72 k20

[57taskforce]

Here’s some more action shots from last night and today!

[57taskforce]

More

[57taskforce]

And one more:

[57taskforce]

Last night I prepped, painted and seam sealed the bottom of the cab. I painted it with the same chassis saver paint I used on the frame. Should keep the rust at bay for a good while. I used lord fusor 800 dtm seam sealer. Then I set the cab in place with new cab mount bushings, I still need to shim the cab and square it all up. Today I set the bed on the frame, and installed the rear drive shaft. I then calculated and set the pinion angle for the rear end. I tacked the perches to the axle tubes for now. In the next week or so I’m hoping to pull the rear and weld the perches and shock mounts up permanent. At that point I’ll clean and paint the rear end. If you haven’t read the whole thread it’s got a floating 14 bolt from a later truck in it. It’s nice to see it all taking shape again. Progress is the best motivator. The shop crane truck was a real life saver for setting both the bed and the cab.

[57taskforce]

I also realized tonight that I never posted a picture of my 205 after it was gone thru.

[Jeff's bowtie's]

Very nice work Tyler keep it up!!

[undertaker72]

tyler , that truck is awesome , you have done a excellent job on it , from when you picked it up here , its been awesome watching your progress keep up the great work

[DeadheadNM]

Originally Posted by undertaker72

tyler , that truck is awesome , you have done a excellent job on it , from when you picked it up here , its been awesome watching your progress keep up the great work

X2 - strong work man

[57taskforce]

Thanks guys! Kevin, your right this thing has come a long long way. Once I get it together I’ll have to make a road trip up there so we can catch up. I’m sure you’ve got some new additions to your stash! Pete and Jeff, thanks for keeping up! Got a little more done today. Steering box rebuilt, painted and installed, hydraboost mocked up so I can sort out the lines, hydraulic clutch hard lines mocked up so I can measure for the stainless jic hose. If anybody reads this and wonders how I got the willwood clutch master to play with the gm slave, here goes. I get all of these kinds of parts from Jegs but I’m sure Summit and the others will have them. You’ll need (2) 3/16 inverted flare to -4 an adaptors, (1) m12-1.5 to 3/16 inverted flare adaptor, a couple foot or so of scrap 3/16 tubing, -4an braided stainless hose or 1/4” jic to fit depending on how you run your hard lines. Took a little searching to figure out the size of the gm slave fitting. I suppose you might could buy a set of factory style square body hydraulic clutch lines and cut the master side fitting off and swap a 3/16 inverted flare in its place but I don’t know that for sure.
Here’s how it looks.

[57taskforce]

And another showing a rough idea of the clutch line setup minus the braided stainless line. I should have that Monday.

[57taskforce]

Well I’ve got a little bit more to add. Here’s a couple pictures, I thought I had a better angle of it all but this is the best I have one my phone. New master cylinder, hydraboost lines are all done. All that’s left in the brake system is to rebuild the rear brakes and bend up a hard line for the rear axle. Getting closer. I haven’t had much to time to work on it this summer, I’ve had family visiting from home off and on most of the summer. Hopefully in the next few weeks I can get back to it. Really in order to running and driving I probably have a months’ worth of work but it’s finding that month to work on it that can be hard. Here’s an awkward picture of the hydraboost setup. I’ll get a better one soon. I’ll also outline how I went about the hydraboost swap in case anyone is curious.

For my hydraboost I used the following:
Captainfab hydraboost mount plate
hydraboost unit from an 08 Silverado 2500hd, from the stock 72 pump to the h.b. Unit I used a combination of a new line for a 77 k30 with h.b. And the line from the 08. I cut the booster side of the k30 line and flared it so I could use a union and adapt it to the o ring metric side of the 08 line as seen below(note the union in the line coming from the h.b.). For the booster to the pump I used the line from the 08. I cut the metric nut off of the steering box side and used the standard nut and re flared it. For the return I used the factory hard line on the steering box and the 08 factory molded rubber. I joined the two return lines from the booster and box with a brass hose tee into the single return on the 72 pump. I also used the stock NAPA replacement master cylinder for a 72 K20 and the original proportioning valve. I’ll get some better pictures soon. I found another one with the booster to box line mocked up I’ll post it up too. It will require very slight trimming of the inner fender to clear the steering box side of the line.

