72 one owner C20 project

[Category4performance]

Well today was finish the new fuel tank install and removed the old tank and bench seat. The tank looks way to new and in great shape to be original but its done its relocated, Problem #1 the tank fill is in the bed i can live with that but to have enough space to make the fill and tank connect i had to cut down the neck of the tank and cut down the fill neck, still it was so close i put a piece of aluminum diamond plate under it to give me a tiny more space, tank works, fuel gauge works and reads correctly. After power washing the cab i removed the original steering wheel and replaced it with a new unit. tracking my carpet my buckets seats and the Blazer console in hopes it will come soon. Plans are to make a box the size of the fuel tank as a dual use area storage and subs on each end to help with the tunes. thanks for looking everyone and good luck on your builds.

[LT7A]

Good work and nice details. I thought it'd be interesting to cut open the original tank and use it for storage. Like cut the top two-thirds of the front side of it off, and then the bottom third could contain items that you store in there. Kind of heavy for a storage box I suppose, but probably wouldn't weigh much more than something made out of MDF. Seems like maybe you should start a build thread if you haven't already. So other folks can see what you're doing. Never mind if you already have.

[Category4performance]

i did see some photos where a guy took his tank and made it a Sub box, i am sure the acoustics are not as good as a MDF box but then again it bolts back in place !!

[Category4performance]

well before the carpet i wanted to build my seat risers and do all my drilling and welding inside the truck. So today was seat day

[Category4performance]

seats and risers

[LT7A]

Those seats look good. Interesting about using the tank as a sub box. Seems it would need a lot of dampening.

[Category4performance]

installed the carpet seats and blazer console, i am still thinking about a thin sub box for the rear that would hold the amp also, On our boat i use a blue tooth unit that plugs directly into the amp i am leaning that way so i dont need to tamper with the original radio,

[Louisvillekytruck]

Great project

[Category4performance]

Today was the day to remove all the old springs hangers and shocks, Most were original i ended up only cutting 2 all the others cam around to my way of thinking with 150PSI and the impact, So all is removed and ready for the lift kit, the only item i am waiting to remove is the steering arm i want to have everything on and the wheels on and everything straight before i pull it and replace it,

[Category4performance]

putting springs that are arched like these are were a Job ! but it worked and i only need to extend my front brake lines, to make it 100% safe.

[Category4performance]

well bumper came with original style brackets; The problem was when they put a work body on the truck the welded plate steel 1/4" over the rear frame rails and a piece of C channel. This made none of the brackets fit or be even close to i used a set of boat stands sat the bumper on there raised it until it was as close as the factory specs said, Then started cutting and welding the brakets in place as there was way to much metal to drill. once the bumper was feeling 100% i realized they had sent no tag bracket with all the other stuff, i has some light stainless that we used to build the interior panels on a car left over so i made my own tag mount and life goes on.

[May70]

I may have missed it but where did you get the seats from? Those look awesome!

[Louisvillekytruck]

Looks great how much did you lift it

[Category4performance]

Seats are for a 72 Blazer By ProCar, 80-1400 i called about 15 places before someone said yes we have a set in stock. i ask in stock you can touch them not order them. She said yes i bought them had them 3 days later, built my own seat brackets to get the correct seat height to match the original bench, the Console is also a 72 Blazer stock item. the lift is a 6" lift but i questioned the guy at Pro comp as the part numbers are the same as a 8" lift. i was told they had been given static due to the true height of what the lift was giving so the new part numbers were the old 8" lift. Odd but to give you a reference the fender lip from the garage floor front and rear of the truck is 49".

[May70]

What caught my eye are the head rests! Very nice.

[Category4performance]

I have gone back and forth about the headrest, original the 72 didn't have them but in 73 they did so the seats look good with them or without them. But as my wife said it may be safer with them but then again with lap belts how safe is it?

[May70]

Im pulling the plug out and doing three points. Why don't you want three points?

[Category4performance]

We have several 70's cars and for whatever reason we don't use the 3-point belts in any of them. Now in my jeep or driving my wife's car or my pulling truck i always buckle up and keep it real i even changed the roll bar in my jeep to a later model so we had 3 points in it in the rear. But lap belts it will be in the old 72.

[Category4performance]

front bumper was a challenge where the snowplow was bolter again there were welded plates and missing brackets so again i was bending drilling and welding. but it seems to have ended well.

[LT7A]

Wow, it looks really good. You turned it into a beast. You may want to repost some of this in a build thread if you haven't already. You'll probably have more people stopping by to check it out. But as far as I'm concerned, it's great right here, because I stop by and check it out every so often. Nice work.

[Category4performance]

Thanks, guys, for all the positive words i build cars and boats all the time it's my retirement gig, But every now and then i get one that sort of takes my heart. this is one bought in 72 by a friend and his wife for a work truck. 3 year's later he needed a bigger truck, so he purchased a K30 and crane and lift gate. This truck was then equipped with a snowplow and stayed in a barn at his house to plow only his driveway and out to the main road in his neighborhood. She is 82 and remembers picking the truck up and taking it to be equipped with the work body and it sitting all year waiting on snow to be the savior. I sold one of our corvettes to buy a Chevelle and then was sidetracked with this truck. This week i was trying to figure out how to hide the class 3 hitch but still make it functional. Here is my best attempt at that. i also have welded up a small aluminum handle to mount over the passenger's door to make it easy for my wife to climb in and out of the truck. i will install small Bully Steps and my intent is to keep it looking 80's i am torn on a roll bar with the 5 KC highlights mounted on it. It will be a garage queen but will be able to two my race car trailer if needed!

[Category4performance]

Ok where is the post for builds? i was going to post it there ?? but as normal without the help of my savvy wife i can't find it.

[LT7A]

Originally Posted by Category4performance

Ok where is the post for builds? i was going to post it there ?? but as normal without the help of my savvy wife i can't find it.

This link should get you there and then you can push the button in the upper left corner to start a new thread.
https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...ysprune=&f=115

I was also wondering if you got a picture of the aluminum handle you mounted. I need to put one of those on the a pillar of my lifted truck.

[Category4performance]

Handle is made but not yet installed i will show it when i have it mounted, i am going to use rivnuts and attach it. i am also wondering what in the heck to do with all my left-over stuff from my build, I like new original fuel tank, the original bench seat that is torn but the springs are good, Not something that could be shipped but someone local might be able to use it. an orginal steering wheel that looks new no cracks, i may sell a few things but the seat and tank for someone who is restoring a C or K 29-72 truck would be a good find. I amn torn about the front hooks and confused under the seat of the truck with the center section of the bumper and other items were a set of the tow hooks. they are the super heavy-duty ones, but both are curved the same direction not away from each other? i ask my local chevy guy he said it was so there was only one forge to operate? Not sure if i am going to use them they look cool i guess but i sure as heck won't be sticking this in the mud to tear up.

[LT7A]

That handle looks cool. I didn't realize you were fabricating one. All of those parts have value. Especially the tow hooks if they are OEM. I don't know the difference between them but I suspect it's K10 vs K30 that determines the size. Somebody who knows the 67-72 trucks better could tell you more.