My 1967 Chevy K20 Build Thread

[Chaparralman1974]

Originally Posted by MARKDTN

CDB in '72 is a Chevelle or Monte Carlo 350 with powerglide.

That sounds about right. I think the previous owner had swapped it into his '65 Chevy truck. It was painted blue when I got it, but you can see the orange under the blue paint.

My plan at this point is to take the motor down to the short block and inspect everything. If all looks good, then I will just do a complete gasket refresh on it and then put new valve stem seals on it and run it as long as I can. That will allow me to put more money into the body and stuff. I am also going to swap the 327 intake onto the 350 to at least make it look like a 327. I have later model valve covers with holes in them so that should take care of the breather / PCV issues as well. Ideally I will find a 327 in the future, but for now the 350 will get the truck moving.

Thanks, Clay

[Chaparralman1974]

1/15/2023
Frame Day!
Today started with a goal of removing the powertrain from the chassis. I had the motor out in about 10 minutes and decided at that point, that if I ever have to remove an engine again, I will ALWAYS remove the cab and front clip! Over the years, I have pulled dozens of Chevy motors…..cursing and throwing stuff all over the shop as I would labor to climb over and under the truck to get to bolts and remove components. With the powertrain exposed, it is just too simple!
Pulling the motor showed that the clutch was actually in pretty good condition as was the flywheel. I will have the flywheel resurfaced and will be replacing the clutch and throwout bearing for good measure.
The transmission and transfercase came out as a unit, and I lifted them up onto my workbench for now to store them until I can tear into them. My hope is that they are good to go needing nothing but new gaskets and seals. I will tear into them at a later date.
Seeing as how the powertrain came out so easy, I decided to keep working to disassemble the frame today. I began by fully documenting the parking brake cable configuration and routing, brake and fuel lines, as well as all of the frame clip locations. The latter I marked with a “C” punch on the frame at each location. This should aid in installing new clips after I get the frame sandblasted and painted. I then began the removal of the brake lines from the axles. This is where I did encounter a snag. Both the front and rear flexible brake lines were essentially welded to the hard lines at the flared fittings. I did expect this as that is just the nature of old brake lines. As I intend to clean and reuse the fuel and brake lines, I used a tubing cutter and cut off the ends of the hard line. There is more than enough line there to add new flares when it goes back together. For obvious reasons, I will simply replace the rubber parts.
Starting with the rear axle, I marked the leaf springs (driver and passenger), unbolted everything and removed the axle. The same procedure was followed for the front axle after removing the steering gear box.
I now have the bare frame ready to go to the sandblaster. My plan is to paint the frame, axles, and leaf springs with Chassis Saver paint followed by a top coat of Rustoleum Matte Black.
The entire chassis tear down process took 34 man hours to complete. What is amazing, is that during the entire tear down, I only had to break one bolt that was seized on the grill and the two brake line fittings! Every other bolt came off neat and easy! Even the cab bolts came out looking new! I am convinced that this truck had to have been covered or in a barn for a good chunk of its life.

[Chaparralman1974]

1/16/2023
Frame Repairs and Engine Tear Down
Today was full of rain in the forecast, so I decided to cut off the make shift bumper and shock mounts that were added to the frame of the truck. At some point, someone goober-welded a dual shock mount with angle iron and rebar and added a channel iron front bumper mount. The bumper mount was actually welded on fairly well, but the goober-welded shock mount was not. The shock mount required very little cutting with a cuttoff wheel before the welds just knocked off. I wonder if they were welded by the same person. Some surface clean up with a 80 grit flap disk, and the frame is now ready for the sandblaster. I had a brief lull in the weather, so I loaded the frame on the trailer so it is ready to go.
Once the rain picked up again, I was locked in the garage so I decided to tear into the new motor to see what I was dealing with. I was a bit disappointed. Despite being told that it was a “runner” when I bought it, it was clear that this motor had sat out in the elements for some time. Several of the lifters and all of the cylinders were full of rust. The motor had been rebuilt at some point as the pistons are all marked .030 over. Lastly, I verified that the motor is a 2 bolt main. Since I am not too concerned about power, a 2 bolt is fine, but at this point the motor is probably just going to be a core since I am not attached to it. I may just look at a turn key motor now.

