Learn me: 73-87 Square body Chevy trucks

So I was inspired by the crusty Chevy and want to do a similar build. I'm going to do it with SWMBO and when I showed her skinnygs truck she loved it. So it will probably be the same paint scheme.

I want a 2wd C10. I want a single headlight and round bodyline, so preferably an early truck, which would mean probably a 350/350 combo.

I will lower it and do a little engine work and a slightly higher stall, mostly gonna be a cruiser with a little chop chop.

I'm pretty well versed in SBCs, so I don't need much help there, but it's like to know anything else about the trucks.

Cheap mods, good mods, pictures of pretty ones, what to expect, what to watch out for, recommendations and awesome build threads (I've seen skinnyg and lipstick on a pig, I hear cousin Eddie is an expert on these).

So go on hive, learnt me.

I'd be surprised if you haven't seen Bob's truck, but here's the link to the thread.

Rear discs can be cobbled together with late 70’s Cadillac seville pieces.  They’re painfully simple to work on, you can find ginormous sway bars on big trucks.  

RC/SB are going to be $$$$$ so just be prepared to get a long bed and shorten it.

My buddy bought a 1973 K20 in 1979.  

The rust was amazing - totally gone.  

Don’t limit yourself to starting with a truck that have a SBC.

The straight 6 trucks already have the holes in the frame for the motor mounts, the 6 cylinder flywheel will go on a SBC, and anything that doesn’t move right over from the 6 is just a parts bin or pick & pull away. 

I’ve done the 250cu in six to V8 a couple times (1980 and 1983 model years), and the process is simple and it’s surprising how much moves over  to the V8  

Depending on your price range I know of a single cab long bed with a very build SBC. They're asking 7k but the engine moves me in ways I think it's worth it. 

Aw, shucks!

If you've followed my thread and Bobzilla's thread, you've got some good information.

Go to www.67-72chevytrucks.com and search in the 73-87 section for everything from "TX Firefighter" The dude's builds are freaking awesome! (and he is on here as "Cousin Eddie").

They are really easy to shorten, and I DO work my truck. Today was two 1000lbs trips of asphalt.

Buy the best you can regardless of year. Backdate it to whatever year you like with repo sheet metal. 

In reply to No Time :

Oh I'd definitely rock an inline 6, the only ones I've seen that are 6s are the later 4.3s which I'm not a huge fan of.

In reply to Appleseed :

I just realized this applies to several different vehicles I find myself wanting older versions of, including the one I got rid of partially because I wanted an older one.

They're going up in price because everyone bought all the earlier ones.

Careful closing the hood on them!

I've heard about the taco'd hood issue, but my family has owned 5 and we've never had any trouble.  

Opti said:

In reply to No Time :

Oh I'd definitely rock an inline 6, the only ones I've seen that are 6s are the later 4.3s which I'm not a huge fan of.

One of mine started as an I6 and 3 speed column shift, th second was an I6 with an SM465. 

The 6 wasn’t a bad engine, but all the smog parts cluttered it up. 

In reply to Appleseed :

I think the hood issue is a result of the older tension spring hinges and corrosion in the hinges causing bind.

The later torsion spring hinges seemed less prone to binding up. 

Just keep the hood hinges oiled.

My '77 has no problem, and I lube the hinges very oil change.

I oiled the hinges on my '61, and now it tries to decapitate me every time I'm in there.

Yep, the 73-80 early trucks do have more problems with the hood taco, 81-87 don't have the problem as much. There are braces for the hood that should help, but I haven't used them so no experience on how well they work.

You can get pretty much any sheetmetal you want  for them. Can swap just about any engine in them as well. The Suburban/Blazer rear fuel tank can be used if you don't want the side saddle tanks. Personally I have no issue with them.

SkinnyG said:

Go to www.67-72chevytrucks.com and search in the 73-87 section for everything from "TX Firefighter" The dude's builds are freaking awesome! (and he is on here as "Cousin Eddie").

Thank you. You’re very kind. 

This is a fun thread!

Here in the Peoples Republic of Boulder,  several of the strip mall/business parks use 70 vintage chevies to plow their lots.

Last week, I was driving around and there was a 70's chevy 4x4 with at sand spreader and a new plow.......a quick guestimate  was that the accessories were worth WAY more than the truck.

Carry on then.....

Rog

In reply to Opti :

I built the opposite of what you’re asking about. Are you sure you don’t want a big one?

Believe it or not those are 38” tires on approximately 9” of lift. It’s also a K5 chassis.

Had an 81 K5 Blazer with I6, AT & 4WD. Good solid truck that took a lot of abuse off-roading and extreme cold weather in Alaska and a couple coast to coast cross-country trips. I would still have it if it hadn't been T-boned at an intersection. The I6 was a torque-y thing, never ran across anything it wouldn't pull from a stop, of course 4-lo helped. Had a hard time with maintaining freeway speeds with a load though, especially inclines. Towed quite a bit with it. Working on the engine, used to sit in the engine compartment. Lots of room with the I6. Body was easy to work on, all accessible. Cab forward was the same as the pick-up truck. The 4WD with I6 was minus one leaf in the leaf springs (front & rear) which made it a bit lower.

 As for as the I6 goes, the later 250 with the integrated intake wasn't held in too high of regard. The 292 however is totally bullet proof. The SM 465 is an awesome trans, but the lack of overdrive might bother some people. If you're going automatic, swapping in a 700R4 is certainly worth your time. 

The thing that really attracted me to the 73-87 (specifically 73-80) was the trucks that came factory with both the upper AND lower side faux chrome trim. With age these trim pieces were prone to falling off. Can’t recall for sure but these were put on in the factory with some kind of rivet that now days is not easy to replicate. Perhaps I’m remembering that wrong? I’ve seen a few trucks of this era that were repainted and this trim was never put back on. I think LMC or maybe someone else use to sell (maybe still available?) complete upper and lower trim kits for these trucks. 

I miss my ‘78 Big 10.

I had a 78 chevy K10 short box. 350/350. 4" lift/33s, lockers front and rear. That truck was loud, rough riding, drank gas like a homeless alcoholic. But it was simple to work on and the chicks loved it. 

The only thing I can remember to watch out for was the early ones, 73-75? rusted real bad above the wheel wells. Though by now the survivors have probably had those areas fixed.