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Old 07-12-2017, 10:28 AM   #1
Farm Shop
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Deer Creek, IL
Posts: 145
1970 C10 "RATTY" - EFI 454/4L80e, patina, SWB 2wd

*This is a new thread after my first build thread got decimated by Photobucket links being killed*

After years and years of wanting one, I finally picked up a 67-72 2wd SWB C10. On valenties day a 2015 my wife (who was 9 months pregnant with our first child at the time) gave the the ok to drive 5.5 hours one way to Kentucy and pick up a 1970 C10 I found on CL. It was rough around the edges, but the price was right and I loved the patina'd original paint look.

The truck is a VERY base level C10 with the 250 I6, manual drum brakes, manual steering, and no corner lights. I believe the only options it has are the powerglide automatic, and the AM radio. The truck has a lot of rust, but its different from what we see here in the salt belt, and it is solid in all the right places.

The approach to the build is pretty straight forward with some very simple requirements:
- Do everything with a budget in mind, but not sacrificing quality or execution.
- It needs to be completed in a way so that I want to drive it. No heavy fuel smell, weird driving characteristics, AC is a must, etc.
- Keep the worn patina look, while having a fresh/clean engine bay and interior
- This is a muscle truck that is going to be driven a lot... not an original resto, not a pro-touring build, and not a bagged show queen.

Some key details on the build:
- Original 1970 C10 short bed 2wd Arkansas truck and natural patina on mostly original med olive green paint
- 1999 Vortec 454 L29 and 4L80e running a modded stock harness, 0411 ECM swap, Merc Racing 454 Mag cam, and Hooker A-body long tube headers
- Chassis was blasted and epoxy painted, 80's front suspension with 6 lug conversion disc brakes, sway bars, CPP 3/5 lowering springs/shocks, 90's silverado brake booster/MC, several DIY suspension mods
- 15x8 aluminum slots with 275/60r15 radials
- 1999-2002 Camaro EFI fuel tank
- DIY power windows/locks/seat, keyless entry, cruise control, electronic speedometer, and compass rear view mirror all salvaged from the donor 1999 suburban.
- Air conditioning
- Updated exterior lighting, including 2015 Jeep Wrangler OE headlights


Couple pics from the ad:











The old farm truck Dmax pulled it back just fine.



Unloaded, sitting in my yard.



I bought the truck knowing that the I6 did run and had new plugs, cap, points, condensor, and rebuilt carb, but they were too lazy to clean or replace the crusty fuel tank. The seller and I ended up using a 5 gal gas can under the hood to pull fuel from long enough to drive the truck onto the trailer.

Now that it was home, I wanted to get it running correctly. I bought a replacement gas tank, but first tried to get it running as-is as a sanity check. Turns out, I think the engine is junk. The oil was good when I bought the truck, but after a few min of cranking, it looks like chocolate milk and was high on the dipstick.

I was hoping to address the suspension issues (lowered on heated stock springs), wheels/tires, bring the interior back to life, and drive it with the I6 for a while, but it looked like an engine swap was going to happen sooner than planned. I had planned to use a 4.8/60e combo I had sitting around, but stumbled across a deal I couldn't pass up...

1999 running/driving C2500 Suburban with the Vortec 454/4L80e for CHEAP. Who doesn't like an EFI big block??







I also bought a set of 15x7 15x8 slotted mags to help with the look. I ended up buying another set of 4 15x8's and have new 275/60's ready to go on.



Fast forward to Feb 2016 (having a newborn messed with the timeline a little lol) when I finally got the C10 into the shop.









The truck came apart very easily. This truck is definitely rusty, but not in the way I'm used to with midwestern salty roads. Once the 250/powerglide were out and sold, it was time to move on to rust repair.

I started in on the passenger side. Dust, mud, leaves, mice, etc settled in every location possible and rotted out a lot of low areas of the truck. Rockers are the only exterior panel I plan to replace, and they'll be paint matched as well as possible to match the patina.




Fitting the new panels


Getting better.


The Lincoln welder was singin'!


Other than grinding a few more welds, the passenger side is good and solid



Moving on to the driver side







The cab supports didn't warrant replacements, but I did clean up the bottom of one and reinforce it




Floor and inner rocker getting welded up


Fitting the outer rocker with the door in place.




It turned out pretty nicely
__________________
1970 SWB 2wd C10, Vortec 454/80e, CPP 3/5, slotted mags, patina
1972 K20 Super Cheyenne, Short bed, EFI 396, NV4500, NP208
1970 GTO Judge, heads/cam LS1 & stalled 4L60e

Last edited by Farm Shop; 07-21-2017 at 12:34 PM.
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