Any good in the mud?

[1976Scottsdale]

I know it is starting to get late in the season for a mud toy but I plan to build this over the winter.  I just bought a 1978 Chevrolet Custom Deluxe K-20.  It has a 350 engine, 4bbl q-jet, SM465 Trans, NP205 case, 10.5 inch 14 bolt rear, Dana 60 front, and no bed at present.  I payed $275 for it.  It needs the usual Chevrolet Rust replacement, doors, front fenders, cab corners, and so on.  It does have surprisingly, a basically rust free frame that is 100% straight and true.  The cab needs some work, it was a hay truck and ha a few bales hit the roof .  Oh well, does anyone know any specs on the 14 bolt and dana 60, I have never even been near a 3/4 ton other than on of my friends before, so I know vey little.

[roundedline]

Are you sure the front is a D60?  3/4T trucks didn't come with D60's, that was a 1T front diff.  77-up 1/2T and 3/4T K series used 10bolt front diffs.  If it does have a D60 front and 14B rear you have nothing to do but drive it.

Chris Lucas
www.73-87chevytrucks.com
www.captkaoscustoms.com
Project Su
Jimmy 2WD Project

[aprice]

i run the same setup (danna 44 front for sure) and it works very well. i have 4.10 gears and is good for a stock truck

[1976Scottsdale]

After checking the VIN, the truck is actually a 1976 3/4 ton.  I believe it is a dana 60, the lockouts are about 4-4.5 inches in diameter, much bigger than the Dana 44 on my 78 1/2 ton, which I know is not the original for that truck.

[bflobil]

That sounds like a scream'n deal.  My advice is to keep it as light as possible.  Of course it depends on what you're going to do with it as far as mud bogs or just general playing around to determine other modifications.  Have fun playing.

[1976Scottsdale]

Well, the plan is to try to fix the cab as best I can, not much can be done for the two dents in the roof, but I will be fixing the floors and corners/rockers.  I can get factory fenders that are rust free for about $25.00 each at a local salvage yard if I pull them and hoods and doors for about $40.00 to $50.00.  I will also be trying to get either a flatbed or a decent longfleet bed to put on it, I found one long step, but I didn't care for it.  The truck will be used for local saturday night mudding and for the more popular and well known bogs.

[1976Scottsdale]

The truck is at my house now.  My friend ended up not being able to get the title from the owner, so He and I worked out a deal and I kept my money and ended up changing the oil in his truck for him and he gave me the truck minus the SM465 and NP205.  No big deal, I talked to the owner and he is going to provide ME with the title for free.  I have also found a SM465 and NP205 for $75.00.

[tornadotech]

If you got a 1-ton drivetrain for that cheap, you got the deal.  If you going on the cheap and using it only for mud, weld up the spider gears at least in the rear.  If not fond of welding the spider gears and didn't score a factory locker, 14 bolt Detroit Lockers are pretty cheap and a junkyard Powr-lok or Trac-lok in the front will do wonders.  The main thing will be to gear the truck to get as much wheel speed as possible and keeping into its powerband (a time trial process).  Good luck.

PS:  Here is a pic of mine

Edited by: tornadotech at: 12/4/05 4:10 pm

[1976Scottsdale]

Well, broke my driving truck(1978 K-10) and had to sell the 3/4 ton for money to fix it.  Lost the axles, got a sm465 and np205 and a 350 010, 020 four bolt main.  Might try to get the axles back later, they were locking 4.56 gear axles.  

[tornadotech]

That bites.  A good front Dana 60 goes for around $1000 here.  Wish I was there when you sold them.  Good luck in getting them back.  

[1976Scottsdale]

Going to cost me the $125 I sold the pai for to get them back.