My 81 SWB plus my first post.

[codykrr]

Hello everyone.  been lurking here for a while and decided its time to join up.  I bought an 81 silverado SWB from a guy near springfield.  got a good deal on it(really good).

Names Cody.

I live in Marshfield, Mo.

Anyway, havent had to do "too" much to it so far.  its got the facotry 305, 4bbl carb, 350th trans.   

The motor is old and wore, the tranny isnt much better, but I drive it daily.

My plans for it is simple.

I want to lower it either 3/5 or 4/5 havent decided yet.(static drop) 
wanting boss 338 chrome 20x8.5 in front and 20x10's in the rear.

after that keeping it pretty much the same.  as far as exterior goes just new.

I am debating on the drivetrain still.

Its a toss up of either a built 350 with some after market heads, a nice cam(mainly for idle sound) headers flowmaster 40's with a 700r4.

build a 383

now thats if I keep it my daily.

If I get a 4x4 like I want this thing will be getting a 454! 

interior will be done original as well except for the seat. wanting to find some 40/20/40 seats. that fold down into a console.

[zieg85]

Very nice, welcome from NW Indiana

[bake74]

     Welcome from California.

[mdws1987]

Nice... Was the red bowtie on the grille done by you?

[81_Chevy]

Nice clean truck!! Welcome from SE South Dakota! funny thing i was born and grew up in Springfield, lol small world!

[codykrr]

Nice... Was the red bowtie on the grille done by you?

Yes it was. The grille was pretty dirty, and the bowtie all cracked and looked like crap, so I took the grille off and emblem and painted them both.  the grill is a mettalic(chrome lid) paint which while not chrome really cleaned up the front end. the bowtie was just some cheap krylon in "banner red". 

I am waiting on a billet grill I just ordered(though not sure where to get a billed emblem for it yet).  but I will hang onto the factory grille.  it has one piece broke but hardly noticable unless you know its there.

I also have on order(should be here this week)  the H4 headlight housings.  got a set of 4 from ebay for like 70 bucks shipped.  there glass ones too.  I will eventually run HID's.

I already got my Heavy duty wire harness for the upgraded headlight...just waitng on parts...

Right now I just sold one of my compound bows and got some  money burning a whole in my pocket.  the tranny in this thing isnt the best, and the motor is wore. So I am trying to find a decent motor/tranny combo(350/700r4) for cheap.

Problem is, I also have a whole list of things I could do other than buy a motor/tranny! lol...drop it, new dakota guages...patch panels, cowl hood....the list goes on and on! haha 

thats the beauty of having a fixer upper!

I REALLY wish I could do a fram off of it.  here in Missouri the salt the heck out of the roads and I am sure there is a lot of lovely rust to find!!!


All in all not bad for 900 bucks and the guy threw in a free full tank of gas!

[Captkaos]

I would start spending money on the important things first:  Brakes, hoses, fluid changes, u-joints, shocks, etc all the wear parts.

[codykrr]

Capt- brakes were redone the first weekend I got it!

It wasnt fun replacing the old collapsed brake hoses either. lol  had a heck of a time on the drivers side hard brake line nut. flare wrench stripped it still even after soaking it with pb blaster.  I ended up just cutting the hard brake line and replacing it.(yes I used a line flaring tool)

got that done repacked the wheel bearings(looked to be in good shape) calipers were in working order so a set of rotors and pads is what it got. 

The drums prolly could use redone though.

As for ball joints and such.  pretty much all the bushings and ball joints need to be replaced. but I drive 3 min to work everyday and dont go anywhere else so I plan on changing that stuff out when I lower it. 

I bought this truck back in August of this year.  in a week I did the following

changed brake hoses
repacked wheel bearings
new brakes up front and rotors
rebuilt the carb(rochester 4 bbl)
tightened all the lifters(there wore out but gotta get by for now)
replaced the timing gear and chain
new used turn signals and light sockets
new used tail lights
new turn signal clutch assembly(was broke and couldnt put on the left turn signal)
replaced the metal fuel lines with rubber lines and put a new in line fuel filter
back flushed the radiator put new coolant in it.
drop the tranny pan(only to find a nice pile of metal shavings- yay!!) replaced the tranny filter/gasket and added some lucas slip fix(worked alright)
new valve cover gaskets
new starter(funny story about this and the valve covers- more later)
throttle return spring

Obviously I changed the trany fluid, coolant, oil, and all the basics. 

I bought a felpro complete gasket kit and intended on pulling the motor and putting them in... but. funny story...kinda leads back to the valve cover and starter.

ok so when I called on the truck the kid said "man it leaks oil real bad the carb needs rebuilt I think the rear main is out as the front main.."  so I told him over the phone Id give him 900 cash tomorrow.(was sold on the truck anyway)

I go up there look it over, and made sure it had oil blah blah.. I drove it about 35 miles before I suddenly starting loosing oil pressure! I pulled off on an off ramp(4 miles from my house) told the wife to run me to autozone to get some oil.  because it had just dumped 5 quarts in 35 miles!!! it was getting dark, thing wasnt really road worthy..so we went got oil put it in made it home! whew!

next morning I got outside starting trying to figure out where all the oil went, well the entire pass side of the engine bay all down the under side of the truck and heck even on the tailgate was covered(so was the wife malibu haha she was behind me)  anyway, I get to looking and notice the oil was coming from the valve covers so I figure it was a gasket. it has after market edelbrock valve covers on it with the cheap T post valve cover bolts...yeah..there werent tighted down on the passenger side at all!!  found my leak.

then my starter goes out on it.. from all the oil getting down inside of it!

but in a week I had her legal, and mostly road worthy again.

The headlight upgrade is a necessity for me! I cant see squat in the am while driving to work!! even with the brights on.   the grille..well yeah sure I could have done without that..but hey, they wife got it for me for Xmas!

I just dont want you thinking I am aimlessly throwing money in the wrong direction.

I did spend way to much time on the wheels I completely striped them, wet sanded them to 320 to a mirrow finish...took me countless hours.

right now my main focus is keeping her drivable.  my tranny slips(prolly from the 20 year old kid I bough it from driving it like a 3 on the tree!!! ugh)

might be why the motor is sluggish too!

I dont really want to throw money into the motor since I am looking at getting a 350 anyway..

anyway sorry for the long post. haha

[codykrr]

Oh and I installed a trans cooler. I think there is more, but cant remember off the top of my head.

[codykrr]

Well the grille and headlights came in this evening.  Im having some issues with the   headlight wiring harness, but aside from that I think it looks pretty darn good!



Also hopefully going to pick up a parts truck this weekend! Looks to have a lot of needed parts!! IE- glass, doors, cab corners, fenders...ect..ect