72 K20 been parked for 31 years!!

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice work on your tcase.

[Vintage Windmills]

Picked up the engine block, oil pan and manifold yesterday! Feels good to have them home. I had to pick up the block and set in the shop by myself- wasn't too bad but it might be heavier than the np205. The shop ended up doing the following to the block:

Cleaned, blasted, magnafluxed, bored 0.040, checked main bearing alignment, verified deck was within 1.5 thousandths for flatness, installed cam bearings, brass freeze plugs, all other plugs, and painted it. They also hot tanked the pan and manifold and blasted and painted those. I am pretty satisfied but I still need to check vs pistons. They bored 0.0005" over 0.040 which is the start of the required range for the molly pistons I am picking up so all should be good there pending confirming measurements.

Going to visit the engine guru in Iowa on saturday to pick up the pistons and the rest of the parts package he has put together for me. More details to come on that but it will be a nice little package that gives stock look on the outside, original block, yet all the power, efficiency and reliability of a more modern engine. It will have a Comp cams roller cam setup, Vortec improved heads, and ported/polished cast intake. Looks like I'll have $3k in the engine with parts and machining if I do all the assembly. Heres the stuff from machine shop.

[72GMCK-2500]

Great progress! keep up the good work

[Vintage Windmills]

Here are some pics of it all back together and painted. The red oxide primer was the closest I could find to original. I am pleased with the look of the bare aluminum covers since they were sandblasted lightly. Thinking I'll clear coat the entire thing after I reproduce the yellow factory chalk markings (or was it yellow paint?).
Even got the trans adapter new bearing and seals in place and installed. Been working on figuring out engine details also.

[Vintage Windmills]

Also wanted to share some of the additional O rings I added along the way to help make t case as leak proof as possible. Also I used blue locktite on all threads so hopefully fasteners wont have seepage either.

R22 o ring on the center shaft between the washer and shaft.
R14 o ring on speedo drive shaft nut
RTV under washer and R11 on top off front output yoke nut.
R05's under detent spring plugs (top of case)

[Palf70Step]

Excellent work. all I have ever seen under any of the 4WDs I had was grease, mud and red clay.

[VA72C10]

Looks great!

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice additional sealing resolutions and nice engine pieces!

[Vintage Windmills]

Thanks guys. Now the focus turns to getting the engine together.

Here are the parts-
Original block, crank, valve covers, intake, rams horns but everything else is new and upgraded. Vortec improved heads, Full roller cam setup, mahle pistons, Eagle rods, Erson rocker arms, etc. I had the original crank balanced and weight matched pistons and rods. Again, the goal is a truck that delivers smooth power with good idle while making ~360 ft lbs torque for towing and being capable of reliably going across the country, all while looking stock on the outside. What do you think of the components? Now lets see if I can get all this together the right way......

[Vintage Windmills]

More pics

[VA72C10]

Nice parts!!!

[oldblue1968chevy]

Nice.

so are you giong to run centerbolt valve covers or use an adaptor to run perimeter covers or what

[hgs_notes]

Looks like his heads are the kind that fit the old style covers. You can see the holes on the bosses for them. Nice parts you got there. Those rockers look stout. I think you are sacrificing a lot of power potential using the stock manifolds though. What are you going to use for carburation?

[Vintage Windmills]

Originally Posted by oldblue1968chevy

Nice.

so are you giong to run centerbolt valve covers or use an adaptor to run perimeter covers or what

Original valve covers will be used. The heads are setup for both mountings.

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

I think you are sacrificing a lot of power potential using the stock manifolds though. What are you going to use for carburation?

How much torque or HP would you guess? Anything out there that would look stock? I'd like to avoid headers for that reason. I've got the name of a Q jet expert that should be able to properly tune it for my setup. Thoughts on the q jet? Again, want it to look stock.

[hgs_notes]

Q-jets work great when set up properly, not something I can do. I can make them work, tuning not so much. They are good for gas mileage with the smaller primaries, then will give you the power you want when the secondaries kick in. There are guys running an old corvette exhaust manifold that has a larger bore and much less back pressure. I'm sure you could find he casting numbers doing some searching around here or just google. I think thay have a 2-1/2" outlet. Not sure if they are a ram horn style though.

I'd bet you would lose at least 25 HP, and similar torque runnning stock manifolds though. Probably not on the low end where most of the driving is done, but top end when it really moves a lot of air. The stock manifolds will basically nullify the advantages of the vortec heads and that fancy valve train you have. You might look up casting numbers for the high power small blocks of the late 60's. Some of the camaros chevelles novas etc also had high power small blocks, just rare. The cost will be high but probably comparable to nice coated headers.

[badpeanut]

Here are some good threads on readily available 2.5" ramshorn exhaust manifolds that would look almost factory:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=329216

http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/sh...hp?tid/256915/

[Vintage Windmills]

Thanks guys- lots of good info in that thread. it looks like heat stove might not fit though with some and I'd like to keep that. May fit with the vette ones? Maybe I could custom make one or something. I like the products that speedway has in the pics below, the stainless cast ram horns in small pic are tempting but shape looks more different from stock and than the vette ones in big pic). Decisions decisions. I wonder how much I'd be at torque wise with each version. Both are 2.5 outlet so maybe it doesn't matter. Maybe one fits better with the vortech heads? Looks like I need to do research.

[Dieselwrencher]

I wouldn't waste my time with the heat riser either way. Who's going to riducule the truck if it isn't there? I'd try to use the best flowing manifolds you can get. I know you want it to look stock, but some times stock or near stock just won't work in a performance set up like you're going with.

[hgs_notes]

I happened to have come across a 66 corvette stingray in a shop I stopped at today. Smallblock with ramshorn style manifolds. The shop lead did not know if the car was a hi-po one, but the owner bought it in 1969 and has not really changed anything.

[litew8]

Really Ryan So you think MY setup isn't going to work right? (kidding) You're setup looks similar to mine Vintage. I'm sticking with stock exhaust manifolds and my heads are vortec equivalent. Who is your Machinest in Iowa? Nice work/build btw.

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

I know you want it to look stock, but some times stock or near stock just won't work in a performance set up like you're going with.

[Dieselwrencher]

Litew8, I use Pettit Machine and Baker machine on most of my stuff. As far as restricting exhaust manifolds, no, it doesn't help. On any engine. Thanks, it's a long time coming.

[litew8]

Sorry Ryan, the Machinest question was directed @ Vintage. The exhaust manifolds/headers - I don't think it's a measurable difference for casual driving.

[mcbassin]

Looks like a great bunch of High $$$ parts you have stacked up there!

[teeitup]

WOW Jud, your doing awesome!!!!!!!!!!!

[nuke1]

looking really good, love the detailed build