Started my K10 rebuild project

[NH2112]

After having the truck sitting in pieces for 2 years, I'm finally starting my K10 rebuild. First thing was to place an order with LMC Truck (http://www.lmctruck.com) for about $4000 in body panels and accessories, basically the only panels not being replaced are the cab and bed. 1 bed side will be replaced due to being smashed up badly in a rearend collision, the other has dents that will come out pretty easily so I kept it. The cab will need rockers and cab corners, plus there's a dent at the rear of the roof where my friend's backhoe drifted down while we were removing the bed. My friend Mike, with whom I'm doing the project (and who has an 84 K2500 that will be done at the same time) has the paint I'll be using (PPG Deltron 2000 "Corvette Cotillion White"), it was originally for his father-in-law's 68 or 69 Vette but "wasn't white enough" so he's letting me have it. The cab is going to be soundproofed as completely as possible, probably starting with a coating of bedliner paint on the floor, both sides of the firewall, and inner doors and rocker panels, then a Dynomat-type product will be installed on the floor, firewall, and outer door skins. A full-size rubber floormat will be next.

I have a set of axles from a 73 K30 (Dana 44 front, 14-bolt FF rear) that I've rebuilt but will be trading those to a friend for a Dana 60 front (ball joint type) and Dana 70 dually rear from a Dodge. He bought them to go under a Jeep Wrangler :eek: but I convinced him that A) they'd make it too wide for any trail use, and B) they'd be better for my truck. :D So, those will be gone through and probably have new brakes & steering parts put in. Hopefully I can fit the D60 up to my Chevy steering box without trouble. If not, I'll keep the D44 and 14-bolt.

Both the frame and axles will be sandblasted, primed with AwlGrip 545 (http://www.pyacht.net/cgi-local/SoftCart.exe/online-store/scstore/h-awlgrip_545.htm?L+scstore+fbqp3218ff42bc42+1115276 769) then painted with black SEM RustShield, with gloss enhancer added for a nice, easy-to-clean semi-gloss finish that's as close to bulletproof and corrosion-proof as possible. It's expensive but I'm not going to let rust determine how long I can drive this truck! The AwlGrip 545 will also be used to prime the bottom of the cab, inside the doors, inner fenders, bed wheel wells, etc, any places where corrosion can get a head start without me noticing.

I got an absolutely killer deal on an engine, so I'm going to be using that instead of building up my 82 block. The other day I got a call from a friend, who said that the guy at the shop next to his was selling the 6.5l in his truck for $1000 because he wanted to put a Cummins in. This is a 99 Goodwrench crate motor, with mechanical pump, good for about 250HP. It's been babied all along, never beaten on or even run hard (no towing, hauling, etc) so as you can imagine I got him $1000 the very next day! My friend says it does drip a tiny bit of coolant from the rear of the head, but I'll just do head gaskets before putting it in. I'm definitely putting a gear drive on it, and will probably install a stud girdle as well. The rest of the driveline will consist of a 700R4 and NP208 that I got for cheap, but I'll probably look for another 700R4 to build up and install at a later time, perhaps with either an NP205. I may decide to procure another NP208 and eliminate the slipyoke rear output by installing parts from a Dodge model.

A complete wiring harness from either Painless Performance Products (http://painlesswiring.com/) or Ron Francis Wiring (http://www.ronfrancis.com/) will be installed. Neither of them make a diesel-specific harness but since I'm not going to be using a glow controller, don't care about a "low coolant" light, and will have separate WIF systems on the Racor primary and secondary fuel filters, a gasser harness will work just fine.

I still have to get interior parts, fuel and brake lines, a steering gearbox, springs and shocks, and any incidentals along the way, so in order to finish it by the end of July as we plan I may end up eating a lot of ramen noodles and staying off the tool trucks! Everything will be well-documented, posted to my ImageStation site, and maybe even written up and submitted to The DieselPage. Then, next year, I can do the whole process over for the Blue Bomber I'm driving now... :cool:

[ 05-07-2005, 06:41 AM: Message edited by: NH2112 ]

[mhagie]

You're lucky when I did my Restoration my cab was so bad I had to replace it as even the floorboards were bad.
Luckily there is a business just 50 miles from me that specializes in Chevy rust free parts so I found a 84 cab from Texas as clean underneath as it was when new, a 85 box from them and a complete new front clip from GM and I was ready to go. :D
Merle

[NH2112]

My truck was originally a Texas/Oklahoma truck so it still has almost no rust. I've often thought about renting a truck and driving to the southwest 3 or 4 times a year, buying up clean, rust-free body parts, and bringing them back here to sell. When I was stationed in OK it seemed that almost every salvage yard was selling stripped cabs for $150-$200, and it'd be a bargain for 3x that price up here. A "not too rusty" door brings $100 here!

[dieseldummy]

Just stay away from the repro parts like LMC has and I'm sure it will turn out great. My parents have a '76 that was pretty beat up so they bought repro fenders, doors, and hood. None of them fit right and there are noticable gaps all the way around. Sounds like a fun project you've got going. Good luck.
Justin

[mhagie]

I was told when I did my makeover to stay away from Taiwan body panels and at that time GM was pricing very aggressively to compete so I went all GM I even bought a new radiator support for the 80 silverado so I could get the square headlights, only cost at that time about $130.
The killer was the new 80 silverado grille it was $200 with a 15% discount, they claim it is the most expensive grille ever made for a pickup, and I believe it.
Merle

[NH2112]

My friend Mike has done about a dozen Chevy/GMC restorations and his opinion is that parts from LMC, Veng USA, etc, are just as good as GM parts. He says that these trucks new had huge gaps all over the place, especially in the doors and where the cowl meets the fenders & doors. As long as the doors shut without rubbing, GM didn't care too much how well they lined up. Plus, GM parts cost about 3 times as much as repro LOL

[mhagie]

Phil,I don't doubt that GM has raised the prices big time now that demand has dropped back a little but it might pay to check on the web as there is 5-6 diferent companies selling restoration parts and one might be a little less expensive.
I won't knock LMC as they have put some dents in my credit card in the past and have never had a problem. :D
Merle

[nathan71]

I'm in the same process now. I priced fenders from GM a few years ago, and although they were more expensive, they were still within range. I should have bought them then. I was told that the manufacturer only has to make parts for 10 years for each model year. To buy a fender from GM now is outrageous. I think they are considered new old stock, so that warrants a higher price. I'm buying Taiwan panels this summer to finish my truck, inner and outer fenders both sides for a little over $150.