73-87chevytrucks.com
73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Members Rides => Topic started by: SmokeShow on February 23, 2010, 02:21:45 pm
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I thought I had already created a thread about my truck here but apparently not. :-\
I have a 1983 God Made Chevy (GMC :D ) K30 crew cab (3+3) srw truck that was converted to shortbed by the previous owner and has the 91-style 4-headlight front end on it w/ a steel cowl hood. I purchased this truck almost 2-yrs ago from a guy in PA that used it as a sled pulling truck and that will be it's primary purpose for me as well. I purchased it w/o the engine as a roller and it currently has the GM pass. side drop D60 front with lockrite locker, an SM-465 4-spd transmission backed by a NP205 transfer case and a 14bff srw welded rearend out back.
Plans:
Engine: Duramax engine out of a complete 2006 wrecked donor truck I have bought. Just to get the conversion done and the truck running, the engine will be stock. Eventually it will be built with billet connecting rods, large injectors, dual cp3s, custom charger setup (charger will be behind pass. headlight instead of in valley like normal for duramax), stage 2 heads, yada, yada, yada. I have a gentlemen that is going to modify the stock harness so that it's virtually a 5-wire plug-n-play setup to have the running engine. Once built, the truck should make 750-800hp at the wheels. :o
Transmission: I have purchased a zf6 6-spd manual transmission to run behind the duramax. I have also already purchased a TRIPLE disc clutch from South Bend Clutch for sled pulling with!
Transfer Case: I am trading parts off the donor truck for a NV261XHD transfer case (same case as in the gmt-800 trucks with dmax). They have proven to hold up very well on the track behind trucks that make more power than I will. Good enough for me. As some may know, this is a DRIVER'S side drop transfer case.
Drievtrain: FRONT - Since the transfer case is a driver's side drop, that means my perfectly good pass. drop GM D60 is useless to me in this truck. I'm hoping to find a 78/79 Ford front HP D60 since they are virtually a bolt-in affair. They are getting harder to find and are uber expensive when you DO find one. ::) If not the ford hp d60, the next likely option is a front axle from a 94+ Dodge and maybe try to utilize their coild spring linked susp. front setup. The newer for d60 is hardest to use due to spring perch placement being way off from GM width and they won't mate up good at all. REAR - the donor truck is a DRW truck. I'm probably trading that rearend for a SRW rearend also from an 06 truck. The AAM rear has proven to be just as tough as any other rearend on the track with good axles in them. Unfortunately, the old 14 bolts just don't last behind the torque of the diesels. That's a shame because unlike everything else diesel related, the 14B would have been much cheaper to build. I'm also going to try and get the longer gmt-800 63" rear springs under the shortbed for ride and ease of mating to the AAM axle. We'll see if they'll fit or not. ???
Interior: Due to the truck being a pulling a truck, it doesn't currently have any interior in it except one bucket seat for driver and four mismatched door panels. :( It will have matched door panels, new carpet, and power locks and windows. I'm also going to put the seats and gauge cluster from the 2006 donor truck in it. The donor truck is an extended cab truck and I'm going to make every effort to put that back seat in the crew cab. I think I can get the back to attach to the cab wall like they do on the newer trucks. We'll see. All the HVAC controls and ducting will have to be put back in as well since they were also removed previously but came with the truck. The class I'll be pulling in requires the trucks have complete and functioning interiors which I want anyways. :D
There are a LOT more details that I have worked out logistically but I'm tired of typing ;D and I think you have the gist of it now. I'll try to get some pics thrown up later on and as I go along. I'm hoping it'll be converted and running by mid-summer. We'll just have to see how things pan out I guess. The last couple years were spent collecting information and data so that once I started, I wasn't held up with something missing. I have everything but the front differential now I hope. Once I sell my GM D60, 4-spd, np205 and 14bff, I should be able to buy a front end to put under it. Once I get the front end under it, I can know how/where the engine can go and the ball should roll pretty quick from there.
