Thread: C10 Goldilocks
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Old 03-06-2017, 11:40 AM   #31
Phill0406
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Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 98
Re: C10 Goldilocks

Finally an update! I haven't been sleeping on the truck just nothing really update worthy. After I drilled out the holes the next step was cutting out the excess of the rear. We decided to use a sawsall for the top cuts and then a death wheel for the side cuts to get it as close as we could. Once the frame was cut out, the notch caps fit so tight that I spent more of this day with the grinder than any other tool. Same story with the front and the rack notches. Cut them smaller than marked and then just grinded the hell out of it until they fit flush. Say what you want about harbor freight but their $20 angle grinder did me just fine. I've also used their engine hoist and stand.

My buddy Ian choppin up the sides



Here I am with the grinder going at it.





The trailing arm crossmember plates needed some massaging as well. I ended up cutting about an eight of an inch off the end bottom of the C bracket because they were just simply too wide to allow the brace to bolt in, then the bottom holes were slotted about another half inch longer to allow the factory frame holes to still be used. I didn't want to lobe the frame holes to weaken anything, so this is the direction I decided to go with. In the end either would have worked but I felt more comfortable cutting a bracket than the frame. Started with putting the brackets to the drill press, getting the end of the cut, and then taking the death wheel to connect it to the existing slots.



Once all that was cut and fitted the rear end went together faster than anything else. I can't say enough about Porterbuilt, it's unbelievably easy how most of this stuff goes together. You can tell the crew really spends their time ensuring the quality and fit of their stuff is right where it needs to be. So I bolted up the rear end to the trailing arms, put on the notch caps, slid the trailing arm cross member in place, slid the rear end under and allowed the trailing arms to dictate which holes I used in the bracket, and viola, I have a roller. Not a whole lot of photos documenting the process as I was just cranking it out.





A couple of my buddies trying to get a good angle on it



Next up was setting the motor on the stand. I stripped off the stock exhaust manifolds, spark plug wires (those big boots just aren't going to fit with a set of tight to the block headers), mounting brackets, swapped the oil pan, windage tray, pick up tube and now it's pretty ready to get set in the chassis for the first time. I need to mate up the transmission so I can get the transmission crossmember placed. The picture here the stock pan and mounts are on it but you get the idea.



Boy these truck motors are unsightly lol. I don't plan on doing much "cosmetics" to it right away, my main focus is get it in and get it running. Once it's running I'll do a cam, springs and rods. I plan on using the brian tooley stage 4 kit. Chime in if you have any experience.

Still on the bucket list is weld the rear end bag brackets in place, weld in the rack caps, get the steering rack in, get the front shock mounts in place (shocks are in the mail), and then it should be pretty ready to be taken back apart for powder coat.

Short video of me grinding up the truck, playing around with my camera one night.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBFa8wAj8jU

Next weekend I'm not sure how much I'll be able to get done but we shall see.
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