73-87chevytrucks.com
General Site Info => General Discussion => Topic started by: 1989bmw535i on February 26, 2025, 06:39:43 pm
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I'm attempting to do something not a lot of people have done in one of these trucks, I plan to drive the pan-american highway. I'll start in Prudhoe bay Alaska and end in Argentina, although I'll probably see how far I can make it south in Chile, I'm not following the highway, I'm gonna float around where ever I feel and in south America and Mexico I'll probably zig zag from coast to coast. I have a 76 chevy k20, it currently has a 350/th400 with a 10 bolt front end, 14 bolt rear and an np208 transfer case. I plan to swap it for a lightly modified 24v common rail cummins, I'll keep the axles, and find a manual transmission and transfer case (probably an np205) to fit the cummins, I'm only choosing the cummins for reliability, I need it to be capable of running high sulfer fuel and I'm going to "bulletproof" it. I'm going to take the bed off and build a camper on the back, I'm looking at 35in tires and a 4in lift. For those who are unfamiliar, some of the roads in south America are straight up offroad trails and I need the vehicle to be capable but also dependable, I'll probably be gone for 1.5-2 years. I'm looking for any advice people have to get the truck to a point I don't have to worry about it, what suspension can I get that will flex some but still be able to handle the weight of the camper? Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!
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I have nothing to suggest, but that's about the coolest idea I've ever heard of. Godspeed on your quest!
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Are you sure your front end is a 10 bolt? I would think that you have a D44 in a '76 K20. Also, I would think your transfer case would be a NP203, not a NP208, unless someone swapped them out.
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Check wheel bearings front and back. Are they original?
U joints too, all of them. Bring spares JIC.
Sounds like a blast!