C-ya
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sounds like you got a good plan there, make sure to post pics and dont be affriad to ask questions, there are alot of good people on here who will help you keep us posted 8)
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Really the only pic I have on the work computer...
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Donor:
(http://inlinethumb47.webshots.com/43822/2283087870105859168S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2283087870105859168IpYjkL)
Back for now... would like a chrome blazer bumper or sport bumper...
(http://inlinethumb10.webshots.com/43657/2771412160105859168S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2771412160105859168sSvfnW)
Looking down the side... nice n straight!
(http://inlinethumb24.webshots.com/43991/2336023890105859168S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2336023890105859168iBQqGf)
Inside driver's side:
(http://inlinethumb46.webshots.com/44653/2991014510105859168S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2991014510105859168TtfIPW)
Above Qtr shot. Please pay no mind to the totally awesome wheels it's rocking at the moment. ;D
(http://inlinethumb21.webshots.com/45076/2212472950105859168S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2212472950105859168SCAlrR)
Inside from pass. side. Fuel cell will not be there anymore. Haha
(http://inlinethumb21.webshots.com/46676/2997032260105859168S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2997032260105859168xmSaSl)
Pass. side from rear qtr:
(http://inlinethumb62.webshots.com/46461/2213684700105859168S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2213684700105859168ARkkqs)
A 6" stack mocked up... it's just sitting in there. It'll be shorter and hopefully straighter. This pic shows the color of the truck a little better too.
(http://inlinethumb04.webshots.com/46339/2677997170105859168S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2677997170105859168xWqUID)
For the time being, I plan on running these wheels on it. 16x8 eagle wheels. I think their style matches the era of these trucks pretty well. Eventually I want to run 10" wide wheels though.
(http://inlinethumb50.webshots.com/44721/2157040170105859168S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2157040170105859168jeqeYc)
That's really all I have for now. I could post some pics of the parts going in it but it'll hafta wait til I can get those pictures.
C-ya
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Are you building this as a weekend toy or as a driver? Sounds like it'll work awesome as both.
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wow man thats a nice truck you have cant wait to see you start building on her, its nice and straight and no rust it looks like you got a real good truck, be sure to post lots and lots of pics when you get started 8)
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Pretty much just a weekend toy. Might drive it occassionally in nice weather or to some of the local diesel club meetings. If I get tired of sled pulling with it, it'll probably get more street time. It's a bit of work going from street setup to track setup. But nothing will be permenant on it.
C-ya
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Nice!
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Pretty much just a weekend toy. Might drive it occassionally in nice weather or to some of the local diesel club meetings. If I get tired of sled pulling with it, it'll probably get more street time. It's a bit of work going from street setup to track setup. But nothing will be permenant on it.
C-ya
Hello Mitchell :P
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What's bud! Had no idea you were on here too.
Gettin ready to get started on your old square body?!?!
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What's bud! Had no idea you were on here too.
Gettin ready to get started on your old square body?!?!
Well with the way things are going with trying to get the puller ready by next month, I'd be better off to start working on the 79 and just sit this year out. ::) >:(
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And a couple years later it's finally about to start...
(http://kydtr.com/iboard/uploads/post-34-1283120818.jpg)
Thats both trucks loaded on a 40' trailer being pulled by an 05 zf6 dmax. He's gonna help with the conversion for some parts off the donor. :) So excited to finally actually get this thing going. We're gonna try really hard to have it together for a pull here in Dec. if they'll invite me. The final verdict was to do a body swap, not put the drivetrain in the 83 chassis. The main factors in deciding to do that is (1) the much stronger 06 frame compared to the 83; (2) the engine, ZF6, transfer case, and rear end all BOLT INTO the 06 chassis and (3) making body mounts is hopefully gonna be a great deal easier than making engine and trans mounts and stiffening the 83 frame. :) So, the 06 cab should be off by the end of the weekend. The allison et al already has a purchaser. 06 seats are going in the 83. Then we'll fit the 83 cab to the 06 chassis while the harness gets modified. ;)
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ABOUT dang TIME! :D ::) ;D
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Is it a long bed extended 06? I assume keeping the IFS also right?
