72 K20 been parked for 31 years!!

[Vintage Windmills]

Time for an update: I've been recovering from a torn achilles and busy at work and working on a 71 GMCK20.

As for my truck, I got the carb and distrubutor done and sent to me months or so ago but Here are some pics of them, i like the look of this HEI and the fact the coil won't get hot like standard HEI's. Carb is tuned for all my mods to engine.

I got an eastwood kit for replating all the little parts like timing tab, plug wire holders, plug heat sheilds. Once I get that replating done I can get this done and on the dyno!

[hgs_notes]

Cool. I want to see how that plating kit works out for you. Got a link for it?

[DeadheadNM]

Glad to see carb looks so good. I've got the Qjet for my K20 at SMI right now. Thanks for the tip. I'm also going to use a small body HEI.

[Vintage Windmills]

Pete, Yep, carb looks amazing in person. I opted for the late 70's style with electric choke which I'm told leads to easy starts and up to 1mpg improvement. I'm keeping the old one in a drawer for future. Did you have a chance to get pics of the 700r4 yet? Does someone make a column indicator with D and overdrive or 1 through 4? How does it work with the old 3 speed auto column? I ended up waiting months for both carb and distributor but I wasn't in a hurry.

[Dieselwrencher]

That looks awesome! I think I saw in LMC that they offer the OD shift pattern for the autos. Here you go.

http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/cb/full.aspx?Page=97

[y5mgisi]

Engine build is exactly what i want for my 78!

[DeadheadNM]

Originally Posted by Vintage Windmills

Pete, Yep, carb looks amazing in person. I opted for the late 70's style with electric choke which I'm told leads to easy starts and up to 1mpg improvement. I'm keeping the old one in a drawer for future. Did you have a chance to get pics of the 700r4 yet? Does someone make a column indicator with D and overdrive or 1 through 4? How does it work with the old 3 speed auto column? I ended up waiting months for both carb and distributor but I wasn't in a hurry.

Doh! Forgot the 700R4 pics sorry! I've got to deliver a battery tray soon and will snap them at that time. Yes on the column indicator: there is a repro version for the 700R4 with 1-4. I opted for the linkage kit that BTO supplies to ensure that I can shift down to 1 but will see if the stock linkage can accomplish the same.

Sounds like a better way to go that later model Qjet. I'll let you know how mine turns out.

[sduckworth13]

My 1969 shortbed came from Dagley Chevrolet

[Vintage Windmills]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

Cool. I want to see how that plating kit works out for you. Got a link for it?

Mike, here it is: http://www.eastwood.com/ew-electropl...-tin-zinc.html

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

That looks awesome! I think I saw in LMC that they offer the OD shift pattern for the autos. Here you go.

http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/cb/full.aspx?Page=97

Thanks Ryan, but if I'm looking at it right, looks like it only fits the columns on that page?

[teeitup]

Man Jud your doing great on the truck. How you doing since the surgery, hope your healing well

[Vintage Windmills]

Originally Posted by teeitup

Man Jud your doing great on the truck. How you doing since the surgery, hope your healing well

Yep doing good, in a removable cast/walking boot now but able to put full weight on it with that on. Worked on picking up a 67 C10 parts truck tonight but ran out of daylight and need a jack to get it out of the ground. I am actually surprised at the lack of pain after the 1st week. I'm glad you said it was painful since it prepared me for it so it never seemed that bad since i prepared for the worst. Also mine was still hanging on by a thread so i think that prevented the muscle from totally balling up. Pain has been basically zero or minor so the lack of mobility has been the biggest problem, but I feel like I'm over the hump now and will start physical therapy on it soon.

[Vintage Windmills]

Picked up a 72K20 that has parts I need to finish mine. Iffy title , rusty frame, and junk body so I won't even feel bad about parting. A perfect hood, crack free inner, nice fan shroud, air cleaner, nice spicer dials. Basically everything I need for mine! Funny how sometimes things work out pretty well. Even drove it up on the trailer, I think its the original engine.

[Dieselwrencher]

That's a rough, but complete truck! What's up with the 4 speed shifter handle? It looks a lot bigger around than a stock unit? And what a really nice grill! Nice score!

[Vintage Windmills]

Ryan both it and the tcase shifter have black hose over them. I don't know why.

[badpeanut]

Originally Posted by Vintage Windmills

Ryan both it and the tcase shifter have black hose over them. I don't know why.

Growing up my uncles used black foam pipe insulation over the shifter shafts...not sure why.

[Dieselwrencher]

Ok, now that sounds like an old truck driver tip. They used to say by covering the shifter handles, it reduced gear whine and rattling noises. IDK if it really works, but they made mad claims that it did.

[1970gm4x4]

maybe you could pull the parts you need off it, throw some other parts back on it and keep it around as a beater, i always hate to see a complete truck die, though i've done it with the 80-90's trucks cause those aren't near as cool, hate to see the old 67-72's die.

[Vintage Windmills]

Originally Posted by 1970gm4x4

maybe you could pull the parts you need off it, throw some other parts back on it and keep it around as a beater, i always hate to see a complete truck die, though i've done it with the 80-90's trucks cause those aren't near as cool, hate to see the old 67-72's die.

