The Hillbilly Deluxe dually build

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by TheBlueBomber

Good deal on the K2500. Dually or no?

Just a single wheel long bed 3/4 ton 4wd.

Believe me, its nothing to see. The truck is rough and shabby. But its white, has a granny 4 speed and good 8 lug four wheel drive chassis.

[tekin112000]

Firefighter,

If you ever get the time would you take a few photos of your bike collection?

Thanks

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

Pretty soon its gonna be time to move on to something else. I want to restore some old tools and machinery for my workshop. I need to restore my old Ford 8n tractor (again). I want to do some fence work around our land and raise goats. There's one more motorcycle I want to restore for my collection (a Bultaco). Lots of stuff out there to do beyond Chevy trucks.

I hear you there. I've finished my C-10 build. I have a nice Jimmy to play with now, and my in-laws are holding a 72 C-30 extended wheelbase flat bed for me which doesn't need restoration, just paint to pretty it up and some changes to make it a car hauler. That's all I want for trucks. There are several other things I'd like to build. Maybe a bike or 2, a cobra kit car, a muscle car, a manx style dune buggy, might even try an old fat fender car. I saw a 46 Olds 2 door sedan not long ago that has been stuck in my head ever since.

BTW, I came across a bultaco not long ago.

[Low Elco]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

Ryan, I think that's a pretty good compliment you paid me.

I'm serious when I say it though, I'm about done. You're not gonna see me build very many more trucks. I'm tired.

I'm 7 years away from retiring from the fire department and I decided to go ahead and build my "rest of my life trucks". I wanted a dually for heavy work duties and a 4 wheel drive for everything else. I swore to not compromise. My requirements for each were TBI engines, standard transmissions, white color, regular cabs. I now have both of them.

Pretty soon its gonna be time to move on to something else. I want to restore some old tools and machinery for my workshop. I need to restore my old Ford 8n tractor (again). I want to do some fence work around our land and raise goats. There's one more motorcycle I want to restore for my collection (a Bultaco). Lots of stuff out there to do beyond Chevy trucks.

"Got a gunnnn rack, goat ropers need love too sticker. Aaaaaand it's uuuup againnnnst the waaaalllll redneck motherrrrrr...."

[Big Tex]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

"Got a gunnnn rack, goat ropers need love too sticker. Aaaaaand it's uuuup againnnnst the waaaalllll redneck motherrrrrr...."

Thanks! I never knew what the words were between "gun rack", and "and it's up..."

"Goat ropers need love too sticker" huh? You don't know how many years i've just mumbled through that part...

[Low Elco]

Listening to it sober helps-But where's the fun in that?

[Tx Firefighter]

My McMaster Carr order with the stainless fuel filler hardware is still stuck for 7 days now in UPS Georgia hub.

Rockauto order of front brake hoses and caliper rebuild kits showed up today. Of course I'm stuck at the station working. My wife sends me texts with pictures of my stuff that shows up while I'm at work.

Nothing new to report otherwise.

[eldogg]

Sounds like a good score on the K2500. We have a 95 K2500 8 lug 8600+ GVW ext cab lwb. I absolutely love that truck. My wife is normally the one who gets to drive it.

[Tx Firefighter]

Y'all don't go all getting excited about the 4 wheel drive. It's fairly haggard around the edges. I'll get pics when I pick it up tomorrow. Here is the Craigslist picture though. Again, this truck is years beyond wearing a white wedding dress if you know what I mean.

[MalibuSSwagon]

yea, well thats a Texas truck. In New England that thing would be mint, guy. We've had a few of those, they just rust like crazy. The frame broke above the rear axle on my Dad's last 94, never mind the cab mounts that completely rotted thru. Dents are easy....rot is not haha

[83GMCK2500]

I think my favorite detail thus far is what looks to be the Sharpie style 4x4 on the bedside.

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by 83GMCK2500

I think my favorite detail thus far is what looks to be the Sharpie style 4x4 on the bedside.

If you look closely, there is a long "barbed wire" pinstripe down the lower body line. They used the left over pinstripe to do the 4x4 with. As soon as I paid for the truck I took my thumbnail and began to rake the pin striping off to make sure it wasn't stuck too bad. Believe me, that crap is as good as gone as soon as I get it to the shop.

[Low Elco]

Shoot, it'll give you something to pick at a little at a time. Good solid bones.

