71 C20 Full Restore

[69c104x4]

where the heck did u find a shortbed around u. i live real close. and im lookin for one too.

[RHGuyettejr]

My truck is a long bed, are you looking for just the bed or the truck, because I know where there are two SWB fleetsides, and a SWB fleetside bed, within a half hour from me if they are still for sale.

[69c104x4]

ya i am lookin im also lookin for a cab too.

[RHGuyettejr]

http://nh.craigslist.org/pts/3359844099.html

That is for the bed, needs some repair panels put in on the rear quarters, but looks to be solid, I think he is asking a bit much though, there where two trucks for sale on 101 as well, one is in Dublin, and the guy just wants $500 for the whole thing, I checked it for parts, but wasn't going to pay that much money for just interior pieces, cab looked fairly good from a quick look over, but it is burried in pricker bushes, I will see if I can get his number dug up. Other one I never stopped to look at but they wanted $1500, the bed was junk on the $500 and I know the kid said it hadnt been started in over 10 years, it was a 4 spd, no tach dash. .

[69c104x4]

sick thanks looks like he some cabs too.

[Shaun1162]

Cool project, and nice to see another NH member!

[RHGuyettejr]

Originally Posted by Shaun1162

Cool project, and nice to see another NH member!

Thanks, Im hoping to get it to my house this weekend ad start really tearing into it, most of the stuff I have done now was to just get it running so I could move it. I checked out your thread on the c-30 and it came out really nice, I always see one the same color (original paint though) sitting at the local t-bird in the morning that still has the working flatbed, and there is a c20 stepside 4x4 in decent shape a guy on that same road owns I always drive by. I started seeing the trucks around so often I decided I needed one.

Fortunately upon closer inspection I did not blow the transfer case, actually what had happened is the clutch push rod bent really bad (probably from being so rusty) and sliced a hole in the oil filter, which was probably the noise I heard, the truck still doesn't like 1st gear though which worries me but may be related to the clutch push rod being so bent. I also noticed the alternator bracket is bent pretty bad, so I am going to order a different style and relocate it closer to the motor now that the plow is off. Fortunately these parts are pretty inexpensive. LMC has the push rod for $16.00, but it is only listed as 2WD compatible, would anyone know if these are the same for a 4x4, I can't see why they wouldn't be? Once I get it home I have the following things to tackle;

Front Brakes
Remove old bed
Repair cab while bed is off
Cut old I beam bumper off while bed is off
Replace old brake lines while bed is off
Engine needs Alt bracket, new belts, wire looms, radiator hose
Install new master cylinder and Brake booster

So looks like I will be doing some online shopping tonight finally, and getting ready to start digging in.

[RHGuyettejr]

I also had one more question, Does anybody know of a good supplier for a rear disc brake conversion for an 8 lug truck? I am interested in doing this swap as well once I have the bed off.

[RHGuyettejr]

Finally going to pick up the truck tomorrow morning and drag it back to my house where there is electricity and proper tools. Really looking forward to tearing into it, all the parts sitting on the shelf are collecting dust waiting for it.

[RHGuyettejr]

Look what rolled into my driveway this morning! It made the trip safe and sound, although the person I borrowed the car trailer from had to use a pathfinder to tow it with, because he didn't want me to use my truck (long story), and I do believe he will be needing new rotors soon. Removing the bed this week and getting it back in running order once the new clutch rod arrives so I can get it out of the way of other cars if need be.



On a side note, I figured it would be a good time to show off some of the other chevys we have lying around.

My DD 98K1500 with a 305 Vortec





My Brothers DD 1997 K3500 with a 454 vortec


My dad's 85 K1500 with a 383 stroker




This is when I helped him install some LED lights in the gauges


My dads DD is a 95K1500, and my mom has another 85 identical to my dads that is currently taken apart for a frame off. My dad purchased his truck new in 1985, and my mom bought hers 6 months later off his friend who purchased it around the same time he did, so they are both 100% original bodies with no rust.

[RHGuyettejr]

As I will need to do an oil change this weekend while I replace the oil filter and the clutch rod, I figure I should find out what kind of oil I should run in this engine? Its the original 350 and that is all I know about it. Also the truck is a heavy 3/4 ton, and it has factory (or at least I assume them to be factory) overload springs front and back, which are bent in the complete opposite direction from being overloaded. Does anybody know of a company that can build me some new leaf springs because I doubt these are available reproduction, I checked LMC and a few other places and nobody seems to have them, I just would like to keep these on the truck if possible.

