Author Topic: My 78 k10 4x4 build thread -454 install / build -1 ton axles- frame restoration  (Read 422877 times)

Offline FearNoMan78k10

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Update on the truck real quick ,,, just so everyone can know ,,, it WAS a 305ci HEAVY half ton 4x4 shortbed that was a long bed previously ,,, manual sm465 tranny with np205 transfer case is being kept. The old heavy half ton setup is being swapped out for a 1 ton suspension, the new 1 ton axles are a big nasty heavy Dana 60 kingpin front axle ( disc brakes ) and a Dana 70 rear axle, both are solid straight axles and will have 488's or 456 gears,,,,,the little but tried and true 305 was nicely and neatly pulled out and sold. With a bored out built 454 big block being swapped in the 305's stead,,, it will more than do some power providing ,,, building this engine to be a modified streetable daily driver....... with frame brakes and suspension getting a full make over and or rebuilt as well as the cab getting interior love attention and affection and freshened up a bit and bed getting painted to match the front of the truck, this in short,  my chevy brothers , is what I'm doing to this K10 shortbed 4x4, the last truck I build , and drive..... I may restore a truck next year or build a beater mud truck... This will be the the 2nd to the last build I do.... I truly think so besides a built mud truck or restored stepside classic ....


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78 k10 4x4

Offline FearNoMan78k10

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Side note to post above ,,,, Dana 70 Rear Axle has DRUM and not disc brakes just to clarify
78 k10 4x4

Offline FearNoMan78k10

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More specs and info to come
« Last Edit: May 12, 2014, 02:06:57 pm by FearNoMan78k10 »
78 k10 4x4

Offline FearNoMan78k10

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I'll post the entire story on buying the chevy truck at the very end,selling off the old sad 89 f250 after buying it for a meanwhile a to b runner after selling my nice paid off 07 Toyota tundra 4x4 to get my family into a house,,,, buying my wife her dodge ram 1500 4x4 and new duratrac tires for both trucks,  and selling expensive items too like my paid off 2014 Lark enclosed trailer , thousand dollars sold worth of coolers, had 3 yeti coolers , one cooler was 800 new last year , hunting gear , fishing gear, military 10 man outfitters canvas wall tent made for a wood stove, had a vogelzang iron boxwood stove,,, sold engine parts and truck parts here in colorado to help pay for new parts and labor work from my mechanics and also the high speed machine shop to do their part, so it's costed me more than just dollars and cents here,,,,, I am an OUTDOORSMAN.... And have always kept up on getting more and more gear , from hunting to fishing to camping etc etc I had this trailer of mine PACKED AND ORGANIZED TOP TO BOTTOM full of outdoor gear, I now have a small pile of it left , no trailer,,, hardly any gear , ,,,,, sentimental and expensive new slightly used items of mine, thousand and thousand worth sold off so I can have a awesome rebuilt and built to the hilt chevy 4x4 shortbed,,,, what started as an engine swap turned into a purchased scam of an engine from my parents friend , engine swap turned into a nightmare opening the engine up,,, that turned into sell this and sell that continuing to sell items and just been having a hard time forking over a thousand here, 4 thousand here, another 2000 here, 700 there etc etc ,,, so after selling off everything but the kitchen sink and seriously wanting to take the guy who sold me this engine and send him to meet The Lord ,,,,a few decades earlier than he probably would of,,, after being screwed so bad ,  just buying the 4700 dollar engine Took a financial toll,,, then add into now me selling off the farm etc to pay for his lies and mistakes about the 454 that was race ready inside etc etc lool,,,,, thoughts of ended lives start really running through your head ,,, so my folks after seeing what I went through and sold etc, they saw I was mentally losing it because of the royal taking me to the cleaners on the engine, my folks decided to step in and help me finish the engine ,,,, my disability is coming up here in a week and I truly am disabled and cannot work, no funds come in to me at any time unless I sell or trade something,,, so this truck build is a HUGE HUGE HUGE DEAL. It's sentimental like no other truck I've ever had, even my diesel that I built by hand myself ,,,, before the accident ,,,,, that produced concrete shreading power and torque,, this truck cost me 600 dollars, a Springfield stainless steel wood grip .45 acp 1911, a brand new unused high point .40 cal glock, and 750 rounds of ammo to go with, all in a pelican case , and ammo in canvas bag,,,,, just for the truck,,, then add the 4700 engine, the 5,500  in ENGINE PARTS, the 3000 in labor between shops, now add selling my sentimental things ,,, now add selling my only truck my 07 tundra to get my family into a house of our own, buy my wife a truck , 2000 worth of new duratrac (8) tires, buy myself a beater ford wanna be get around in the meanwhile truck , not spend a dime on anything but bills, buy a 454 from a friend after sacrificing expensive truck for a home and my family. not having a decent vehicle or truck to drive, now add in just handing a good long time friend 5000 dollars for the engine only,,, and find out it was a total careless put together abused nightmare inside of an engine, and then sell everything you got to pay his mistakes and lies,,,, now I'm in a major bind,,,, add in stress ,,, anger, loss of 5000 dollars period ,,,, puke , feel sick and depressed and all at the same time have a wife and family to look after,,, being in pain all the time, truly be ,disabled , having to sell things and meet with craigslist people to sell off my things that were earned and bought by me and paid for,,, and NOT want to settle the score so to speak,,,and just move on ?? Do you guys know how hard that is,,,,,, try putting yourself in those shoes for a minute,,,, I couldn't help but take the much needed assistance from my folks,,, so before anyone reads and thinks its a mommy and daddy wallet build,,,, make sure to read the fine details,,, this is a sacrifice everything you have and then some build,,,, a blood sweat and tears build,,, literally,,,, I've worked really hard on this truck,,, I'm disabled and can't do what most can , I'm mentally slower than most and was physically broken throughout my body from previous accidents but a car accident took my life in a different unworkable un normal path,,, I had therapy for years , and have taken more pain pills than what Walgreens has in stock... I have a hard enough time as it is sleeping  ,,,2 to 3 hours a night, and functioning as a human being on my day to day... So this truck has added a whole new mixer of emotions and things... Who wouldn't feel the way I'm feeling,,,,, so that's why I decided to build it and fix it right and go through it the way I am, hope you guys viewing it like the project,,,
« Last Edit: May 12, 2014, 02:22:31 pm by FearNoMan78k10 »
78 k10 4x4

