Scott's 1972 Chevy K-20. A place to start.

[gerfunken]

Originally Posted by superduty_59

1) first off I really enjoyed reading your build thread. I've been to other states than Ohio but a long time ago and don't remember much of it so seeing pics of AZ is awesome. You chose the best engine in my opinion. It's hard to beat a p-pumped 12v.

2) The Dodge you cut up looked really nice (even though I don't care for the wrapper around the Cummins engine). I bet you paid a good amount of $. Around here a rusted to ****, beat to **** and back 4x4 would cost $5000.
What did you do with the rest of the Dodge? Craigslist? Scrapyard?
3) What did you do with the engine/trans/t-case/axles out of the 72?
4) I don't have emissions testing but just curious. Do you still have to test now that it's a diesel?
5) Most of you non farm type tend to throw a SBC or even a BBC in a truck like yours and call it good but you found out our secret.... Diesels makes more power, is more fuel efficient, less parts, more reliable and sounds better doing it!
6) You have a good looking/sounding truck to be proud of. Keep working away at your list! More pics and more videos!

Hey, thanks superduty_59... the cross country trip was one of those things that doesn't come around all that often, so I figured that I needed to take that opportunity.

I'm loving the choice of engine as well... I've been wanting to go diesel for a while. Having bought the truck in '99, it took just a couple of years, and trips up to northern Arizona for me to realize that it didn't like the to be fully loaded, climbing up from 1200 to 8000ft in altitude. The lift and first new engine only made matters worse, as the gas mileage dropped down to about 8mpg on those trips.

I ended up buying the truck for not much more than you posted. I was able to sell the wheel/tire combo as well as the body. Found a guy that managed to get in a fairly bad accident in his truck, and the only thing left on it that was good was the driveline. Since I used the motor, transmission, transfer case, the front and rear axles in mine, he was able to use the rest, so a deal was struck there as well.

The original pieces of my truck are sitting in my garage, my side-yard, and my buddy's side yard. I had them up on Criagslist for a while, but there wasn't much interest in them. I plan on re-using the motor in my 1930 Chevy, and it's beginning to look like I'm going to be swapping the axle into my cargo trailer. (My great grandfather built it in the '50's and I use it on the hunting/camping trips.) The trailer sits fairly low, and even though I've flipped the axle on it for about 4" lift, it still gets drug behind the truck in rough country.

The emissions was tough, but after talking to the guys here in MVD, I just needed to coordinate with the testing station, for them to manually override the gas test to a diesel test, and the computer system should now be updated. I thought it would be a big deal, but after a number of phone calls, it turned out to be simple.

Thanks for the rest of the compliments. I'd love to spend more time in/with it, but my weekend free time seems to have come grinding to a halt for a little bit. I'm also trying to save up the money for paint and body, and knowing that it is the next step, I'm reluctant to start putting a lot of components back on the truck like windows, interior, etc. It's just a game of patience right now.

[1972K20]

Good looking build Scott!

In case I missed it, was the engine crossmember custom built? I like the way it turned out.

[gerfunken]

Originally Posted by 1972K20

Good looking build Scott!

In case I missed it, was the engine crossmember custom built? I like the way it turned out.

Ya, I had that and the transmission mount fabricated by a company here in PHX.

Odd... it would seem as if I haven't done a dang thing to my truck in a year... I should probably find the time to get back out in the garage.

[gerfunken]

Well,
It has been quite a while since I've posted any work on the truck. It is currently in a friend's shop getting the transmission rebuilt and we're also going through the engine, new gaskets, seals, replacing things that need to be replaced.













I've been working on it the last three weekends, and can just say that there's lots of gaskets to scrape off. Hopefully there will be more to come soon.

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice to see you working on it again Scott!

[gerfunken]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Nice to see you working on it again Scott!

It's nice to be working on it again. Had a couple of things pop up that have really pulled at my time, you know, the old "life gets in the way."

I have been working on it, but not making any substantial movement. I've been saving up the funds to get the transmission rebuilt and the engine gone through. The donor vehicle had 288k miles on it when I picked it up, and there were plenty of fluid leaks throughout the engine. Power steering pump, the pan covering the pushrods, transmission, etc. With any luck, I'll actually be able to turn the engine over this coming Saturday.

