1970 K20 Z62 Full Restoration

[IronCanine]

Well I hope everyone had a nice Christmas. The girls and I have logged a fair few miles over the holidays. In fact I'm posting this from a hotel room.

But, Thank God for Eric. The work continues. He has started the tedious job of cramming all that stuff under the dash. But not before the ol VIN plate got pinned back up. 1970 used three different styles of VIN plates beginning with the two plate 69 style and ending with what you all are familiar with on 71s and 72s. This being a very late 70...it got the 71/72 printed style. I spent a lot of time thinking about ways to restore that plate. The older unprinted versions are nice, because all you have to do is polish them. I've resigned to the fact that any attempt to improve the appearance of this was statistically more likely to make it worse in some way, so it got a bath and nothing more. It's in C+ condition and I'm ok with that.

[IronCanine]

It is always exciting when the jewelry starts going on. That's an NOS upper vent. I was unsure if it would look good enough, but it cleaned up with a little wax well enough to accept it.

I had intended for Greg from S&M Electro-Tech to rebuild my radio. But unfortunately he passed away just before I reached out. I have bought all previous dash speakers from him. Luckily the family has kept and carried on the family business...and after an extended period without it, they now have our dash speaker in stock and I picked up one of those a few weeks ago.

As for the radio, I ended up sending it to Joesclassicarradio.com. He added FM and Bluetooth, rechromed the face and basically renewed everything. It does all the stuff, but still looks like a completely original AM only radio. It took a long time. It was not inexpensive. But I am happy with his work and can recommend.

Also, I don't remember if we had an M&H harness on the 69 or not, but just as it was with that truck, the brown lead to the prop valve or distribution block is too short for a power brake truck. We had to extend it on the 69 and you can see what we're starting with here.

Hope you all have a Happy New Year.

All the best,

Brad

[1970cstblazer]

Just curious... the 1970 Custom trim level came with deluxe dash knobs, but the base waffle iron style pedal pads?

EDIT located an excerpt from a 1969 dealer booklet showing this equipment combination

[IronCanine]

Sorry to be late in reply...but it looks like you self sorted. Yes, definitely bright knobs with waffle (base) pedals. I guess it's crazy that I put Z62 in the thread title but no mention of what constitutes that trim level.

Z62 was an RPO GM had in the previous gen trucks. Z61 was an Appearance package and Z62 was a Comfort package. Both were still available in 67. I believe Z61 went away the next year and Z62 became the Comfort and Convenience package and was basically the same from 68-72. Mainly it was a little bit of bright work, upgraded door panels, color keyed mat and the custom cloth seat. I'm not sure if the fabric was the same in 67/68. it was definitely the same for 69-72, but the orientation varied. The pattern ran horizontally in 69 and vertically 70-72.

Also the badging changed over time from Custom to Custom Deluxe.

Attached is the breakdown for 1970 and this truck specifically. But for ease of reading here's what a 1970 Z62 got:

Bright trim on windshield, vent window and rear window
Cigar Lighter
Control knob trim
Custom Emblems (fender and glovebox)
Color keyed floor mat and special insulation
Door trim panels
Full foam seat with fabric upholstery

You could not get buckets with Z62 (much to my chagrin).

[IronCanine]

Happy New Year everyone. It is very nice to be back home. We got in late last night to a full mailbox. One of the the boxes crammed in there was an NOS master cylinder bail. The eBay vender had a little less reverence for the NOS box than I might have preferred, but at least it made it unscathed. Much thanks to 1970cstblazer for pointing me in the right direction on that!

[IronCanine]

It is funny how much parts wrangling ends up happening at the end in spite of all the best laid plans. I have found myself chasing and realizing more than a few mistakes at a time I expected us to be on the glide slope.

But, pretty pictures are generally a good antidote to bad feelings and Eric spent another week putting pretty things together while I tried to put out fires with a laptop and a cell phone.

The NOS A/C kit continues to be the coolest thing. Nevertheless, we did not use the NOS control unit because of shelf wear. One thing to point out about this kit is that it was made to be a dealer installed item on a non A/C truck. Which means some of the hardware and assembly instructions are reflective of that. In some cases the hardware is not the same size or style that came on this factory A/C truck. As much as possible in those instances, we are putting what came on the truck on the truck. Luckily what could be saved has been.

