1972 C10 2WD to 4WD Conversion?

[coche1]

Hey all, new member here. Here's a bit of backstory for me: I have wanted a 67-72 C-10 for about 15 years or so - I fell in love with their style as a teenager. About 8 years ago I finally bought one off ebay with the intention of restoring. Long story short, I don't have a valid title for it (or any title for it for that matter) nor do I have the time to do a complete restoration with a toddler at home and hopefully a second little one on the way in the next year or so.

So, I've been keeping an eye on the classifieds and I've noticed that 4WDs are much less common than 2WDs in these old trucks at a reasonable price for a 'daily driver' condition. I happened to stumble across a 1972 long bed, 2WD C10 with a 400 small block and 250 turbo transmission. My truck is (I believe - again, long story) a 1970 with the original 292 straight 6 and manual transmission.

How difficult and expensive would it be to combine the 2 trucks and make 1 4WD with the 400 small block and auto transmission? Is there any kind of 'adapter' transfer case that you can bolt on to convert the 2WD to a 4WD, or would I basically need a whole new transmission? I'm not up for tearing into the innards of the tranny and swapping out parts.

The 400 small block/250 turbo trans is kind of my dream setup in one of these trucks with 4WD, but I can't see buying a 2nd truck, doing all the work to swap out the rears and drive shafts and everything from the one that I already have, and then having to replace the transmission on top of it when the truck I'm buying is already a daily driver and that's my ultimate goal... just with 2 more drive wheels...

[JOJABOY]

First, the basic difference in 2wd vs. 4wd transmission is the 4wd doesn't have the tail piece. It has a shorter output shaft where a transfercase bolts on. I had a friend once remove the tail piece and cut his output shaft. He then bolted on a transfer case. Not the preferred method by any stretch of the imagination.

The difficult piece on converting is the front suspension. You have to unbolt the A-Arms and remove the entire front suspension. Only the steering column stays. Then you have to weld leaf spring mounts to your frame. Once you have done that you can get a donor front axle assembly and bolt everything up.

So....welding new front springs, donor front axle and add transfer case with front drive shaft.

[70-K5]

Then the transmission is a TH350... To add to what JOJABOY said you'll have a pile of work... I'm a list guy...

Front Spring hangers
Rear spring shackles
Dana44 or Corporate 10 bolt axle
New front leaf springs
New steering gear for push/pull steering
New front crossmember
New Pitman arm
New drag link so you can steer
new brake lines
Since you're going to have disc front brakes you'll need:
New brake booster
new master cylinder
new proportioning valves
new front brake lines
new front drive shaft
new rear drive shaft
new transfer case
new transfer case shifter
new or modified transmission
new radiator with cooler lines if either of the donors don't have an automatic transmission radiator

That's a lot of new parts.........

Did I forget shackles?
Oh, and if the 2wd trick has trailing arms and coil springs in the rear you'll want to change the whole rear suspension.


I have one question? Why the hell would you buy a vehicle on e-bay with no title? May be a totally different story...

[Ol Blue K20]

X2 on the title question..

[Dova]

Here's a build where he made a 2wd longhorn into a 4wd. Now his build is a lot steeper than what you're talking about doing but the 2wd to 4wd is there.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=310493

[TBONE1964]

Originally Posted by 70-K5

Then the transmission is a TH350... To add to what JOJABOY said you'll have a pile of work... I'm a list guy...

Front Spring hangers
Rear spring shackles
Dana44 or Corporate 10 bolt axle
New front leaf springs
New steering gear for push/pull steering
New front crossmember
New Pitman arm
New drag link so you can steer
new brake lines
Since you're going to have disc front brakes you'll need:
New brake booster
new master cylinder
new proportioning valves
new front brake lines
new front drive shaft
new rear drive shaft
new transfer case
new transfer case shifter
new or modified transmission
new radiator with cooler lines if either of the donors don't have an automatic transmission radiator

That's a lot of new parts.........

Did I forget shackles?
Oh, and if the 2wd trick has trailing arms and coil springs in the rear you'll want to change the whole rear suspension.


I have one question? Why the hell would you buy a vehicle on e-bay with no title? May be a totally different story...

OR, buy this one http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/c...p?product=7287 and have a beautiful truck ready to run and drive with solid sheet metal. No worries about finding time to work on it or a title.

You will find after you add up all the pieces to do it the CORRECT way that you will have several thousands of dollars into it.

Just my opinion.

[BlackedOut67shorty]

People have converted to 4x4 and kept their trailing arms.
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[coche1]

Well, at least now I know that this is more work that I'm looking to get myself into at the moment... bummer...

