78 K20 custom delux "modern meets vintage" build thread

[K20chevy]

Hi everyone,

after getting asked a few times on starting a build thread on my truck, here it goes. It will take me a while to upload the pics and info, so please be patient. Its been 12 years of on and off work already, so lots of pictures...

Infos to the truck:

78 K20 custom delux with the J55 HD brake option, HD front and rear springs and shocks, sliding rear window, LS9 350 4bb V8, SM456 4 speed, NP205, 7.50-16 E tires, painted step rear bumper and push button radio, and the gage package with volt, coolant temp and oil pres., that´s about it.

Not much is still the way it came from the factory, but you´ll see after I get the pics up bit by bit...

[K20chevy]

this is how it started. still at the former owners place in 2002



home with me (nad as you´d expect in the north east, bad shape):

[K20chevy]

valve spring broke, so engine work:



and after more than enough rust, I needed to fix that and had to go cheap at the time: aftermarked doors and fenders and bed sides and painted in the garage with no experience!



I´m in the process now of finding a good AZ body, all OEM metal to swap onto this beast. The aftermarket body panels don´t fit for $%&§!!!

[K20chevy]

Ok, here is some more from a few years ago....

after some new wheels and a good polish and wax:





taken apart for paint:






(new replacement 20 gal plastic tanks, the old ones were rusted right through..


this is with the original hood, but the aftermarket fenders in place (big mistake, will never do the aftermarket stuff again on sheet metal!!!)

[K20chevy]

after paint (GM arrival blue metallic):





lift kit install: 4" superlift soft ride front springs, ORD HD shakles with greasable bushings, 5.5" superlift rear springs with longer ORD HD rear shakles and also greasable bushings and poly bump stops all around.

[K20chevy]

New wheels and tires:

35x12.50R17 Pro Comp Xterrains on 17x9 Pro Comp 6095 Xtreme Alloys



installed on the truck:

[K20chevy]

after changing the sealed beams (candle lights) to H4 clear glass lights, which already made a difference, I still didn´t think the lights were good enough.

This time I went all out, getting the best that was on the market in ´06: 90mm Hella Bi-Xenon (HID) modules with e-code beam pattern. These are OEM low and high beam HID´s with shutters to operate the low/high function. And these have a perfect cut off, so no blinding oncoming traffic and light goes where it should. Boy what a difference!!
And to take it even further than any truck I know off I went with what is mandatory in Europe for HID lights, a automatic leveling system, so the lights stay level no matter what. Two ultra sonic sensor measure the distance to the ground in the front and the back. When you accelerate or load the truck and the rear sags, the lights adjust down, when you hit the brakes really hard, the lights adjust up, so you can still see where you´re going. Expensive, but very trick setup and the output is amazing, because you always have the light pattern stay the same. And you never blind oncoming traffic, no matter what load is in the back of the truck...

I would dare to say no other truck has adaptive Bi-Xenon lights.... correct me if I´m wrong...

low beam:



high beam:

[K20chevy]

Then the transmission got swapped from a SM465 to a brand new ZF S6 650 6 speed manual with an Atlas II 4.3 t-case.





This transmission is huge!!

It required fabbing a new transmission hump in the cab.

[K20chevy]

The original 350 also had to go about a year after for something more powerful and fuel efficient. A GM performance parts L92 crate engine with VVT and full 2008 emission system.





ECU and fues box



Air filter



aluminum radiator with dual 16" fans



ORD HD crossmember and competition style motor mounts



and the new autometer gauges that had to be used with the new motor

day



night

[K20chevy]

here is the beast running:



and an inside video (sorry crappy, but I needed on hand to shift) to show how smooth the transmision shifts and the combo works together



and for good measure the stock dyno sheet... the tune has been modified though, she´s got a little more now....

[Russ_the_truck79]

awesome truck! i love the engine tranny combo

[K20chevy]

Originally Posted by Russ_the_truck79

awesome truck! i love the engine tranny combo

thanks, I thought it was different and cool! Something that nobody of my knowlege has done before...

[K20chevy]

this is my new monster front axle:
Dynatrac high pinion Pro series D60, 4.88 gears, ARB, chromolly shafts, F550 inner and outer "C"´s and complete front brake system. these brakes are huge!





and the new rear axle:

Van width (70" wide) 14 bolt FF with 4.88 gears, ARB, Mag Hytech diff cover and dodge 3500 SRW brakes with internal parking brake and custom flanges. These are large as well and work great!





that´s how it looks under the truck

[Zane M]

Great work. Congrats on a great truck.

[K20chevy]

Originally Posted by Zane M

Great work. Congrats on a great truck.

Thank you. I´ll upload some more pictures this weekend...

[K20chevy]

So here is the winch bumper while mocking it up on the truck:







After powder coating (satin black) and with the BD LED lights, warn VR10000-s winch

[DirtyLarry]

WOW, no skimping on cheap parts with this built! Very cool build with top shelf pieces. Nice work! Any pictures of the finished interior?

[K20chevy]

Originally Posted by DirtyLarry

WOW, no skimping on cheap parts with this built! Very cool build with top shelf pieces. Nice work! Any pictures of the finished interior?

Thanks Larry! She´s still not done yet! I have to dissapoint you on the finnished interior pictures because the interior is not finnished! I´ve been driving around with just the seat in the cab for a while now, without any insulation or carpet/rubber matt.
So as for now, it still looks like you´ve seen in the previous pictures. I´m actually doing a full roll cage in the cab first, before I make it look nice. The cage will be as hidden as possible though.

Next things are custom rear bumper, LED work/back up lights and a class V trailer hitch, a NOS grille I scored and it needs cab mounts bad.

[Nin92]

I've been waiting for someone to shoehorn a ZF6 into a square body forever! About how long is the ZF6/atlas combo from bell housing to output shaft? Great build!

[K20chevy]

Originally Posted by Nin92

I've been waiting for someone to shoehorn a ZF6 into a square body forever! About how long is the ZF6/atlas combo from bell housing to output shaft? Great build!

I´d have to measure it, but it is VERY LONG!! Right out of my head, I think I recall moving the OEM crossmember back about 4" or so to fit the transmision mount to the ZF. It made the drive train long enought that I could go from a two piece rear drive shaft with center bearing to a single CV shaft.

I´ll measure it and post the dimensions for you when I get a chance.

Thanks!

[winningz]

Wow

[K20chevy]

Originally Posted by winningz

Wow

Thank you!

[K20chevy]

This is the NOS grille I scored, it is charcoral grey too!!!

[K20chevy]

And the class V hitch that will be going on soon, together with a skid plate to protect the new rear mounted aluminum tank...

[K20chevy]

Originally Posted by Nin92

I've been waiting for someone to shoehorn a ZF6 into a square body forever! About how long is the ZF6/atlas combo from bell housing to output shaft? Great build!

OK, so if you run a flange for a CV drive shaft, the combo is about 48" inches long from bellhousing to the mounting surface on the flange. If you use a yoke, it sticks out about 1.5" further, so 49.5". This is a rouch measurment with the tape measure though, nothing perfectly exact! Hope that helps you.

Told you it´s a HUGE and LONG combination.