We have used the NOS gaskets as they feel good and supple and of better quality than repro. Of course I worry about premature deterioration. Hopefully no issues.

I definitely left the "3" inspection mark on the box...as much as we fussed over that "red dot" on the other build...we're keeping this as it came....as well as the inspection decal on the blower motor for now.

[IronCanine]

I haven't highlighted every NOS thing that has gone on here, but I do want to give a shout out to stuff I've collected from board members...and I've had this NOS clutch rod and boot for a while thanks to Jeff (Jeff's bowties).

Every thing about vent assembly is 50 years old except the paint. Felt is nice and the fit is what you'd expect from new original.

The dome light is most assuredly not NOS...and also it is by far my least favorite light that got installed this week.

[IronCanine]

These beauties on the other hand...I love me some K20 cab lights. And I couldn't be more tickled with these. Now, I hope to have a full set of Guide lenses on there at some point, but we're all new Signal Stat for now with OE base gaskets. To my eye they really pop.

Fun stuff to tackle in the week ahead...probably some glass....maybe the bed...we'll see.

[1970cstblazer]

You're welcome! Amazing that some of these parts are still out there.

Originally Posted by IronCanine

Happy New Year everyone. It is very nice to be back home. We got in late last night to a full mailbox. One of the the boxes crammed in there was an NOS master cylinder bail. The eBay vender had a little less reverence for the NOS box than I might have preferred, but at least it made it unscathed. Much thanks to 1970cstblazer for pointing me in the right direction on that!

[1970cstblazer]

Originally Posted by IronCanine

I haven't highlighted every NOS thing that has gone on here, but I do want to give a shout out to stuff I've collected from board members...and I've had this NOS clutch rod and boot for a while thanks to Jeff (Jeff's bowties).

Every thing about vent assembly is 50 years old except the paint. Felt is nice and the fit is what you'd expect from new original.

The dome light is most assuredly not NOS...and also it is by far my least favorite light that got installed this week.

Is the firewall clutch boot supposed to be inverted or like these? I installed mine with the rubber out.

[IronCanine]

I don't know...they may be like belly buttons and go both ways. Maybe could even get inverted with hard use...but here's a pic of an all original.

[pjmoreland]

Having the boot installed outward seems to work fine with the straight '67 style clutch rod, but I never liked how mine with the dog-leg shape puckers on the bend. After seeing this post, I went out and flipped mine around.

[1970cstblazer]

Surprisingly, there was nothing in the assembly manual in regards to the clutch rod boot. I admit it looks better to have it inverted with the V8 style rod. I do vividly remember my boot was poking out when I disassembled my '70.

[IronCanine]

Well, it seems like snow followed us home. I think my wife and daughter took it as an opportunity to suggest that I got bigger and angrier over the holidays. At least that's what I got out of their snow family.

The other bummer was the apparently mis-clocked fitting on my repro A/C lines. The curved line wasn't going to make from the bracket to the POA valve as crimped. A little work to do here yet.

[IronCanine]

I have a history of defeats and complaints when it comes to installing windshields with trim. I don't know what to tell you...this time is wasn't too bad. Eric had the gaskets and trim pre loaded for a day or two, warming by the fire. I showed up and we had the back glass and windshield in in less than an hour. Go figure.

I got all my glass from Auto City Classics in MN. I asked them to date code it. I wish I had been a little more specific about my dates and the glass plant. Here is a thread with great info about this that I should have payed more attention to:

https://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vbo...d.php?t=834663

The only date I had left on the glass on my truck was the vent glass. It was GT or 4/70. I could not make out the plant code. I think all of my glass should have been from Lathrop, CA (plant code 10) because it's a Fremont truck. I didn't specify and they didn't ask. My windshield is stamped for Lathrop, but my back glass is 4, for OH. I wish I'd spent more time thinking about it and had been more specific. It's not a big deal, but I consider it a mistake.

