1970 cst lwb project "Cheap Build"

[classicfins]

Thanks Jeff,
It should be a pretty easy swap. I figured there would be a couple of things that weren't obvious at first as it always is with any swap of this nature. I'm no starnger to half breeding something. My last project was a black & flamed '78 Monte Carlo with mopar 440 in it. lol

I think the caddy setup will be great for towing my airstream and old boats, especially with the torque the 472 should put out. Thanks again man!

[Hottrucks]

it will be perfect just watch your tire size and rear gear...not sure what the stance on your burb will be but with a 31" tall tire I would run the 3:73 gear but if your running stock 29" ( 235/75/15) than I would drop to the 3:08's

with my 31" PS tires the BB is a bit tight on the highway with the 3:73's I have ..65mph is a good cruzing speed and about all I would want to twist it for a long drive ..I plan to do the swap to 3:08's soon (since I have them it will be a spring time project) with the torque of the 500 warming the PS tires still still be pretty easy.....Oh and if you have any thoughts of milage..well your going to laugh...IF I can keep my foot out of it with a mix of highway in town and some 50 mph cruzing...I'm getting 17 mpg....that being said theres a reason you will need to upgrade the fuel line size!! when your after it you can hear the tank colapsing when the fuel is being sucked out of it by the gallon...LMAO

[Hottrucks]

heres an update...I'm still beating the old caddy still got the 373's getting about 18 mpg if I stay off the highway...... If I had to guess I have about 10,000 miles on it...standard service and RUN IT!!!

If I had to do it again I would have done it sooner ,,,I have the drop spindles I hope to get on in the next few weeks so I'll have disc brakes...also found out how to raise the rear floor on the cheap so stay tuned for that...it will get the back lower since the front will lay out with the DS but like I said from the start the floor has to stay flat and the bed usable while still being able to haul the boat......which reminds me I'm digging that out tomorrow

[eightbanger]

Sounds good mate, i'll be tunned in for the bed lift...thing is, those shallow beds don't seem like they'll be much good for hauling stuff, would a box section accross the bed for the axle not be better?

[bigguy69]

cool!

[Hottrucks]

the plan is to unbolt the floor add a 3"x1" box to the bottom of the floor and putting the floor back on top of the lip on the sides and using a 3 1/2" bolts in the old holes....the tub bolts on the bedsides will have to be someting dif ( not sure just what yet)...then 2 pieces of 3x2 box 8 feet long (welded pn top of the old frame) this will tie the front and rear frame sections together.... the C notch will be cut completly out giving me 3" more axle drop without cutting the floor..the tubs will be tight to the stake pockets and the rear bumper and X memebers stay where they are...it should look pretty stock...and stil be strong enough to haul fire wood and the motorcycle

[68 TT]

I love the truck.

A coworker of mine from back in the late 80's had a 500 Caddy engine in his mid 70's Ford truck. I though he was on drugs for doing it until I got a ride in it. Great power and not bad on gas. Cheaper to build than the Ford big block that was in it too.

I have the 93 C2500 LD 6-lug disc brake spindles, rotors & calipers on my 67 C10. Just need the 3/4-ton A-arms so I can put the correct lower ball joint on it plus the rest of the front end parts to match.

[Hottrucks]

I should be posting a list of parts ( by #) very soon to conver 5 lug to 6 lug disc convertion ..

I talked to Lee @ NAPA yesterday and he said he was almost done putting it together....it been a tough week for me I just dumped $1500 in 2 tires for my big truck yesterday and today blew a rear to crap so I may have to put that on account

[eightbanger]

Hope your earning more than your layin out bro...$1500 for two tires, dam! I could get the truck bagged for that.

[oldblue1968chevy]

I think hes talkin bout his big truck..

so ya doin the disc 6 lug 90's truck conversion

[Hottrucks]

yea Blue I'm hoping that I will have it all mocked up again today ( I dropped the parts off and havn't had time to stop by till later today but last call he was close...

[eightbanger]

Originally Posted by oldblue1968chevy

I think hes talkin bout his big truck..

Yeah I know, I was reading Project R'n'R & the blow out then Jeff mentioned here about the cost of tires for the big rig, so I was commenting on...Ah never mind

[Hottrucks]

Originally Posted by Hottrucks

yea Blue I'm hoping that I will have it all mocked up again today ( I dropped the parts off and havn't had time to stop by till later today but last call he was close...

good neew on the 6 lug disc swap looks like all the parts will be off the shelf and ready for pick up mid next week ( I'm working nights this week so my schedule is going to be way off....perviding no unforseen expences from the other truck

[oldblue1968chevy]

Sweet maybe we can make an FAQ out of it (providing it works out!)

