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#26 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NE Wyoming
Posts: 98
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Re: Swap Shop Chevy K20
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#27 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NE Wyoming
Posts: 98
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Re: Swap Shop Chevy K20
I've been out of country for the last week soaking up some Mexican sun but I'm going to try to catch up to where we actually are in time. Here's the start. Just a bunch of pictures of the nightmare I've gotten myself into.
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#28 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NE Wyoming
Posts: 98
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Re: Swap Shop Chevy K20
Continued...
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#29 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NE Wyoming
Posts: 98
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Brakes
Since this is going to be my summer daily driver I wanted to concentrate on some of the important things first. I ordered a bunch of new brake parts; hoses, pads, shoes, wheel cylinders, calipers, brake fluid, master cylinder and hoped I could get away with the discs and drums on the truck. Everything came in and I got to work.
About this time the fellers in the shop talked me into rear discs. I did a little research and realized how cheap and easy (foreshadowing) it is to swap discs on a 14FF. I ordered the brackets, discs, calipers, seals, and bearings when I realized that this truck shouldn't have a 14 bolt in it. By this time I had mistakenly concluded that the truck had been in an accident bad enough to bend the rear springs because they sat in the truck all crazy like. Taking a closer look made me realize the PO had just bolted up a 14 bolt from a newer truck without moving the perches. Wonky spring situation solved. |
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#30 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NE Wyoming
Posts: 98
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Shackles
So now that I had some stuff figured out I had to get to work. I pulled the rear end out and realized that the shackles were different. One was even half an inch longer than the other. I had one day to get this done and back under the truck or I would overstay my welcome in our machine shop. Having no time to order any I put the resources of the shop together and built some. I plasma cut the blanks, formed the sides, and welded the whole works together. Again, if anyone wants drawings or data for any of this stuff then just let me know.
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#31 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NE Wyoming
Posts: 98
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Rear End
I pulled the rear out of the truck and got to work cleaning it up. I got it up and mostly welded to the table level and got to work with the magic wand. Having the right tools makes this sort off thing super easy and I had the perches and shock mounts off in about an hour.
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#32 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NE Wyoming
Posts: 98
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All Clean
Tip: Don't cover the axle ends in duct tape to protect them from hot balls. It was ridiculous to try to get all of the sticky off.
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#33 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NE Wyoming
Posts: 98
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More Fab
I needed some spring perches and shock mounts so I got on the computer and drew some up. Cut out the blanks on our jet and formed them up. If anyone wants any more details on the fabrication process just let me know and I'll explain the flow through a fab shop. I also made a couple extra because I wasn't sure how they'd turn out. If you want them then let me know and we can work out a creative trade.
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#34 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NE Wyoming
Posts: 98
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Blue Light
So I bought a bunch of fancy pants welders for my fellers at work and they make it look like I know what I'm doing. Once you've run pulsed MIG you'll never want to do it any other way.
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#35 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NE Wyoming
Posts: 98
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Springs
While I had the whole works apart I wasted a bunch of the time I didn't have and cleaned the rear springs up. I ground 10 pounds of rust off of the works and installed some new hardware. A little black paint and new bushings and back in the truck.
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#36 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NE Wyoming
Posts: 98
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Rear Discs
Got the rear discs installed.
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#37 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NE Wyoming
Posts: 98
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Wider
I forgot to post these with the spring pictures. I was struggling to get the springs back in their pockets so I grabbed a portapower and widened them a bit.
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#38 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NE Wyoming
Posts: 98
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Shocks
I want to wait until I get the whole works together before I decide if I want a lift the truck any. Does anyone know if the K20 sits higher than the K10? My daughter's truck works with the 33 x 12.50's barely but I'm gathering that the K20 body mounts make the body sit slightly higher. If anyone has insight on this then let me know. I bought the cheapest best shocks the auto parts store had until I decide and slapped them on. Also went down to the local GMC dealer and got the u-joint straps.
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#39 |
landarts
![]() Join Date: May 2005
Location: Star, Idaho
Posts: 1,368
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Re: Swap Shop Chevy K20
Nice truck project. I love it when someone brings one of these forgotten or battled trucks back to life. Again great work here!
What 8 lug rear disc swap kit is being used on the back?
