1972 C/20 Custom Deluxe Daily Driver Build

[The Chainsaw]

So I think it is about time to have a build thread.

Goals for this build are:

1. 2000's newish truck comfort while retaining its '72 feel.
A. Original exterior look except for paint/wheels.
B. Nice stereo (Probably use a retrosound deck)
C. Still deciding on what seats to use. Must seat 3 passengers.

2. Towing ability
A. Will be towing a 20' trailer with my 1968 chevelle multiple times a month.
B. Will be towing a livestock trailer with about 9000-11,000lbs of Milk cows very rarely. Only down the road about 10-15 miles.
C. I am not completely sure about the powerplant for this build, but most likely an LS/4L80E combo. A diesel isn't out of the question either.

3. Do everything myself:
A. Self explanatory

This is what I have to start out with.

[The Chainsaw]

First up was to change out the stock 16.5" steel wheels and completely hammered tires for a set of aluminum wheels off a 2003 duramax with 265/75/16 tires. Bought the set used for $250.

[flashed]

I love it just the way it is .

[Sicksty8]

Very nice looking truck. Theres nothing like a classic truck with the drivability and feel of a late model one! I'm in for sure

[The Chainsaw]

I will be taking off the utility bed in favor of a regular longbed, but I will be making a trailer out of the utility bed.

I do like seeing a mostly original truck, but personally I want this thing to be my daily driver till I pass it on to my son. I can do most, if not all of the work myself.

[WTF?]

Very cool.

[AKC]

I'll be watching...

[The Chainsaw]

I would love it if I could get Stock Duramax power out of a Turbo 6.2/6.5 diesel. Would be an easy swap for sure, but not sure I can make a reliable 300hp 500ftlbs with one.

[The Chainsaw]

Took out the gauge cluster to clean and repaint everything. Turned out good enough for driver status.

[The Chainsaw]

Also got the utility bed off today. Pressure washed most of the oil/dirt buildup off.

[The Chainsaw]

Found out that a couple of the holes in the frame where the rivets hold the rear shock mounts were pretty messed up.

Took the rivets out, drilled the holes larger, and put in new grade 8 bolts. I will probably put a couple spot welds on the bracket to the frame just to prevent anything from making noise.


I am still up in the air about what to do about the rear suspension/rearend. I am focusing a lot on ride quality while retaining decent towing capacity.

Does anybody have ANY experience with replacing the stock leaf springs for the newer model 63" springs? Not too difficult to remake the spring mounts, but I don't want to a ton of extra work for a negligible ride difference.

[The Chainsaw]

Been cleaning up and painting for the most part. Tomorrow I will have a AAM 10.5 rearend and leaf springs out of a 2000 silverado. I will be mocking things up to see how well it would work out. Hoping I can just make some new spring mounts, and will have a nice rear with disk brakes.

Strangely enough, the HO72 rearend thats currently installed has two leaf spring mounts. The unused leaf spring mounts are the exact width that the late model rear has which are a few inches wider than the stock ones.

[The Chainsaw]

Got the rearend out of the 2500 silverado. I will be taking pictures tomorrow when it stops raining.

[The Chainsaw]

Got the newer rearend underneath the truck yesterday. I need to take the center caps off the wheels and check, but I think I might actually have a 9.5 semi-float 14bolt instead of the full floater 10.5

Not necessarily upset about that, since it might work just as well or better for the kind of driving I will be doing. It won't see a whole lot of weight in the bed plus I THINK there are more options as far as gear ratios are concerned.

[The Chainsaw]

After mocking up the 14 bolt with the 2000 silverado leaf springs, I have decided to just use the stock C20 springs instead. The way the frame bends makes it a little more difficult than I had thought. It can still be done, but it isn't worth the trouble for me.

[The Chainsaw]

Got the rearend half-way attached so it can be rolled around for the moment. I am having a bit of a problem deciding on ride height at the moment. The original plan was to leave the front alone and drop the back to match, but I really like the look when I jacked the front up to match the back.

It would be an easy decision if it was a 4x4. I won't be doing any real off-roading honestly with it being 2x4.

[swamp rat]

Another K convert??? LOL!

[The Chainsaw]

Not quite! It might down the road, but I honestly might get something smaller for a 4x4.

[AKC]

I see you robbed the bed off your other truck.

All looks good so far...

[The Chainsaw]

Originally Posted by AKC

I see you robbed the bed off your other truck.

All looks good so far...

I think you might be confusing me for my brother. He has a white long bed, but this bed is actually one my cousin had laying in a shed forever. It is by far the roughest part of the whole truck, but it was free so I can take the time to fix it up before paint.

[The Chainsaw]

Driveshaft needs to be shortened 2 inches. Hopefully I can bring that in today to be done, but I am debating on whether or not to just build another one that is bigger than the dinky stock shaft.


Future reference: 14 bolt has 3 3/8ths diameter axle tubes. 1960-1977 Ford Bronco Leaf spring perches will supposedly work with that diameter axle tube and the 2 1/4 leaf springs.

[The Chainsaw]

False alarm. Did one last fitment check on the driveshaft, and found out that the yoke had about 3 inches of packed-solid grease.

Cleaned it out and it fit perfect. The Semi-Floater 14 bolt also uses the stock size u-joint as well.

Also working on trying to get a 5.3 LM7 on craigslist for $300 intake to pan with accessories. Replied to his post a couple hours after it was put up, so hopefully I responded early enough. They get snatched up fast around here.

[The Chainsaw]

So talking to many 4x4 shops, they all unanimously said that it would be fine to run 2.5" perches, plates, and U-bolts with the 2 1/4 springs. I am happy about this because it makes upgrading to the newer model leaf springs easier down the road if I ever decide to do it.

That being said, I am wondering if it would be worth putting some plates between the U-bolts and the leaf springs to take up the extra space.

I ordered the perches and plates, so those should get here tomorrow.

[The Chainsaw]

These are the perches and plates I got. Very well-made and HEAVY!

[The Chainsaw]

Traded an old set of wheels/tires + $300 for a 2004 6.0 engine.