1970 K20 Z62 Full Restoration

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by Orange71shorty

Did you paint your frame or powder coat? If paint do you mind sharing what kind?

We painted it. I powder coated the Blazer frame....which was fine. But since then we've only painted them. They painted them from the factory...and if there is a problem (something dripped, spilled or scraped) it's a pretty simple fix. Now, I tend to only want to powder coat factory black things that are going to be a tough install or subject to a lot of touches or potential abrasion. They tend to absorb the handling better without getting marked up or dinged.

I'll check with Eric tomorrow on the paint...I don't think it's anything special on this one. We've used different semi gloss blacks. It usually is whatever is in the shop or the paint du jour. The paint store we use honestly has gone through a handful of paint lines in the last couple of years.

Don't forget the General used the cheapest black he could get for those chassis and driveline pieces.

[uncle]

Man oh man! I can see now why you always look for top notch parts. First time in a while I’ve read through a whole build thread,but was worth the time. Excellent workmanship at every corner. I would have already pulled my last 3 hairs by now.

[68bowtie]

I see why you love it. I love it too! I’m a sucker for blue.

[1970cstblazer]

Originally Posted by 68bowtie

I see why you love it. I love it too! I’m a sucker for blue.

This 1970 Dark Blue poly is THE best color on a 1967-72. I always loved the way my grandfather's 1970 K20 looked, even after it was old and beat up.

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by 1970cstblazer

That is strange for sure. Your theory is assuredly what happened. They ran out of the angled, and cobbled a straight one to "fit". Anything was possible then. I'm sure the factory workers never imagined that we would be discovering, discussing, and restoring these machines when they were cranking them out of Flint, St. Louis and Fremont almost 55 years ago.

I've lamented many times about how lucky the Corvette guys are that they've got better documentation on how those cars were put together. But over the course of time...I've come to appreciate how much fun I've had trying solve the mystery.

Originally Posted by 1970cstblazer

This 1970 Dark Blue poly is THE best color on a 1967-72. I always loved the way my grandfather's 1970 K20 looked, even after it was old and beat up.

I sure do like it and was kind of on a mission to find this truck. Glad my sweet wife let me pull the trigger when it popped up on Michigan Craigslist six years ago. Outside of the base 70 K20 on BaT a few months ago, I've not seen another 508 70 K20 for sale anywhere in the time since. Feel pretty to lucky to have it.

[Ol Blue K20]

Looking sharp! I love that blue..

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by BAD1916

Loving the detail. Incredible work!

Sorry I missed ya before. Thanks!

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

Looking sharp! I love that blue..

Gracias!

[IronCanine]

I've gotten to where I like to post completed steps as much as possible. Unfortuantly not a lot of that this week. Some slogging but no scoring. We were luckier than a lot of folks, but Helene did wreak a little havoc for us. More than that it was just (I guess usual) aggravating parts dramas.

Steering link in. (Sometimes you gotta take the low hanging fruit). But even with this I had to special order the pinch bolt that locks in the pitman arm...because GM put a 3-1/4" 9/16-18 bolt in there...and that's even hard to find online if you don't want to buy $400 worth. The first of a few hanging chads this week.

[IronCanine]

Brace yourself I'm about to start talking about InLine Tube.

First the good...(yes I said it, there's some good)...The rear axle brake lines are pretty darn close to factory. A little fighting and stretching, but a very reasonable copy of factory. It's the first time I've installed their rear axle lines on a truck. We've handmade all the others.

And the lines at the front of the truck are good. The only real difference between theirs and factory is they don't have the short coil sheathing section on the cross member line (that leads to the rear brakes) that the factory line has.

[IronCanine]

Now the bad. The long line to the rear brakes is only about 30" short. I assume they split it on purpose since it's so long...but they advertise this kit as a 9 piece. If they did that intentionally, they need to call it a 10 piece and send me an extra line. I'm waiting to hear back to see what their solution is.