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Well, true to form, it's likely that there's gonna be a change of tactics. :) Now that the cab is off the 06, it is pretty evident the 83 body is not going to mount up to the 06 chassis very well. Although both frames have the step up in the back where the bed mounts, the "step" is a good bit higher on the 06 frame as compared to the 83 frame. That would make the 83 body way too high off the frame if the bed were mounted directly to the frame. The amount of frame showing on our trucks is enough, it would practically all be showing under the 83 and that'd just be fugly so that's not gonna happen. :D
So, we're most likely going to go back to the plan of putting the 06 drivetrain in the 83 chassis. I'll just have to see if the frame needs any additional bracing once it's put together and hooking. If it's flexing too much, we can pull the bed back off and box in the frame if need be. Only real option to still keep the conversion a body swap is to get the rear step in the 06 lower. This could happen if I sectioned the frame in the middle of the step to get the wheel base the same as the 83. We'll have to do some measuring to see if enough frame would be taken out in the step area to draw the wheel base tighter AND lower the rear section enough to get the bed low enough that the frame won't show so bad.
Progress to date....
(http://inlinethumb56.webshots.com/10807/2611818950105859168S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2611818950105859168Zhzdyu)
capt, yes, the 06 is an extra cab long bed truck. No, the IFS won't be staying. The 06 is a 2wd now. Either way, a 2nd gen Dodge D60 is going under the front. ;)
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I would brace the current frame and ditch the 06 frame then.
If you don't do that you could section the bed over the hump if you don't need the bed space.
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You will pretzel the frame, do yourself a favor and box it now.
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Got going on it more yesterday with the help of a friend.
Like stated previously, the cab et al had already been removed from the 06 so we pulled the engine/trans together. NO I'm nor running the Allison but my zf6 is being stored at a friends place & I couldn't get to it so we used the Allison for clearance check be use I'm pretty sure it's atleast as big as the zf6 if not quite a bit bigger. ;)
So we have engine/trans out of 06 chassis & pulled the doghouse off the 83. To my amazement, thx engine/trans fits surprisingly well between the frame rails. Had to pull the oil filter but that's it. The mount on drivers side sits right down on the 83 engine mounting plate that bolts to the frame. They don't match good though. Hafta make an adaptor between the two to bolt it all in. The pass side doesn't match up as good but pretty close. Again, an adagor will hafta be made between the 83 mounting plate & the Dmax mounts. May have to notch the front crossmember just a tad for comfort. It's a little less than 1" away as it sits but will be tighter once the mounts are modified & it sits down a little more. There is adequate clearance between the oil pan & front diff!
The coolest thing is that GM rocks for not changining things for decades at a time!! The trans mount for the 83 sm465/np205 is exactly the same as the allisone & zf6. Just might have to move the crossmember back & redrill holes. Aldo might have to space it up a tad. But that's all a load easier than building a new crossmember & mount!!
So that's where it's at after 1 day. Engine/trans is sitting in the frame.
In short order is to get harness shipped & modified & back do we can see if it runs. I've got to figure out exactly what to do for brakes. The other conversions I've seen use the hyd assisted setup rather than vacuum. I'm just not sure about how they plumb it into the pump on the Dmax or adapt the old pump to the Dmax? The other big items are getting an adequate clutch master cylinder that'll bolt to the firewall & have proper fluid dispersion to operate the zf6 clutch. I can't seem to find answers about bore size & rod travel of the mc in the gm800 Dmax trucks with zf6's. :(. And finally is how to mount up the throttle pedal setup.
All of that has been done before with exception to the master cyl stuff so it shouldn't be too bad to figure those things out.
Then there's LOTS of little things to iron out.
I'll get some pics up when I get them from my friend.
