is this build plan 'mostly' bolt on?

[SnowGecko]

Ok, I gotta edit this 1st post so to give 100% info... to steer the thread in the right direction...

My dad and I have been talking about building a 64-66 mustang for years! what we would do and why... I had a 65 mustang, he had a 66 mustang when he was 18 but it's been totaled since, both 6cyl and auto... then I bought a 66 bronco (rust bucket) got married and wife said one or the other... so we switched to a 75 bronco and sold the 65 mustang and 66 bronco, the 75 was amazing, it just kept going.

anyways, I needed a family 4x4 so I sold the 75 bronco and bought a 99 4runner... made the wife happy selling all 3 classics... big mistake, I REALLY should have held onto one of them... probably the mustang as that was my 1st car.

My dad is getting older, no old, but he wants to run a project with me, and I'm all for it, I was always the finance, so it would be my vehicle in the end with alot of time from my dad and I.

My Wife veto'd 'any' mustang... it's just not going to happen. whatever, I can build any vehicle with my dad cause I will keep it, but... might as well bring the wife on board and peak her interest in the build.

so I set out and gave my wife 4 months of 'what about this vehicle'? she loves the late 30's bubble fenders, so naturally a 1936-1939 chevy trucks REALLY peaked her interest except the cab's were too small, the bed isn't practical, it's only a grocery runner.

Looking at other years, we were thinking about bigger cabs, like the 1947-1955 chevy/gmc trucks, fenders were 'acceptable' and my life loves the 5 windows versions. (I actually built a little model 1949 when I was 10 that I still have, would be cool to see that come to pass)

so it was settled, I started looking at 47-55 C or G trucks... prices were not good, wife expected 2-5k, but to meet my dad and I expectations, we needed the body work done, and price tag went to 10k. so wife started asking about my dad's cars...

My dad is a Packard enthusist, he has a 2 car garage and owns 6 packards, even with 2 daily drivers, has cars at his friends houses, and parked around the corner.

My wife and I actually had our 1st date in his 1955 Packard and we took that same one to get married in, he offered a different 1955 packard (same model, just not same car) but looking deeper into the car and we needed a frame to replace that torsion bar suspension to make it more modern (disk brakes are required, and a 'new' ish suspension) then the engine and trans would both need replaced, engine is amazing, but only bolts the auto 2spd... ouch. sure the car is the right price but not easy on the wallet... and my dad and I don't weld (although we want to) but we both feel this is a little too much fab work...

Enter the 1972 C20 longhorn...
my father in law has this truck, my wife would have gotten it anyways, it would have been inherited later. her dad (since I have known him) has always wanted to rebuild this truck, and my wife wants it restored too. She has her whole life in this truck, it's always been there, so ALOT of sentimental value.

my wife mentioned this and it peaked my interest... HECK YEAH, now THAT's a TRUCK!

so the build is her direction, with my input.

things it must have...
Safety (and everything that applies to this)
Disk brakes

things I'm adding that my dad and I always wanted to do to a mustang... but now the 72
Power Disk Brakes
New suspension components
rebuild engine if needed
install a self contained fuel injection system, like FAST or Atomic or Holly
auto over drive NON electronic...
make it hug the road (as best as a truck can do...)

I asked my wife about 4wd, I've seen the conversions here and on other forums, still learning about all the needs. she said NO, she doesn't want it abused off-road in the future. so 2wd it remains.

I was looking to lift it just slightly, but I can only find a 4inch lift from 88-98 lift spindles... maybe little too tall, so was leaning more subtle, 73-78 3/4 front springs would probably be enough without it being too much.

a few days ago she came to me and asked... "Can we make it AWD, cause it fish tails too easily, and we never drive it when wet outside" she remembers plenty of times with her dad when he couldn't control the back end. so hence the AWD setup questions...



in the end, I guess ANY setup will work AS long as it meets the 'basic' drawing board.

the AWD could go under 'safety'...

Complete List
Safety (possible 'full time 4wd)
Power Disk Brakes
new suspension components
Re-seal current engine (less than 5k on rebuilt engine)
install TB fuel injection kit... FAST/Atomic/Holly...
Auto Over Drive, non-electronic
Keep the COG as 'stock' as possible, wife Veto'd ANY lowering

wife is adverse to the idea of a stick in the center of the floor, it won't be the same with that there...

there the whole plan is out there, I don't know chevy but willing to learn, it's more about the journey this build, it's the time with my family + sharing the time with my dad.

in the end, if it's too much for 'full time 4wd' then I won't do it... i'm sure there's other ways to make the rear end not break loose...

