78 K20 custom delux "modern meets vintage" build thread

[Hankster]

Looks good with them wheels!

[K20chevy]

Originally Posted by Ol'_Blue78

This truck is absolutely amazing. With the fuel cell did you have to relocate anything or did you have to run a body lift at all so it clears everything?

Thank you! No body lift. I did have to relocate all the crossmembers in the back. the furthest back had matching holes at the end of the frame, so I just had to drill the rivets out and move the crossmember back and bolt it to the existing holes. The spare tire carrier and front cross member also had to be relocated, but I made it all work with factory stuff. The fuel cell was built so that it clears everything the way it is...

Originally Posted by jhama78

Which end are you linking first front or back? Also do you have an idea of the spring rates that you are going to start with?

The front will be linked first. I already have all the links built, the shock hoops done, etc. All the brackets are there as well, just haven´t had the time to weld it all in yet. I need to do the front first to set the final ride height because of the steering, engine crossmember etc. That will dictate the rear height too. In the rear I´m not sure If I´ll link it or just run long travel deaver springs. To be honest with you, I´d have to look the spring rates up again, it has been so long since I ordered them. I think they are 200 oder 300. But I´ll look it up again to give you the correct numbers.

Originally Posted by Hankster

Looks good with them wheels!

Thank you! looks more old school than the chrome wheels...

[bob_o]

Not really into lifted trucks, always preferred them a little closer to Mother Earth But I just went through this whole thread and it's really inspiring! The fit and finish and build philosophy are badass.

Functionality is clearly #1 while aesthetics play a guiding role, making sure that while this truck is a very capable 4x4, it still looks damn good doing it! Killer truck! Where I've grown up, most lifted trucks are all about looking like an offroad machine, but in reality they're mostly a bunch of pavement princesses. They just make me roll my eyes now.

But seeing your truck makes me want to build my own offroad rig someday I look forward to more updates

[K20chevy]

Originally Posted by bob_o

Not really into lifted trucks, always preferred them a little closer to Mother Earth But I just went through this whole thread and it's really inspiring! The fit and finish and build philosophy are badass.

Functionality is clearly #1 while aesthetics play a guiding role, making sure that while this truck is a very capable 4x4, it still looks damn good doing it! Killer truck! Where I've grown up, most lifted trucks are all about looking like an offroad machine, but in reality they're mostly a bunch of pavement princesses. They just make me roll my eyes now.

But seeing your truck makes me want to build my own offroad rig someday I look forward to more updates

Thank you for the kind words. I appreciate the feedback. I never thought the truck would generate that much interest. I´ll keep the updates coming.

[Ol'_Blue78]

Thats awesome. I was trying to figure out how I can run a fuel cell so I can get rid of the saddle bag and this seems like a real simple solution. Im gonna have to reroute my exhaust though cause I have 3" pipes right down the middle of the frame.

[K20chevy]

Originally Posted by Ol'_Blue78

Thats awesome. I was trying to figure out how I can run a fuel cell so I can get rid of the saddle bag and this seems like a real simple solution. Im gonna have to reroute my exhaust though cause I have 3" pipes right down the middle of the frame.

That is why my exhaust is so short, coming out in front of the rear wheels. It´s jsut the tail pipe, so shouldn´t be much work to change that. You can also runa 40 gal suburban tank with minor mods to the crossmembers. that would be even easier than running a fuel cell like mine.

[Ol'_Blue78]

Thats really good to know. Thank you for the tips and advice. Just need to find my driveshaft slip yoke and I can drive it again! Its been a wild goose chase so far. Looking in to seeing what itll cost me to have a machinist make one for me.

[whitels1]

Thanks for the pics!

[K20chevy]

Originally Posted by Ol'_Blue78

Thats really good to know. Thank you for the tips and advice. Just need to find my driveshaft slip yoke and I can drive it again! Its been a wild goose chase so far. Looking in to seeing what itll cost me to have a machinist make one for me.

Find your slip yoke? Where did it end up? Not an item so small that you could drop and loose, right? Good luck with the drive shaft....

trust me, mine hasn´t been an easy walk either!

Originally Posted by whitels1

Thanks for the pics!

You´re welcome. Hope they are helping you out a little bit.

[Ol'_Blue78]

Nope haven't found it yet. Going to check another shop this week pending a get out of work in time. Talked to a machinist about making one and it'd run me like $800 cause I'd tie him and his machines up for at least two days. If that wasn't a 16 spline shaft that thing would already be back together and the second one broken by now lol.

