jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Here is my new truck! It's a 1972 Chevrolet C20 in mostly original condition.

The good:
California truck with almost no rust, good frame with mostly straight body. Original 350 engine with TH350 transmission, power steering, power brakes, factory AC. Enigine runs strong and starts easily. Interior, dash and gauges are in great shape. Odometer reads 23,093 making me guess it has only 123,093 original miles based on the condition. One family owned.

The bad:
The transmission leaks like crazy. Fluid in the top pours out the bottom in a short while. This is my first priority in making the truck drivable. Also the fuel gauge not working and the driver door lock doesn't lock from outside.

The ugly:
There is a substantial dent to the passenger side of the bed, but it appears to be a slow moving accident with a tree or something, not a collision with another moving vehicle.

http://i.imgur.com/FZt7zyf.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ejo20zz.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/FqJwwzY.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/3LcXcp1.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/qpruyvt.jpg

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Nice start. What are your long term plans?

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

I'm thinking mostly stock sleeper. I'd like to frame off restore it, but no money for that right now. It was a great deal and pretty much the exact truck I wanted, so I had to buy it. I'm gonna fix the transmission and try to fix the burning oil (I think it's just bad valve seals from sitting). At least make it mechanically sound and drivable, then work on making it better a little bit at a time.

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Looks like a very solid truck. I'll follow along too.

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

I put some more photos in an Imgur album that will be updated as the project moves along.

http://imgur.com/a/SVWTW#0

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

First wash - a little less ugly now. :)

http://i.imgur.com/C7LMD4O.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/fat6BoL.jpg

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Removed all these old abandoned spare fuel tank lines, a piece of wood that was wired under the frame for some strange reason, and some romex wire that went from the battery to where the spare fuel tank lines were.

http://i.imgur.com/ihua8e7.jpg

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

The driver side door lock would not lock with the key, so I had a locksmith friend help me out with it. He rebuilt the lock cylinders for the driver side and ignition, cleaned and lubed up the passenger door lock, and made a couple new keys for me. All locks are now fixed and working smooth! No more climbing out through the passenger door to lock the truck.

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Nice looking C20. Love the old ochre on these trucks. I'm sure that dent will buff right out.

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Replaced the broken passenger window crank today. Also removed a metal bracket that was bolted in the bed. I think I'm doing this little easy stuff to avoid cleaning the 40 years of grease off the motor and tranny. That and it's almost 100 degrees outside.

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Cool truck I seen your from Chico, I live in orland.

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Nice. Any good local resources I need to know about?

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

A few years there was a guy in Corning that had a bunch truck parts but I haven't been in contact with him. For some time. Let me knw if you need any parts I might have some or know somebody that does.

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Started on parts cleaning at the top. This is going to take a while to do right.

http://i.imgur.com/Uzuq4de.jpg

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

The air cleaner is now... CLEANER! Also no more grease or paint on the oil filler tube and the tube that goes to the exhaust manifold. It took 2 cans of oven cleaner and a few hours of scrubbing and wire wheel. Next step: primer and paint for these parts.

http://i.imgur.com/QyGxZO2.jpg

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Nice job. I hate the cleaning part of a build. Lol. I will cut and weld all day long but I get seriously unmotivated when the tedious stuff needs to he done.

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

The stock air cleaner primed and painted. It looks even better with the "Keep your truck all GM" sticker on it, but it may be a while before it goes back on the motor for me to take a photo (see next post).

http://i.imgur.com/Q84dCbh.jpg

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Can of worms...

I just wanted to do a compression test, but I had a couple parts from LMC I just couldn't wait to put on like the decal for my freshly painted air cleaner. I also ordered new oil caps and for some stupid reason I decided to replace the one on the passenger valve cover. Turns out it was so old and dry that it broke into pieces that fell into the valve cover. I don't want that in the oil system, so now I have to take the valve cover off before I can start the engine again or do a compression test.

It's a bit of a pain because of the AC compressor, but I get the cover off and find a crispy black worthless gasket under it, along with this:

http://i.imgur.com/Eignccp.jpg

The second rocker from the front (right on photo) is loose and sits twisted off the side of the valve spring. I took it off and find the pushrod is bent and there is a really big gouge in the side of the stud where the rocker was cutting into it. The hole in the rocker is also worn out of shape a little. I thought there was a lifter making noise, but I believe this was the problem.

http://i.imgur.com/sNq5KBY.jpg

Now the tough decision - keep digging or pull the motor out? I really wish I had done that compression test, and I really wanted to drive it before taking it completely apart. :dohh:

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Waiting for a mechanic friend to come look at this and give his opinion on the rocker arm and stud problem... might as well get all the grease off the old valve cover.

http://i.imgur.com/yOMpbsp.jpg

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Nice truck! From what the pics reveal I would give it a complete new wire harness,

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/par...artNumber=true

and if the engine is too far gone one of these :metal:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Chevrolet-Pe...554709&vxp=mtr

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

If it ran fine otherwise and the cam lobe isnt worn you could just replace the rocker arm and pivot ball and the pushrod. I use a slide hammer with a collet on it to pull pressed in studs and then use locktight sleeve retainer liquid and install the replacement studs. Unfortunately it looks as if yours has been run that way for a long time though and if the tip of the valve is worn crooked the rocker will always try to slide off putting a side load on the pushrod so probably wont stay fixed.

