Curt's '72 K20 Resto-mod

[Curt's_72]

After 3 years in paint prison, our truck is finally home. The assembly process has offically began. I haven't been around a project of this size since the 1980's and I now remember why.
Our truck is an offical California 1972 K20 with just over 115,000 on the clock. A 700R4 and Vintage Air are items the previous owner(s) had installed. It was a solid daily driver for 3 years until 2007. About then, the previous bodywork was giving way from the typical Indiana winters, with standard rust spots in the rockers and roof area. It was still a great old truck from even from 5 feet, but was regulated to the garage and became our nice weather vehicle.
I've taken 3 years worth of in process pictures, all with the intent of sharing my journey with whomever might be interested in following. I'll not dwell much on the past, just touching on big changes that occured until we get to present day.
My wife didn't understand why I would tear apart a 'perfectly good truck' to redo it, but it happened nonetheless. Here is what we started with.

Soon after moving it to my friend's shop, the major destruction began. This uncovered the extent of rust damage along with a pretty major inpact on the cab, behind the door.



More to come as soon as I sort them out.
Curt

[freakshow108]

Nice start! Does it have the 8 lug axel and if so could i get a close up pic of the front ralleys. Good luck with this project.

[Curt's_72]

Originally Posted by freakshow108

Nice start! Does it have the 8 lug axel and if so could i get a close up pic of the front ralleys. Good luck with this project.

Well, Being a K20, it has 8 lug axles. Ralley wheels weren't ever offered for 8 luggers. It has the factory 16.5x8.25 steelies, which I'm a huge fan of. That is, until I really started wanting the 9.75 wide steelies. I've since squirreled away a few sets of them and even managed to find another set of the 8.25's at my local junk yard.
I'm in process of getting some of them blasted and powdercoated. I'm concerned, though about the amount of offset. None of the sets I have have the same. It will be a visual for me, as I don't want too much wheel hanging out of the fenders. More to come as that part of the process is worked on.

[Curt's_72]

New rockers went on smoothly. We discovered cab supports would be needed so those went on too.

A new header panel was put in. We did it by laminating rather than cutting out the entire panel.

The passenger door was excellent. It just needed touched up.

The driver's door need a new skin.

I considered a new door, but the rest of it was in great shape. The new skin fit well. Some minor massaging of the key hole was necessary later.
I've got many more indepth pictures if there is something you'd like to see in more detail. The frame and bed are next.
Curt

[mjensen]

Of course we're interested in more-in depth pictures! LOL

Very nice truck you got there.

[Curt's_72]

Body work is rockin' by now. Seeing huge changes at every visit. As you can tell, we're not doing the frame-off, but extensive, nonetheless. After taking the front end apart, we decided new fenders would be a good idea. Scored a couple of good ones from a board member. Huck is what he has been on here at. Got them from him at the swap meet in Indy. He's still around, into Honda mintrails and the such.
Fenders cleaned up nice. They also had the trim holes which was great because we're going back to that.


We had the bed sandblasted. It was super clean. It had a gas tank cover on the passenger side, which I wanted removed. I wasn't going to use it, so I wanted it gone. The old fender served as good patch. The inside of the bed didn't need anything. The bottom we just wire brushed and used POR-15 on it. Stuff works great.


We hit the frame next, since the bed was off. More on that.
Curt

[Curt's_72]

Started thrashing on the frame since it's exposed. Lots of wire wheel work here. I hope everybody who does uses an angle grinder with any attachment wears PPE. A wire wheel cup worked best for us.


The chambered exhaust was kinda cool for awhile, but loud. Going much quieter this time around. My muffler guys assure me that we can sew any type muffler right in line with these. That'll happen once it's back on the road.
We then put the POR-15 on the frame, springs, rearend, everything from the underside of the cab back.


We learned later that being ambitious on the frame this early in the process isn't necessarily a good thing. Primer and sealer along with the normal bodyshop environment will cause you to re-do things. Fortunately, we needed to put POR Chassis Black over the paint, so it wasn't wasted time.

[Curt's_72]

Doors went back on fine. The hinge pins needed replaced and that was quite a job. First, hammer and a pinch. Then heat and a bigger hammer. Then a drill. A buddy dropped of a cool set of punches with a big honkin' handle on them that ultimately worked. We didn't want to remove the hinges because we'd hear too many stories about the nuts falling inside the vent area.
The door with the skin lined up great.



Got the bed all sealed and lined up with the cab. We had to loosen the cab mounts and move it forward on the drivers side to align everything. We figure the impact to the cab and the repair must have really messed with it.
No more add on gas door!


