Ol' Blue Build thread - work in progress!

[jrstallion51]

Well, I'm finally getting around to posting my build thread up to now because she is heading off for paint next week for some color! It started off as a nice toy hauler and she turned into a wonderful project somewhere along the lines.

So here is what I started with... 1970 C-10 CST SWB with all the options that I wanted It was in ok shape when I boght it, very little rust and only minor body issues from a fender bender. The only big issue for me was the drivers door...the upper hinge had completely separated from the door so it was INOP! It had a stout GM crate 350 with a TH-350 trans. It had a drip at the fuel pump and the power steering hose was rotten but I managed to drive her home.

My girlfriend at the time (now fiance), absolutely hated the truck. She thought it was a heap of junk and was afraid I wasn't going to make it home. Thank goodness, two years later, she has really fallen in love with the truck and sometimes I can even convince her to help me work on it!

After driving the truck for awhile, I decided I was going to fix the drivers door so that I wouldn't have to get in the passenger door any longer and thats where this whole project really got rolling....

[jrstallion51]

After pulling the front clip, I noticed some rot in the cowl and decided I better take the cab off while was there. I hate to go this far and not fix the rust, right? (That has been the theme of this whole project) So off came the cab, off came the front clip, radiator support, engine and front suspension. I started cleaning up the frame so I could paint it before putting the motor back in and thought to myself, " how could would it be to have a LSx motor in here?" So, in keeping with the theme, why not??!

[jrstallion51]

So the cab came off, and the frame looked really weird with just a bed and the differential hanging on it, so why don't I just pull those off too?? So, in a weeks time, my simple door replacement turned into a complete restoration. I can't stand taking something off and not rebuilding it, or replacing it, or at the very least making it look nice again.

[jrstallion51]

So I found a great deal on a low mileage 5.3 and 4L60-E trans and immediately tore it apart to make sure everything was good inside. I had the heads resurfaced (actually had a cracked valve keeper on one valve) and painted the motor to look a little more "chevy"

[jrstallion51]

The rear end got all new bearings and seals as well as new 3.73 gears. Of course it also got new shoes, hardware, wheel cylinders, parking brake cables and anything else back there! Being my first rear end rebuild, I had a hell of a time trying to get the gear mesh just right. But, after many choice words and help from forum members, I finally got it.

[jrstallion51]

After painting the trailing arms, they got new bushings and were installed with new lowering springs, perches and shocks. The front end got the same treatment with ALL new parts as well. I had a lot of fun with the control arm bushings!

[jrstallion51]

The motor went in for a quick test fit. The cab got all new inner and outer rockers, corners, supports and a few cowl patches and then it was undercoated.

[jrstallion51]

I did a little bit of body work on the firewall, just enough to smooth some dimples and whatnot before I set the engine back in place. I also used a spray on sound deadener on the cab floor, firewall and under the dash.

[jrstallion51]

Painted the dash and the cowl back to the original medium blue and refreshed the cowl vent with a new seal and paint. I installed my new wiper motor and pump as well with a new seal.

[1972SUPERSB]

Nice! Looks like a great build. Keep the pics coming!
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[jrstallion51]

Rebuilt the tilt column while it was out. (thank god for these forums). New bearings, innards and electricals. I also added the overdrive gear selctor. Installed it with a new rag joint. Also got some trailblazer SS exhaust manifolds so I wouldnt have the notch the frame. (I only had to trim a bit on the passenger side). You can see in the pictures, the EFI wiring puzzle starts here!

[jrstallion51]

Got the radiator support back on (which surprisingly had NO cancer) and started to work on the nest of wires. Thankfully, I had a lot of help from friends on this. I went through my entire original wire harness and I am so glad I did. I found several wires that had no insulation and several that had melted together. So I fixed everything on the original harness and incorporated it into the new EFI harness.

I drew out my fusebox and relay diagram for the EFI, headlight upgrade, and LS1 cooling fans and made it shortly thereafter! Had my computer programmed for electric fans, had VATS removed, rear O2's deleted, set the gear ratio and tire size, changed the tachometer output to work with the original tach, and also had a custom tune added.

I wanted to keep all my original guages so I got a custom coolant temperature sensor from a board member, an oil pressure adapter, and I ended up running a cableX speedo drive. I also refinished the needles on the guages and installed a new guage bezel for looks.

[jrstallion51]

here are some pics of the F-body fans and more wiring!

[jrstallion51]

Mounted the computer next to the brake booster...if I was to do this again, I would mount it in the cab just because it would look better. I have since added a voltmeter where the the ammeter was using the guts from a sunpro unit. It still looks original, just much safer! I've also added a vacuum guage just because I hated that empty spot on the cluster!

[jrstallion51]

Fabbed up an intake from an aftermarket unit for a silverado. Since I din't want to move my battery box, I flipped the intake upside down so that it pointed to the drivers side and cut it to length. I modified the mounting bracket and added the MAF sensor. It looks a lot tighter than it is in these pictures because the radiator support is leaning back towards the cab. It spaces out nicely once the fenders are on

[jrstallion51]

I ended up going with a vintage air kit and kwik performance brackets to mount the compressor on the upper passenger side of the motor. I added to trinary switch to protect the compressor and to turn on the cooling fans.

I also added digital cruise control with a box from a S-10 Blazer and a cable from an express van. I got a cruise control switch from a board member (which is awesome!!) and wired it all in.

For a coolant overflow tank, I bought a winshield washer jug and bracket from one of the vendors and mounted in on the passenger side. I think it looks right at home and matches the drivers side perfectly.

And finally, I got around to replacing the one thing that started this whole mess: the drivers door!

[jrstallion51]

Got all of the vintage air things finished...redid the HVAC control unit, all new chrome outlets, and refinshed the glove box door. Installed retrosound radio, pioneer kickpanel speakers, and custom autosound undercover subs with tweeters under the seat. Had to put in new carpet of course and put the seat back in so I could drive it...it will get a recover after paint is done. Also Got all the glass back in with new seals (thanks to my fiance and a few choice drinks) and a Huskers decal to finish it off. This is my interior for now, I'm starting to save for door panels, headliner, seat cover, etc. it will be the last thing I finish on ol' blue!

[jrstallion51]

Got the front clip back on and took it outside for the first time in over a year! Took it around the block with open manifolds (neighbors loved that) for a test drive. It had a few bugs of course...I had the wrong O2's which took me forever to discover and I also had a fuel volume problem (it would choke out at RPM's). Got those bugs fixed, got the exhaust finished and now she is driving like a champ! I've got almost 1000 miles on it since the motor was swapped and I LOVE it!

[jrstallion51]

Refinished my wheels and I've been doing little things on it here and there but that brings me up to today! I'll be dropping it off at the painter next week to get some fresh paint on her. After that, I need to get all the trim back on, tires, and interior and she'll be getting close to being finished! I've had so much fun on this project and learned a ton about these trucks, not to mention LSx motors, fuel injection, and wiring. This forum is absolutely invaluable and I wouldn't have been able to do any of this project without the forums! As soon as she's back from the paint shop, I'll get some more pictures up!

[black_sheep454]

Looks great so far, nice work.
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[ole dollor]

i would say that this truck is really going to look NICE....good work.

[jrstallion51]

thank you very much! I'm hoping to go power windows and locks down the road too...this was my excuse to not buy a new truck.

[67cheby]

looking good

[Hart_Rod]

Nice progress!

[chopnchaneled]

Been almost a week since an update