72 SWB C10 Ground Up Accuair/PB/LSA Build

[Parke10]

I'm more than likely going to be terrible at this whole build thread concept but I'll give it a shot. Truck is a 72 SWB C10 that my dad,my brother, and myself started to restore years ago to give to my brother for his 16th birthday ( he's now 31 ) due to a divorce the truck was put on hold for many, many years before my Dad and I decided to take it completely back apart and start up the build over again going in a completely different direction.

Called up Porter built sometime in 2015 I believe and ordered a crap load of stuff and began the very slow but steady progress of building it.

Even with my dad being knowledgeable in older vehicles and myself being knowledgeable about more modern ones this is still one hell of a learning process along the way for both of us.

For this build were going to basically completely assemble everything to make sure it's exactly how we want it, and then take it apart for paint/powder coat and final some details before finishing the final assembly.

(Ignore the massive amount of crap in the garage, too much crap and not enough storage room)

When we first started the disassembly (truck was about 85-90% complete in its previous restoration project)


Starting to mock things up so we can try and get an idea of what the hell were doing









Tacking the notch in



Mocking the rack up after the notch





Welding the notch in













Got it set on the ground again



Pops cutting the tunnel for the massive 6L90e transmission





So far this is where we sit, updates to follow as we work on it more.

If the images are too large could someone please let me know so that Ii can attempt to resize them, I looked through the rules but didn't see anything on size and personally I like larger images when reading a build thread.

[Hart_Rod]

Nice project!

[mooseknuckles]

cool build!

[Parke10]

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

Nice project!

If it wasn't for your help I might have sold it for scrap by now!

[knomadd]

Cool build! I'll follow along. Your pictures are fine as is, no need to reduce the size.

[Parke10]

Originally Posted by knomadd

Cool build! I'll follow along. Your pictures are fine as is, no need to reduce the size.

I see you also have a 6l90, I'm still debating if I should keep mine or switch over to a 6l80e for more pan/aftermarket part options.As of right now I feel like I've done something wrong due to the amount of tunnel it looks like ill have to cut out, damn thing looks like ill have to make a hump from the fire wall to the back of the cab..still not sure the carrier is even going to clear. everything looks alot closer and tighter compared to other pictures I've seen floating around.

[big_al_71]

Great build....

[Parke10]

I'm kind of at a stand still here, has anyone ran into having to cut this much for a 6l80/6l90 w/ the PB extreme drop and inner frame stiffener? trans has a 3inch block between the trans and trans mount to achieve proper angle.







Any input?

[Stickman]

Are you using a High hump trans cover and still not enough clearance?

[knomadd]

You're using a 3" block between the trans and cross member? That's HUGE! How high is your engine sitting in the frame? Maybe you need shorter engine stands to drop the whole assembly. I know you're running extreme drop members, so you may not be able to drop your engine and trans. If that's the case, you might have to run a completely new trans/driveline tunnel through the cab. I've seen this done with body dropped trucks.

As for the 6l80/6l90's, I believe they are the same dimensions externally, so it won't make much difference in your floor clearance. You've already cut more than I did. I was able to put it in with a high hump. Another member on here has a 6l80 that he put in with a slightly massaged low hump, but we're both using factory frame and cross members.

I assume you have a truck or van engine/trans combo in there if you have a 6l90. You might need to swap your oil pan and possibly trans pan for more clearance so you can lower the combo in the frame. It appears you're only options at this point are to drop your engine/trans combo or make a new floor section. I might not be seeing something that may give you a third option though. Good luck!

[Parke10]

Originally Posted by knomadd

You're using a 3" block between the trans and cross member? That's HUGE! How high is your engine sitting in the frame? Maybe you need shorter engine stands to drop the whole assembly. I know you're running extreme drop members, so you may not be able to drop your engine and trans. If that's the case, you might have to run a completely new trans/driveline tunnel through the cab. I've seen this done with body dropped trucks.

As for the 6l80/6l90's, I believe they are the same dimensions externally, so it won't make much difference in your floor clearance. You've already cut more than I did. I was able to put it in with a high hump. Another member on here has a 6l80 that he put in with a slightly massaged low hump, but we're both using factory frame and cross members.

I assume you have a truck or van engine/trans combo in there if you have a 6l90. You might need to swap your oil pan and possibly trans pan for more clearance so you can lower the combo in the frame. It appears you're only options at this point are to drop your engine/trans combo or make a new floor section. I might not be seeing something that may give you a third option though. Good luck!

Yeah that big ol 3inch block is currently sitting on top of the trans mount between the trans mount and and the trans itself, seems extremely strange.

My first thought was that the combo is just too high but as it sits even using a holly extra front clearance swap pan the engine will barely clear the rack and pinion.

The trans pan with the truck laid out on the frame is only a fingers thickness from the ground also as it currently sits. If i remove the spacer block the trans ends up sitting at approx a 10degree angle which is way too much, most id even be remotely comfortable with is 5degrees.

It definitely wouldn't clear with just the high hump alone as the damn yolk doesn't even clear the cab yet, the middle of the output shaft is right about where the floor pan is. Currently the engine is an LQ4 6.0 and the trans is a 90e from a 2007 2500 Truck,but these are just for rough mock up as the actual combo waiting to go in is a 2013 LSA/90e out of a Camaro ZL1/ Cadillac CTS-V.

As of right now i think my only options are to run a tunnel all the way through similar to a body dropped truck as you stated

Edit-Just took a second look and I guess the middle of the output shaft isn't at floor level, but that doesn't really make a difference as the top of the shaft is still at floor level.

[Trackman101]

FYI,The trans pan height from a ZL1 is 3" tall from the bolting flange if you don't have your 6L90 yet.

[Parke10]

Originally Posted by Trackman101

FYI,The trans pan height from a ZL1 is 3" tall from the bolting flange if you don't have your 6L90 yet.

That has to be pretty close in size to the truck pan right?

[Parke10]

Well I'm officially out of ideas, looks like we may be making a tunnel through the entire cab

[tk-mpl]

Nice build!! I'm along for the ride as I to am putting a 6L90 in my 68. Really curious about fitment and driveshaft with the 6L90. Keep the pics coming!!!!

[SLY-C10]

Originally Posted by Parke10

Well I'm officially out of ideas, looks like we may be making a tunnel through the entire cab

Hi mate, I have the exact same build, extreme PB kit and 6L90, if your using a 2 piece tailshaft you shouldn't have to cut that much out, I have my engine set at 5 deg down, I have cut just behind the rib in the cab floor and that fits fine, a high hump wont fit but it will be easy enough to make up a cover for the hole, I did have to cut the top 2 arms off the inner frame strengthener as they hit the trans.. I also had to make a 2" riser for my trans mount to make it sit higher, let em know if you have any questions I may be able to help with..

I'm just having my tailshaft made now and am using this adaptor to go back to regular universal joints so i can run a 2 piece 3" tailshaft, I may need to cut a little more out, if i do Im just going to make a small hump all the way through

https://www.sonnax.com/parts/3868-3-...er-flange-yoke

[72lowlife]

Great build! That transmission looks more like a cruise missile than anything! But I have a quick question. What rack and pinion are you using? Kit or fabbed yourself? I'm building my own frame and I haven't seen alot on the racks, except a thunderchicken unit from the late 80s.

[69short]

Cool. I dig it

[knomadd]

Hey Parke10, did you ever get this figured out?

[SLY-C10]

For those wondering about the gap between the trans and the PB mount, here it is