I've got a history of dogging InLine Tube on this site. Even though this is a mixed bag situation, it's hard to be very complimentary considering the fact that I'm batting 1.000 on having an issue every time I deal with em. Don't worry, I do try to be nice on the phone.

[DeadheadNM]

Wow!

Good to know nothing has changed over at In Line.

[chewychevy67]

I know your trucks are very detailed to original specs. I was just wondering if you are putting the heat riser valve back on your truck? I believe 4x4s had them on the passenger side correct?

[IronCanine]

Well Rod...you know I would. It's in the book for 67-72 KE trucks, part number 3887024. But then there's this picture here. This is Joe's 10k mile K20 that is so original it's still on the factory rubber. And I don't see a heat riser on it.

So as of now, I'm not going to put one on. I don't really have a problem with it...I'm going to follow factory as much as I can... that picture seems like justification enough to me to omit it.

Of course if I find a 70 Fremont K20 with one I'll change my tune immediately.

[chewychevy67]

Yeah up here they all had them. I'm torn as to what I'm going to do. I could leave it as factory and pit it in or gut the flap out of it and it will still look and work like factory but just won't block any exhaust. I won't be driving it in winter anyway.

[1970cstblazer]

IF we are going by the TBC engine code, then yes, it had one. Don't remember if my grandfather's Canadian built K20 had one. I removed mine 35 years ago because it was a rattling SOB, and threw it in the trash, never to go back on..LOL

[CUSTOM/10]

Wow, just stumbled across this thread. I've rebuilt a few of these 4wd trucks but never paid as much attention to year specific details as you have... Amazing workmanship !!!!
Gary

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by CUSTOM/10

Wow, just stumbled across this thread. I've rebuilt a few of these 4wd trucks but never paid as much attention to year specific details as you have... Amazing workmanship !!!!
Gary

Thanks Gary!

[IronCanine]

Let's get the piddling stuff from the week out of the way first.

I swapped the front wheel cylinders again. See the Centric part numbers (I know I'm the last fool to restore a drum Dana, but maybe someone will want to keep one going...also please disregard the country of origin). I went back and looked at the disassembly pics and the front wheel cylinder bolts were conventional hex and not a flange bolt. Of course these could have been changed over time, but I elected to revert to what was on it.

InLine Tube finally got back to me late in the week about the long brake line to the rear. They admitted that they had sent the wrong line, but since I ordered them in February...they said they'd send me the correct line, but I'd have to pay shipping. Classy.

I did get the Pittman arm bolt in. So if anybody needs one...I've got four to spare.

[wpsharpshooter]

Damn.. It really is quarantined lol.. Nice

[Ol Blue K20]

It's beautiful!

[chewychevy67]

I'd have a hard time coving up the detail. I too am not sure what im going to do on the underside of the cab. I guess ill wait to see what yours looks like first.

[jaros44sr]

image by [url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/97391199@N06

I was degreasing my high hump trans cover the other day and found an unusual color I’d say it’s like a flat UPS truck color, first time I’ve run into this

Great build so far

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by chewychevy67

I'd have a hard time coving up the detail. I too am not sure what im going to do on the underside of the cab. I guess ill wait to see what yours looks like first.

I'm going to have a hard time too.

Originally Posted by jaros44sr

I was degreasing my high hump trans cover the other day and found an unusual color I’d say it’s like a flat UPS truck color, first time I’ve run into this

Great build so far

Thanks for being on board! Every truck we've had (St Louis, Fremont and Atlanta built) have had this primer. Thanks for sharing!

[IronCanine]

Happy Sunday night everybody.

Body work continues on the bed. Primary goal has been to get these pieces to squarely fit together. Eric has made some progress. Some nice work here improving gaps to the gate.

[IronCanine]

Still more work to do though. I want the bed to be as close to factory appearing as possible. There are several tack welds where spot welds should be on this reproduction. These have to be removed and corrected. Also the inner side panel is about an eighth of an inch too short. That'll need a little attention too.

Eric did get the bed floor to a point where it could be "primed". It was suspended to help create the runs that were in my original bed floor. Epoxy primer first.