Later
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Great update Smokeshow, I need to get by and check you guys out one afternoon. I've got a little delay in getting my transfer case. I guess that makes more time to clean up the Cummins.
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Yep, trucks over at a buddies shop in Georgetown right now. We've done about all that we can there. Gotta have some fabrication tools now so I'm begging my good buddy Garrick go let me park it in his shop at his house & help me with some of the fab work. He's agreed to as soon as he gets his floor heat finished! Awesome!! ;)
You're more than welcome to come check it out but be careful, we might stick a wrench in your hands if you stand too long. LOL.
Just messin. ;). Io would like to spock your brain about mounting these late model seats in there tho. :)
Later
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a few pics...
06 Cab coming off
(http://inlinethumb44.webshots.com/30955/2851040680105859168S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2851040680105859168GGaEod)
Ready to pull Dmax/Alli
(http://inlinethumb12.webshots.com/47051/2516437680105859168S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2516437680105859168IvrLZH)
Dmax/Alli Out (Yes, the engine hoist is cheap and over taxed with the combo :D )
(http://inlinethumb15.webshots.com/47182/2233219150105859168S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2233219150105859168JxVVWH)
Front Clip off 83
(http://inlinethumb31.webshots.com/47134/2292639260105859168S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2292639260105859168obAjsN)
Ready for Dmax
(http://inlinethumb37.webshots.com/44068/2657999480105859168S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2657999480105859168cirjcJ)
Going in
(http://inlinethumb48.webshots.com/42415/2988225120105859168S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2988225120105859168QdCLBG)
Almost there! :rock:
(http://inlinethumb10.webshots.com/44041/2661312120105859168S600x600Q85.jpg) (http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2661312120105859168vtmDAl)
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Wow, 2.5yrs ago was the last post I made on this. The good news is, y'all haven't missed anything. Sadly enough, that's also the bad news :( nothing has changed.... until now. Got all my studying done for & passed the prof. Engineering (civil PE now 8) ) so I'm back to focused on this!!!
I've pretty much given up on this truck being a pulling truck exclusively and as such, I purchased a second donor truck last week and will be selling off much of what I had acquired for the other one. The new donor is 2001 chevy extended cab short bed 4wd with duramax/allison & leather LT interior.
The plan is to do the chassis swap & attempt to incorporate the 01 steering column & gauge cluster. Comparing the two columns shows that GM hasnt changed the mounting of the steering column location in relation to the steering wheel in a long LONG time. The 01 column is shorter than the 83 after the mounting tab though so I'll have to figure something out there as well as how to adapt the large square plastic column pieces to the 83 bezel/dash.
Hope to ear into this very soon!
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That's gonna be a sweet ride 8). Are you gonna swap the whole dash out of the donor? I always thought that would be cool.
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I've looked into it online and it's not looking likely although I'm with you and think it'd be cool.
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Is there a lot of fab needed to make it work?
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so?
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Mitchell has that 'ol cricket band playing! lol
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And a couple years later it's finally about to start...
(http://kydtr.com/iboard/uploads/post-34-1283120818.jpg)
Thats both trucks loaded on a 40' trailer being pulled by an 05 zf6 dmax. He's gonna help with the conversion for some parts off the donor. :) So excited to finally actually get this thing going. We're gonna try really hard to have it together for a pull here in Dec. if they'll invite me. The final verdict was to do a body swap, not put the drivetrain in the 83 chassis. The main factors in deciding to do that is (1) the much stronger 06 frame compared to the 83; (2) the engine, ZF6, transfer case, and rear end all BOLT INTO the 06 chassis and (3) making body mounts is hopefully gonna be a great deal easier than making engine and trans mounts and stiffening the 83 frame. :) So, the 06 cab should be off by the end of the weekend. The allison et al already has a purchaser. 06 seats are going in the 83. Then we'll fit the 83 cab to the 06 chassis while the harness gets modified. ;)
Good looking trailer. I remember loading them up. I also remember swapping dirty axles when I coveted that truck to dually. How's this project coming?
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