1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

I have spent way too many hours over the last 10+ years on forums for various cars, reading build threads, giving and receiving repair advice, and generally living vicariously through others. Between about 2003 and 2010, I built up a rally nice 1995 Jeep YJ, using information found online, and learning as I went.

Last fall, wanting another project for my hobby, and to relive a bit of my youth, I purchased a 1980 stepside for my next project. I feel that it's time I "give back" a bit to the online communities that I have received so much knowledge from over the years, and share some of my experience with this latest project.

my starting point is a very basic 2wd C10 stepper. Still has the original 250 straight six (going to keep it). It was originally equipped with a 3 on the tree, but a misguided former owner replaced it with a "turbo 350 (more on that in a minute). I bought the truck locally for $950 in non-running condition and had to rent a uhaul trailer to get it home. The PO had stripped all of the emission equipment from it, and kept the HEI distributor for another project of his.

The first order of business was to get it running. The PO told me that it ran ok, but when he finished the trans swap, he said that it vibrated badly, like it had a dead cylinder, and the trans wouldn't shift out of first gear. I sourced a rebuilt dist. From Napa, and go to it running - and he was right- it shook pretty badly at anything over an idle. My first test drive showed that it would not shift from first gear, just as he said. Further inspection showed that the trans was not a 350, but was in fact a TH400, and he had not hooked up the vacuum modulator. a simple length of brake line, and a couple of chunks of vacuum hose had the tranny shifting as it should.

Now - the vibration. Knowing that most TH400's came behind 454's, which are externally balanced, I crawled back under the truck to confirm my suspicion. He had used the flexplate from the 454- which was causing the vibration! A few minutes with a cold chisel to remove the balance weight, and the little six was as smooth as glass.

Here is what I started with...

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

Next on my list was to get it at the proper ride height. Included with my purchase was a set lot dropped springs and spindles. I installed these for a 5" drop in the front.

My experience doing a SOA on my Jeep led me to building my own flip kit for the rear. I bought a $27 set of spring perched from 4 wheel parts, and flipped the rear axle myself. Took just a few hours with the bed removed, and got the truck to the right attitude.

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

A little cleaning and painting while the bed was off.

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

Still getting used to trying to do this from my iPad.

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

Replaced the rotten wood bed with 3/4" marine plywood and 3/16" x 2" steel straps. Not quite like the nice replacement kits, but only about $75 total. I'll stain and finish the wood later.

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

4.1L straight six. Cleaned up and running...

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

Lowered and bed installed

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

This is how it looked as of last weekend. We had an unusually large snowfall here, and my winter beater is broken and sitting in my shop waiting for a front driveshaft ordered from Florida. 13" of snow and a slammed 2wd truck are not a good combo, so it just sat and waited for the thaw. Going to move it indoors tomorrow and get back to work on it. I have let it sit for the last couple of months, as I have had other expenses, and with this being a toy, it receives last priority on funding. I have a few small low/no cost things I can do, so they will be next.

I will try to keep this thread up to date with better details now that I have finally started it...

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

The other major project I finished before starting to properly document the build as the brakes. The PO included a master cyl and booster from a 1987 C10. I installed this, and replaced all of the drums calipers, pads, wheel cylinders, shoes, etc. the braking system is completely rebuilt.

I'm keeping this on a budget, as I have twin daughters in a private high school - tuition comes before toys. Current total is $2,200.

I have a bunch to spend to get the interior looking decent, then it's on to paint - which I will do myself. I'm hoping to have a pretty nice little cruiser for under $4k when I'm done. Wish me luck...

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

Hi,

I was wondering why it's misguided to replace the former 3 on the tree with a Turbo350? I had a 3 on the tree but my dad swapped this trans with an auto and my '78 c10 now has this combo. I'm learning about cars and trucks and am curious if this is a bad thing to do.

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

We have much in common. I also have two little girls in private school. I'd be a truck building motor-scooter if it wasn't taking so much of my income to pay for that.

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

Nice work so far! :metal:

I already learned a couple things from your build. I spent some time looking for the correct metal vacuum line for my TH400. For some reason it never occurred to me to just use a piece of metal brake line. :smoke: Also, I had assumed an externally balanced flexplate was a completely different animal. Nice to know you can just knock the weight off.

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

Boss - I called the removal of the three speed misguided, only because I actually like them! I learned to drive in a 1956 Chevy 3100 that my family restored as a project. It had a 235 straight six with a three on the tree. I wish this truck still had it! but I'm not willing to spend the money to swapo it back.

One nice thing about what was done.... A TH400 should be indestructible behind my little 250!

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

Nothing like accelerating away from a traffic light and doing the 1-2 upward arm-swing with a column shifter. Folks around you in traffic look at you like you're an axe murderer.

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

Kevin- I don't know what you are paying, but my daughters tuition is BRUTAL! Next years went up another $1000, so that they can all have iPads.

I complain sometimes about what I am spending on their education, but the simple fact is that I would not be doing it if it weren't worth it. I cannot think of a better place to make a large investment than in the education of my children.

Just 6 more years (with college), and then I'll have disposable income again. For now, it gives me a reason to keep this truck "budget", and will heavily influence the finale outcome.

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

Kevin, it's also fun to see the look on the face of a passenger who is riding with you for he first time. So few people know what a column shifted manual is.

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

Thanks for the kudos, and glad I could help!

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

Along for the ride.
My wifey (who I also dated in high school) thought I was nutz shifting the 3 on the tree. She said, "her mom moved that stick thing once and I was trying to show off."

-Learned weights on flywheel removal too.-

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

I'll be here too. Watching along.

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

Alright guy's, stop with the two daughter talk, it's scaring me. I have a 5 year old son and we decided to try for ONE more...... Well, twin daughters are on order now......

Back to the truck, I actually like the way the bed wood turned out. Got me thinking, I wander what it would look like using the plywood and 1" flat strips in the factory locations. I like the look of the flat strips over the factory rolled ones.

Also love the inline.

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

Congrats on the twins girls! Mine are 15 now, and Sophomores in high school.

I thought about doing all flat strips in the factory locations, but decided to just go with the 2 wide strips. The reason for the wide steel strips is that it saved me money! A single 48" wide sheet of plywood will not cover the floor of the truck, so I had to split it into three strips, and spread them apart to get under the edges of the angles on the bedsides. The two steel strips hide this, and make it look like the floor is one piece. I was going to add more strips in the factory locations, but it was more work and $ than I wanted to put into a pickup bed floor...

And the twins? Mine tore all of the old wood out of the floor and stripped the interior of the cab one day when I was at work, and they had a day off from school. Pretty cool that they are interested in dad's old truck.

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

Teenage Daughters? (Shiver) Two boys here, thank you Lord!

Neat 'ol Beater! Glad you're getting back on it, hopefully a (long, cold) winter is easing a bit here and I can get back on it. Thanks for the inspiration!

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

Made a little progress over the weekend (after fixing my winter beater):

Had a pretty bad crease in the drivers side fender:

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

Removed the bad part:

Re: 1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread
 

Installed the replacement fender that came with the truck. Now I just have to weld up the trim holes and do a little bodywork: