Restoring 87 R10 Silverado Longbed

[Corkey723]

Well I guess i'll make a progress thread for my truck.

I bought this truck on Oct 25, 2009 off my friend. He had bought the truck to use the bad and cab on his 4x4 plow truck. Then they were gonna scrap the rest of it. The previous owher blew the headgasket in 07, so he replaced them and stupidly reused the old headbolts. Well no surprise, he broke one. He gave up on the truck and sold it to my friend. He put the bed on the plow truck and kinda gave up and decided to sell both. Gave him $400 cash and towed it home.   Now onto the progress.

The day I brought it home was the inspection day. Pulled out the trailer brake and wiring (it was a house extension cord). Just looked over the frame and cab. Frame is solid. Cab has no outer corners or rockers. Rusted out and patched by the old owner with duct tape and bondo. (yippee)

The truck is pretty original. In the glovebox was still the original owners manual, dealer panphlet, business card from the salesman at the dealer, original maintenance book, tire warranty book, and some other papers. Other original stuff on the truck is the rally spare wheel with original uniroyal tire. (was used and abused, but its there.) Original jack and jack handles. Some other stuff too.

Now onto the fun part.  Next day after I bought it I pulled the heads to get out the broken stud. It was broke off about 1/4 inch above the block. Pair of pliers and 5 seconds it was out, cool. The i looked at the heads and realized they were all crudded up. Oh boy.   My buddy Corey then looked over them and knew they needed rebuilt. Then we looked at the motor. Stuck.  It sat with no valve covers, pushrods, spark plugs or throttle body on it. Open like this for 2 years, moisture got into the motor. Soaked the pistons in Seafoam Deep Creep (awesome shoot btw), and Corey got under and spun the flywheel  after about an hour of soaking and it broke loose.

Now we find the lifters are stuck inside the bores. He got a lifter puller and got about half of them out and broke the tool (they were in there good.) Cleaned up the lifters with some emery cloth and bought 1 new one to replace one that popped open. Oiled them up and they slid right in.

This takes me to the last thing we did. Now what I want to do with the motor. I need to know if this is going to cause me any problems. I want to take out the A.I.R. system and pump, and the EGR system. Another friend who has a 85 Scottsdale, put a new motor and headers in his truck, so I want to get the old headers for my truck. I dont know the brand.

Now for parts i need. I need an alternator and bracket, a/c pump bracket, distributor and hold down clamp, and a wiring connector off the TBI harness. (someone cut the old one off for another truck) Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated, now onto the pics.

[Corkey723]

This is the other Corey, thats my name too, by the way. Just a couple of kids born a little to late for our taste. Hes currently restoring an 81 Scottsdale longbed. Hes on the board here somewhere.



More pics can be seen here in the couple truck albums I have.   Enjoy.

[beastie_3]

The interior looks like its in pretty good shape besides the carpet and the little tear on the seat.

[Corkey723]

Yeah, the dash is really good, the carpet needs cleaned, everything looks in good shape, not broken. and that tear in the seat is the only bad spot on it.

[jeff0547]

So, what has happened???

[beastie_3]

So, what has happened???

he has updates on other posts. you can go to his profile and look them up.

[Corkey723]

Sorry for not updating this thread in here. I figured it was more suited for the general truck thread. If you want to follow any updates, they will be in this thread from now on. Thanks for having interest in my project btw. I should have more updates tomororow.

http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php?topic=15035.0

[JDaniel]

maybe a stupid question but anyway,
c10: 2wheeldrive
K10: 4wheeldrive
r10:...?
what stands the R for ??

[isptech]

I think that GM changed the nomenclature in 87 because of the 88s using the CK moniker, Hence the R10.  I think a 87 4wd would have been a R20.

Clint 

[Irish_Alley]

They changed it up cause of the new body style they put out the next year. I kind of think it was to prepare the customers more of a mental thing people were so used to calling a 4x4 k so if they saw a old body style being called a r they could relate to the change and hopfully it would scare them away From a new product

[78 Chevyrado]

R10 = C10 = 2wd

V10 = K10 = 4wd

[Corkey723]

R10 = C10 = 2wd

V10 = K10 = 4wd

Yup, what he said.  Its 2wd. They Just changed in in 87 because they kept this body style till 91 on some of the trucks and they couldn't have 2 completely different trucks with the same name.  I should have a small update today in the other thread.

[Lucky73]

looks like a good starter.should look good,whats the availability for used parts(auto recycle centers)

[Corkey723]

Around here as far as used parts go, they're scarce in good condition. Most of the truck was there and in good shape so it's going pretty well. Still have to do rockers and cab corners as far as the front end goes I have the inner fenders painted and the core support is repaired around the mounting points, painted, and insalled.

[Corkey723]

Well I guess since this thread is a little more popular than the other one, ill update here. Last week I got a bed for the truck for $100, but both bedsides are about shot, but the floor is mint. Anyone have any bedsides for sale or a better bed I could toss on. I don't think it would be worth it to try and fix the sides on these, they need new arches, taillight area, and other metal. Also cleaned and painted the core support and inner fenders. Heres some pix, long way to go.

In progress

Before

After

Installed

Bed? (whats left of it at least, lol)

Note from my buddies uncle