86 k 20 project "cletus"

[palposity]

I bought this truck 2 years ago to use as a rat plow truck. Of course, as with everything I do, the more I get into it the more I love it. I was originally planning to replace this with a newer truck after 2 years, but why take on a payment? Plus these trucks are so easy to work on (at least after you get rid of the rusty bolts and other parts). I already replaced the engine in this after the truck sat all summer last year and the rear main dry rotted. I was dumb enough to drive it in the fall without checking the oil. BOOM went the engine! I was able to pick up an exact duplicate 350 off of craigs list for $200 so I decided that was too good to pass up. The truck got me through the winter with the replacement engine! Of course during the very last 18inch snow storm we got the driver side U-Joint on the front axle decided to retire while I was plowing and the yokes on both the axle and the outer stub shaft ground themselves off. I just got those replaced and decided -- Hey--let's just tear this apart more and make it as capable as possible for the future! I decided to get rid of the dump bed (doesn't have the hydraulics for it anyway), and it's a real pain to plow when you cant see out your back window. I'm doing a parts swap with another member on here to get a clean bed and replacement cab! I am also planning on setting this up with dual tanks! Plowing burns gas fast!
I am also working this build at the same time as another which I have named Project "Pops".

These first pics show us in process of getting the dump bed lifted off.

[palposity]

I think this device was originally some kind of load leveling system to charge up some air shocks. Anyone know if this was original equipment? Are replacement parts still available? Obviously mine hasn't been used in a long time.

[palposity]

Front Clip part way off!

[STOCKISH]

That piece changes the amount of pressure going to the rear brakes based on the amount of load you're carrying. Looks like a nice truck.

[palposity]

Upon further inspection it seems the previous owner did everything they could to conceal the total rust through of the cab floor. They tacked in replacement panels over top of the rust everywhere! I am getting a replacement cab for this truck. Unfortunately I am getting a 2WD cab for a 4WD truck. I am thinking the tranny tunnels are different sizes and I will need to swap them out. Anyone have experience with this?

[palposity]

Originally Posted by 1972SuperCheyenne

That piece changes the amount of pressure going to the rear brakes based on the amount of load you're carrying. Looks like a nice truck.

Ah! That makes perfect sense! If it was a load leveling system I couldn't figure out where the air tank would have been mounted. Thank you for the feedback. Do you know if replacement parts are sold for this? I didn't see anything about it in my LMC catalog.

[palposity]

Hey I am kicking around the possibility of dropping a 454 in this truck. If any of you know where I can get a good used one for cheap please let me know.

[palposity]

I just picked up this bed/cab combo from another member. (FATHOE---Great guy).

The bed in this pic will be used for Cletus.

[palposity]

I am considering changing out the square front end of this truck for the earlier model 73-80 front clip. I actually have 2 81-87 clips in decent shape I would like to trade. I guess my next step is to become a supporting member and post a WTT ad.

[palposity]

Anyone else out there ever tried to fit a 2wd Cab onto a 4wd Truck? I'm pretty sure I need to swap out the tranny tunnels, but I would sure love to hear from any of you that have the voice of experience.

[glimmertwin01]

I just junked an 81 cab n chassis well it was on a 79 SWB 4x4 my plow rat....

[palposity]

I got the rest of the front clip off. Those body mount bolts were rusted beyond imagination. I had to cut one off with the grinder and ruined the passenger side rad support mount. Anyone have a replacement they want to sell me? (for a 4wd). I still need to snap a pic. Things will start moving more quickly on this build now as I need this truck done by 10/1.

[palposity]

Here are some pics of where Cletus is at. Including the busted rad support body mount. It seems like it is exclusively for the 4WD truck. It has a box configuration that bolts into the top of the front leaf spring perch. If anyone has one of these mounts in surplus let me know!

