1971 K20- project just get driveable!!

[Vintage Windmills]

Thanks guys, I need some luck on this one, mainly due to the 60 day thing. I am on day 21 or so now and that means only 39 left to work on this!!

I had to go to the lake this weekend but yesterday I managed to get the donor trans pressure washed and removed from the parts truck. I then pulled the ochre one outside and scraped and powerwashed the 1 inch thick baked on covering off the t case to tranny adapter. Now I can swap the trans without getting dirt in the connections.

Did I mention the np205 looks good? It looks clean on the inside from what I can see through the fill and drain plugs. Finally caught another break on this truck.

I bought a used gearvendors from a board member and I'm trying to figure out if I should put it on this truck or my 01 HD. It wouldn't get as much use on this truck but it would really fill in the gaps of the wide ratio SM465. I could then swap it over to my nice 72K20 when I get that one done. Can't decide at this point.

[DeadheadNM]

Strong work man - put the OD on the K20 so I can see what all is needed for the install I guess I won't see you at the MN State Fair on Friday...more Tom Thumb donuts for me.

[Vintage Windmills]

Pete, I don't really have spare time but I am so tempted to go there for at least cheese curds- man I love those there! Mom is in town this weekend and we will be within 20 mins looking for an GMC Acadia for her. Maybe I will take a couple wrong turns lol. You are welcome to stop out if you have time, I am only 35 mins from fairgrounds. I may have to flip a coin on the gearvendors. Perhaps I will get it running and see how strong the engine really is and then decide.

[DeadheadNM]

Sounds good Jud! Will give you a heads-up if it looks like I can swing it - if it were all up to me I definitely would. Saturday on the way to Coon Rapids I hope to drop an am/fm radio off to a guy in nearby Blaine (http://www.turnswitch.com/index.htm). I've not visited MN in 10 years and have lots of family visits to squeeze in. Let me know if I can help out with any parts you need. Pete

[Vintage Windmills]

32 days left!

Got the first wave of parts in. I've had these airbags laying around, wonder if I could put them on the front axle to support the 900lb snowplow I may put on this K20. They're pretty large in diameter, not sure if they could be fitted.




Got the donor engine and trans all cleaned up and painted. Need to install new thowout bearing, looks like the bellhousing needs to come off to install that? Anyone know off hand for sure?






Here is the used GV unit, not sure but it may need some service? If i turn the output yoke by hand, its hard for a portion of each revolution. Still thinking about which truck to put it on

[hgs_notes]

Don't need rockers to make it driveable lol.

Looking good. Just keep plugging away at it.

[Vintage Windmills]

good point mike! i will give myself a grace period after day 60 for body work. goal is to just address serious rust on this one so its not embarassing to drive but just looks like a good old work truck.

broke the clip on the shifter fork ball mount. ordered one from brothers and hope they ship it quickly so i can have by sat.
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[Vintage Windmills]

Replacing all the brake and fuel lines. Sure is alot easier with engine out.






Only bad news is the adapter sleeve has some wear and the seal is shot in the tcase adapter as shown below:


Think I will put it back together and then put in the new sleeve when I drop the tcase to install the GV in the future. The one sleeve I've got is only 1/3 worn and the trans and t case shafts look good, so I cant complain.

No wear on tranny output

[DeadheadNM]

Can I ship my next K-whatever to you for a restoration ?

[Vintage Windmills]

Sure thing Pete, as long as its a 4x4 they are all fun to me!

I was looking some this weekend for some heavier front springs and it looks like 2 or 2.5 inch springs are a little over $200 each! Seems high for some leafs, these were tough country and skyjacker i think. I've heard rough country are cheaper but don't ride good. Thinking for $400 I would be better off with air helper bags, something like this. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/fip-2451/overview/ Then I think, this is scope creep, I just need to support the plow the cheapest way possible. I wonder if any 73-87 K30 stock leafs would fit? If nothing else maybe a set of 67-72's from a truck with SPID option of heavy front suspension. THis K20 has the standard wimpy 2 leafers.

[ryanroo]

73+ leaves wont work, they are to long.

[badpeanut]

Originally Posted by Vintage Windmills

I was looking some this weekend for some heavier front springs and it looks like 2 or 2.5 inch springs are a little over $200 each! Seems high for some leafs, these were tough country and skyjacker i think. I've heard rough country are cheaper but don't ride good. Thinking for $400 I would be better off with air helper bags, something like this. http://www.summitracing.com/parts/fip-2451/overview/ Then I think, this is scope creep, I just need to support the plow the cheapest way possible. I wonder if any 73-87 K30 stock leafs would fit? If nothing else maybe a set of 67-72's from a truck with SPID option of heavy front suspension. THis K20 has the standard wimpy 2 leafers.

My '72 K10 plow truck also had the standard 2 leaf front suspension. The previous owner added a random third leaf. It carries my 8' Western plow (around 700lb) okay.