[Chaparralman1974]

Frame after cutting off the extra metal and the pile of junk after.

[Chaparralman1974]

This motor is now only good for a core I think.

[Chaparralman1974]

Frame all loaded and ready to get blasted!

[Chaparralman1974]

1/19/2023
The Frame is Sandblasted!
I have been talking to a local company out here in Phoenix called Ace Sandblasting. I let them know what I had and they had me bring the frame down this morning at 5:30am. By 9am, I got a call saying that it was all done! I am very happy with the results, and I would definitely recommend them to anyone in the area needing to have stuff sandblasted.
I have decided to go with Chassis Saver Satin Black paint on the frame. I will likely also do a top coat of Rustoleum in the same satin finish as the Chassis Saver is UV sensitive. It is probably not necessary, but since I have gone this far with things, I might as well do it right. I don’t plan to have the frame off ever again, so now is the time to get it done.

[May70]

Thats a cool project!

[Chaparralman1974]

Originally Posted by May70

Thats a cool project!

Thanks! I am having fun with it so far!

[Chaparralman1974]

1/20/2023 - 1/21/2023
Frame and Front Axle Cleaning
I had left the front engine crossmember bolted to the frame for the sandblasting operation. The same went for the rear spring mounts at the rear of the frame. At some point, the mounts were removed and gusseted in the back. I imagine that something broke at one point in the trucks’ life and repairs were made. I had looked for replacement mounts, but the ‘67-’68’s seem to have oddball stuff here as well. The mounts are not available in the aftermarket, so I will continue to use these. I did run a flap disk around all of the areas that were missed by the sandblaster (namely the engine crossmember and rear spring mounts), so now the frame is ready for paint. It has been pretty cold here the past 2 weeks, and I need to be above 50 degrees in order for the chassis saver paint to stick, so I will wait for the weather to warm up a bit.
I moved my attention to the new front axle. Basically, I took it all apart for a good cleaning and inspection. As expected, the calipers, rotors, bearings, and likely one of the spindles are toast. The brake backing plates are a little beat up, but nothing that can’t be fixed with a hammer and dolly. The steering knuckles and inner axle ujoints seem to be ok. I will will however be replacing the ujoints for good measure since I am already this far in.
I also did a deep clean on the Spicer HubLoc’s. They look in excellent condition, and with a good cleaning and some fresh grease, should last another 50 years.

[Chaparralman1974]

Here are some more pictures of the front axle work.

[Chaparralman1974]

1/24/2023
Springs Done and New Engine Parts!
I got a call from Dunbar Springs saying that my springs were ready to be picked up. They ended up being more expensive than I was originally quoted, but I think that they turned out ok. I had them completely rebuilt with all new bushings, spring bolts, etc. Additionally, I had them re-arched to 1” over stock to allow for a slightly corrected stance on the truck when all done.
Today I also ended up finding a great deal on a 327 motor. This 327 had been rebuilt, but somehow water got into the motor and messed things up a bit. All in all, the block is in great condition! I am hoping that all the cylinder bores will need is a good honing, but at most I am thinking that it will only have to go .040 over bore. The heads are basically brand new. They are 1.94/1.50 64cc 3947040 castings that are the same as the coveted “Camel Hump” heads. From what I understand, these heads were only used for about 2000 miles and were swapped out in order to provide for a later model serpentine belt setup. They are in excellent condition and are “bolt on ready”. This should save time and money down the road when I get the motor rebuilt.

