide in the swapping of the body would be greatly appreciated. I'll be enjoying watching this one come together.

[65chev10]

Its not so much the difference of wheel base as the depth of the two cabs. And yes I,am going to angle cut the frame and diamond plate the inside. The drive line will cost 65.00 to have shortened and balanced.