[K20chevy]

Originally Posted by Ol'_Blue78

Nope haven't found it yet. Going to check another shop this week pending a get out of work in time. Talked to a machinist about making one and it'd run me like $800 cause I'd tie him and his machines up for at least two days. If that wasn't a 16 spline shaft that thing would already be back together and the second one broken by now lol.

$800 for a Yoke, wow. Is your drive shaft so special? For that money you can have the craziest drive sahft custom built. So maybe you should just have acomplete shaft made up with a slip yoke, or convert it to a fixed yoke while you´re at it.

[Ol'_Blue78]

It is a fixed yoke on the t case but has a slip yoke on the driveshaft. The only thing making it hard to find is the spline count. Its a 16 spline and I found a few the right size in 27 & 32 spline counts.

[K20chevy]

Originally Posted by Ol'_Blue78

It is a fixed yoke on the t case but has a slip yoke on the driveshaft. The only thing making it hard to find is the spline count. Its a 16 spline and I found a few the right size in 27 & 32 spline counts.

Do you have a carrier bearing and a two piece drive shaft? I still have my old rear drive shaft laying around. And the truck originally had the 4 speed and 205 combo with the fixed yoke on the t-case and the slip joke at the carrier bearing. It is a 78 also. The shaft might only be shorter because mine had the 14 bolt rear end, yours being a half ton must have the 10 or 12 bolt, right? Or did you swap axles?
If you´re interested in the shaft, pm me...

[K20chevy]

bumper starting to take shape.... all 3/16" steel plate...

[K20chevy]

this ist what the bumper looks like on the truck, just tacked in....









it still needs lights, trailer plug, etc, but the basic shape looks pretty good and old school, I think.

[TheBlueBomber]

I think it looks great! You did a great job on it. I'd love for my metal skills to be at that level one day.

[85k30]

Did you use the master cylinder for the zf, or one from a 80's chevy truck? I can't seem to get enough throw for the slave to work.

[K20chevy]

I used the slave and master from the ZF. I had a custom adapter turned by a local mashine shop to accept the master cylonder plastic "swivel head" that clisp into the original clutch pedal. Sionce that was too long I had to go that way. However in order to get enough throw, you have to relocate the ZF master way up on the fiore wall and weld a bracket to the clotch pedal pretty far up. I still only have about half the trow on the pedal than with the old set up, but that is ok cause it shifts faster that way. But it take some time to get used to. Also you have to be careful with the clutch,pressureplate and flywheel you use. If you don´t combine them correctly, the clutch will already be under pressure, not fully engaging. this will also make the clutch slip at full throttle. (don´t ask me how I know )

I´ll see if I can find some pictures of the clutch set up and the custom stuff on the clutch pedal.

[85k30]

Looking good! Cant wait to see that bumper powder coated!

[K20chevy]

Originally Posted by 85k30

Looking good! Cant wait to see that bumper powder coated!

Thank you! Next is the frenching in o some LED tail lights into the bumper, then getting it coated semi gloss black, like the front.

Still need to mount the hitch, get a tank skid plate made and remount the rear sensor for the adaptive headlights.

Oh and mount the NOS grille I got for it.

Then I might actually drive it for a while before tearing into the suspension front and rear and swapping the entire body to an arizona body.

Then it should be as good as done... but it´ll be a while before that ias all done!

[K20chevy]

did some fender trimming on the aftermarket fenders to clear the 37" MTR´s for now, til I get the OEM fenders modified.









Doesn´t look as bad as I thought it would. I still can´t wait to modify the OEM ones for a factory look!

[85k30]

I finally got my truck on the road! I absolutely love the zf trans! Granted I only need 3 of the 6 gears most of the time. You going to build another trans tunnel for the Arizona cab?

[K20chevy]

Originally Posted by 85k30

I finally got my truck on the road! I absolutely love the zf trans! Granted I only need 3 of the 6 gears most of the time. You going to build another trans tunnel for the Arizona cab?

I got to drive mine again and I love it too. I just have the clutch slipp when I really get on it. Couldn´t find a stronger clutch for this setup though, only for the duramax but not the 8.1, where I have my pressureplate from.. and yes, they are different!!

Yes, but this time the tunnel will look better and more OEM. I will use a 2WD hump under the seat area and a modified 4WD hump up front, so the new hump is all OEM steel as well!

[85k30]

I managed to get mine to look almost factory. I used a trans tunnel from a automatic 4x4 to raise it up and clear, about an inch or so. Had to move the t case hole over and back for the 205 shifter.

[K20chevy]

Originally Posted by 85k30

I managed to get mine to look almost factory. I used a trans tunnel from a automatic 4x4 to raise it up and clear, about an inch or so. Had to move the t case hole over and back for the 205 shifter.

WOW, that looks really good!