72 K30 Build

[7dee2]

Originally Posted by swamp rat

I believe Dieselwrencher is correct on the frame widths. That said there are 2 different rear spring width dimentions on the 67-72 trucks. I know my K20 rear is wider than a 2wd rear with springs. My frame widens behind the cab. If i recall corectly mine is 42.5, the other is 40 i think. So obviously different spring pirch widths on the axles too. If that helps ya any...

Swamprat I did a quick frame width measurement at the back of both cabs and they are both 34". Both trucks are cab & chassis style trucks so maybe that's why they are same width even though they are different generations? Going to look at it much harder once I get the rest of the K3500 cab removed.

[7dee2]

Time for a thread update. Got the front clip removed and the motor, trans & transfer case pulled out.

[Dieselwrencher]

Brett, I can measure some trucks as I have a 2wd 69 and a 2wd 76 frame, and a 84 K20 frame if you'd like it for future endeavors. Also, that yellow 54 on the begining of this page looks pretty sweet. Nice work on the tear down.

[7dee2]

Thank you Dieselwrencher and I’ll keep that in mind. The yellow 54 belongs to one of the guys at The Garage Inc. pretty sweet project that looks cool with those fancy wheels!!

Once the rest of the K3500 cab is removed we can use the spare 69 cab and the 72 front clip to start mock up. This and starting repairs on the 72 cab pass thru should keep me plenty busy this winter.

Below are some GM frame dimensions to digest. First drawing is from the 67-72 AIM, a 2wd cab & chassis 133" frame. Next two are the newer 4wd cab & chassis crew cab 164.5" frame & cab. Last is a newer regular cab to get the front cab mount measurement.

Frame widths are almost identical (.06 difference) nice…

71blksuper4x4, Trevor nailed this earlier in this thread http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...23&postcount=6

[7dee2]

Some more progress, we sold the 350 complete engine and a couple of runs to the scrapper to help recoup some of the $1400 we gave for the K3500. When all is done I think we'll only be in around $700 for the complete rolling chassis w/steering, hydro-boost, trans, transfer case & drive lines. SWEET!

Found a B&M Holeshot 20416 Converter. http://www.jegs.com/i/B-M/130/20416/...oductId=748034 What is the general consensus on a 2000 stall converter for a towing beast? I would think a small amount of stall is OK as it would help it get into the lower part of power band.

[mjensen]

Look at you go! $700 is a great deal for what you're going to be left with! I'm still trying to decide if I want to do a Hydroboost on mine.

[7dee2]

Originally Posted by mjensen

Look at you go! $700 is a great deal for what you're going to be left with! I'm still trying to decide if I want to do a Hydroboost on mine.

Thanks Mike not really 100% sure I'm going to use the hydro-boost either but I'm keeping it just in case. I think they work really well as long as it doesn't leak.

[coops714x4]

subscribed!! cool build, I'm gonna do a similar build but i'm starting with a 71 K20 frame and using a 80 dana 60 dually front end and a 77 cab and chassis 14 bolt rear and a 72 gmc c30 cab. haven't made up my mind if I'm gonna use the cab and chassis rear end or a dana 70 HD wide and make it a dually "pickup" Coop

[swamp rat]

Looks good! wIsh i had your shop too!

[7dee2]

Originally Posted by coops714x4

subscribed!! cool build, I'm gonna do a similar build but i'm starting with a 71 K20 frame and using a 80 dana 60 dually front end and a 77 cab and chassis 14 bolt rear and a 72 gmc c30 cab. haven't made up my mind if I'm gonna use the cab and chassis rear end or a dana 70 HD wide and make it a dually "pickup" Coop

Hey Coop thanks, I really really like the "dually pickup" idea! That would make a very cool truck in my book.

Originally Posted by swamp rat

Looks good! wIsh i had your shop too!

Thanks Rat.. After building stuff outside in a carport and then later in a slightly oversized 1 level 2 car garage (spoiled us). We thought a 20x40 2 story job would be huge. It's not we just stuff more in it, not to mention the off site storage unit. Ha!

[86454k30]

I'd be willing to bet that floor damage was from the front driveshaft coming loose at the transfercase and beating the hell out of the floor.

[7dee2]

Originally Posted by 86454k30

I'd be willing to bet that floor damage was from the front driveshaft coming loose at the transfercase and beating the hell out of the floor.

You know you are probably right 86454k30 good call. The front driveline has a sticker on it from a driveline shop in Texas.

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice progress. The crack in the frame is nothing a grinder, welder, and a fish plae can't repair. The mock up is looking pretty good so far. That poor square body sure was used hard.

[coops714x4]

Brett, I think its cool too, it's been done before many different ways. what I want it to build it like GM would have if they would have made one.
kinda like this but tougher looking. Coop

[7dee2]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Nice progress. The crack in the frame is nothing a grinder, welder, and a fish plae can't repair. The mock up is looking pretty good so far. That poor square body sure was used hard.

Thanks Diesel, yeah the old square body has seen better days but is a peach for my purposes!

Originally Posted by coops714x4

Brett, I think its cool too, it's been done before many different ways. what I want it to build it like GM would have if they would have made one.
kinda like this but tougher looking. Coop

Great minds Coop, I only have a couple of pics of trucks with fleetside beds in my 4x4 conversion folder (most are flatbed) and I swear one is the same truck you posted with different wheels. If I built one and I have thought about it, I prefer the narrower rear like the GMC below.

[7dee2]

Really like the way everything is fitting so far a lot better than we originally thought (we will see if this holds true for the next phase of mockup). Check out the inner fender to frame contour, I like it and hopefully we can keep the body this low on the frame. Me and the miss’s are getting to be old farts so lower is better for us. Going to have to reposition all the mounts as expected.

[7dee2]

We are also finding where we can remove the extra 31.5” out of the 164.5" wheel base (133” goal) looks very doable. 21ish here and 9.5ish there.

[Dieselwrencher]

It looks like it will work out pretty nice. I really like the cab chassis DRW set ups with the tires tucked like that. I almost went that route with mine a couple times.

[7dee2]

That's the big reason for going a 133" wheel base is that we have the option for a longhorn bed. I'll tell you though I love my flatbed for actually using the truck as a truck. My C30 is the first truck we have owned with a flatbed and I really like it a lot more than I thought I would.

[Dieselwrencher]

It's hard to beat a flat bed for work. We're without one right now.

[7dee2]

It's time to see if there is any room for a big block? Thought it would be quicker to swap tail housings rather than trannies for this step. Found the K3500 trans was not a virgin it has a 2wd truck output shaft, oh well it worked!

[38 tow]

Speaking of flatbeds, did you scrap the bed that came on the square body?

[7dee2]

Originally Posted by 38 tow

Speaking of flatbeds, did you scrap the bed that came on the square body?

Yup, I was going to give it to my nephew but he passed so it went to the scraper weeks ago.

[7dee2]

So I was a bit worried the big block was going to be a problem because of the 4x4 engine set back. We want to use the RV Cheyenne Super/AC cab once the pass thru is repaired and making a lot of firewall mods would probably make running the factory air difficult. So minimal or no firewall mods is going to be the goal. In and bolted down and it looks great!

[swamp rat]

Not sure about the K30, but my K20 didn't have enough room to install the HEI, the engine being in the rear frame mounting holes, so i went with a Mallory Unilite, its the size of the stock distributor.