__________________
Super Cheyenne aka the "Devil Cowboy" 71 K20 Idaho Edition 69 K10 from the Field 68 Second Chance Fix and Sale 72 GMC 3/4 ton 4x4 K2500 The "Fixrupr" build thread 72 Cheyenne 1/2 ton " FIXRUPR " - daily driver 67 C20 all original paint 71 K20 Custom 4x4 (Idaho Edition) 72 K20 GMC Super Custom 4x4 72 K20 Custom Deluxe 4x4 69 K10 Custom package 4x4 (69 K10 from the field) 72 K10 Custom 71 K10 Custom 72 K20 Custom Deluxe 4x4 72 K20 Crew Cab Project 71 GMC Jimmy CST 72 Blazer 70 Blazer |
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#40 |
Registered User
![]() Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Clinton, tn
Posts: 177
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Re: Swap Shop Chevy K20
Cool build. I'm interested in knowing what the "magic wand" is ? I don't believe I know what that tool is. I like the fab work you've done so far, giving this truck a new life is an awesome feeling in the end.
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#41 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NE Wyoming
Posts: 98
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Re: Swap Shop Chevy K20
I can't remember how I found it, but you should be able to find the brackets by searching for 14 bolt disc brake brackets. The calipers and rotors are the same as the front. I even used the same front brake lines as the front. The company I bought the brackets from had the worst customer service, but I can't remember where I got them to steer you away. It was a super simple conversion; just lost the e brakes.
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#42 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NE Wyoming
Posts: 98
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Re: Swap Shop Chevy K20
We call it the magic wand at work because of it's magical properties of relentless destruction. It's a process called air arcing, and basically it uses electric current through a graphite rod along with compressed air blast to melt and remove the molten metal. You should be able to YouTube it if you want to see it in action. VERY LOUD!
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#43 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NE Wyoming
Posts: 98
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Re: Swap Shop Chevy K20
Sorry it has been so long, life has been super busy. So the studs that I bought and hammered into the hubs were about 1/4" too long. I may regret doing it but I made a set of spacers to fix the lug problem and fix another thing I don't like about these trucks. When you look at them from behind the axle seems a little too narrow. I'm sure Chevrolet did this for a reason but image is everything. Since I had a nice big piece of 7075 aluminum and a water jet at my disposal I drew them up and cut them out. They're cut to have the modern metric pattern and the older merican pattern. I'll offer again, if anyone wants cut files or drawings for any of this just let me know.
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#44 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NE Wyoming
Posts: 98
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Re: Swap Shop Chevy K20
The guys at work kept stealing the cart I had all my junk on so I built myself one. It's too wide but it works great! I can pile heaps of junk on it! Just a bunch of flat steal and a piece of pipe.
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#45 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NE Wyoming
Posts: 98
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Re: Swap Shop Chevy K20
I built some little tabs to use front brake lines on the rear. It makes it easier when the front and rear match, less part numbers.
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#46 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NE Wyoming
Posts: 98
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Re: Swap Shop Chevy K20
The Quadrajet was leaking so bad that there definitely would have been a fire. More likely sooner rather than later. I was going to rebuild it when I found a sweet deal on a Holley that is too big for this engine. I had to buy a flashy new air cleaner because we fancy.
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#47 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NE Wyoming
Posts: 98
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Re: Swap Shop Chevy K20
Off comes the doors and cab. I built a simple spreader bar that lets me lift the cab from the drip rails. With everything in the cab it balances way farther forward than I would have guessed. This was back when pond dried lumber was selling for $400 a board foot also. Having a crane makes this silly easy.
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#48 |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NE Wyoming
Posts: 98
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Re: Swap Shop Chevy K20
I've lost track of all the bad decisions up to this point, but this one may be the biggest so far. Fired up the Hotsy and dug for transmission leaks. It's been months since I did this and not one single drop on the floor. Everything must be out of fluid!
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#49 |
6>8 Plugless........
![]() Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Prairie City, Ia
Posts: 17,140
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Re: Swap Shop Chevy K20
Very nice work on the truck! I have a 72 K20 I'm gearing up to do the same on. It's rough but they are slim pickins around here. Awesome work on your cart and nice work on your spacers. I also agree these trucks look dumb from the rear with the narrow rear end and skinny tires. Keep up the great work!!
__________________
Ryan 1972 Chevy Longhorn K30 Cheyenne Super, 359 Inline 6 cylinder, Auto Trans, Tilt, Diesel Tach/Vach, Buckets, Rare Rear 4-link and air ride option Build Thread 1972 GMC Sierra Grande Longhorn 4x4 1972 Chevy Cheyenne Super K20 Long Step side tilt, tach, tow hooks, AC, 350 4 speed 1972 C10 Suburban Custom Deluxe 1969 Chevy milk truck 1971 Camaro RS 5.3 BTR STG3 Cam Super T10 1940 Ford 354 Hemi 46RH Ford 9" on air ride huge project Tired of spark plugs? Check this out. |
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#50 | |
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: NE Wyoming
Posts: 98
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Re: Swap Shop Chevy K20
Quote:
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