[palposity]

My next step is to remove the cab, and strip it down so I can cut the hump out. The replacement cab that I have is from a C10 so I need to install the K20 hump into the C10 cab. That makes me nervous!

[palposity]

Well I did some more work tearing Cletus down yesterday. There was a heavy rain so I didn't got to the house to get my camera until today. I was hoping to get some "during" pictures while pulling the cab.

You can tell this truck has been sitting around for a while by the amount of scrap wood that has accumulated on the rear of the frame where the dump bed was.

I also found some SERIOUS patchwork that had been previously done to the floor of the cab. Nice big orange pieces of sheet metal were used as the patches and sealed in place with sheet metal screws and bondo. I prefer to do things a bit more permanently and will be using a nice fully rust free cab!

Oh--I forgot the best part!!! A dead mouse under the seat! Too bad I didn't have the camera with me. I just wanted to get the little bugger out of there ASAP! I've owned the truck for about a year and a half and I'm thinking he was there for a good while longer than that! (or so I hope)

[palposity]

A couple more pics. I forgot to mention in the last post that I think I broke my distributor cab during the cab removal. These things happen I guess. Removing the cab was rough going. Only 1 of the 4 cab mount bolts still had enough of it's original shape to turn it. The front 2 didn't really matter---as soon as I started lifting up the sheet metal just came right apart due to the advanced rust. The passenger side rear cab mount--well let's just say there is a little piece of floor still on the frame around that one. Fun for later. Major rust really complicates things.

[palposity]

In the next step I will be cutting the 4WD hump out of the old cab and installing it into my donor cab. The donor cab also needs some minor work to the cab corners and one small rust spot on the passenger side floor board...other than that it is solid. Then I will take the cab and the donor bed to my buddy's house and he will begin the body work while I start getting the frame/suspension/drivetrain sandblasted and painted. I hate to farm out the body work, but I need to have this truck done by October 1st and I can't do it all by myself in that short time frame. As you can see---I have a lot of work ahead of me!

[glimmertwin01]

yep snow flies in october up there...lol

[palposity]

I'm hoping we get a bye till November this year, but planning on October to be safe.

[Stitch]

Originally Posted by palposity

In the next step I will be cutting the 4WD hump out of the old cab and installing it into my donor cab. The donor cab also needs some minor work to the cab corners and one small rust spot on the passenger side floor board...other than that it is solid. Then I will take the cab and the donor bed to my buddy's house and he will begin the body work while I start getting the frame/suspension/drivetrain sandblasted and painted. I hate to farm out the body work, but I need to have this truck done by October 1st and I can't do it all by myself in that short time frame. As you can see---I have a lot of work ahead of me!

My dads cab had rust in it or was that the other cab you had? I didn't see any rust. Musta been hidden

[palposity]

Originally Posted by Fat Hoe

My dads cab had rust in it or was that the other cab you had? I didn't see any rust. Musta been hidden

Nah---not the one I got from you. I have another parts cab laying around. That is the one that needs a little repair. I am saving your cab for my "Pops" project. That is going to be the more detailed higher end restoration so it gets the better cab.

[palposity]

I built a rack to set the cab on today. I started stripping the cab down. I cut out the 4WD hump to be transplanted to the donor cab. I removed the windshield. I still need to pull the dashboard to transplant into the donor cab as well. I took pics but I will have to upload them later as I am having some trouble with it at the moment.

[palposity]

My goal is to have the donor cab off to the sandblasters by the end of the week. I still have to repair a small hole in the passenger side floor board, swap the hi-hump, replace the cab corners, swap the dashboard, and strip the cab down completely.

[Dieselwrencher]

Were you able to locate a rad. support/leaf spring mount yet? That is the same piece on the K10's in case your looking for one still.

[palposity]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Were you able to locate a rad. support/leaf spring mount yet? That is the same piece on the K10's in case your looking for one still.

No---no luck yet. If you know of anyone with one to sell I would appreciate if you would hook me up. Thanks!