I started the thread with NP203 idea cause it's 'full time 4wd', and will give a 'close to' AWD feel... I chose the 700r4 cause it's non-electronic and was looking at this guy... Bowtie Overdrive Transmissions

ok, I'm done... sorry for the length.



----------- original post -----------------


starting...
1972 C-20 LongHorn - 2wd Stock. 402 bb

End Goal....
1972 C-20 LongHorn
4x4 conversion (mostly bolt on, some frame fixes)
Steering conversion
using a NP203 for 'full time 4wd' as it has the differential on the rear yoke.
stock front axle (8 lug)
disk brake conversion
700R4 trans
Advanced adapters 700r4 to np205 TC adaptor
stock 4x4 height

possible NO 4x4 stick, keeping the truck in 4hi 'full time 4wd' center dif unlocked.


Reasons...
this is my Father in Laws truck, my wife grew up in this truck and doesn't want a stick in the center, OR the truck abused off road later in life. she remembers riding in the center cab next to her dad on D/D dates.
Full-time-4wd...
the tires light up often, too often for them. and want to plant the power better. they never drive it in the rain because of this, so full time with a center diff will solve this problem.

Option...
I think there are cable shifters available for the 4wd... I could remote locate the shifter somewhere else...but where? OR...

Option...
instead of a 'stick' shifter... is there an electronic conversion option... so it's button activated?

thanks in advanced as i learn more about this build and the options out there.

[kwmech]

Ditch the 203, what ever t-case you are using there will be stick coming through the floor unless you go to a modern motor controlled unit. Second, ditch the idea of a 700. I've been building autos for 30 years and I cannot get a 700 to live for any amount of time behind a small block. Yeah a 700 can be built to go behind a big block, but the life expectancy is maybe 50-60 thousand miles before you start having problems. If you want an overdrive either use a gear vendor or go with a 4l80 with a 205 behind it. 1 tons with a big block and passenger car parts do not mix. Another thing, you will not get "stock height" when converting from a 2wd to a 4wd, the dynamics of the conversion always put the truck at about a minimum of 4'' lift over stock 4wd.

[jjzepplin]

700r 100,000 miles. 406 healthy smallblock. Still gets sideways if I stab it. 205 case and advance adapters. Lovin it for one decade! Going for two! However....I was looking to put a th400 or 4l80 when I built the trans. I just couldn't find a big block np205.

[SnowGecko]

well... I know the difference between the np205 and np203... 203 is chain driven, but it also has the center dif making it 'full time 4wd'... wife wants it 'awd' which in function is close enough... the 205 cannot.

I'm actually curious on a custom adapter... remove the reduction box on the NP203, so it's just chain driven with the center dif. the truck would be considered AWD as it doesn't have the low range or ability to lock... although I bet it still could lock.

the truck is 402 BB... the 700r4 is the 'simple' choice, I could go the 4l80 but don't want to.

Another thing, you will not get "stock height" when converting from a 2wd to a 4wd, the dynamics of the conversion always put the truck at about a minimum of 4'' lift over stock 4wd.

so even if I use 4wd parts on the 2wd frame, it will be 4 inches taller than other stock 4wd trucks?
obviously to go 2wd to 4wd it will be lifted above stock 2wd I knew there would be a lift in the conversion process, but didn't think it was that much...

is it better to get a 4wd frame?

thanks for the reply... more to think about.

[Bigdav160]

Is your truck a leaf sprung truck?

If you do a search you might find the 4WD swap info you seek. Stock height with a 700R4 and there is likely interference with the front driveshaft. I have a 2" lift and it just clears with about 1/8"

Big blocks and 700R4 are not a good mix. It's the torque that eventually kills them. What kwmech said, 50-60k of easy driving and the trans will need to be freshened up. DAMHIK

I don't see any reason you couldn't use a NP203 and just run it in 4 HI. No lever needed. Just manually lock and unlock the hubs.

[SnowGecko]

ok, I updated the 1st post to help steer this thread right... now that's out there I need help in what to look up and learn about.

[SnowGecko]