[Chaparralman1974]

1/282023 - 1/29/2023
Chassis Painting
This weekend finally saw the painting of the chassis. I was able to paint the frame, front axle, and the leaf springs. I decided to go with Chassis Saver as a base coat and then followed up with 2 coats of Rustoleum in satin black. This should make for a hard finish that will last for a long time.

[Chaparralman1974]

1/30/2023
Leaf Spring Issues
Well, to say that I am pissed off is an understatement! Upon closer inspection of the leaf springs, it would appear that all Dunbar did was push in new bushings and spray some paint on the outside. The hardware was not replaced and neither was the teflon wear pads despite being told that they would be changed out. I decided to take one of the leaf springs apart and sure enough, it was rusty on the inside. They didn’t take them apart at all. It looks like I will be calling them to see what happened.
Additionally, I found that the driver side rear leaf spring hanger is bent. I noticed that the spring appeared slightly twisted when looking at it from the front and rear. I took a measurement from the frame to the outside of the hanger and noticed that it was ¼” different than the passenger side, so it looks like I will have to source new hangers.

[rodstored-72]

WOW!! you got alot of progress done! nice job! I will follow along to see a fellow "zonie" get another project on the road too!

[Chaparralman1974]

EDIT on the Spring issue. I called Dunbar and they were very helpful! I explained the situation and they asked me to bring the springs back in to have them redone properly. John apologized, and assured me that this was not normal for their quality. I will get them dropped off and see what happens.


Clay

[GAc10boy]

I'm all in for this one! Keep it coming. That's a super solid truck!

[Chaparralman1974]

2/1/2023
My new Spicer Hub Loc dials just showed up in the mail!! I found these on Ebay and ordered them about a week ago. The original dials were cracked and faded, so I got me a set of these. I think they look awesome! I spent about 20 minutes just staring at them.

[best view]

They look great

[Chaparralman1974]

2/4/2023
Rear Axle and Transmission Crossmember Cleaning
The rear axle itself was not that bad to clean. I have observed that the gear oil that leaks out of the differentials (both front and rear) when combined with dirt and left to bake in the sun for years, turns into a hardened mess that is like concrete! I found that the best way to tackle this is to use lots of oven cleaner and let it soak for at least an hour and then hit it with the pressure washer using a 0 degree tip. This blasts off all of the hardened grime and gets you down to just dirty metal. From there it is an easy operation with an angle grinder with multiple different types of wire wheels. I have decided at this point to stay with the original axle that came with the truck (Eaton HO52) for several reasons. First off, after a lot of thought and consideration, I decided that I don’t want to tackle the spring perches and jounce stops. I can do it, and it isn’t that hard to weld, but it really is just added work that won’t gain me that much. The axle itself is in good condition. The only real reason that I wanted to swap for the 14 bolt axle is so I would have matching 4.10 gear ratios front and rear. The reality is that the 4.57’s will honestly suit me fine for the intended purpose of the truck which is the occasional in town driver and not as a freeway machine. Another reason to stay with the HO52 is for originality. I really do want to keep the truck as original as possible. There is always the possibility that I can find a drop in 4.11 carrier sometime in the future. For now, I will most likely pull the drums and brakes off of the 14 bolt and will graft them onto the HO52. I ordered a set of 1971/72 HO52 hubs off of eBay that are setup for 9/16” studs, so the plan is to use those hubs, install new bearings and seals, and use the drums, hardware, and backing plates off of the 14 bolt in my build. That will give me the best of both worlds….an axle that has a bit more modern brakes, but is otherwise original.
The transmission crossmember was a bit of work compared to the axle. The grease and grime was like granite mixed with concrete! Furthermore, there was rocks, grease, and debris wedged into the different sections of the crossmember. This left me no choice but to grind down the rivets and clean each piece separately. The smaller pieces I let soak in kerosene to soften the grime, and the larger pieces I used extra oven cleaner on. After that, I hit everything with a wire wheel including the original bolts. I think it all turned out fairly well. Next up will be paint, and then I can begin reassembling the rolling chassis.