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Whats the casting number on that head. Maybe I have one.

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

I'm starting to think crate replacement is the right thing to do. Thanks for the link.

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Haha! Definitely would be my first choice too.

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Couldn't you just replace the worn and damaged parts in the head and put it back together and run it like it is, it would be fairly cheap to repair it if the damage is limited to just the parts you found so far.

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Casting number is 3986339

I also notice the pushrod moves side to side a little in the slot through the cylinder head.

http://i.imgur.com/epa4bK1.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/BFZZfd1.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/TxpNNB6.jpg

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

I cleaned out the bed toolbox this morning. It's fairly mangled from the body damage, and it hadn't been opened in many years as far as I could tell. Found an unopened can of oil that was pretty much empty, and the oil was now a big puddle of black gook that was leaking out of the toolbox. There was also a tire iron and a box wrench in there.

http://i.imgur.com/B2sih9w.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/EHt7FVc.jpg

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

I have had some experience with this on my 73, the stud was messed up and started to come loose. My dad was looking at it with me and told me I had 2 options, either pull the head and take it down to have the stud welded in, or pull the stud, thread the hole, and use a threaded stud. The original studs are pressed into the hole and can be removed using a nut and a socket that fits over the stud, just tighten down the nut and heat the head at the base of the stud with a map gas torch and it will pull out. Then you can find replacement stud kits that come with a tap, you tap the hole, and thread in the new stud with some green loctite and voila... new stud. then you can get a new push rod pretty cheap at the local auto parts house.

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

on this page, the guy installs pushrod guides along with the threaded studs, a good way to avoid this happening again.

http://www.classictrucks.com/tech/13.../photo_15.html

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

I decided to go ahead and pull the motor and transmission. I just don't think it's worth trying to fix the head or dig any deeper when I don't know the true condition of the motor. That, and that fact that I know it burns and leaks oil (this is easily the greasiest engine I have ever worked on).

I'm thinking about going with the GM 260hp crate engine, and put it back mostly stock except a Performer EPS manifold, Performer 600cfm carb, and HEI distributor.

Got it just about ready to remove - only exhaust, driveshaft, and motor mounts holding it in.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-p...813_114951.jpg

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Jimbo, do you already have a carb? I have an extra edlebrock performer 600 im looking to sell (I hope it's not taboo to post that here, if so sorry admins)

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Just a thought here.
A lot of guys go with the 290 HP Deluxe and enjoy the hell out of it.
It is a very popular GM crate motor.
Here is a link so you can check it out.
http://www.chevrolet.com/performance...50-290-hp.html

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Looks nice, but I can live without 30hp and with $550 extra in my pocket.

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

I got a chance to talk to a previous owner of my truck today, the stepfather of the person I bought it from. He said his father got it used in the late 70s or early 80s and rarely used it as his health declined. And he also said that after he inherited it all he ever used it for was runs to the dump, and that it often sat for months without being started. He had no idea what the mileage was, but said it never had any major work, and only recently had a few things done to get it running for the stepson who needed something to drive a little over a year ago (carb rebuild, brake booster/master, radiator and hoses).

The current condition makes me think the stepson that owned and drove it for the last year didn't take especially good care of it, but that is why it has come to me. Still, I'm thinking I was lucky to get this truck that belonged mostly to one family and apparently wasn't used much since the 80s.

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Pulled the engine and transmission today! :metal:

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Power washed the engine to get the heaviest grease off. The motor is coming apart so I'm not too worried about the water, but I was careful and mostly got the sides and bottom. I was able to get to the engine code and casting numbers, but the VIN code is likely hiding behind the flywheel that I should have taken off before putting it on the stand. Everything matches so far. :chevy:

Here's a few pics:

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/Dr...g=w954-h537-no

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-V...826_183551.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-D...826_191647.jpg

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Based on the photos I've posted here, what would you do? I still can't decide whether to rebuild or replace. (does anyone read my thread? :hm:)

With the problem in the one head, I figure it is going to be considerably more expensive to rebuild vs a crate engine. Local shop quotes for a basic rebuild are $1450-1900, while a crate 260HP is on my door for $1510.

I don't want a race car, and the truck is never going to be in a museum. I just want reliability along with a good balance of performance/efficiency. Should I care about "original engine"?

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Crate motor sounds like a good deal to me.

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Thanks Xeen.

I guess you have to build a race car, lowrider, or monster truck to get anyone on here to read your thread. I'm not interested in those things. I was just hoping to get advice from people who are experienced with '67-'72 Chevy trucks. /rant

Re: jimbosprint 1972 C20 - the good, the bad, and the ugly
 

Unless you can do most (almost all) of the work yourself and your block and heads don't require much in the way of machine work, you will come out cheaper going with the crate engine. Going by what I see so far, I'd opt for the crate engine.