Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20 - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

willett · 12-04-2012, 01:15 AM

This is my truck, a 1978 Chevrolet Cheyenne k20
454/Turbo 400/NP203. 44/14FF

I bought it just after I graduated High School

I had little mechanical experience when I bought it and didn't really know what to look for in a vehicle, never mind a square body Chevy!!

First I had a new carb put on, and got the front end done. After a year of driving it on dirt roads I found out about rust!

The box started turning to dust before my eyes!!

I almost wanted to flat deck it!

After putting the new box on I knew that the cab was probably just as bad, but I lacked the time and skill to do anything about it, so I drove it more or less untouched for about a year-and-a-half.

After buying a newer truck I put the Chev away for a couple years and broadened my mechanical knowlege. After spending considerable hours working on the Chev, my F-150, and a Bronco II in between I decided I kind of liked getting grease under my nails so I took a pre-apprenticeship course in Heavy Duty Mechanics and have since started an apprenticeship.

Last spring: Enter the '73 Cab!

I bought it from a friend of a friend for $150. He drove it up as a Washington state truck. He only wanted the chasis and box as this cab had a pretty big dent on the passenger side B pillar and I was feeling ambitious!

I stripped the cab, my current cab, and bought a welder

The door panel of the donor cab was a little bit bent from the hit the B pillar took so I popped it back home with a the very high-tec bottle jack and 4x4 method.

The donor cab was rustier than anticipated, but I had already gotten this far and didn't feel like searching for another cab

I started cutting and welding the firewall with some patch panels from LMC and some I made myself

Here is where I'm at as of today (Dec 3, 2012) On my next set of days off I hope to have the driver side almost complete aside from the cab corner which I will do last.

Bought a winch bumper yesterday for $50 Merry Christmas to me!!
The winch on the bottom is an old one that has been kicking around for years, its only a 5000LB winch, I will have use a snatch block until the winch breaks and I have an excuse to buy a bigger one!

willett · 12-04-2012, 01:23 AM

reserved

willett · 12-04-2012, 01:24 AM

reserved for more!

willett · 12-04-2012, 01:25 AM

hopefully the truck is painted by the time I get here!

willett · 12-04-2012, 01:25 AM

I'm Hoping to have lockers at this point!

willett · 12-04-2012, 01:28 AM

Who knows what will be on here by this point

willett · 12-04-2012, 01:28 AM

One last reserve box

chevyboy73 · 12-04-2012, 07:24 PM

wow... tons of work! can't wait to see more! i myself had a 78 short box that was tons of work, we replaced everything but the frame and rear end

bohmankid · 12-04-2012, 09:22 PM

You're more ambitious than I. That's too much body work to handle, but right on

I too have utilized the special bottle jack method to straighten fenders

**Dieselwrencher** · 12-04-2012, 09:50 PM

Nice truck and cool story! Good career path decision as well. Good luck with it all, and keep up the good rust repair work!

Greenlee · 12-04-2012, 10:15 PM

Cool truck. Nice work!
Posted via Mobile Device

99-LS1-SS · 12-04-2012, 10:31 PM

I would love to have a K20 longbed. Cool to see you rebuilding it.

12-04-2012, 01:15 AM	#1
willett Another Day, Another Dollar Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: North Vancouver, BC Posts: 1,316	Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20 This is my truck, a 1978 Chevrolet Cheyenne k20 454/Turbo 400/NP203. 44/14FF I bought it just after I graduated High School I had little mechanical experience when I bought it and didn't really know what to look for in a vehicle, never mind a square body Chevy!! First I had a new carb put on, and got the front end done. After a year of driving it on dirt roads I found out about rust! The box started turning to dust before my eyes!! I almost wanted to flat deck it! After putting the new box on I knew that the cab was probably just as bad, but I lacked the time and skill to do anything about it, so I drove it more or less untouched for about a year-and-a-half. After buying a newer truck I put the Chev away for a couple years and broadened my mechanical knowlege. After spending considerable hours working on the Chev, my F-150, and a Bronco II in between I decided I kind of liked getting grease under my nails so I took a pre-apprenticeship course in Heavy Duty Mechanics and have since started an apprenticeship. Last spring: Enter the '73 Cab! I bought it from a friend of a friend for $150. He drove it up as a Washington state truck. He only wanted the chasis and box as this cab had a pretty big dent on the passenger side B pillar and I was feeling ambitious! I stripped the cab, my current cab, and bought a welder The door panel of the donor cab was a little bit bent from the hit the B pillar took so I popped it back home with a the very high-tec bottle jack and 4x4 method. The donor cab was rustier than anticipated, but I had already gotten this far and didn't feel like searching for another cab I started cutting and welding the firewall with some patch panels from LMC and some I made myself Here is where I'm at as of today (Dec 3, 2012) On my next set of days off I hope to have the driver side almost complete aside from the cab corner which I will do last. Bought a winch bumper yesterday for $50 Merry Christmas to me!! The winch on the bottom is an old one that has been kicking around for years, its only a 5000LB winch, I will have use a snatch block until the winch breaks and I have an excuse to buy a bigger one! __________________ -78 K20 Cheyenne 454 long box, 4" lift, 35" MT's, '84 cab, '80 box "its hip to be square"