[RHGuyettejr]

Got the bed off today, and disassembled it to go to the scrapyard, only good piece was the header panel and even that had got smashed by something that was in the bed at one point. Now I can replace all the hardware in the rear, cut the bumper off, and replace the shocks and such. Also need to start the body work on the cab while the bed is off. Ill have pics tomorrow or so, it was far too dark when I got done working on it. I do have some questions about the overloads on it, wondering if they are stock, and if they make replacements.

[thelonerife]

Cool, looking forward to more pics

[RHGuyettejr]

Alright more pics as promised.....

The custom bumper brackets I need to remove...







Here are the overload springs I was wondering about, are these factory or an aftermarket addition? They are the same style in the front as well. I was thinking they may be factory because the truck had the "heavy 3/4" option.






And here is what I have to deal with on the back of the cab, it is pretty rough and the whole lower portion has some decent rust on it. Its going to need a lot of hours of body work put into it.







The frame is very solid except for the last 4 inches or so on the passenger side near those added on brackets, I'm hoping when I cut them off there is still enough metal there to work with, it isn't a very structural part of the frame, unless I plan on towing with the truck so I think it will be alright.

[gdavis]

Originally Posted by RHGuyettejr

Alright more pics as promised.....

The custom bumper brackets I need to remove...







Here are the overload springs I was wondering about, are these factory or an aftermarket addition? They are the same style in the front as well. I was thinking they may be factory because the truck had the "heavy 3/4" option.






And here is what I have to deal with on the back of the cab, it is pretty rough and the whole lower portion has some decent rust on it. Its going to need a lot of hours of body work put into it.







The frame is very solid except for the last 4 inches or so on the passenger side near those added on brackets, I'm hoping when I cut them off there is still enough metal there to work with, it isn't a very structural part of the frame, unless I plan on towing with the truck so I think it will be alright.

Can't tell if the frame is good or not. The road build up is heavy But I sure it is.

[RHGuyettejr]

Originally Posted by gdavis

Can't tell if the frame is good or not. The road build up is heavy But I sure it is.

Yeah its really solid, that is actually a bunch of oil undercoating, the truck was undercoated for many years before the guy I got it from ended up with it and it sat in his yard and just plowed in the winter. Ill get some more pics after I clean (more like scrape) the oil off it.

[RHGuyettejr]

Today I got a lot done, thanks to having the day off from school. My dad cut the rear bumper off for me with the torches, and I fixed the clutch rod (LMC part was way wrong) so I made my own from some threaded rod, the old rod wasn't even held on I reached up and pulled it right out, so I drilled the right angle piece out to accept a cotter pin, and made some more provisions for jam nuts and adjusted the clutch to where it works well now. I also did an oil change, and got all the rest of the plow hardware out from under the hood. Now that she runs and drives again I can move it around the yard and get to the air tools to cut the bumper brackets off the frame. I also discovered the passenger rear wheel is froze up really hard, so I need to get the wheel off and take a look at the brakes, only issue is that I broke a breaker bar trying to loosen the lug nuts, even after heating them. So I am not sure how to proceed, have them soaking in PB blaster, and hopefully the impact can loosen them, otherwise Ill have to chisel the nuts off and replace the studs. I guess that is what 20+ years of never having the wheels off will do. haha.

Here are some pics

No more plow frame


No more hydraulics


and no more bumper!

[RHGuyettejr]

Ok so I have done quite a bit to the truck, but not really any noticeable stuff. After about an hour with the cutting torches we finally where able to heat the lug nuts up enough to free them from the studs without hurting the threads. We had to get them almost dripping hot, then let them cool enough so the socket wouldn't mar them, and they just barely broke free. I promptly never seized each stud and worked the crud out of the lug nuts before replacing them. Now I can finally tackle the seized rear drum, so I can drive it over to the other driveway and grind the bumper brackets off the frame. Oh yeah I did find a cab for the truck as well, in the form of a 1969 GMC 2500 from N.C. It has almost zero rust on it, I mean the cab mounts and inner rockers are all completely solid, it just needs kick panels and some minor fender repair. I got a good deal so needles to say I bought it up, plus despite what everyone I know says, I do prefer the GMC front ends. So needles to say this just went from a 71 resto, to a 69 4x4 conversion. It has a 350, with a 4spd trans that allegedly both have only 3,000 miles on them since a rebuild, but something is definitely wrong with the valve settings, it is backfiring through the intake, and has a power loss and a hard skip. I am not sure if the cam wasn't broke in right, but the guy said he drove it up from NC then adjusted the valves, and now it runs pretty poor. Regardless it still made the 1hr drive home on the interstate.