[68Timber]

I did not know the SM465 was still available at that point. Cool truck. No diesel love?

[GCncsuHD]

Originally Posted by BRUISER

I did not know the SM465 was still available at that point. Cool truck. No diesel love?

The NV4500 didn't replace the SM465 until 1992.

[83GMCK2500]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

If you look closely, there is a long "barbed wire" pinstripe down the lower body line. They used the left over pinstripe to do the 4x4 with. As soon as I paid for the truck I took my thumbnail and began to rake the pin striping off to make sure it wasn't stuck too bad. Believe me, that crap is as good as gone as soon as I get it to the shop.

Oh, that is wonderful. Some people are just, special. Looking forward to your attention to detail going into this truck.

How is the front end on the dually?

[TheBlueBomber]

Oh thats a cool truck.

[Big bad Green]

Who bought your 78

[Tx Firefighter]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Shoot, it'll give you something to pick at a little at a time. Good solid bones.

It took me about three minutes to get the 4x4 sticker removed with my thumbnail. I can't say strongly enough, I love this truck. I don't know of any other truck I've owned, and that's a bunch of trucks, that I so quickly got attached to. Me and this truck are gonna have quite a relationship.

Originally Posted by BRUISER

I did not know the SM465 was still available at that point. Cool truck. No diesel love?

I've had five Cummins trucks. I like them plenty but the Dodge part wore me smooth out. Currently, I just don't want to dig off into a diesel conversion into a non Dodge truck.

Originally Posted by Big bad Green

Who bought your 78

No one. It's sitting by my shop. I don't really care for the truck so I haven't even touched it in a few weeks. I'll either part it out or sell it soon. I either bond with a truck or not, and that truck is most definitely a "not". Now, this new 4x4 I picked up today, I really, really like that truck. Its a pile of junk, but I couldn't be happier. That ones not going anywhere. Before I had it up to fourth gear, I knew I had found my new keeper.

That said, I spent the morning retrieving the 4x4 home and poking at a few things on it. But, this afternoon, I drove it to the parts store and borrowed their ball joint tool. When I got home, I got the front suspension of the dually reassembled. I still have to do the rotors and brakes, but the control arms, springs, shocks, ball joints, and basically the hard stuff is now finished. I should have it sitting on Alcoas fairly soon.



No, I didn't go all mental on detailing the suspension. I just cleaned and painted the stuff I worked on and left the rest au natural. It's all been pressure washed clean several times so there's nothing under there that I'm really ashamed of.

[ryanroo]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

I've had five Cummins trucks. I like them plenty but the Dodge part wore me smooth out. Currently, I just don't want to dig off into a diesel conversion into a non Dodge truck.

Come on! we have an entire section of the site for our absurdity! ive been thinking about buying and swapping a gmt400 for a few days. ive even sniffed a couple out

[Sodell]

I got this 88 off of a farmer up here and it was a basket case, it my daily driver now....it had those black busted black fender flares on it. I have not found a decent set of those around. I have rebuilt the engine, trans case front end, replaced the bed, bumper, tailgate, drivers door, fenders, and fixed every little detail I could possibly fix, the lights on the floor 4x4 shifter even work....I like white trucks with TBI as well, my 87 is white and TBI. It's easy to find nice body parts...

[83GMCK2500]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

It took me about three minutes to get the 4x4 sticker removed with my thumbnail. I can't say strongly enough, I love this truck. I don't know of any other truck I've owned, and that's a bunch of trucks, that I so quickly got attached to. Me and this truck are gonna have quite a relationship.

YESSSSSSSS!!!

[bluex]

Originally Posted by Sodell

I got this 88 off of a farmer up here and it was a basket case, it my daily driver now....it had those black busted black fender flares on it. I have not found a decent set of those around. I have rebuilt the engine, trans case front end, replaced the bed, bumper, tailgate, drivers door, fenders, and fixed every little detail I could possibly fix, the lights on the floor 4x4 shifter even work....I like white trucks with TBI as well, my 87 is white and TBI. It's easy to find nice body parts...

If you don't have to have oem ones they sell repops on ebay for like $135 shipped for a set of 4.

I know a few guys over on gmt400 could probably get you a nice used set if you want oem though...

[rusty76]

That's a total bummer about the '78. I was looking forward to reading about it. Oh well. I'll take the control arms and all the suspension, lol.

[darkhorse970]

'78? Got pics? How did I miss that?