65 C10 Family Connection

[JohnIL]

Originally Posted by FamilyTruckster65

I have decided that the Chevy is too far gone to mess with. I am now going to focus my energy on stepping up the Gator with the 6.2 and 8 speed.

Has anyone seen a bolt on kit for this? JCWhitney maybe?

That's going to be one speedy gator! I suppose it might make your C10 scoot pretty good too. Have fun with the engine swap. I'm considering transplanting an LS in my '65 too.

John

[FamilyTruckster65]

Initial drop in to see whats up. I will be moving it rearward from where it is in the pictures. I want a bit more room between the accessories and the radiator. I will need to clearance the firewall for what I am trying to do.

[FamilyTruckster65]

The Speed Engineering headers fit well.

[FamilyTruckster65]

Started putting together the front suspension bits.

[FamilyTruckster65]

Dug the wheels out of my buddies attic. I bought them in early 2000. They were still in the origional boxes. American Eagles, they are no longer in business. Got their new shoes mounted on them too.

[FamilyTruckster65]

Had to see what the fit was like. It'll work.

[FamilyTruckster65]

The rear trailing arms were rusted enough from sitting in the dirt for all those years that it was time to do something else.

Got these from TinWorks. Very nice quality and they have great customer service.

[joesscamaro]

Nice looking pieces there! Keep the pics and updates coming.

[FamilyTruckster65]

Prepping the crossmemebers from Tinworks. Needed a to do something for a transmission mount for the new automatic as a 4 speed was coming out. We also have here a new trailing arm cross member. Both have passages for the exhaust to go through.

[FamilyTruckster65]

Got the cab moved to make it easier to work on. Stock crossmembers removed. Frame cleaned up and painted from the front to the back of the cab. Here is the Nolimit crossmember installed.

[FamilyTruckster65]

I would like to run an X pipe. But there are some challenges...http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/i...ilies/sumo.gif

[FamilyTruckster65]

Hmm. Looks pretty good, but could use a little something...

[FamilyTruckster65]

Well...I did it now.

[Braunschweiger]

Good progress. The cut is made.

[FamilyTruckster65]

The ol hydraulic lift table came in very handy for this part. Both the first and second cuts were opened up 1 3/8". A plate was tacked in the gap of the horizontal flange of the frame. In the second picture you can see the beveled filler plate next to the protractor soon to be welded in.

Use jackstands and scissor jacks to level the frame in all directions. Essentially the frame is sitting on them at the radiator core support and the front and rear cab mounts. The hydaulic table is supporting the rear of the frame and is kept level side to side. Taking your time with this part pays off with the whole job.

The engine/trans and cab are all in place to provide some weight on the frame for stabiltiy.

[FamilyTruckster65]

Originally Posted by Braunschweiger

Good progress. The cut is made.

Thank you, Harald. I love how your '62 finished up. That was an incredible amount of work.

[FamilyTruckster65]

The next two cuts and filler pieces tacked in to stabilize before final measuring.

Ideally the cut for the turndown after the axle should be a little further aft but that would have begun to complicate the mounting of the rear tank. If I do it over I would place that cut 3/4"-1" rearward. I still have good clearance for the axle at full compression as it is. Visually it would look better with that extra inch.

[FamilyTruckster65]

Next we make good fitting filler plates and burn them in from both sides. On the top flange of the frame, holes were drilled at then end of the grinder cut to help relieve a stress riser that could develop in that area.

[FamilyTruckster65]

Welds cleaned up, next stop, paint.

[caseyjones]

That looks so much better than the huge step notch. Does this method end up moving the fore/aft location of the upper spring mount very much?

[FamilyTruckster65]

Originally Posted by caseyjones

That looks so much better than the huge step notch. Does this method end up moving the fore/aft location of the upper spring mount very much?

It did move the upper mount toward the front minimally. I am using air bags and will show them installed later. I am also centering the wheel in the fender opening. The bag alignment looks pretty good although I can move the top mount as required.

Now the bigger change is the frame is shorter from this. Approximately one inch. In addition to needing to fabricate the two front mounts for the bed the last mounting location on the bed crossmember under the tailgate is past the end of the bed. I will need to fab something there also.

[FamilyTruckster65]

Just some rattle can until fab is finished.

[Braunschweiger]

You have a plan, things are going well, I'm curious.

[FamilyTruckster65]

A little before and after picture.

[cwcarpenter98]

I like your way of making room for the axle a lot better than the typical step notch.

On the extension needed for the rear of the frame, if you're trying to stay with a mostly stock looking frame, maybe you could get the rear section of rails from a long bed frame to get the length needed?