[57taskforce]

Mock up picture
Ignore the pump to booster line here that’s laying across the steering box return line, it’s the one from the 08 and I couldn’t get it to work like I wanted. Notice how well the 08 booster to pump line hugs the top of the steering box. It really is a nice fit.

[57taskforce]

The last 6-8 months have been pretty busy for me. I’ve finally freed up some and started working on my truck again. I’ve got the cab level and square, transfer case shift linkage and shifter hooked back up, all the seam sealing around my rust repairs is done, the rear axle perches and shock mounts are burned in permanent, the rear drive shaft is in for hopefully the last time for a while, the exhaust manifolds are on and the fenders and core support are mocked up and door/fender gaps set. Most of this has happened over the last week or so but there was some done last fall as well. Pics incoming!

[57taskforce]

fenders and core support on.

[57taskforce]

Shock mounts and perches welded up.

[57taskforce]

I won’t lie, this is where a lot of my automotive related attention has been the last several months: 2010 2SS/RS L99 6 speed auto, black leather, Aqua Blue Metallic with silver stripes.

[joeydurango]

Nice work, Tyler!

The Camaro looks fun... but I still like your truck better. Of course, I've never had the opportunity to drive a late model muscle car, I might change my mind if I did...

[DeadheadNM]

Nice progress man

[57taskforce]

Thanks Guys! Pete hope all is well in the great white north! I was in abq a few weeks ago wishing you were still around so i could check out that new blazer of yours!
Joey if you ever get the chance to take a late model muscle car out do it! They produce this weird sensation I like to call permagrin. It’s been a lot of fun.

[Ol Blue K20]

I can't believe I have missed this thread for so long... I'm subbed now. Nice work and coming together nicely.

[57taskforce]

Welcome aboard its a slow moving crazy train to say the least!

[Hotcorner]

Nice!

[57taskforce]

Some more progress. It’s only a few hours of work away from being able to run. Rear brakes have been replaced, new rear axle brake lines are done, engine and under hood wiring is almost all back together, the fuel system is done save the carb to pump line, and then there’s this progress too! I’m going to work on the brake pedal linkage next, then once I’ve got brakes and the clutch bled it’ll be time to prime the oil system and see what it’ll do. I’m sure I’ll have to adjust the valves and such once it’s running but it’s sure getting close to this phase of the build wrapping up.

[57taskforce]

Well it’s been 6 months so i suppose I’m a little overdue for an update. It’s been a busy, slow six months. I moved the truck from one shop at work to another. About 2 years ago they moved me around a little bit. I work for an oil field production company, for those not in the oil patch know, we are the guys and gals who actually pump the oil and gas from the ground.
I used to work in the fields as a mechanic working on gas compression. Like I said about two years ago my job changed up a little and I was moved to my own shop and tasked with building compressor engines. I didn’t get around to moving the truck to my new shop until July but it is there safe and sound now.

As far as work accomplished: the clutch and brakes are bled, the engine wiring is finished up, the transmission and transfer case have been filled with oil also, the front and rear axles have had the oil changed and internals inspected.(no surprises) and... it runs and moves on its own power once more. The power steering and hydraboost fought a little when bleeding but I got that sorted out and both are working very well. It’s not quite road worthy yet but it is close. The old 350 started right up and purred like it had never been torn down or even removed from the truck.

For this phase to be complete I need to do the following:

Replace both pinion seals
Finish the interior as it’s gutted right now except for the seat (needs carpet, door panels, radio, insulation, new (used) factory steering wheel ect.
shim the sheet metal up some more and get the gaps a little better (they are all pretty close)
New door, windows and windshield rubbers
Front bumper, rear bumper need installed
Horns, wipers, installed and exterior lights checked
That’s about all I can think of right now. Sounds like a lot but it’s really not that much in the grand scheme of things.
Hydraboost and the hydraulic clutch are the two best things I’ve done to this truck so far I will say that.
More to come in the coming days!
Here’s a few pictures, I really didn’t take many over the last bit because it’s kind of hard to see the progress with the things I’ve been working on. This picture was actually intended for the camaro5 community, showing off the heritage grill on the camaro but after I took it I was thinking it shows two of my sheet metal babies off pretty good.

[57taskforce]

Here’s another in the middle of changing the oil in the axles. I also blasted and painted the diff covers but don’t have any pictures. I love bucket pumps for filling trannies and axles!