Project Chimera-my '83 c10 swb

[werewolfx13]

I'm going to have to take some current pics of my truck as it sits now, but heres some background info and pics from about 2 months after I aquired it.

I bought this truck in late summer of 2006. I paid $1000 cash and cut a couple limbs off a tree that were hanging over the guy's house. Its an '83 Silverado, or atleast has Silverado trim. The truck has the original doors with NO power locks OR windows, but it did have cruise control. The front clip is off of a different truck, and the whole truck has been repainted at some point, and not very well. Areas where the paint has peeled or has been knocked off on the front fenders and hood show a dark blue paint underneith. The bed is 100% rust free inside and out. There is a pencil sized rust hole in the drivers cab corner, but I oiled the metal from behind to prevent the rust from getting worse, or atleast slow it down. Both doorskins need  to be replaced, as the passenger side has some scaley rust on the outter bottom edge, and the drivers door is rusting all around the seams on the inside. I've marked the perfect floorboards, rockers, and bed up to the fact that its been undercoated atleast once. It needs a new drivers side front fender, one of the previous owners was in a minor wreck and replaced the bumper with an '81-82 front bumper, but never replaced the drivers side fender..it looks like a dent from the side at a distance, but up close you can see the front was pushed back and caused the fender to crinkle a bit. There are some flaws in the paint on the roof, but nothing I'm concerning myself with. It also needs a new windshield w/ the antenna, this one is cracked across the top. I installed a set of cheap but very effective fog lights soon after I got the truck, they can be seen in the photos to follow. I've also since replaced the chrome deep drop step bumper with a diamond plate chrome step bumper and frame hitch. The AC also works, and is charged with r-12.

The back glass is a single slider, one panel that slides towards the driver. Its small enough that it would take a very tiny person to crawl in, so I often leave the side windows down about an inch (it has the SS louvers/visors), and the back glass open in the summer to keep heat buildup down. I tinted the side sections of the back glass to 20%, but left the sliding center section unhindered, so if I ever reinstall a rearview mirror, it won't be completely useless.

The truck originally came with a 305/th350c/2.73 geared 10 bolt combo. The rear end is the same (gears are probably still 2.73s, or 3.08s). The trans thats currently in it is a non-lockup th350 that leaks a little bit, and the engine is (I think) a 350 from a chevy car, as it has the small harmonic balancer as was used on car 350 engines and truck 305s, and it makes a LOT more power than the '84 I had with a 305. It has HEI, but no emissions garbage. The EGR has been removed and blocked off. The truck burns oil, mainly on the #6 cylinder, as it oil fouls that plug about every 3 months, but the others are fine. It also leaks oil pretty bad, especially when its driven hard. After standing on it, you can pop the hood and theres oil on the fenders and manifolds and shows its down about 1 pt of oil. When its driven normally, it goes through about 2 qts every 3k miles. I've also noticed that antifreeze dissapears from the system, but it doesn't leak out, atleast not when its sitting. All of these problems has led me to aquire another engine to rebuild for the truck.

On to the interior..the dash is cracked in multiple places, and the perforations over the speakers and the center section are mostly gone. The bench seat has a saddleblanket seatcover, because the factory cover is SHOT. The interior is dark brown, matching the outside color. I've installed a highliner for mounting my CB, and it has a nice flat spot right above the driver for mounting switches and such. My headunit is an older Kenwood MPV-622 mp3 CD player. I never use the CD player part, as I have an iPod input and use that instead.

My plans for the truck are to replace the drivers cab corner, both doors, drivers fender, and source some new light assemblies for the 81-82 bumper so I can keep my 2 extra running lights/turnsignals, possibly replace the bumper with another '81-82 bumper, buy a moonvisor, replace the flawed square tube chrome grille with a nice billet aluminum grille and new headlight trim pieces to match, or find a reasonable billet phantom grille. I want to ditch the bench seat in favor of a nice set of high back buckets (I'd like some suggestions as to what to look for, I want somthing without a console or center seat, with good lumbar support, and I need to keep all the legroom) and a padded sub enclosure to use as a center seat when neccessary. I also want to get a functional cowl induction hood, or modify a stock hood with semi-functional ram-air scoops. I'm still up in the air with what color to paint the truck when its done..it'll either be the same brown, a nice REALLY dark blue, or black with dark purple racing stripes. I want to keep the silverado trim stripe down the side (replace it with a new one though), the dripedges, and I want to go with the larger factory style stainless mirrors instead of these crappy little chrome wannabe mirrors. The truck will stay at stock ride height, unless I go to a complete airride setup that can provide a full 4 corner lift over stock height, as well as drop it below stock height.