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

X2 on the title question..

Like I said, it is a separate story... Basically, I got had - didn't do my due diligence/research ahead of time, trusted/believed the seller, and then found out that I was given a worthless 'bill of sale' that subsequently got lost/thrown away when I moved.

Originally Posted by TBONE1964

OR, buy this one http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/c...p?product=7287 and have a beautiful truck ready to run and drive with solid sheet metal. No worries about finding time to work on it or a title.

You will find after you add up all the pieces to do it the CORRECT way that you will have several thousands of dollars into it.

Just my opinion.

That truck would be just about perfect... if it was only 1,800 or so miles closer...

[BrianG]

Why not just go to the DMV and get apply for a lost title? If it doesn't work out, as in it comes back stolen or something, then its time to get away from it anyhow. Even converting it to 4x4, you would still have something that isn't rightfully yours. If the seller really had the right to sell it, then I don't see what the issue would be. A lost title isn't always a big deal. I've done it before. I have read on here that others have had a much worse time of getting a replacement though.... Just a though, go ask the DMV what it will take to get a title.

[coche1]

Originally Posted by BrianG

Why not just go to the DMV and get apply for a lost title? If it doesn't work out, as in it comes back stolen or something, then its time to get away from it anyhow. Even converting it to 4x4, you would still have something that isn't rightfully yours. If the seller really had the right to sell it, then I don't see what the issue would be. A lost title isn't always a big deal. I've done it before. I have read on here that others have had a much worse time of getting a replacement though.... Just a though, go ask the DMV what it will take to get a title.

The truck I own is a 4x4, I was looking into using the 4x4 parts (axle/suspension/etc) to convert another truck to 4x4. The truck that I own currently needs more work than I have time to put into it, regardless of the title issues - having a valid title would only allow me to get a little bit more money for it when I sell it. I have decided that I'm not going to restore it. And I purchased it out of state and we never did a formal transfer at a notary so even if I got a title I'd have to get back in contact with the previous owner and hope that he'd be willing to put forth the effort to transfer it to me...

[BrianG]

Okay, makes sense I guess. If your going to get another truck, just find another 4x4 then. I think you'd just have too much into making a 2 wd into a 4x4. Another and perhaps better option is to use your drivetrain and just buy another vehicle with a valid title to place ontop of that running gear.

[coche1]

Originally Posted by BrianG

Okay, makes sense I guess. If your going to get another truck, just find another 4x4 then. I think you'd just have too much into making a 2 wd into a 4x4. Another and perhaps better option is to use your drivetrain and just buy another vehicle with a valid title to place ontop of that running gear.

Yeah, I'm coming back around to just waiting for another 4x4 in my price range. This question only came up because I decided not to do the full restoration that my truck would need, whether I could get a title for it or not and when I started looking at 4x4s for sale, they are all more money $$$ than I'm looking to spend and I stumbled across a 2x4 that is basically exactly what I'm looking for (except 4WD) for sale locally at a reasonable price.

[BrianG]

If you already have a 4x4, why not buy the 2x4 and just put it's body on your 4x4 frame and axles? The only real difference in the bodys are the center floor humps, which you may or may not already have the high hump. If not, that's and easy fix.

[coche1]

Originally Posted by BrianG

If you already have a 4x4, why not buy the 2x4 and just put it's body on your 4x4 frame and axles? The only real difference in the bodys are the center floor humps, which you may or may not already have the high hump. If not, that's and easy fix.

Because the engine in the 4x4 needs to be completely gone over and is an old 292. It runs, but not well. And it has the manual transmission. The 2WD truck has a 400 SB with automatic trans, which is really the drive train I'd prefer. Plus the 400 already runs well and is in reliable daily driver condition.

[Dova]

If you're thinking of swapping bodies on the trucks at all once the stuff is off the drive train would be relatively easy to swap at that point. Then you have the 4wd that you want with the drive train that you want.

[70-K5]

Dova's got a point. You'll still have a good deal of work but the cost of parts and major fabrication will be eliminated. Depending on your state you may have some headache when it comes to inspection time if they are sticklers for things like a 2wd vin and a 4wd chassis.

[Dova]

Yeah in washington, kitsap county to be exact I haven't had them come out to inspect the vehilce. But lost title and all that you could be in for a headache. That's what I would do if I had a 2wd and a 4wd is swap the parts needed from the 2wd to the 4wd.

[Low7duce]

Sorry for getting in on this and the subject is not related. I just started up today and I have no idea how to post somebody please help