1980 Chevy C10 - Ugly but Functional

[skyphix]

This is project Ugly.

After a 10 year absence from old American cars and a foray into motorcycles (ok, so I still like bikes...) it was time to get back into it. I found this on Craigslist 1300 miles from home and had a fun adventure driving it home.

See my original thread here:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=772054



Long story short, I ended up with too-small tires for my taste and leaks... pretty much everywhere. The tires I'll deal with by keeping my eyes open for an inexpensive (or used) set of 31x10.5's for the back until I can swing the wheel combo I actually want.

Here's the story of the truck:

Stock, built in Baltimore, originally with a 250 i6, now sporting a 1979 truck 350 that runs GREAT. 150psi in each cylinder, starts on the second crank even in 40 degree weather, and got 14mpg hammering pretty hard on the highway keeping up with traffic on 87 octane fuel with no pings, knocks, or any burned or lost oil. Its starting to stumble a bit now after the drive but I suspect either a bad ground for the HEI, or the fuel filter(s) are clogged. I'll get there, but for now its good enough. It also hard starts when its hot, so I suspect it needs a new starter since the positive battery cable is brand new.


It lost a power steering pump somewhere in Connecticut. That kind of sucked, but not that big of a deal, and it lost the seal/bushing near the firewall of the steering shaft, so I'm planning on doing the XJ swap on that.


Stock:
White
250 i6/th350
Non-Posi rear diff, highway gear (I haven't counted the teeth and don't have a tach, but my guess is 3.08 based on estimated engine rpm on the highway after daily driving a couple of 1970 buicks with varying rear gear ratios but both with th350's)

Now:
Primer, after being orange for what I presume was most of its life, and then red for a period of time. Could really use some body love but I'm just going to fix the biggest issue which is the hood, pass front fender, and pass bedside, and spray it Implement red. Remember, ugly but functional so I am actually OK with it when it fades.

1979 350 that is in great shape

TH350 built by a race shop in western South Carolina, shifts hard but leaks like a sieve right now

Rear diff is still stock, but was leaking badly thanks to stacked cover gaskets and a plugged breather.

DIY Axle flip (not my doing) with Belltech drop shocks (the shocks were my doing)

2.5" drop spindles in the front with stock springs


Here's a couple more photos of the truck:













Plans
2 Inches lower in the front with DJM springs

L59/5.3 swap (May 2019) - I am getting a complete 2006 Z-code yukon after its winter duty. Truck has 300,000 miles but the engine has 40,000 babied and ultra-maintained miles. Practically new.

3.73 rear gears with a limited slip/posi - haven't decided what type yet

4 Link rear (probably TCI bolt-in kit that I'll weld up later)

17x9's with 275/60/17 rear and 255/60/17 front, big and littles for the drag strip

Add-A-Leaf to the existing rear leaf packs to bump up the rear an inch or so and add some stiffness. Don't want to do new rear leaf packs if I can avoid it because of the 4-link plan

Paint (Case/IH Red probably) and some body work, but it will have dents and ripples in the metal. I want it to be very "work truck" but quick - paint is really just to keep it from rusting here in Maine

Gearvendors overdrive or 4l80E - whichever works out first. This is pretty low on my priority list unless the TH350 gives up the ghost.

Healthy cam for the 5.3 - 550/550ish lift and 230ish at 050

Nitrous? Probably definitely nitrous in 2019.


As you can see, I want a burnout machine that I can daily drive and run low 8's (on nitrous) in the 1/8 mile. Nothing fancy or showy, nothing super crazy fast or that handles awesome... just a fun muscle truck.