Project "Death Wish"

[1969k10stepside]

Ok,first off I'm calling this project Project Death Wish because of the hill billy red neck work done to this truck by me and the many previous owners this truck has had,and the work is far from safe!I bought the the truck running,driving,and the 4wd worked.Later I bought the short k10 and pulled the motor from this to use in the other one.So,this truck has sat for over a year motorless getting more rusty.Alot of parts are off the truck but I have the parts.It's sitting un level in the back due to a rear spring being junk and missing a leaf or 2.It has a lift currently from a 73+ truck.The springs arent bad,but are longer than 67-72 springs and they rub the frame as seen in the pics below.The axles,stock closed knuckle dana 44 and rear is a 12 bolt Corp.Non Posi 3:73s in both axles.The body is rusty,I might just switch cabs but the bed might be replaced as well.As for the cab,its rusty everywhere! Like the tires? 3 are bald Riken Raiders,and one is a M/T Baja Belted knock off...
The Plans (some of them)...
Fix some rust,leave the dents.
Replace front axle with Corp 10 bolt w/ 4:10s and locker
Replace rear with 14 bolt F.F. with 4:10s and locker.
Power Disc Brakes,no crossover steering for now,only plan on 35" Tires.
Try longer front shackles and see if they get the springs far enough away from the axle to use,and use a shackle flip in the rear and a add-a-leaf to level the truck out.The transmission is the stock SM465,and the t-case is the old Rockwell.The motor,havent figured that part out yet.What ever is the cheapest and looks most reliable.I might build a motor like I did for the other truck,but this is sorta a cheap project.I wont work on this truck like the other one,the priority is the 71 K10 and thats where the funds are going till its primered and on the road.For the time being this is just going to be a build based on left over parts (Have Alot!) and left over money (dont have much of that..) The trucks use..play toy,using it on the trails,to haul my junky trucks around,and to waste gas in.
Here is some pics as I pulled it from the weeds and beans...
The last pic shows the springs,do you think a longer shackle and/or lowered spring hangers will allow me to use those springs?

[Blue_71]

i really think longer shackles will work on those front springs. if they do let me know, im considering doing the same with mine
or you could move the shackle mount, but that'd be a pain

[vtblazer]

You gonna finish the swb 4x4 before you start on DW?

[1969k10stepside]

Gonna finish working on the cab,undercoat the bottom of the cab and bed,assemble the bed and front clip,and primer it all on the short k10 before any major work gets done on this one.Besides fixing the cab rust and body re-assembly,the shorty only needs exhaust,interior,and wiring,and then over the winter its being painted. I still plan on doing some stuff to this now like put in the tranny/tcase,swap cabs and/or bed, and hook the wiring back up.Then move onto suspension..

[vtblazer]

Kinda bustin' on ya but from the sounds of it, you've got the bases covered.

So many projects, so little time right?

Now there's yet another build to watch...

[1969k10stepside]

So many projects,so little money! Time,I've got time,but the money factor is what slows me down.I dont have much time though,so I opt to replace the current cab with one that only needs a days worth of repair.I need a winter truck,the 79 (pictured above) wont last through winter with the current condition of the motor,so this one is to replace it.I'd rather spend more money on this one than the one from the fugly years!

[abebummy26]

Hey Dustin whats wrong with your engine on that 79? I like those years of trucks, if Its gonna be a 4x4 because of the $ for parts, and I just picked up some high back buckets the other day out of a 78 GMC High Sierra. What are the stats on that 79? If its a 2wd i would rather it be a 67-72.

[1969k10stepside]

The 79's motor needs rebuilt.Its a matching numbers truck so Im not just going to dump a cheap motor in it.I am going to properly rebuild the motor when I have time.Its tranny,transfer case have been rebuilt but the motor isnt.The motor runs,but the less its drove,the better.So,I like the 67-72s better so I thought,I would enjoy spending more money on this truck,and have fun with it than just do a motor build for the other one..
Tomorrow I'm going to the junkyard to look at a possible donor truck and also look at a 14 bolt F.F.