12-04-2012, 01:23 AM	#2
willett Another Day, Another Dollar Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: North Vancouver, BC Posts: 1,316	Re: Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20 reserved __________________ -78 K20 Cheyenne 454 long box, 4" lift, 35" MT's, '84 cab, '80 box "its hip to be square"

12-04-2012, 01:24 AM	#3
willett Another Day, Another Dollar Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: North Vancouver, BC Posts: 1,316	Re: Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20 reserved for more! __________________ -78 K20 Cheyenne 454 long box, 4" lift, 35" MT's, '84 cab, '80 box "its hip to be square"

12-04-2012, 01:25 AM	#4
willett Another Day, Another Dollar Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: North Vancouver, BC Posts: 1,316	Re: Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20 hopefully the truck is painted by the time I get here! __________________ -78 K20 Cheyenne 454 long box, 4" lift, 35" MT's, '84 cab, '80 box "its hip to be square"

12-04-2012, 01:25 AM	#5
willett Another Day, Another Dollar Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: North Vancouver, BC Posts: 1,316	Re: Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20 I'm Hoping to have lockers at this point! __________________ -78 K20 Cheyenne 454 long box, 4" lift, 35" MT's, '84 cab, '80 box "its hip to be square"

12-04-2012, 01:28 AM	#6
willett Another Day, Another Dollar Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: North Vancouver, BC Posts: 1,316	Re: Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20 Who knows what will be on here by this point __________________ -78 K20 Cheyenne 454 long box, 4" lift, 35" MT's, '84 cab, '80 box "its hip to be square"

12-04-2012, 07:24 PM	#8
chevyboy73 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Sun Prairie, WI Posts: 131	Re: Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20 wow... tons of work! can't wait to see more! i myself had a 78 short box that was tons of work, we replaced everything but the frame and rear end __________________ 2011 Silverado ECSB LT 2000 Silverado RCSB 2WD super bad habit of not owning a vehicle for a long time

12-04-2012, 09:22 PM	#9
bohmankid Registered User Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Salt Lake City, UT Posts: 520	Re: Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20 You're more ambitious than I. That's too much body work to handle, but right on I too have utilized the special bottle jack method to straighten fenders __________________ My 1985 GMC 4x4 LS swap build thread R.I.P. My 1978 Big Ten, Big Block build thread Moby: My Chevy 4x4 ls swap build thread

12-04-2012, 09:50 PM	#10
Dieselwrencher 6>8 Plugless........ Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Prairie City, Ia Posts: 17,143	Re: Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20 Nice truck and cool story! Good career path decision as well. Good luck with it all, and keep up the good rust repair work! __________________ Ryan 1972 Chevy Longhorn K30 Cheyenne Super, 359 Inline 6 cylinder, Auto Trans, Tilt, Diesel Tach/Vach, Buckets, Rare Rear 4-link and air ride option Build Thread 1972 GMC Sierra Grande Longhorn 4x4 1972 Chevy Cheyenne Super K20 Long Step side tilt, tach, tow hooks, AC, 350 4 speed 1972 C10 Suburban Custom Deluxe 1969 Chevy milk truck 1971 Camaro RS 5.3 BTR STG3 Cam Super T10 1940 Ford 354 Hemi 46RH Ford 9" on air ride huge project *Tired of spark plugs? Check this out.*

12-04-2012, 10:15 PM	#11
Greenlee Registered User Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: El Lago, TX Posts: 1,668	Re: Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20 Cool truck. Nice work! Posted via Mobile Device

12-04-2012, 10:31 PM	#12
99-LS1-SS Registered User Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Oak Ridge NC Posts: 957	Re: Blue The Ox Build thread 4x4 K20 I would love to have a K20 longbed. Cool to see you rebuilding it. __________________ My 1972 2WD Blazer build 1984 K10 beater truck



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