As to not bore you with words, here are some pics....

[RHGuyettejr]

Well school is finally wrapping up, just one week left so I have been pounding out lab reports and papers like it's my job. The good thing is ill have a month off from my job at the school and classes to get some work done on the truck. Going to start tearing it down to the frame, and probably just going to scrap the cab. Need to start blasting the frame and replacing shocks, leaf springs, and all the lines with stainless. I will be able to go full time at my other job which will take a little time away, but give me more of a budget.

Also bringing the GMC from our field 10 miles away to a house where somebody can actually watch it, now that I got rid of that extra bed I had there will be room to park it here.

Things are getting there just slowly, I will be glad when my finals are done and I just have to worry about one job.

[RHGuyettejr]

So I Got to drive the GMC from Alstead to Marlow today (about 15 minutes), she is geared so low that I could take almost all the hills in 4th gear, and to my surprise she fired right up after being outside in the cold for a few weeks. Now at least it is at a residence where I can keep an eye on it, instead of just lying in a field somewhere. On a side note I almost didn't make it, because our property is on a non maintained road in Alstead, it was sheet ice, and a really decent grade, I slid the whole way down the hill and there where no guard rails to keep me from going over the 100ft cliff. Needless to say that part of the journey was a seat of my pants moment. I took some more pics of the truck once I got it where it will be stored for winter with a better camera. Hope you enjoy them. I will say this truck is a blast as it is to drive, I really cant wait to have this project done, but that doesn't mean I am going to cut any corners.

So feel free to enjoy some photos, and I was surprised to find the original owners manual.









This is the cruise control the original owner installed.... I still don't know what point cruise has being on a manual transmission, but to each his own.

[ryanroo]

I'm in to watch. i had a GMC when i was in college too. i really like a 4x4 K2500's

Ryan

[RHGuyettejr]

Finally...... I am done with school for 5 weeks, time to get some work done on the truck! Just had to make it through my quantum mechanics final this morning and I was done until next semester. Work is slow, so I doubt they will let me pick up full time hours, but I do plan to work as much as possible.

anyway.... I freed up the stuck wheel today, after pulling the axle and everything else to get the drum of the Eaton. Now it can roll so I can start cutting the bumper brackets off the frame tomorrow, drive it back to the other driveway and commence the diss-assembly of the crap cab in prep for the new cab. I've also got the frame all degreased and ready for sanblasting/paint.

Also waiting for the shop to get back to me about my 98 that has had power surging issues, I couldn't figure it out, local shop couldn't figure it out, so hoping the stealership can get somewhere, I just hope it acts up for them.

I will try to keep the thread up to date, but don't know how faithful I will be to updating it as soon as stuff is done. Hope you all are having fun working on your trucks.

Thanks,
Jr

[RHGuyettejr]

Got a lot accomplished. Wheel is unstuck, and I learned how to dismantle an eaton rear end. I got the new alternator belt so the truck will run now, I guess 20 yr old belts break pretty easy. I also got the bumper brackets the po decided to weld cut off, well one side is off and I need to go pick up another torch blade for the sawzall so I can cut the rest of the 2 inches of weld on the passenger side. I could get an angle grinder in for the top and side welds, but it hits the backside of the bracket on the bottom so I had to use a sawzall and oil the blade while I cut. With 5 new blades it took me 3hrs to get about 80% done. This is when I would like to smack the people who have these brilliant ideas. I digress... here are some pics, stripping it to the frame soon.



Thinking I am going to just oil the frame, and replace all the hardware. I was going to paint it up, but I am going to be driving the truck a lot and not trailering it, so I think the undercoating will hold up fine and I will just paint inside the engine bay and such.

Hope everyone is working hard on theirs.

Thanks,
JR

[RHGuyettejr]

Well I have been back in school for a month now with no time to do anything on the trucks with working 2 jobs on top, but I did manage to get out and start the 69 after 2 months of sitting today, and to my surprise she fired right up. If you want to here it run the video link is below, also I am pretty sure that the guy I bought it from had no buisness adjusting valves because it runs a little rough, although it may be a timing issue, but I am doubtful about that because he told me it ran fine before he adjusted the valves after break in period. I think the motor may have 1k miles on it.

1969 C20 Cold Start - YouTube

[67cheby]

great fleet of trucks !