[ChaseDale3and8]

Originally Posted by 1969k10stepside

So many projects,so little money! Time,I've got time,but the money factor is what slows me down.I dont have much time though,so I opt to replace the current cab with one that only needs a days worth of repair.I need a winter truck,the 79 (pictured above) wont last through winter with the current condition of the motor,so this one is to replace it.I'd rather spend more money on this one than the one from the fugly years!

To me the fugly years began in 1988. I like the old square bodys myself and have owned several of them and I even owned a 71 GMC 4x4 at one time. I like all of the GM trucks made prior to 1988.

When I first saw a picture of one of those 1988 Chevrolet trucks in a Popular Mechanics magazine in the fall of 1986 and found out that the straight axle was going to be gone I thought that the GM brass had lost their mind! Not only was the new truck going to be fugly, but it wasn't even going to be a truck. With the exception of the Dually, Suburban and fullsize Blazer GM hasn't made a fullsize 4x4 truck since 1987.

I currently own a 1986 Scottsdale and a 2003 Z71 ext cab shortbed which is a pretty nice fullsize car, but not a real truck in my opinion. ...Joe

[1969k10stepside]

I've got nothing against the 73+ style but I think the 67-72s look so much better so I call my "newer" model the fugly truck.
They all beat ford,dodge,toyota,or a hondo ridgeline though

[eedgell]

I agree. Build the 67-72 first. Then build what is left.

[msgross]

Why not just move the shackle mounts back in the frame? requires a few holes... DIY4x4 makes 6"shackles or you could cut your own and save $$..

Corn looks good in Indiana, not that high out here yet...

Good luck with yet another project....

[1969k10stepside]

The corn is doing real good here,and will continue to do real good if it keeps raining...As for the shackle mounts,dont know what I will do.I might just get a correct 69-72 6" All Spring Lift kit.

As for a motor,I think I found one for this truck.I will decide whether or not to get it by tonight.Now I just have to find my bell housing,clutch,flywheel,etc.Also have to get a motor mount crossmember,I took the one off this truck for the other k10 because it didnt have the crossmember.

[1969k10stepside]

Well,the motor deal fell through....
I did work on the truck today.I put the front clip on so I could see how it looked.It has some rust but most is where the fenders will be trimmed.I will have pics in awhile...
I think the stock axles could handle 35s for awhile.Another idea is to upgrade to a 14 bolt F.F. now and 10 bolt front and then change to a 60 front later on...

[Yukon Jack]

Just go easy while in 4wd and a 10 bolt axle will survive. Save up and do the upgrade when you can. Heck my 69 K20 Dana 44 has survived the use of my 35"s for quite some time now . . . though when I get some free time my Dana 60 is going in - will be so nice to have disk brakes up front!

[1969k10stepside]

I think the front might survive,dont know about the 12 bolt rear.For $100 I could have a 14 bolt that would bolt right in (from a 1 ton srw).I would just have to move the shock mounts.But,then I would have to get a front axle to match..Dont know.I have a motor as of now for it but it needs heads and some work...
Here is a front shot of it together body wise.I think it will look good after I get the new tires on it,fix some rust and cheaply paint it some color...

[1969k10stepside]

Do you think a 10 bolt front with a locker is overkill for the truck? I found a 10 bolt front with 4:10s and locker cheap locally.I could buy it and go 3/4 ton now and then up to a dana 60 for the front later.Doing this would also allow me to up to a 14 bolt rear now and give it some strength and not worry about breaking the 1/2 ton axles....I plan on using 35s,maybe 37s..So,when I want to go one ton I will only need a dana 60 front,as the 14 bolt is already from a 1 ton..

[msgross]

if it's cheap then you are sure to get your money out of it later...

[eedgell]

It is obviously in the plans to axle up-grade this project. So "getter done" as some one once said. The 60 later is easier than both axles later.