1970 K20 Z62 Full Restoration

[IronCanine]

Piddling post #2. I've put copper oil pressure lines on previous trucks...but I believe they were steel from the factory. It's hard to get a reasonable amount of 1/8" steel line at a reasonable price for this small job. So I cheated...I got aluminum line from an HVAC supplier. At least it'll be silver.

I got Weatherhead compression nuts from NAPA as suggested by LockDoc in this thread: https://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vbo...d.php?t=613238

The engine fitting and union to the gauge line are OE.

A 1-7/16" socket was about a perfect fit circumference-wise to make the loops.

[IronCanine]

Piddling Post #3. I'm still struggling on the power steering hoses. I'm on the verge of making my own return line. NOS doesn't seem to be out there right now. And my original is not quite what I'd like it to be. So still looking.

Getting my "GM" labeled belts from gastanks.com as I've done before. But they don't have the "truck" part numbers, so I have to just buy them by size. I missed on a couple with the first order, so I'm waiting for swaps. They are very nice to deal with BTW.

And of course, still waiting on InLine Tube. Waiting...waiting...waiting and no progress...

So I started working on the NOS tail pipe that I found three years ago and has been hanging out and waiting. I had to peel off the original shipping label and do some light clean up and polishing. It is cool to see where it began its life. It has the part number stamped or etched on it in three places.

[IronCanine]

Exciting Post! Eric finished painting the cab and it looks awesome. White first then base/clear for the exterior blue. The interior single stage and the exterior two stage agree with each other very well. I could not be happier.

She's quarantined now and he's moving on to other bits this week. I'm headed (hopefully) to pick up some bed parts on Thursday.

The beat goes on...

[wpsharpshooter]

Damn.. It really is quarantined lol.. Nice

[Ol Blue K20]

It's beautiful!

[70STOVEBOLT]

Originally Posted by IronCanine

I also got the alternator and power steering pump installed.

I found a date code correct alternator that Jason at Advanced Electrical Rebuilders rebuilt for me. I've used Jason before and he does a great job. I was on the hunt for a long time for a date code correct starter core to rebuild as well...but it still hasn't materialized.

I don't know if the PS pump that was on this motor was original. Honestly...if the brackets hadn't been on it I might question them as well. Sometimes there can be a stamped date on the reservoir but there wasn't in my case.

I will say..of all the trucks we've done, the pulleys line up on this one best.

Brad, do you know what the date code will look like? I have a couple old starters here that I don't need, I can check them out, just let me know.

Thanks,
Mark

[Kronald_70GMC]

Very cool thread! I'm in!

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by 70STOVEBOLT

Brad, do you know what the date code will look like? I have a couple old starters here that I don't need, I can check them out, just let me know.

Thanks,
Mark

Thanks Mark. I'm looking for a manual trans starter (I expect the number to be 1108372) with a date code of April or first half of May 1970. So the date code will be stamped beside the part number on the case and read year/month/day...then I assume the shift. So an example would be 0D23 2

0=1970
D=April
23= 23

2=I'm assuming the shift

Originally Posted by wpsharpshooter

Damn.. It really is quarantined lol.. Nice

It is always a goal to work clean. The cab is finished and clean and slick in the nooks and the crannies. Gotta keep stuff off it until it's time to go on the frame which won't even show up for the marry until the paint is done.

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

It's beautiful!

Thanks!!

Originally Posted by Kronald_70GMC

Very cool thread! I'm in!

Thanks for coming along!

[70STOVEBOLT]

Originally Posted by IronCanine

Thanks Mark. I'm looking for a manual trans starter (I expect the number to be 1108372) with a date code of April or first half of May 1970. So the date code will be stamped beside the part number on the case and read year/month/day...then I assume the shift. So an example would be 0D23 2

0=1970
D=April
23= 23

2=I'm assuming the shift

I do not have any manual trans starters.

[CUSTOM/10]

I have plenty of 1/8" stainless steel tubing if you want some for you oil pressure line.
Gary

[72Cheyenne454]

Brad - No Sunday night update this week?... bad decision! Lol

Great looking truck - love all the detail and I look forward to your updates each week.

Take care,
Miles

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by 70STOVEBOLT

I do not have any manual trans starters.

No worries. Thanks for offering.

Originally Posted by CUSTOM/10

I have plenty of 1/8" stainless steel tubing if you want some for you oil pressure line.
Gary

Thank you too Gary. I think the aluminum is going to work well for me and looks the part. It would have been mild steel from the factory anyway.

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by 72Cheyenne454

Brad - No Sunday night update this week?... bad decision! Lol

Great looking truck - love all the detail and I look forward to your updates each week.

Take care,
Miles

You got me Miles (and thanks). The reason I didn't post is because all I had to offer you this week was frustration and disappointment. I do try to bring the good when I can. But little to show this week.

....But since you asked here are the low lights of the week.