The glass itself is good and was shipped quickly and without incident.

[IronCanine]

Today we got to drop the bed on. Eric and his two sons and I slowly (and sometimes nervously) eased it into place with the help of a truss frame carrier that Eric engineered and the rotisserie. It was actually pretty uneventful even if it took a little longer than the glass.

It is fun to look at and see almost a whole truck. Lots more assembly I know, but this phase gets pretty fun...because cool stuff is going on all the time.

[IronCanine]

Two other small additions I'll comment on.

First...I needed plugs for the shoulder harness mount. The reproduction piece isn't even close to OE. But the originals can be a booger to get out without marring them. I had to cut the B pillar out of a salvage truck to get the two I got out unscathed. Then we forgot to put them in before paint...and so that had to go in after. And then they didn't want to go in! Ugh. But we got em.

...and Eric also got the new wiper transmission in.

[72chevylover1]

Wow this build is looking amazing. I'm getting ready to buy a 70 GMC K2500 Sierra Grande in dark gold and white. Its got a crate 350 in it that's not original. Any ideas what to do or where to find an original style motor? Sorry I hope I'm not bombing your build thread here.

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by 72chevylover1

Wow this build is looking amazing. I'm getting ready to buy a 70 GMC K2500 Sierra Grande in dark gold and white. Its got a crate 350 in it that's not original. Any ideas what to do or where to find an original style motor? Sorry I hope I'm not bombing your build thread here.

Thanks, not bombing at all. My brother has a dark gold 70 K2500 (with a factory red interior!) purchased from a board member. So I automatically love your truck.

First it depends on what you would consider an "original-style". Are you looking for a 69-72 350, or a 70 350, or a date code correct 350, or suffix code correct 350...or both?

They're definitely still out there, but you've got to be ever on the hunt and be willing to pull the trigger. I found my engine/tranny/TC from a part out on Facebook Marketplace. I got very very lucky...because it turned out to be part (suffix) perfect and date code perfect. But it was also stuck and trashed and I got luckier that it was even restorable.

I found my truck in 2018 and found the engine in 2021. Three years of internet surfing and bugging board members. But when it popped up, I jumped all over it.

For 1970 K trucks, TAY was the suffix code for automatic transmission trucks and TBC was the suffix code for manual transmission trucks. But any truck 350 from that year will be basically the same 4 bolt 350. And unless you have a machinist who is up for the challenge, the suffix (and the build date) will be wiped when you deck the block. So then all that matters is if you care about the casting date. And to be honest, I don't know that you should. There are scant few folks that are going to care about that type of thing with these trucks. It's different with Corvettes, Camaros, Chevelles, Mustangs, etc. But I've had some fun fussing over it on this one.

FB marketplace is the first place I'd look...and you probably need to be looking at complete trucks to part as well (and not just parts). There are K specific pieces on the engine (like spark plug wire brackets) so it's nice to get one off of a 4WD. So look at 4WD Blazers and Burbs too. A lot of folks want to LS upgrade, so a chassis is often an easy flip.

Geographically...so many K trucks in the Pacific NW...and Montana is often target rich too.

And if you have a local machine shop that you like/know (especially one that's been around), give them a call...they may be able to put you on a local honey hole or they may have something.

Finally, just keep looking. The less specific of a piece you need the easier and quicker you'll find it. Otherwise be patient. Good luck.

[72chevylover1]

Thank you sir! That chart you shared is very helpful. I appreciate you sharing a part of your vast knowledge. I'll be on the lookout, meanwhile you take care!

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by 72chevylover1

Thank you sir! That chart you shared is very helpful. I appreciate you sharing a part of your vast knowledge. I'll be on the lookout, meanwhile you take care!

You're welcome. But be careful with the compliments...the only thing I've got that is vast is my appetite for Chic Fil A or my capacity to screw up. Most everything I post on this board is recycled information that I have learned from other board members.

[72chevylover1]

Appreciate your humor!

[DeadheadNM]

Each time I visit this thread I get goosebumps all over

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by DeadheadNM

Each time I visit this thread I get goosebumps all over

That's how I feel when you send me an eBay link.