Carolina K10, 1979 Reg cab short bed.

[TheBlueBomber]

Today is one hell of a day off. Got the ball joints done in the Z71. Hit the gym up and now I'm starting some brake/axle/suspension work in the front. Going to get the truck aligned tonight and then it's all hands (and funds) on deck for the K10!!! More pictures to come.

[NastyBuzzard]

Looking good!

[1963c-10]

Nice work Austin

[TheBlueBomber]

Alright so I swapped all of the boggers onto the white steel rims and mounted the Wranglers onto the chrome wheels. I have 1 brand new Mickey Thompson ATZ that I put on as well and I am planning on getting a second since 2 of the MT/Rs are in good condition. Mismatched tires are the least of my worries right now...





Last night I was washing the Z71 and I had a little soap left over




Picked up this 40k rebuilt 4l60e today. I know, I know its not the 80 I was talking about earlier but if I plan on putting some serious HP in this truck later down the line I'd rather have a manual tranny. A deal is a deal and I grabbed it so I can get this puppy rolling down the road soon. Came with a torque converter






Broken neutral safety switch




clean clean




Transfer case mocked up




Looks good, smells good, must be good!!

[TheBlueBomber]

So now that the drive train is complete my plan of attack is getting it mounted in the truck, reinstalling the front clip, wiring harness, linkage, fuel system, brakes/axles, misc., tune, and then hopefully crank!!!

[rusty76]

Looking good!

[TheBlueBomber]

Went out this morning and put the tires on. These ought to ride better than the boggers. Ordering some motor mounts and am looking for headers. I'm positive the stock manifolds are going to hit the frame. Did some rough measuring and I don't think they will clear.

[y5mgisi]

Originally Posted by TheBlueBomber

Ordering some motor mounts and am looking for headers. I'm positive the stock manifolds are going to hit the frame. Did some rough measuring and I don't think they will clear.

Stock manifolds cleared on my 5.3 swap in my 90 suburban. Trail blazer SS maifolds clear good, and F body manifolds cealr good. A guy on another site just used these headers and cleared nice.

Schoenfeld 1302LS1

[TheBlueBomber]

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

Stock manifolds cleared on my 5.3 swap in my 90 suburban. Trail blazer SS maifolds clear good, and F body manifolds cealr good. A guy on another site just used these headers and cleared nice.

Sweet. I started painting the headers just in case they were to fit. They are drying black right now but will end up being silver by the time I put them on.

I kicked today off by cleaning the garage and making all of this mess dissappear.


Got the motor mount brackets from my buddy and the rest from car quest, advance, an napa.


I definitely am going to have to fab something up with this cross member. If I bolt it right in there will be no possible way for me to run a front driveshaft. I will see where everything ends up before I make a decision to run a spacer between the cross member and transmission or to fab up a new cross member.


Can see the gap needed for the driveshaft to clear


Here's the back of the TH350... big difference than the 4l60e

[TheBlueBomber]

Finished cleaning, mocking, and making a list for lowes on misc. Bolts and I finally got the truck down the driveway. Something is going on with the passenger side of the front axle. When I turn it hard left it binds up a little bit. Thinking back I remember it doing that and I just figured the transfercase was still in 4 high... I'll pull that wheel off later and find out what is going on.

Here's the truck getting blocked in the driveway. Had to recruit my Dad and friend to help get it there.




Can see the motor waiting patiently in the back.


A little poser shot from the Z71... and yes I know it needs some paint lol.

[rusty76]

Wheels look good.

[bohmankid]

Nice.

[TheBlueBomber]

Thanks, those wheels near about killed me today. Working in the hot sun with a 4 way... just about all the studs need to be replaced and are crooked so I have to muscle the nuts back on.

Won't be long till my motor mounts get here and I can bolt everything down. Next on my list is for me to dig out the cross member for the trans so I can clean that up and paint it.

[TheBlueBomber]

Picked up some motor mount brackets yesterday. I consider them my 21st birthday present to myself. Just need the rubber mounts and bolts and I will be able to set everything in. Aiming for Monday to have the drive train bolted down.

Last week my Mother killed her transmission about an hour and a half away. The overdrive planetary went and took everything with it. Complete over haul for that trans... My family is all about killing some transmissions haha.

[NastyBuzzard]

My favorite presents are the ones I get for myself!! Sorry about the trans I know all about bad luck with them.

[rusty76]

Oh well.....but happy early or late birthday dude.

[C@rnut001]

I have to say good luck on getting your truck together. I like the direction you are going with it. Keep it up and thanks for the updates that you give us. I like the chrome wheels that you added too.

[1963c-10]

Good to see the engine sitting down in there Austin!!

[NastyBuzzard]

Wow all these people from the carolinas!! The truck is coming along great!! Sorry I bombarded your thread with questions and what not.

Just hard to find someone who is currently doing a LS swap in a 4x4 close to my year of truck.

I did notice however that you put silicone/rtv all the way around the knock sensor plug, I thought you were only supposed to do about 75% of it to form more like a dam than actually completely rtving the entire thing.

[TheBlueBomber]

Originally Posted by 1963c-10

Good to see the engine sitting down in there Austin!!

Thanks Jon!

Originally Posted by NastyBuzzard

Wow all these people from the carolinas!! The truck is coming along great!! Sorry I bombarded your thread with questions and what not.

Just hard to find someone who is currently doing a LS swap in a 4x4 close to my year of truck.

I did notice however that you put silicone/rtv all the way around the knock sensor plug, I thought you were only supposed to do about 75% of it to form more like a dam than actually completely rtving the entire thing.

No problem man that's why I posted a thread. Yeah I went over kill on the rtv. Those sensors are $50 a peice and the intake sits off of the plenum so if they come up and you pressure wash the motor water can get down into the valley's and corrode the sensor. I figured I'd rather put a little extra rtv then have to dig back in there in half a year to replace the sensors.

[rusty76]

Atleast your making progress. It won't be long it will be ready for some sandy beach action. Although last time I was down at Carolina beach they weren't letting people out on the beach. Don't know why. Funny story years ago, years ago I bought an '85 4Runner solid axles, but had a carb. My cousin and I took it to Carolina beach. It was running on three cylinders before we left and I knew it. We chugged on down there and had a blast tooling around. We decided that all these guys were going out on the beach why don't we. So we go down to Fort Fisher and go out on the beach there, and almost get stuck right in the soft sand on the access point. So luckly I was smart enough to get the thing turned around and get it out of there. People in the Jeeps were passing us by. Nobody stopped to help a couple old rednecks stuck in the sand. We had fun though. Took it out on the fairy and really went all over. A few lessons here, no bald tires and make sure you've got all four squirrels wound up....

[TheBlueBomber]

Originally Posted by rusty76

Atleast your making progress. It won't be long it will be ready for some sandy beach action.

Next weekend can't come soon enough. I've been working over l time at my not so new job and the two days I get off each week have been filled up with Military training... my life as of the past 2 months is work, sleep, repeat... meals get squeezed in while I'm at work... Got plenty of play money again but no time to play... motor mounts got here a couple of days after I ordered them but I haven't had a chance to get to my buddy Warrens house.

Also he was in a bad wreck yesterday and a lady totaled his 1979 Nissan 280z.. what a waste. He's okay with minor bruises and was taken to the hospital for a check up. Going to ride over to his house early next week to check up on him.

[TheBlueBomber]

Here's the mounts. I can't wait until I put them in.

[y5mgisi]

Those are pretty awesome mounts.

[TheBlueBomber]

Originally Posted by y5mgisi

Those are pretty awesome mounts.

Yeah they are!! They'll be even more awesome when they get bolted into place!!