An easy but not cheap option is Timbrens: http://timbren.com/timbren-ses/

Personally if I were going to spend hundreds of dollars I'd get 2" lift springs with more capacity. My plow mounts have plenty of adjustment for a higher truck, and more ground clearance never hurts. I haven't gone here yet due to sticker shock; the '73-'91 have cheaper springs but they are too long (as ryanroo stated). I used '73-'91 plow mounts (closest available) and the 2" less from the front spring eye to axle centerline on my '72 caused some fab work.

[Vintage Windmills]

Originally Posted by badpeanut

An easy but not cheap option is Timbrens: http://timbren.com/timbren-ses/

Personally if I were going to spend hundreds of dollars I'd get 2" lift springs with more capacity. My plow mounts have plenty of adjustment for a higher truck, and more ground clearance never hurts. I haven't gone here yet due to sticker shock;

I was thinking about those but then figured for that price, why not get the airbag assist setup? I think i agree the way to go is to get the lift springs since it would just be the simplest. If I just put the timbrens on, it would just be squatting on them all the time. I'm thinking about the heavy duty tuff country (550 rate) 2" lift springs. This truck has heavy rear suspension so it should sit pretty level i think. Now the front is lower than the rear

[Vintage Windmills]

Got the engine and trans in. Need to finish bolting engine down and hook it up!

[Ol Blue K20]

Awesome progress! keep it up

[John H.]

Those brake lines look great. Good fit?
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[STOCKISH]

Nice work man, keep it up!

[Vintage Windmills]

Originally Posted by 1972SuperCheyenne

Nice work man, keep it up!

Thanks!

Originally Posted by John H.

Those brake lines look great. Good fit?
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Pretty good. Just a little massaging to the exact bends but not bad. Only a few issues were minor and as follows: 1) the rear frame rail line was too long, I think it was built for a 72 since it looked like a perfect fit for my 72 K20. The kit did say 71-72. 2) the fuel line was shorter than original but I think I can just use a bit longer flex line to the fuel pump. 3) the short lines up on the master cylinder aren't shaped the same. Overall still glad to have had the kit and will maybe buy one for my 72K20 unless one from inline tube would fit better. For reference to others, this kit was from The Right Stuff company.

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

Awesome progress! keep it up

22 days left! going to hit it hard today, want to just be able to fire it up long enough to back in and out of the shop, i need to get the honda cr250 behind it out for a ride tomorrow.

[Vintage Windmills]

13 days left, oh crap...

Time for an update. Removed all this old weathered and corroded wiring (3 harnesses worth) and replaced it. Got exhaust in, carb on, replaced throttle linkage, cluster, dash pad etc. Engine now cranks over. Some pics:

Old rusty fuse sockets were replaced with harness and block on the right:


All the old wiring out:



Last weekends distraction! Took the 15 y/o bike to a AMA trail ride event and rode for 5 hours. Tired that day for sure.


Also filled Tcase and trans with 80W90. Here is my trick for that:








Need to clean cluster but you get the idea. I hope the guages work, will find out I guess!

[DeadheadNM]

Gonna beat the snow Jud - keep it up...frost is coming!

[Vintage Windmills]

Originally Posted by DeadheadNM

Gonna beat the snow Jud - keep it up...frost is coming!

Pete, I'm hoping for a first snow in late december or better yet, early 2014! Plow needs a new blade skin and I need to fab brackets for it also and paint it. Its basically a project itself.

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by Vintage Windmills

Also filled Tcase and trans with 80W90. Here is my trick for that:

Man I wish I had thought of that when I was doing mine. Still have to do the diffs and I'm gonna try it.

From where you are at now, 13 days is about 12 more than you really need. Finish her up and turn and burn my friend.

[Vintage Windmills]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

Man I wish I had thought of that when I was doing mine. Still have to do the diffs and I'm gonna try it.

From where you are at now, 13 days is about 12 more than you really need. Finish her up and turn and burn my friend.

The gear lube flows pretty slow, its kind of a walk away from it and work on something else for awhile activity. Maybe if a guy got rid of the stock sprayer tank valve and did a straight hose that would help. Either way, you aren't tied up while its filling.

With the hours I'm working, only get an hour a day if I'm lucky to work on it Biggest issue is the brakes haven't been operated in 20 years, so I'm debating if I should tear them all apart before connecting the new brake lines, or just hook em up and see if they work.....then there's the front axle shaft....

[Ol Blue K20]

It's lookin' good, you're doing better than me. Just keep plugging away and you'll get it.
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[hgs_notes]

Swapping the brake components is easy enough to do and the cost isn't that bad. Rather than have a caliper lock up on you or a leaking wheel cylinder a month from now, might as well swap them. It should only take a couple hours to finish up your brakes. You're very close now.