Offline FearNoMan78k10

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I've forgotten much about the bad start and just focusing and enjoying the entire process now


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78 k10 4x4

Offline FearNoMan78k10

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If this truck had a twin brother with a big block in it...then my truck will be a contestant.... My goal through this project is to maintain the idea and similarities of this truck and it's looks, stance, color etc,, except the engine that's in it... This truck is a really nice truck in my opinion,,, minus the speaker system..... After getting taken on the engine ,,, I decided to fix and build it right and reliable and of course Tim Allen style grunting power under the hood :-) and in the meanwhile fix rebuild repaint, swap out , etc everything else in the meanwhile.... After selling everything I had and what I've got and having my folks who are the best parents I could ever ask for helping me out on this build because of the nightmare the engine was,,,,, the only thing I would be happy with was a 600 to the wheels monster with the suspension to back it up and everything else gone through and rebuilt,,, SOOO much has been sacrificed and sold off to keep this thing going... I've given a ton a ton a ton thousands myself, and so has my folks,,,,,,,,,,,,,, so MAJOR CREDIT to them,,,,,,,,, or else this truck would be half of what it is,,, literally ,,,,  so BIG THANKS for helping turn this around...


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78 k10 4x4

Offline FearNoMan78k10

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Here's the truck and some specs ,,, that I was talking about in the two sentences in the post above


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78 k10 4x4

Offline FearNoMan78k10

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Truck looks pretty solid ,,,


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« Last Edit: May 12, 2014, 02:30:21 pm by FearNoMan78k10 »
78 k10 4x4

Offline FearNoMan78k10

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And minus the sound system


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78 k10 4x4

Offline FearNoMan78k10

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Just for info this is what the truck looks like inside though


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78 k10 4x4

Offline FearNoMan78k10

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I do like the silver gauges but not the steering wheel or interior so much , the interior is nice that's for sure,,, wish it was black or white or a combo of both inside with orange painted on the metal throughout the inside of the cab ,,, I think that look would be like the icing on the cake


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78 k10 4x4

Offline FearNoMan78k10

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My truck will have 33's and a 4" lift TOPS ,, REALLY SHOOTING FOR 3.5" added suspension lift,,  the truck above has a 6" rancho lift with 35x12.50R15, , Mickey Thompson Baja claw tires, ,  I have Hancook Dynapro 33x12.50r16 mud terrains... Would love 35's only because of the power of the engine and size/weight of the 1 ton axles
78 k10 4x4

Offline FearNoMan78k10

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Side note on something I'm still trying to find and purchase,,,,,,My blue door trim handle piece is so coming off and a black one getting installed, sucker sticks out like a sore thumb doesn't it?


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« Last Edit: May 12, 2014, 02:52:25 pm by FearNoMan78k10 »
78 k10 4x4

Offline FearNoMan78k10

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Bake ,,, love the dual x pipe exhaust you guys have online, is it available in 3" ?  Also looking for a good clean crisp rumble, I was looking at the flowmaster 50 and 60 series mufflers, how would this exhaust compare ?  What are it's specifications ? I'm really interested in it, I still need quite a bit of different odds and ends parts and an exhaust happens to be a main one, here in the next 40 days I'll be needing one!
78 k10 4x4

Offline FearNoMan78k10

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Check out this awesome looking dual x pipe exhaust with mufflers from 73-87chevytrucks.com


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78 k10 4x4