[72 tigger]

Great truck and progress!

[Short 3/4]

I like that you’re keeping the HO rear. It’s one of the things that makes this truck unique. I have also always liked the drop out feature of that diff.

One thing you might want to do while you have it all apart is put in a drain plug. That’s the only thing they forgot and will insure a long and happy life for those gears.

Have fun with the project
Tom

[Chaparralman1974]

2/5/2023 - 2/20/2023
Front Axle Assembly, Rear Axle and Transmission Mount Cleaning
Due to work, vacation, and a plethora of family commitments, I have not been able to spend a lot of time on the truck over the past few weeks, so it has pretty much been a situation where I go out and tinker with it when I can. That said, I was finally able to assemble the front axle and get it installed onto the chassis. I still need to go back into the front end to regear it to match the rear (it has 4.10’s in the front and 4.57’s in the rear) but I am holding off on regearing the front in the off chance that I can locate a 4.10/4.11 dropout for the rear axle. In any event, it is not something that I need to get done right now. Additionally, the front spindles, bearings, races, and grease seals were shot. It was evident that the new donor axle has seen better days. Again, given the relative ease to replace these components, it is not something where I really want to spend money right now. I would rather use my limited budget on other things at the moment. I can always disassemble the front end again and fix what is needed. I did install new rotors, ball joints, and axle shaft u-joints though as they are a one time install thing. I will also likely have to spring for a new set of tie rods so that the wheels don’t flop around as I move the chassis around the garage. I spent a lot of time doing a thorough cleaning of the Spicer hub locks and they move really nicely and I have to say that I am very pleased with the new dials. I still need to get calipers for the front as well, but again, that is not something that I need right now.
Regarding the rear axle, the brakes were beyond shot. The drums were so badly grooved, rusted, and packed full of dirt that there was simply no way to salvage them. I was going to attempt to use the drums and backing plates off of my donor 14 bolt axle, but they were honestly in no better shape than the Eaton, so I made the decision to just go with a disc conversion in the rear. I will only spend a little bit more overall, and will have a better brake system than I could with drums. Additionally, it is a lot less work to just do the conversion than to try to repair the drum setup. I also sourced a new set of hubs for the rear axle that uses 9/16” wheel studs. I know that I could have just drilled out my existing hubs, but I found a set that was reasonably priced so I went that route. This also means that I will be replacing the wheel bearings and races, but I would probably have done that anyway for good measure. The end result will be a reliable rear axle that should last for years to come. I still need to replace the pinion seal on the rear axle (and also the front), but will do that later down the road.
Lastly, I was able to get the transmission cross member and brake/fuel lines cleaned up. The cross member turned out better than I expected. My plan for the brake and fuel lines was to clean them up with an SOS pad and then do a clear coat over them. That way they will have a somewhat “patina” look to them so that the under carriage has that original look to it.
Another topic worth noting is regarding the rear spring hangers and the leaf springs in general. Starting with the leaf springs, I had taken them back to Dunbar to have them arched (they failed to do it the first time) as well as to basically complete the work that they were supposed to do in the first place. Well, once again they didn’t replace the center pins like they said they would and they didn’t disassemble the front leaf packs to clean in between the individual leafs. At this point, I don’t trust them to do anything, so I just took the springs and went home and finished it myself. I am very disappointed, and I feel that I was lied to, but what are you going to do?? I will never use them again, nor will I recommend them to anyone. They did properly arch them and put bushings in, but they didn’t do what they had promised and then screwed up again when I brought them back.
Also, regarding the spring hangers, I found a used set online as the originals were bent and were causing the rear springs to twist. Unfortunately, the replacements that I ordered don’t fit my springs. So I contacted Valley Spring Service and they are fabricating a new set of hangers that are custom matched for my springs.

[Chaparralman1974]

Rear Axle:

[Chaparralman1974]

Brake / Fuel lines Before and after: