My '77 K-30/V3500 Monster Truck Build

[bake74]

     Have you picked up your Rockwell Axel's yet ?

[Engineer]

Not yet. That will be next if I don't find a good deal on a couple more tires first.

[Canadian 4X4]

dang this thing just went from mild to wild

[Engineer]

Picked up a few more parts yesterday. I doubt I'll ever use all of them, but I couldn't let this stuff go to the crusher which was where it was headed.

I was able to score a 1985 tilt column from a factory 4 speed truck, with cruise, and delay wipers. I also picked up the cab trim for the rear of the cab. Mine has a few bruises, so I grabbed this for its replacement.

I couldn't find a serviceable hood release off of a square body, so I opted for one from a '90 C/K truck. Should give my truck that "personal" touch. Atleast now, when my hood is done I can put it on without fear of somebody shutting it, and not being able to get it back open.



The rest of the stuff like the rain gutter trim, the hydraulic clutch pedal, the cab light wiring harness, the 454 radiator top panel, etc will be put up probably to sit for eternity. I have no plans for any of it at the present moment, but I didn't want it to be uncerimoniously crushed.

One thing I did find, this salvage yard has a 1984 C-10 with a solid cab, and front end. I put my name in for those. I still need to give it the once over before commiting since the '84 has some minor rust in the rockers, and the windshield has had a hole in it for some time.

Here is my plans for now, and this may change. I plan on  building a whole new tube frame for the monster, with 5-tons, and 4-links front, and rear. After the monster is completed I can buy the '84 cab, and front end. At that point I can return my '77 body (pseudo '91) back to the puller. Then I will put the '84 on the monster. I already have a suitable '85 grille, and headlight beezels for this later truck.

Since I dont plan on modifying my '77 truck cab to place it on the monster returning it to the puller will just encompany removal, and replacement. With that the puller build will not have been a waste.

[Engineer]

This project has slowed to a crawl, but for those who are still interested I have an update.....I do have an excuse, I attended approximately 70 baseball games since my last update and that has taken up alot of my time.

While I have been setting the money aside for my 5-tons I did a little "beating of the bushes". What I found in my patient search was a complete truck for about the same price of a front, and rear axle set from the surplus truck salvage breakers.



The truck is a Vietnam War era M-54, 5-ton, 6x6, and by all accounts was never used by anybody. The guys I bought it from eventually used it for spares for a fleet of these trucks that they operated.

Yes, you are reading that correctly if you see 156.7 original miles, and 23.9 original hours.



More proof that this truck's mileage is original....

Anyone who has ever been around big trucks, especially trucks that are off highway capable know that grime builds in the insides of the frame rails, and all over the front of the gear boxes.....



None of the 6 pinion seals have any evidence that they ever leaked oil. Again, another trait of on/off highway big rigs.

The paint still somewhat exists on the bed mount brackets that suggests this truck didn't have anything wearing on it. Again, anyone who has been around heavy trucks knows that the paint wears off immediately on the bed mounts with truck use because there is no possible way of keeping the bed, and frame from flexing against each other.



Epic amounts of camber are evidence that the front axle has tons of life left in the kingpins.



On the road......



Now at her new home:



I plan on saving this, and putting it in the rear of my monster.



So here we are. I am a lover of old military iron. I hate to break up this old steel soldier, but after much consideration to restore it to a runner (I would LOVE to do) would just be too expensive. The cab is totally rotted out. You can't shift any of the gear boxes. Anything that is supposed to pivot, doesn't. This truck is uber rare in the fact that is 45 years old. Most of the trucks from this truck's blood line went to Vietnam, or were wore out here in the States years ago.

As I said, I got this truck for about the same price as an axle set from the breakers. What is cool about this find is that I also have a spare rear, and four driveshafts. I would have to buy the driveshafts extra from the truck breakers. And, this truck weighs about 15,000 lbs. so after selling the carcass off for scrap I'll have a virtually free set of new 5-tons.

I have also since changed my mind on my "77 K-30 truck's direction. I was at first looking into a "retro" build with a steel body on a tube chassis, and four link suspension with coil-overs. But now I have decieded to go full 1980s old school. A custom steel box frame will set on leaf springs based off of 64" long 1988~2000 3/4-ton Chevy K2500 rear springs. The springs will, of course, be arched to provide 14" of lift. "Back in the day" 1980s era monsters had gobs of shocks. I doubt I'll go more than 2/wheel for now. And I will not be using the military truck's transfer case.

My plans are for a "light weight" old school truck. By building a custom box frame, instead of bracing the factory frame like the 1980s trucks did, I'll be lighter, and stronger. Also, I am looking at either an SCS, or Pro-Fab puller case. Some of the 1980s monsters had these, so it wont be against the old school build theme. Without yokes the SCS case weighs about 80 lbs. The 5-ton case in the M-54 is about 750 lbs....... It is massive.

Now my search turns toward finding a complete bed. The bed skins idea only plays on a retro build. Old school needs a full bed. And I'm still looking for 2 more 66x43-25 bias Goodyears, and 4 wheels.

[bake74]

     WOW, good find on the m-54 truck.  One thing is for sure, you will not be breaking those 5 ton rock wells .
     I have used them on custom rock buggies and never over 20 years had problems with anything breaking. 
     Good luck with the build and keep the pics and updates coming.

[ItsOniiyx]

You quite literally meant 'monster'
What are you planning to run for the tranny? (sorry if I missed it in the posts somewhere)
And how much weight are you pushing currently?

[Engineer]

SM465 tranny.

Don't know on weight. Axles are about 1,500# apiece. Removing the brakes saves about 300# per axle.

66x43-25 tires are 1,000# apiece with steel wheel.

Frame, and suspension will only be slightly heavier, but no more than a truck with an aftermarket lift kit.

I plan on running a SCS puller transfer case. Those are only about 80# which is about half of what my current NP205 weighs.

Just a rough guess, but I'm thinking ready to run I'll be about 11,000#.



Stay tuned. Big update coming within the week.

[werewolfx13]

If you were near me, I would love to pick over your scrap pile leftover from that m54...especially that front bumper..I like the "if you pull out in front of me, I hope you have a good life insurance policy and expected to have a closed casket funeral" look.

Sounds like you have your work cut out for you. Good looking project.

[Engineer]

Update:



Getting the engine out of the frame was a blast. About 2500#.





Brakes shoes are so new that they still haven't taken a set to the brake drums:



Deceided instead of junking the frame that we would save the frame rails. We drilled out all of the rivets, and removed the bolts so we could strip the rails from the cross members. Our intentions are to use the frame rails to build my oldest son a gooseneck trailer. Using my trailer as a pattern, we should be able to build a 22' trailer from these rails.



Here are my axles setting in my shop. The rear axle will be used as is. The front will have its differential turned 180°. This will then have the driveshaft centered on the axle. I will replace all of the seals, and knuckle boots when I strip them down to paint them. Otherwise I'll be using both axles as is.

Removing the wheel brakes saves about 300 pounds per axle.



Just for giggles I will add these photos for comparison. I'll be using the top two driveshafts in this picture. They are identical, just need to lengthen the one. Both are 1610 series. The bottom green one is a 1710 series. Placed below is the original front driveshaft from my truck. LOL!



Axle on left is from a GM 14-bolt rear. Axle on right is from a rear 5-tonner. 



Also, I was able to score three more tires, and three wheels:



I now have 6) 66x43-25 terra tires. Problem is I only have three of the old 10-ply GoodYears. I am still looking for one more of the old rounded 10-ply Super Terra Grip tires from the early monster truck era.

What I have in addition to the 3 older 10-plys is 2 GoodYear Super Terra Grip XT tires. My hope is to find one more Super Terra Grip to buy, or maybe find someone who is willing to trade the 2 XTs that I have for one older tire, and wheel. I really am hoping to run a full matching set of four. The other last option would be to find 2 more Super Terra Grip XTs.

[square81]

AWSOME is all I can say! Cant wait to see it done. Good idea with the making a trailer out of the rest.

[Engineer]

Bought this today $150.00 M-1008 pick up box:



It has some bruises, but nothing that wont be too hard to fix with some love. Pulled the tail lights to inspect for rust. None. Looked inside the gaps in the inner fenders above the wheel wells for rust. None.

Only rust seems to be from where the scratches are. 

Don't think I'll be able to totally get the dents out without a little putty, but we will try. 

Thought I would add this: Scored an M-1008 bed about three years ago (background). Thought we would have it painted by now.......but......maybe soon. 

[Engineer]

Started working on the bed this week.

I have to ask, is anyone else this fanatical about bare metal? For some reason I just can't get myself to paint over anything. I keep telling myself that the metal has to be stripped bare or I am risking future failure. 

This way at least I can get all of the tiny little surface rust webs that formed as a result of the paint failing. You can sort of see where those spots are.

Also, this corner had a fairly sizeable dent. With a little (a lot) time I was able to slowly work out most of the dents. The 2K urethane primer should build enough to smooth what I was not able to work out. There is a dent in the rear that I wont be so lucky with. That one will take filler. Oh, well.

[jaredts]

Your hard work will pay off.  On something this old I don't think its worth the chance of painting over--especially with the surface rust.  You're doing a really neat project, so it might as well look good for a long time.

[darmentle]

Cool build !!!