1969 k10 lwb to swb, 1 tons, 6.0/4l80e/np205

[wade_ab]

I got this truck in september of 2011, ive been disassembling and cleaning and painting and cuting and grinding for several months now. Im going to get all my pictures uploaded and get caught up to-date on my build progress.

This was the day I brought it home. It came from Utah off eBay.

[wade_ab]

I sold the wheels that came on it and a set for another truck and was able to purchase these from a guy off a local site. Many will not like my choice, I understand, no worries. (22x11 xd diesels, 37/13.50/22 Toyo open country mt, 8 lug.)

[wade_ab]

Me and my wife decided to pull the motor one saturday. Went pretty smooth, took about 3 hours.

[wade_ab]

Next I pulled the tranny, sm465, I need to sell or get it out of the way.

[wade_ab]

I then pulled the bed off, and every thing on the back side. That engine hoist was the best Christmas present ever, I've used it for many things that it wasn't designed for.

[wade_ab]

Next was the front end.

[wade_ab]

Found some one tons to buy. Dana 60, corporate 14 bolt with gov locker. The front's carrier is welded where it is locked, not exactly what I wanted on the d60 but i'll work with it. They came off a Military cucv.

[wade_ab]

I gutted the cab out some, it looks pretty good to me. Then I used my engine hoist again for another unintended purpose.

[wade_ab]

Next after many hours on here researching I went ahead and shortened the frame.

[wade_ab]

more

[wade_ab]

more ginding and welding. All the plans for cutting the frame and the support pieces is on here. There is a CAD drawing of it, I forgot whose build-up I read. But long story short, you cut off the extra bed mount, cut out 1 foot from infront od the wheel, and 8 inches from the back. Measure 100 times and tack and measure and tweek and tack and measure and tweek and then weld it front back.

[wade_ab]

After all the welding and grinding was done, I wire wheeled/grinded/cleaned the frame for about 400 hours. I read a lot about POR-15 and Master series products. I went with Master Series coating system. I dont know which is better, but I am well pleased with my results. You start by cleaning the already wire wheeled frame with their rust converter. I let it dry then wire wheeled, then reapplied, then scuffed it once more. It leaves a zinc or something film after it dries to prevent new surface rust thats why you have to scuff it all off. Then I coated two coats with their Silver undercoating paint, then two coats of their black 2 stage top coat. Came out slick. I have some runs becasue I globbed too much on there and it was 2 a.m.

[wade_ab]

I built that roticerie out of two Harbor Freight engine stands and some angle iron from lowes. More paint pictures.

[wade_ab]

I built some rolling stands to move the cab and bed around better. They have came in handy so far.

[wade_ab]

I started pulling apart the np205. I did abunch of research and found out the best way to connect a 10 spline to a 4x4 4l80e. I talked to the people at off road design and they helped me out a bunch. I havent ordered it yet but, Im going to order their 32 spline long output shaft, rebuild kit, and 32 spline 4l80e np205 adaptor (similar to the th400 adapter just bigger interier bore). But i took it all apart, cleaned, and painted.

This is where I am at today as of July 31, 2012.

Next project its to cut up my bed and make it swb.

After that is work on the axles, new seals, I need rear brake rotor and calipers, i already have the adapter, clean everything up and paint them.

Im begining to run out on free projects, soon ill have to start dropping some coin. I need 8" lift leaf springs so I can have a roller. Any one know the best ones to buy, im looking for affordiable but smooth.

[wade_ab]

primmed and painted

[69GWC]

Looking real good alot of work you have done so far. Looked like you had a good soild truck to start with that makes things alittle easyer.

[SunSoaked]

Nice build. I'm subscribed as I'm building a similar truck except longbed. I swapped in the whole suspension from a 87 M1008 (D60/14FF). If yours is out out a M1008 (Pickup) it should have a detroit locker in the 14FF. The "gov locs" were used in the M1009 (blazers).

Does your truck have factory A/C? It looks like it in the photo but the compressor has been removed. I'm trying to get a good photo of the pulleys/brackets on yours. Mine seems to have been peiced together by the PO. My crank pulley is a two piece unit with four v grooves and it sits about 3/8ths inch closer "in" towards the block than the water pump pulley so everything is off and I dont know where.

Anyway- looks like you have a great starting point and a nice place to work on it

[quadzero]

I really like this. The frame and your painted pieces look excellent. Great idea with the rolling stands too. Sure looks like you have one heck of a shop and space to move around. Keep up the good work.

[wade_ab]

Originally Posted by SunSoaked

Nice build. I'm subscribed as I'm building a similar truck except longbed. I swapped in the whole suspension from a 87 M1008 (D60/14FF). If yours is out out a M1008 (Pickup) it should have a detroit locker in the 14FF. The "gov locs" were used in the M1009 (blazers).

Does your truck have factory A/C? It looks like it in the photo but the compressor has been removed. I'm trying to get a good photo of the pulleys/brackets on yours. Mine seems to have been peiced together by the PO. My crank pulley is a two piece unit with four v grooves and it sits about 3/8ths inch closer "in" towards the block than the water pump pulley so everything is off and I dont know where.

Anyway- looks like you have a great starting point and a nice place to work on it

I think it was the m1008, not totally sure. I got them from a guy that had them under a s-10 mudder so im not sure exactly what he got them off of, I just remember he said some thing about it having a gov lock, so who knows. It has 4.56 gears and that was all I cared about at the time.


And the truck is factory a/c but when I got it the a/c wasn't hooked up. There was no compressor or any lines ran. The 350 I pulled out of it wasn't the original motor, so I guess the PO didn't try to hook up the a/c. Must not need a/c in Utah quite as bad as I do here in southeast texas.

[wade_ab]

Here is an update. I finished shortening the LWB bed to a SWB. So lots of cutting welding sanding going on.

[wade_ab]

more pics

[wade_ab]

I smoother everything out with a flap disc on the grinder, sanded the whole bed, sprayed primer, bondoed the seams, sanded, bondo, sanded bondo sanded bondo sanded bondo sanded bondo sanded and then bondo and sanded a little more.....eventually i sprayed some more primer.

[wade_ab]

I gutted some more of the cab, cleaned the floor real good and put some master series on it to prevent any future rust and to seal it off real good. Im either going paint it to match or bedliner it. I havent decided. I have carpet so it really doesnt matter I guess.

[yfs200p]

Sweet looking truck man! Is that tailgate in the background off this truck? I think that looks pretty cool using the 90's style 'CHEVROLET' panel on the old style gate. Sweet progress and keep the pics coming!