Eventually, the truck will get a mildly built, holley TBI 350/700r4/3.42 gear combo, with an air or electric locker for extra traction when needed.

I'm sure I forgot somthing, but on to the pics.

[werewolfx13]

I've also swapped out the factory steering wheel for a smaller aftermarket Pilot wheel. I really like the look and feel of this wheel, compared to both a grant and OE..Its slightly larger than the grant I was looking at, but MUCH smaller than stock..its slightly smaller than the stock 88 up wheel. The only problem I had, is theres somthing misaligned in the steering system..The factory wheel and my aftermarket wheel were both turned slightly leftward with the wheels centered, and I couldn't set the wheel any further to the right when I installed it, I've just been living with it.

I realize I have two pics that are almost the same, I wasn't paying attention when I uploaded them, but it won't let me edit my first post, just gives me an error that the session is in use or some such when I try to save the changes.

[Captkaos]

Yeah, that is a bug in the software, you can't fix it...  I reported it, but no solution yet...

The alignment of the steering wheel has to do with the tierod ends.  The alignment shop should make the wheel straight and then aligne the truck accordingly.

[werewolfx13]

Thanks, thats good to know, when I get a new set of tires for it instead of buying used 235/75/r15s whenever one springs a leak, I'll go through the front suspention/steering parts and replace whats needed and then have it properly aligned.

I don't suppose you can get replacement parklight assemblies for an 81-82 bumper can you? Everything I've seen is the better part of $60 (or more) for a pair. I kinda want to tint them..I tinted my drivers side, but the passenger side is in horrible shape and wouldn't survive having the lens taken off, so I've got one gray lens and one dirty clear-ish lens.

[Fordeatinz71]

i'm pretty sure you can get the replacement turn signal assemblies from  competitor...but yea, they aren't gonna be cheap...nice lookin project!

[werewolfx13]

Thanks! I saw it sitting way out on the lot at a tire shop with a for sale sign in the window, so I stopped to check it out..found a nice, minimal rust truck at a fair asking price, and talked another $250 off of it. Needed a harmonic balancer (old one wobbled a bit), and valve seals. Already had fairly new dual exhaust w/ cats, a new battery, and new rear shocks.

I look at   as a last resort..I was kinda hoping I could help support the forums a bit instead of buying from   again.

[Fordeatinz71]

well, i'll take a look around some of the local junkyards here and see if i can't find ya some decent ones...i need to scour them for some original Sierra Classic 3500 emblems for my project (doubt i'm findin those!)

[werewolfx13]

I scoured the local yards, all of the 81-82s had broken/missing light housings, or the same problem this one has..the drivers side in good shape, and the passenger side on its last legs..I think they're hiding all the good passenger side ones for themselves 

[Fordeatinz71]

lol, i hear ya man...we have a couple yards around here...if i find one, i'll let ya know and i'll snag it for ya if you want...i know what it's like to really need something...

[werewolfx13]

Thanks, but I suspect I'll be going the route of new stuff. On the drivers side, most of the sealant that holds the lens on was pretty much gone, so it came off easy. After 25-26 years, that plastic is REALLY brittle, and wont survive much prying. I really do appreciate the offer though. I can deal with one grey lens and one dirty looking stock lens for now.

[okuma]

WEREWOLF, you are just in luck my friend. if still interested, i have a pair. I had them on my truck before I replace the front end conversion 89-91,they are a custom replacement which are amber colored.            I ordered them amber, because my bulbs would always become clear. amber colored lens eliminated all this bulb color fading deal.

[werewolfx13]

I'm really looking for clear lenses, I want to disassemble them and tint the inside for a dark grey smoked look. I appreciate the offer though!
I just had this lapse in judgement to spend the last of my "spare money" on a young lady rather than on any of my projects, so I'm too broke to afford anything anyway.. ....