Just joined/ just got a '70 GMC C20

[Shadow Church]

Hello everyone, CaptainAmerica pointed me to this site after I talked my Grandpa into letting me purchase his old truck from him. Really excited to start working on it.

History: This truck was purchased by my Grandfather brand new so that he could take his family on a road trip from Oregon to Alaska. Once the trip was over it became a farm truck. In '82 it was smoking and using more oil than normal so he looked into a rebuild for the engine. The cost was about the same a getting another truck, so he just got another truck and put together a makeshift shed to house his truck until the time was right. For what? Not sure. It is a family habit to hold on to things that you don't need until it becomes a part of the landscape.

Here is what I have gotten for $500:






Going back out tomorrow to extract the truck from the side of the barn and figure out what is good, and what needs replaced.

If the 307 is beyond hope, I'm planning on dropping the TBI 350 from my Blazer into it.

Getting rid of the split rims is a must.

A disk brake upgrade is also in the future.

[CaptainAmerica]

This is going to be so much fun! Pretty much everything you need to know is on this forum. Enjoy..

-John

[TwoFiftyShifter]

Awesome start. All original and at least we know the transmission isn't toast!

[Shadow Church]

Busy day. With massive help from CaptainAmerica we got the truck out, got a wheel swapped so it would roll. Braking was managed with the parking brake and granny 1st (clutch still works great). We then got it on a trailer and got it to a place it could be worked on.


Truck on trailer

Once it was at a place it can be worked on, we pressure washed it. Here are the Results:







We have started the removal of split rims, determined the 307 is seized tight, and have a 350 on the way to have it moving for the summer. Busy day, but good. I'm sunburned, dirty and tired. Going to bed soon after some dinner.

[GR8-68]

Nice ride !! Great to have family history to ride in Welcome to the forum and be ready to be overwhelmed with knowledge

[Shadow Church]

Father's day means that not too much was done on the truck today. A young man that was assisting me with the loading of the truck has some 8 lug chrome wheels with tires and threw them on the truck for me (Johnny, you rock).



I did some parts hunting with my daughter to get the brakes fully replaced (safety first) but very little could be found. This was the first clue that this truck has made the classic status. Seems like in the past I could get shoes for a 70's GM truck at the grocery store for 10 bucks. Now? One shop wanted $80... EIGHTY BUCKS!?!?!?! JUST FOR SHOES? I feel old now. AutoZone came to the rescue with all parts coming to about $30 a wheel (cylinder, hardware kit, and shoes) Ordered the parts that will be do the job and purchased what they had on hand and dropped them off with the truck. Johnny was still swapping wheels at the time. While the wheels were off, we took a look at the brakes. Just the front because I was not thinking about it until the back was already back on the ground. What did I find?



Hell, I have found brakes in much worse shape on trucks only a few years old. These look lightly used! I have no fluid in the master cylinder, so I know there is something leaking. Rubber lines? no cracks, great shape. So now I'm thinking that the wheel and master cylinders have blown seals from sitting for so long. I will check the rest of the wheels, and if they all look so good, I will just replace wheel cylinders and master cylinder for now. Until the disk brake upgrade.

A 350 was purchased for $100 with some headers to boot. That was delivered today and popping off the valve covers showed a really clean head. Optimism engaged.