My Mini Build/Swap Father Son Project

[FlatBlack83]

Although the swap is almost complete I figured it wouldn't hurt to post a thread. It all started when I inherited my grandfathers (rest in peace) 1979 chevy c10, I was in love with that truck, unfortunately the years, and PA weather conditions did not help keep it in any good shape. My dad was always into muscle cars but has always driving chevy trucks. I myself have loved trucks as a boy as well. So we brought this 79' home from where it was sitting up at my grandmothers house and despite the awful shape that the body was in the truck did have some positives, it had a GM 12 bolt rear, limited slip of course, a TH 400 trans, and a 454 big block. Being only 16 at the time, I was very ambitious and did not also understand the concept of a budget. Well anyway me and my father pulled the motor and had it freshened up, nothing too radical. It was bored .30 over only because the cylinder walls had some scaring on them. A mild cam was installed and the original iron heads used. after the motor was complete it sat in the garage for what seem to be forever. All the time I was dumping money and hours into just restoration work. Me and my dad had enough we ended up deeming the truck to far gone and scrapping it. (RIP ). About 2 years ago I came across this flat black 1983 gmc pickup, again it was love at first sight. Talked my dad into it being our project, and success! The 83 gmc had very little rust, and ran at the time, it has a mint interior which sweetend the deal. Ever since then the 454 has sat in the back of the garage waiting patiently. And it has finally come time!

[FlatBlack83]

Here she is heartless and she bled a little. And the beat 305 that was in it, can you say boat anchor.

[FlatBlack83]

here she is in her rightful place!, now just need some more parts. got some goodies at carlisle today not much though.

[made2drag]

dude, its looking good

[bbbc10]

looks good!! but jus letting you knw..you might want to get a different fan..cause i had the same one on mine and it broke into pieces while my dad was standing over workin on my truck!!!

[FlatBlack83]

update: got the transmission crossmember installed! also got my custom 3" exhaust all done, the driverside had to come down a little more to clear the shifter linkage, but all in all tucked up real nice in the frame, got my headers, went with the sanderson bb8's thanks to baclays build thread! ended up ceramic coating them myself, (mom wasnt too happy when she came home) got those on, and got my carb adapter, braided fuel line and return linkage almost set up, next gotta put her all back together, and take the 1st piston to top dead center, drop the distributor, run wires, and fluids and then shes ready to turn over.

[FlatBlack83]

more pics

[Can't kech me]

how hard was it to ceramic coat them yourself?

super cool truck, a 454 in a <4000 lb truck is going to be fast. espicially with the stuff you have done to it. need a vid when you turn it over bro

[FlatBlack83]

It really wasn't hard... I heated them too 250 for 30 mins then pulled them out and painted them with vht flame proof ceramic paint... The paint instantly cured.. Let them cool for another 30 mins and then re heated again and did a second coat. After that vht makes a flame proof clear ceramic, put a few coats on with that without baking, I figured the exhaust temp will cure the paint once its started. And thanks man I definitely will post a video, the only thing is I'm going back to school tomorrow soo I will only be able to work on it on the weekends...
Posted via Mobile Device

[tinydb84]

Where did you get that crossmember. I need something like that before I put my new exhaust on.
Posted via Mobile Device

[FlatBlack83]

It's actually made for a 63 to 72 pickup but it will work on up to 87 I chose it because I hopefully plan on baggin my truck and I didnt want the exhaust to be the lowest part. soo thats why i went with this one, its from performance online and they are based out of california, it took me at least a week to get it being on the east coast but seeing how you are in cali probably two days max.

https://www.performanceonline.com/19...N-CROSSMEMBER/

[FlatBlack83]

It did however take some customizing, it will not line up with existing bolt holes, well some but you will have to drill them yourself, I just used a torch to cut holes in the frame, being it would have taken forever.

[tinydb84]

Originally Posted by FlatBlack83

It's actually made for a 63 to 72 pickup but it will work on up to 87 I chose it because I hopefully plan on baggin my truck and I didnt want the exhaust to be the lowest part. soo thats why i went with this one, its from performance online and they are based out of california, it took me at least a week to get it being on the east coast but seeing how you are in cali probably two days max.

https://www.performanceonline.com/19...N-CROSSMEMBER/

Thanks for the link! One last question, did it move the transmission at all? Or did the mount fit up in the same place?

Thanks again

[FlatBlack83]

Yep! I'm not sure what you mean, I installed the mount after the transmission was in soo wherever it fit up thats where I bolted it to the frame. the only thing if you look in one of the pictures, I had to make some spacers for the perch and the mount, the tailshaft hit the crossmember, when I ordered the crossmember I didnt even check if it was transmission specific, but I made it work for my TH400

[FlatBlack83]

First start up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiaEW...ature=youtu.be

[FlatBlack83]

little update since the last time i posted was almost a year ago some things have happened. First off something was wrong with the 454 i swapped in... would not start or idle. it wasnt until the beginning of august that I had time to work on it. completely pulled the motor and stripped it down... dropped the oil pan to find that the oil was very thin and smelled like gas... not good. after draining the pan found metal shards in the oil... again not good! soo at this point in time the engine has been disassembled completely and everything has been cleaned and I am not in the process of assembling everything. Here are some pictures. made some changes... swapped out the cam to a bigger one. Comp camps magnum 280/280 duration .520/.520 lift. should be nice. along with the cam obviously replaced the main bearings, the rod bearings, the lifters, springs, locks and retainers. will try and keep up with the thread now that i have some time.. should be running in the next week... =)

[Hankster]

Just read your thread. Anymore on this thing?