First, InLine Tube sent their "correct" version of the long brake line. It was a reasonable length but the bends really didn't match my original at all. The fuel line was problematic too. I made the poor decision of trying to fit it. All I did was mark up my frame rail and get aggravated. I've resigned to the fact that to get a good result I'm going to have to make that brake and fuel lines. All of the factory clips on this side are push in...no bolts. The line is going to have to fit for them to work.

Second, I went to AMD to pick up bed pieces. I could not locate OE bed sides good enough to justify working them, or NOS pieces that made sense economically or geographically (often the same thing). And I spent a few years looking. My how times have changed. I spent more on this sheet metal than I did for the original purchase price of my Blazer. I do have an NOS tailgate, but it doesn't solve any of the fit problems of this reproduction bed. Huge gap header to bed side. Light buckets won't go. Tub flange is too long. Rear flange so long trunnion won't go on.

Again...a colossal bummer...because that is a lot of work to make this bed look and fit like a factory piece.

[IronCanine]

Here you can compare factory to fitment to what we are starting with from AMD.

[IronCanine]

I set out to hang my spare tire in search of good feeling. Unpacked my NOS hardware that I'd stashed so long ago. I prepped and painted the inside of spare wheel. I'd powder coated them white for wear purposes and decided it was impractical to try and replicate the factory white/black on the working rims. But this was the wheel that wouldn't balance well and I knew it'd never be on the ground. Also, it is the one time you can really see the backside of the rim...so it made sense to add the color.

But again I got my feelings hurt because my precious NOS pieces were too long.

[IronCanine]

I'm up to my third order/attempt on the belts. I've got two, hopefully this third order will give me my alternator belt. I've got a stack of these belts that I have to return. And I still haven't sorted the power steering hose situation.

So almost a full week of setbacks or failures...

[IronCanine]

...Almost.

Eric got the interior of the doors painted and the exterior white. I scored another Guide cab light lens...so 40% of the way there. And I changed the oil.

Gotta take your wins. I'll try to bring you better next Sunday.

[70STOVEBOLT]

Originally Posted by IronCanine

Here you can compare factory to fitment to what we are starting with from AMD.

I used Woodall floor and bedsides, OEM header, tubs, and gate. It fits fairly well.

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by 70STOVEBOLT

I used Woodall floor and bedsides, OEM header, tubs, and gate. It fits fairly well.

The header might be the main issue...but there are things about the bedsides that clearly need resolution. Regardless, AMD had the advantage of location. Their headquarters/warehouse is an hour drive from me. So no shipping. It is aggravating as stated, but Eric will, by hook or crook, get these pieces looking and fitting like factory. But it's a lot of work and time.

[1970cstblazer]

Originally Posted by IronCanine

I'm up to my third order/attempt on the belts. I've got two, hopefully this third order will give me my alternator belt. I've got a stack of these belts that I have to return. And I still haven't sorted the power steering hose situation.

Belt chart for 1970 20 series from an early catalog:

[IronCanine]

Thanks for the resource. That's where I started. Problem is, gastanks.com doesn't reproduce most of those numbers. So it becomes an exercise in matching widths/lengths of what they do have. Getting the GM logo and belt style is the best I can do. Here's what they ended up being:

[1970cstblazer]

Those look great. I was able to locate NOS units on Ebay 3 years ago for the Blazer. Main thing is correct width and length, smooth belt with no cogs.

[IronCanine]

I'm a little gobsmacked at the amount of work that is gonna have to go into this bed. Eric fussed on it this week...but a good bit more to do to make it look like the ones they made in 1970. It is definitely a lot closer. Header got a tiny stretch. Front corners got a little hemming and tailoring. Still gonna need some metal work to dial in gaps and make seams look factory.

[IronCanine]

I guess I could have posted this last week in hindsight....I've got a set of NOS inner fenders as well as NOS core support and NOS hood. Eric cleaned them up and prepped them (careful to save the factory runs) and freshened up the black.

The Fremont hoods have noticeable color overspray on the black underside. Again since we're doing base/clear on the exterior, Eric dusted in the overspray in single stage now to get the effect.

[IronCanine]

Finally...and maybe I should start a thread on this...I think the bed floors were assembled at the final assembly plant. I have messaged Keith Seymore for insight, but have not heard back. There were sheet metal pieces that came to the plant "complete" and in black primer like the hood, fenders, tailgate, bedsides, etc. And then there were those elements constructed at the plant like the cab, which in the case of this Fremont K20 and my Atlanta donor truck that were primed in a color that I think is best referred to as chocolate.

This is the color we had color matched for the cab.

My K20 bed floor has this color primer on the bottom. It has runs that suggest it was painted with the driver's side up. (see pic)

I've also attached a pic of Joe's 10k mile K20 that shows the "black" header and what I believe is the "chocolate" bed floor.

I think they assembled the bed floor at the final assembly plant like the cab and primed it there. It seems logical because of the simplicity of the assembly, but more importantly that is a huge piece. Hard to ship and easy to damage.

Anyway...I'm going to paint the underside of my bed brown.