Things are really shaping up at this point. No real major issues.
Curt

[mjensen]

That's coming along real nice! Makes me want to get out and do something to mine....but not today

[Curt's_72]

well, it happened. The same story that alot of us get dealing with bodyshops and restorations. I got put on hold. For, well, about 11 months. I was bummed at first, but there wasn't anything I could do since the work all consisted of what I was paying someone for. I had removed everything I could blast, powdercoat or replace that needed it.
Then I moved on with remodels at home, kids in activities and the such. We have a 2+ car garage, and nothing has been sitting out, so I invested in a couple of small restorations to fill my time. A quickie 1983 ATC70 was probably the most fun. Also a one owner 1980 NC50 came along for another time.
By now, it became apparent that I needed to move in a different direction. The place where the truck was wasn't going to finish it. I contacted a couple of local shops but since I couldn't get the truck to them for a visual, they didn't even want to talk to me about it.
My bodyman was also working towards this same thing for me. The owner of another shop he had worked at before agreed to at least look at it. All things happen for a reason. The new shop gratiously accepted the job, the first shop agreed to pay a good portion of the bill to the new shop, and things worked out.
We're now up to getting the truck to them, after another 6 months. Hopfully we'll start seeing progress from them now.

[Curt's_72]

Starting again to see progress. As I check on it every week, they assure me that even though big physical changes aren't visible, there is still progress.
They wanted my new door gaskets to fit the doors better. I guess another new set of gaskets will be needed now, but to assure a better fit, that will be a small price.





They also finished up the new header panel inside the cab and got primer on it. Things are moving along at this point.

[Curt's_72]

Learned that the hood is bad. You can press down on it and it stays. You've got to actually press up from the bottom to pop it back into place. It must have gotten pretty hot at some time or the sandblaster was way too high.
We got lucky and a friend of the bodyshop owner had a good one he would part with. It was much more sturdy. Glad we went this route.

Looks like we're getting that much closer to paint. I'm really seeing things shape up right now.


If the pictures aren't coming through or I'm presenting this wrong, let me know.
Thanks!

[mjensen]

Looks good to me!

[Maxxd07]

Sweet!

[Curt's_72]

I've been gathering lots of parts for the restoration. Most are the originals that have been blasted and powdercoated. The trim items are reproductions for the most part, or I've cleaned up the originals.
After this length of time, I hope I remember how this stuff goes back together!
I've not found any vendor that is one stop shopping. Each are good, and each have different prices depending on the part. I've done alot of research comparisons online. I very seldom actually bought the least expensive.
Alot of people don't care for Ebay, but I search it daily. I've landed many good scores on it and I've never been stiffed. Some items haven't been as good as I thought they might be, but I've never paid much for any one thing.
The best so far has been the NOS parchment door panels. I paid less than $75.00 for them because the listing was typo'ed. They still had the bin tag GM bin tag stuck to them.
I've just joined the the site as a paying member and I hope to utilize the classifieds soon. I'm having a hard time locating the upper radiator pipe.



We're completely changing the color sceme and the interior. It'll be parchment. The seat is done and I'm very happy with the quality of the cover and the installation.

[mjensen]

I'm thinking that the amount of beer you have left does not equate to the amount of parts you need to put back on

[onebadbowtie]

Originally Posted by mjensen

I'm thinking that the amount of beer you have left does not equate to the amount of parts you need to put back on

agreed...

[no moa]

Originally Posted by mjensen

I'm thinking that the amount of beer you have left does not equate to the amount of parts you need to put back on

i would also agree!

[Curt's_72]

Laughing....

It was on sale, Memorial Day weekend and two races for 1100 miles. I did the math.
Glad you guys are noticing this stuff! As long I get feedback, I'll continue to update.
Remember, this was a 3 year period and I haven't gotten to present day yet.
Thanks for the replies!

[yfs200p]

Keep the pics coming! That was an awesome looking truck to start with. These pictures are just a little ahead of where i'm at right now. The bodywork seems endless sometimes!

[Gene]

Very nice progress, you'll be happy when youre done!

[Curt's_72]

We're heading to the paint booth! I'm pretty stoked about it. Finally, light at the end of the tunnel.
I've been on the fence about color. I'm going two tone, with white as the center and cab roof. The primary will be....wait for it....yellow. Yeah. That's what wifey said. Yellow? Kinda like Jim Mora and his rant about the Colts a few years ago. Yellow? Are you kidding me? Yellow? Still cracks me up.
Anyway, the shade of yellow is the issue. Some yellows look orange to me. I want a more greenish yellow. Like a highlighter. Something with pop. My painter will use any color I want, but he says OEM colors are less expensive.
I'm leaning toward C5 or C6 Corvette yellow. Either Millenium or Velocity. I thought it would be Millenium, untill i saw it on a C5. Now I need to see the Velocity.

[mjensen]

Well, that is exciting! That color combination sounds awesome to me.

[Curt's_72]

We've got color!! Factory white basecoat. It looks gray in these pictures, but it's white, and it's color! White will be the center and cab, and serve as a base for the yellow. You paint guys knew that. I'm learning.
It won't be long now!






The frame detailing from before is really trashed. Got alot of rework there to do.

[patrickth]

Very good thread. I am subscribing now.