[Hottrucks]

well venders will not be happy but i will post a full parts list and #'s

I could of had it today but I'm alittle short on $$ this week and told him not to rush..he thinks he has all the parts on the shelf except maybe the 71 brake hose...

I have to do this before I can get it inspected in August..I wasn't going to spend $ to put in tie rods and what ever if I was going to swap it out anyway...so this kinda pushs things along

[oldblue1968chevy]

so what about moving to TN what happned

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by Hottrucks

well venders will not be happy but i will post a full parts list and #'s

I could of had it today but I'm alittle short on $$ this week and told him not to rush..he thinks he has all the parts on the shelf except maybe the 71 brake hose...

I have to do this before I can get it inspected in August..I wasn't going to spend $ to put in tie rods and what ever if I was going to swap it out anyway...so this kinda pushs things along

Are you doing the ES2020RLT inner tie rods & trimming a little off the length or doing a conversion tie rod adjuster sleeve?

[68 TT]

I just took some quick measurements of the stock 67 C-10 spindles and the 93 C2500 LD 6-lug spindles I have.

Looks like the C2500 spindles will be like a 1" drop spindle and a 1-5/8" upper ball joint extension all in one.

The steering arm is in the same position relative to the lower ball joint location but it is 5/16" shorter than the C-10 part. No big deal if you have power steering or skinny front tires. It is right at 5% shorter than stock so the steering effort will be a little greater. It will also have the effect of making your steering ratio tighter as less steering input will move the tires further.

The outer tie rod mounting point on the steering arm is about 1" further outboard toward the wheel vs. the C-10 spindle. This is bound to have a positive impact upon the front end geometry as the tie rod arc is longer which will reduce bump steer while cornering.

In all I think this will be a great conversion with more than just the off the shelf disc brake upgrade going for it.

I wish I had access to some suspension geometry software to scientifically analyze the changes. Maybe somebody else has the software and can run the numbers.

67 C-10 spindle:
7-7/8" tall
6-9/16" steering arm length in plane with ball joints
tie rod mount point on steering arm is 2" above lower ball joint
spindle CL is 2" above lower ball joint

93 C2500 LD 6-lug spindle
9-1/2" tall
6-1/4" steering arm length 1" outboard of ball joint plane
tie rod mount point on steering arm is 2" above lower ball joint
spindle CL is 3" above lower ball joint

[68 TT]

I just noticed a slight difference that might have a negative impact on the C2500 LD disc swap.

The tie rod comes in from the bottom on the C2500 part vs. from the top on the C-10 part. This will put some extra angle into the tie rods. Not sure how it will effect the steering. It's not enough of an angle to cause any binding that I can see but it is a change in geometry.

It could be compensated for by installing a different pitman arm that puts the arm lower than stock and relocate the idler arm lower to match.

I know there are several trucks on the road with the C2500 parts on them so I guess we need to talk to one of them and see how it reacts to the changes.

If I remember right one of them that was noted as having done the swap lives in my area so I will PM him to see if the truck is on the road and get his impressions.

[Hottrucks]

Originally Posted by oldblue1968chevy

so what about moving to TN what happned

working on the move as we speak....may end up in NC I heard there is a big project coming up on I 41

Originally Posted by 68 TT

Are you doing the ES2020RLT inner tie rods & trimming a little off the length or doing a conversion tie rod adjuster sleeve?

I have the convertion sleeves

[68 TT]

Originally Posted by 68 TT

...I know there are several trucks on the road with the C2500 parts on them so I guess we need to talk to one of them and see how it reacts to the changes.

If I remember right one of them that was noted as having done the swap lives in my area so I will PM him to see if the truck is on the road and get his impressions.

The local guy hasn't gotten his project on the road yet so no driving impressions.

[oldblue1968chevy]

any updates

[Hottrucks]

yep been runnning it as a work truck hauling parts and pieces for my big truck....but I'm heading to Blufton SC for the winter (hilton head area) so I have been trying to get that planned out...hope to do a run dec 12th to check it out close the deal and find a place to live

[low&slow]

Defiantly subscribed to this one. Tubbed bed and a caddy. Same thing I'm doing. Got the caddy just not the other half.

Anyways, not sure if this has been asked or anything, but how wide is your rear rims and what's the tire size?

And how much wider did you go in the bed?

Thanks,

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Thought I was subscribed to this one ??????? Owell back in it..