[ryanroo]

Originally Posted by gerfunken

I've been saving up the funds to get the transmission rebuilt and the engine gone through.

when you get that totally collected, you look at it and think, i could have a REAL nice SBC for this. sadface. it gets worse when you start going for power. haha

glad to see its going forward!

[Dieselwrencher]

A real nice SBC to go a 1/4 mile at a time?

[gerfunken]

Originally Posted by ryanroo

when you get that totally collected, you look at it and think, i could have a REAL nice SBC for this. sadface. it gets worse when you start going for power. haha

glad to see its going forward!

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

A real nice SBC to go a 1/4 mile at a time?

You guys kill me. I had a nice SBC, and in fact, still have it. It's currently reserved for my 1930 Chevy AD 3 window. I've wanted to go diesel for quite some time.

[superduty_59]

Originally Posted by gerfunken

I've wanted to go diesel for quite some time.

...and don't ever look back!

[gerfunken]

Got to spend some more time with it on Saturday. Getting everything installed and back in place. We still need to run the lines to the transmission cooler, but for the most part it is all buttoned back up.

[Dieselwrencher]

Looking nice and getting real close!

[ryanroo]

looks good.

[gerfunken]

So,
A quick, picture-less update. The front end is all back together, and the hood is on. We swapped over the cooling lines, and have hooked up the original dodge transmission cooler back to the transmission, and got a new, and smaller PS/HB cooler. The PS/HB lines are all hooked up, along with a new PS pump as we found a leak in the old pump. The transmission lines are all there, but there is some work to do on the line in the front of the transmission. Since the linkage from the shifter is tight, the fittings are being re-worked.

I keep hoping that we will get it started soon, but the stars haven't quite aligned on that yet. Maybe this coming weekend?

[gerfunken]

Well, it is officially back home, and on the road. Next step, paint....

[ryanroo]

Sweet!

[Dieselwrencher]

Very nice! Congrats!

[gerfunken]

Well, I guess it's time for an update.

The truck is in paint... yay...

And, I've started turning my attention around to what I want to do for the interior...

For a start, I finally located a set of buddy buckets. The modification of the Dodge seats into the truck wasn't working for me. So, I ended up picking up these, which really need some work.




I've been playing with the seats for a bit, but don't have any other pictures. Also, they're sorta in the truck at the paint shop right now, so I'm sure I'll have pictures later.

The other thing that I did was update the door cards. I've been wanting to do something a little different, yet still maintaining that original look, so it was time to break out the band saw and a couple of other tools.

First was get some 1/4" poplar cut down to fit in the top half of the door card.



Then it was sand and stain, then fasten to the plastic.





Now, just have to wait to get the truck back and start throwing it all together.

[ryanroo]

Paint and interior?! This is gonna be a nice hunting truck!

[gerfunken]

Originally Posted by ryanroo

Paint and interior?! This is gonna be a nice hunting truck!

I hope so... it'll be finished, but not to the same extent as others here.

The paint is because I'm tired of 4 colors on the truck. Just want to get it close to how it was when I bought it in '99.

Interior, well, ya, I've been spoiled in a couple of my friend's hunting rigs. While I did install the Vintage Air some years back, I've decided that I want seat warmers. I get cold when I've been sitting in a blind in freezing temperatures for hours on end, and would like to warm back up on the drive back to camp. I've also always wanted to get a center console to hold my drink among other things that have always ended up on my dash board.

[Dieselwrencher]

Scott, nice work on the cards and those seats will be a nice addition to your truck!

[gerfunken]

Well,
After 4 weeks, I finally got to pick it up before heading in to work....

And, now, a couple of glamor shots.

[72MARIO]

Very nice ! I have been folowing the build for a while. Nice to see new paint ! Its the best feeling driving down the road with a shiny hood.

[gerfunken]

Originally Posted by 72MARIO

Very nice ! I have been folowing the build for a while. Nice to see new paint ! Its the best feeling driving down the road with a shiny hood.

Thanks 72Mario, appreciate the compliment. I only got to drive it home from the paint shop, but had fun and really loved looking out over the shiny hood.

I didn't get as much time as I would have liked this weekend.. mainly because I ended up north with my brother on Saturday. Relaxing day shooting followed by an evening of adult beverages.

I got back in town on Sunday, but it was already 110 by the time I started working on the truck. I got a couple of things back into the cab, and put some jewelry on the truck.

[Dieselwrencher]

Scott, it looks really nice! Congrats man!