Project Dad's Truck.

[Igotachevyor2]

where to start. last year my dad past away. he never had much a very simple life but we shared a passion for ol' Chevrolet trucks and deer hunting. over the years he had several trucks that he worked out of and a couple of old hunting trucks. as the years wore on and his health degraded he gave up hunting and had one truck to kick around in a 1974 C-10 that my cousins pieced together from old round track parts and the junk yard. i brought the truck home last fall and used it as a daily driver for a while. i got to thinking last spring if he would have had an option he would not have been driving an old beater he would have had a nice 4x4. well i have a 86 K5 Blazer in the pasture and thought about swapping the 4x4 parts over to the 2 wheel drive but it seemed like more work than i was interested in at the time and before long i put the idea on the back burner.
fast forward to last Monday. i was going home from work and seen this 4 door long wheel base truck go by on 35's and my heart started jumping. i thought i sure would like to have a nice 4x4. i realized then that dads truck had a destiny that was not fulfield......yet

what im in the process of is taking all the 4x4 components from the K5 and transfering to the C10. i will swap in the 700R4 and the edlbrock goodies from the K5's motor. i also intend to put the power brake booster from the blazer on as well. i have already swapped the power doors over and the steering column a few months ago. i am not sure what all problems i will run in to but im sure to over come them one at a time.



here is what we are working with.
1974 C-10 short fleet
350 stock built
junk headers
350 turbo
power steering (added last year after they broke 2 ribs resuscitating him)
manual brakes
rusted dual glass packs
aluminum wheels (5 lug)







1986 K5 Blazer Silverado
350 blown head gasket
edlebrock performer intake
edlebrock 1406 carb
junk headers
700r4 (built to the hilt with all the upgrades and goodies, corvette servos)
2 trans coolers with remote filter and temp gage
3" body lift
35" all terrain tires

[Igotachevyor2]

i had a friend come by and we got the front clip off the Blazer. i will have one of the guys from work come by later in the week to lift the body off the frame.

[Igotachevyor2]

i started saturday morning and got the 74 mostly tore down










the bed in its temperary home out side

[Igotachevyor2]

well things have changed a little. i had the blazer on craigslist to sell the body parts and a guy from Dover tn. called wanting the whole truck. i talked with him for a few days and we decided to trade trucks. my new doner truck is a 1978 k10 4 spd 205 truck. now i will be just making a body swap. here are a few pics of the donor truck.

[Igotachevyor2]

finally got to work on the truck today. my son plays jr football and practice just started back. but i started tearing the 78 down today i am strapped for space in the basement garage so i had to take it apart out side.






there was a snake there





cooldown




the frame now rest inside waiting on me to start mating the new cab. i was not going to swap in the hump from the 78 but after looking closer at the 74 cab the flor has bee hacked for a 3 speed floor shifter at one time. i guess now i will mate the two humps some how.

[74 C-30]

nice project! I'm in the same boat, I'd love to convert my truck to 4wd, but my grandfather bought it new in 74 as a 2wd and I'll keep it original for a while longer. GOOD LUCK!
oh and i hope you saved the factory tach dash out of that donor truck!!!!

[ratty 46]

WOW ..... you sure did jump into that with both feet ..... good luck & kewl project. I sure your Dad is watching .....

Ratty 46

[Igotachevyor2]

Originally Posted by 74 C-30

nice project! I'm in the same boat, I'd love to convert my truck to 4wd, but my grandfather bought it new in 74 as a 2wd and I'll keep it original for a while longer. GOOD LUCK!
oh and i hope you saved the factory tach dash out of that donor truck!!!!

i havent taken the tach dash out yet but will sometime this week. most of the gauges in the 74 were bad any way. i am asuming it is a strait forward swap. i will probably go ahead and do some cleaning and painting while it is out maybe swap out the bulbs since im there.

[Igotachevyor2]

Originally Posted by ratty 46

WOW ..... you sure did jump into that with both feet ..... good luck & kewl project. I sure your Dad is watching .....

Ratty 46

thanks, i havent had a lot of time to spend on the truck between family and work so when its available i have to make it count.

[Igotachevyor2]

making a little progress got the cab installed and cut the hump from the 78. after dinner i am going to cut the hump on the 74 an mate the two.

[Dusty4x4]

good luck man i am dealing with that kind of thing right now make sure you show pics

[Igotachevyor2]

well i got the hump cut out but am having a little trouble lining the synchros up. it will have to wait for another day.

[Igotachevyor2]

finally got the top plate back on the trans this weekend. i got the rear part of the hump glued and rivited in now off to find some flywheel bolts. i will be replacing floor pans next year maybe. then i will do a better job of getting the hump welded in and not rivited.

[Igotachevyor2]

i guess its time for a update. it took me a little while to get enough cash together to get a new clutch kit and after closer inspection i found the fly wheel that came with the truck did not fit a sbc. i guess he just threw one in there but the center hole was way to big for a small block and wouldnt line up on the bolt holes.

well i was able to buy a new flywheel last week. since it was raining and still cool outside i figured i would make sure the new one fit. sure enough it was perfect well since i had the flywheel on i might as well check the clutch. one thing led to another and at the end of the day i had the motor installed. i also installed the clutch pedal and extended the clutch rod to accomodate the body lift. for what ever reason some one had removed the clutch adjuster. so after a few minutes with the welder and and rod i made a new one.

ill get some pictures up later and hope to spend a few hours on it this week since it is supposed to rain.

[Sarge261]

Nice Job,

I too am in the same boat. I lost my brother last year in a car accident. I bought a 85 K20 a while ago as a shop/plow truck...well when he saw it he fell in love with it...he loved the fall guy. So I asked him "you wanna help restore it" he said yeah. Sadly we never had the opportunity to work on it together, I was gonna scrap the whole idea but I am a man of my word.

You can check it out in the build thread the title is Project Zues, I dont know how to link it in my sig or I would.

I guess what I am trying to say is I know what you are going through and keep up the good work... I am definatelty subscribed to this thread.

Sarge

[McMurray76]

Keep the pics coming

[Dusty4x4]

alright i have been waiting for another update lets see them pics lol

[Driveway Dreams]

I don't know how I missed this build before. These tribute builds are great to read through. Keep at it! You have a good reason to build that into an amazing truck.

[Igotachevyor2]

here is a few pics with the motor in. i hope to get all the accesories bolted on and mount the front clip this weekend.






clutch pedal installed


home made adjuster i may try to find a factory piece we will see.

[Sarge261]

Lookin good,

I love those M/T valve covers, and the spagetti under the dash reminds me of my tear down...lol. Keep up the good work.

Sarge

[Igotachevyor2]

Originally Posted by Sarge261

Lookin good,

I love those M/T valve covers, and the spagetti under the dash reminds me of my tear down...lol. Keep up the good work.

Sarge

i wasnt going to use the M/T covers on this build but they needed a home. i may take them back off and paint and polish the fins again.

[Igotachevyor2]

here are a few updates:
had a friend come over and we got a little done this weekend

ill have to buy or fabricate some upper radiator supports. the radiator im using came out of the 86 K5 blazer. i should have saved the supports i guess.







still have to wire the front lights and run the harnes for the rear lights and fuel sending unit.

[87 chevy silverado]

any up dates

[Igotachevyor2]

Originally Posted by 87 chevy silverado

any up dates

Yes and no. I did get the truck drivable but have not had the time or money to finish it. I bought a house and the stars just haven’t lined up for me to put any money in the truck. It has been sitting in the barn for a little over 2 years now.

[Hankster]

Just read through your thread, Anymore on this truck?