C-30 progress

[RuralRoute C-30]

Any time I buy a used vehicle I understand it is "used" and there are going to be something or another to tinker with. This truck remains true to that theory but at least it is nice to be the one who Can do the tinkering.

Anyway, fixed an annoying exhaust leak, discovered a very slow leak in the right front tire (going to throw for two new fronts soon and repair and use this and the other as spares it didn't come with once I find a rim) and changed the alternator and power steering pump belts because they looked suspicious. Add to fixing an oil leak that I thought was the rear main seal that instead, once the pan was tightened, no more leaks. Did come up with an idea on those annoying mudflap billboards and will have some diamond plate cut to fit where the advertisement is. Until now, those letters are now blacked out. Then there is the need to fabricate a 'boot' around the pto dump bed controls and the list goes on and on and on. Yet I enjoy the darn thing so there ya go...worth it for that and the wife has me in the shop and not in the house on a winter day.

Toss in a set of plugs soon and by then it should be ready for a rebuild!

Nonetheless, it is worth it and moving in the direction of what I visualized as a good working 1-ton dump truck for our place in the country.

Some pics with one as the memory of what it was Saturday when I brought it home. A work in progress:





I tightened this 3x's before FINALLY taking it apart and finding out why that/I was stupid. The plastic donut was distorted even though it did come with brand new exhaust. Another lesson learned with $6 of parts and now it sounds like it should!



Plan on building some low stock racks and then there is that new front billet grill & bezels with lights that should arrive tomorrow from LMC Truck. I saw the front of the truck on their catalogue and decided that is what 'belongs' on this one. (that with the future mudflap changes is about all the exterior cosmetics it gets...he says today) It is a work truck.

Feeding the "addiction"!

[JCampbell]

Nice rig, Man. I dig trucks that built for work. Keep it up, Holmes.

[74 C-30]

nice looking truck! is that a knaphide body?

[57NAPCO]

I'm fixing up a 1976 1 ton GMC dually with a utility bed on it. I just ordered a 454/460 hp engine with a turbo 475 transmission. I can't wait!

[RuralRoute C-30]

Not sure who the manufacturer of the bed is. Only history I have was the truck was originally a wrecker, original owner retired and sold that part and bought a salvaged 04 chevy 1-ton flatbed that the cab was burned up and converted this C-30 with that flatbed to a pto driven dump bed.

Have yet to find any markings on the bed except what looks to be a newer than 85 warning label that states the obvious(in so many words): "Don't stick your head under it when it is up"...so to speak.

Gotta love the 1-tons!

[thirdstreettito]

Addictions are fun arent they? haha

[RuralRoute C-30]

Found the manufacturer plate and serial # for the bed on this truck. Yes, it is a Knapheide. Called the company in Quincy, IL who forwarded me to a dealer in Paris, IL. Got lucky as he has a used bulkhead for this flatbed for $150. New one is $350. Will have to see the two and decide.

Maybe next week-end will go look at it. Snow incoming here and it is an hour away.

It needs a bulkhead/headache rack since firewood is on the list this summer to haul among other things. Anything is better than muscling all of that red box back on!

[rgforge]

I love it, my bowtie brother! I have a C30 dually myself, 4 door Silverado, 454, TH400, custom made interior, western hauler bed. I bought this truck for two reasons. One to pull a work trailer on my off days from my regular job and the other was because I love to have something to tinker with. My problem is that this is my first experience tinkering with a Chevy truck, but I wouldn't have it any other way!!!

Robert

[C-10 simplex]

1) How did you find such a clean body?


2) i noticed the fenders have the "sierra" emblem on them, yet the grill is chevy?

[RuralRoute C-30]

1. Originally this truck was a wrecker for a body shop. Owner retired, sold the wrecker body and repainted the truck. Yet the floors are solid and recently I even ran a magnet on it. It passed.

2. Yes, in a separate thread (emblems) I also was confused. I suspect, as others confirmed, the emblems are not original. It is a "camper special" but Scottsdale is on the dash. It is confirmed a Chevy though.

[RuralRoute C-30]

More progress today and it was a long one:
Shocks x's 4 all around, vacuum advance hose had a hidden leak, now replaced,(now know why it was running sluggish,I thought it was just the low gearing, a friend clued me in on this one), new plugs, cap, rotor and wires too.

The shocks were the grief maker. Can someone tell someone these bolts do NOT have to be installed with an impact wrench?

A lot of PB lube and breaker bar wrenching to get the old ones off. At least with the dump bed up it was easier to do the rears. (see pics for my overkill version on how to work securely with the bed in the up position...I am a safety nut!)

Add the 2 new front tires installed this morning and now a "new" spare tire exists(used one tire from the take-offs) with rim (took the spare rim from the 79).

Conclusion: Just the plugs, cap and rotor, and especially that new vacuum advance hose has this old truck running like a new one now!

Yes, today was one of those days all the work was worth it when I took it for a drive after dark for a test run. It literally runs and feels like a different truck now. Responsive, plenty of power, handles and rides great and just all around what it should be.

...and the to-do list is dwindling but it still continues. Yet today was a major one on mechanical improvements and handling. Can't wait for warmer weather to clean-up the engine but it is a work truck project in progress.

Some pics:
This is what put the shocks on the list. Front ones were not as bad:

Safety precautions:



It ain't pretty(yet) but...new parts were installed after this pic. Runs better than it looks now!

...and it sure doesn't look like the last engine I had around. Sold this to do this C-30 project.


I think the truck is undoubtably the better choice. I was getting tired of the 'garage queen'.

A great thanks to all here on knowledge shared and the faq's and search engines!...definitely still a work in progress.

[thirdstreettito]

Gorgeous.

[spinem]

hahah while the low riders are all dropn their trucks, u need to start lifting ur bed AHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!