I do too, theres no way this would be getting parted if it had a clean title or clean frame. Both have issues though. The guy used this as a daily commuter in salty wisconsin and stored it in a warm garage at night. The salt brine just ate away at it. This is the second body and even it is rusted severely. There were rust chips and an inner fender that just fell off on the trailer ride home Really makes me appreciate the other scale free frames on 4x4's I've been fortunate to find here in the salt belt. Course those were used in northwest MN where there is less salt used and they didn't leave the farm in the last 20 years.

[ryanroo]

Originally Posted by Vintage Windmills

I do too, theres no way this would be getting parted if it had a clean title or clean frame. Both have issues though. The guy used this as a daily commuter in salty wisconsin and stored it in a warm garage at night. The salt brine just ate away at it. This is the second body and even it is rusted severely. There were rust chips and an inner fender that just fell off on the trailer ride home Really makes me appreciate the other scale free frames on 4x4's I've been fortunate to find here in the salt belt. Course those were used in northwest MN where there is less salt used and they didn't leave the farm in the last 20 years.

Thats why my parts truck still lives. its all to "complete" and i feel bad about butchering it.

my K20 came from IA but lived on the family farm. it was retired in the 90s and just sat in the back fence row. it was surprisingly unrusty compared to other trucks i've seen from the rust belt.

[1970gm4x4]

I picked up a 72 gmc K20 and it runs decent, i'm in california so the frame isn't rusted out, the floor boards are though, its got a little morre rust than i like, but its overal pretty straight, Vacumn booster is shot, its rough. i picked it up kinda for parts but i just can't do it, i mean its driveable, so i hate to tear it apart, i am tearing a perfectly good 96 chevy apart for my build, but who cares about those trucks.
My 67 gmc K20 will be awesome when its done.

[Vintage Windmills]

I know I'm moving pretty slow on the build but I've been working 50-60 hour weeks the last year. That has come to an end since the company I work for has been sold and now I'm consulting part time for them. So the good news is more time to work on projects at home. I may have spare time until I find another job so if anyone wants to hire a Mech engineer to design/analyze something I may be able to help out

Ok, back to the truck... I plated the timing tab with the kit from Eastwood so I could install the timing cover. It turned out pretty good, not exactly like the silver cad they originally used but close. It comes out looking somewhat rough but then you polish the pieces with a metal polish included in the kit. After I plated it, I wanted to prove to myself it was plated effectively. I did that by putting tap water on it and letting it sit until dry. It passed the test since there was no rusting. Below is a photo with it next to a bare sandblasted plug holder for comparison. Second pic below is after installing. As you can see, I will have to touch up the paint on the bolt heads from tightening them down.

I had to massage the outer piece of the 2 piece timing cover to be tight on the gasket at the bottom of the oil pan. There was a gap between the gasket and it during fit up so I gradually bent the flange with a wood block and mallet until a piece of paper would not slip in between. I still put RTV on the seal surface and gasket for cheap insurance. I went with a stamped 2 piece cover since it appears stock and allows me to service the cam in the future easier if needed. It also fits behind the stock short water pump. I put some putty in the cover and did a dry fit to test proper gap with the end of the camshaft before installing it for good. The cast aluminum ones are appealing for their rigidity but I determined the water pump actually holds this stamped one in place and will limit flexing. Also, I want the stock appearance to keep with the theme of the truck (Stock appearing but performing better than stock).

[bmfm64]

Looking good!
Posted via Mobile Device

[Vintage Windmills]

Thanks bmfm64!

Ok, now I'm onto the intake manifold with some trepidation. I knew the fit wouldn't be optimal with the vortec heads. I will need to add some material to where it mates with the top of the ports in the heads so the gasket doesn't get sucked in there. The vortec ports are taller than the old manifold. If someone makes an intake that fits a vortec but uses the old 12 bolt mounting I'd be interested. Since I don't think such a thing exists and I want to retain the stock look and even be nit picky and use the little stock engine lifting and spark plug wire brackets shown below, I think this is the best option. I will be in the sub 3500 rpm range with this truck so I don't think i will lose much performance. Also this manifold has been ported/polished previously. I have a powder torch for building up material so this may be a good project for that.

My vortech head are drilled for both styles of intakes so I will be filling in the 8 new style holes for a stealth look.

Here are some pics showing the little brackets where they were originally. The one by the dizzy hole should be turned clockwise 90 from where it rests here. See second photo. Also note the bolts where there are thicker brackets have the round shoulder as part of the head.

I'm looking for a source for the plastic spark plug wire clips that go on the serrations on the ends of the rear brackets (two large arrows in last pic below)

[DeadheadNM]

Originally Posted by Vintage Windmills

I'm looking for a source for the plastic spark plug wire clips that go on the serrations on the ends of the rear brackets (two large arrows in last pic below)

Jud - Classic Parts lists a "Spark plug wire retainer" it's a complete piece though and I'm not sure if its OEM style or not.

[Vintage Windmills]

Wow, I cant believe how its been almost 2 years since I've done anything on this truck. This is my baby. I had a little spare time amidst many projects to get back to my favorite truck. Finally got the intake manifold modified some to accept the vortec heads.

I forgot to install the nylon oil pump shaft clip/bushing so I did that. Here is a pic of the bottom end. Assembly lube still present where it needs to be.

Now Im ordering the last little bits to finish up this engine anticipating a dyno run and break in this winter. Buying a new oil pump drive shaft, wondering if I should get a new flexplate? Do the originals last forever?