1980 Stepside Build... My first build thread

[ChevDog1]

I have spent way too many hours over the last 10+ years on forums for various cars, reading build threads, giving and receiving repair advice, and generally living vicariously through others. Between about 2003 and 2010, I built up a rally nice 1995 Jeep YJ, using information found online, and learning as I went.

Last fall, wanting another project for my hobby, and to relive a bit of my youth, I purchased a 1980 stepside for my next project. I feel that it's time I "give back" a bit to the online communities that I have received so much knowledge from over the years, and share some of my experience with this latest project.

my starting point is a very basic 2wd C10 stepper. Still has the original 250 straight six (going to keep it). It was originally equipped with a 3 on the tree, but a misguided former owner replaced it with a "turbo 350 (more on that in a minute). I bought the truck locally for $950 in non-running condition and had to rent a uhaul trailer to get it home. The PO had stripped all of the emission equipment from it, and kept the HEI distributor for another project of his.

The first order of business was to get it running. The PO told me that it ran ok, but when he finished the trans swap, he said that it vibrated badly, like it had a dead cylinder, and the trans wouldn't shift out of first gear. I sourced a rebuilt dist. From Napa, and go to it running - and he was right- it shook pretty badly at anything over an idle. My first test drive showed that it would not shift from first gear, just as he said. Further inspection showed that the trans was not a 350, but was in fact a TH400, and he had not hooked up the vacuum modulator. a simple length of brake line, and a couple of chunks of vacuum hose had the tranny shifting as it should.

Now - the vibration. Knowing that most TH400's came behind 454's, which are externally balanced, I crawled back under the truck to confirm my suspicion. He had used the flexplate from the 454- which was causing the vibration! A few minutes with a cold chisel to remove the balance weight, and the little six was as smooth as glass.

Here is what I started with...

[ChevDog1]

Next on my list was to get it at the proper ride height. Included with my purchase was a set lot dropped springs and spindles. I installed these for a 5" drop in the front.

My experience doing a SOA on my Jeep led me to building my own flip kit for the rear. I bought a $27 set of spring perched from 4 wheel parts, and flipped the rear axle myself. Took just a few hours with the bed removed, and got the truck to the right attitude.

[ChevDog1]

A little cleaning and painting while the bed was off.

[ChevDog1]

Still getting used to trying to do this from my iPad.

[ChevDog1]

Replaced the rotten wood bed with 3/4" marine plywood and 3/16" x 2" steel straps. Not quite like the nice replacement kits, but only about $75 total. I'll stain and finish the wood later.

[ChevDog1]

4.1L straight six. Cleaned up and running...

[InitialBoss]

Originally Posted by ChevDog1

I have spent way too many hours over the last 10+ years on forums for various cars, reading build threads, giving and receiving repair advice, and generally living vicariously through others. Between about 2003 and 2010, I built up a rally nice 1995 Jeep YJ, using information found online, and learning as I went.

Last fall, wanting another project for my hobby, and to relive a bit of my youth, I purchased a 1980 stepside for my next project. I feel that it's time I "give back" a bit to the online communities that I have received so much knowledge from over the years, and share some of my experience with this latest project.

my starting point is a very basic 2wd C10 stepper. Still has the original 250 straight six (going to keep it). It was originally equipped with a 3 on the tree, but a misguided former owner replaced it with a "turbo 350 (more on that in a minute). I bought the truck locally for $950 in non-running condition and had to rent a uhaul trailer to get it home. The PO had stripped all of the emission equipment from it, and kept the HEI distributor for another project of his.

The first order of business was to get it running. The PO told me that it ran ok, but when he finished the trans swap, he said that it vibrated badly, like it had a dead cylinder, and the trans wouldn't shift out of first gear. I sourced a rebuilt dist. From Napa, and go to it running - and he was right- it shook pretty badly at anything over an idle. My first test drive showed that it would not shift from first gear, just as he said. Further inspection showed that the trans was not a 350, but was in fact a TH400, and he had not hooked up the vacuum modulator. a simple length of brake line, and a couple of chunks of vacuum hose had the tranny shifting as it should.

Now - the vibration. Knowing that most TH400's came behind 454's, which are externally balanced, I crawled back under the truck to confirm my suspicion. He had used the flexplate from the 454- which was causing the vibration! A few minutes with a cold chisel to remove the balance weight, and the little six was as smooth as glass.

Here is what I started with...

Hi,

I was wondering why it's misguided to replace the former 3 on the tree with a Turbo350? I had a 3 on the tree but my dad swapped this trans with an auto and my '78 c10 now has this combo. I'm learning about cars and trucks and am curious if this is a bad thing to do.

[Tx Firefighter]

Nothing like accelerating away from a traffic light and doing the 1-2 upward arm-swing with a column shifter. Folks around you in traffic look at you like you're an axe murderer.

[Bomp]

Along for the ride.
My wifey (who I also dated in high school) thought I was nutz shifting the 3 on the tree. She said, "her mom moved that stick thing once and I was trying to show off."

-Learned weights on flywheel removal too.-

[rusty76]

I'll be here too. Watching along.

[ofnaman]

Alright guy's, stop with the two daughter talk, it's scaring me. I have a 5 year old son and we decided to try for ONE more...... Well, twin daughters are on order now......

Back to the truck, I actually like the way the bed wood turned out. Got me thinking, I wander what it would look like using the plywood and 1" flat strips in the factory locations. I like the look of the flat strips over the factory rolled ones.

Also love the inline.

[ChevDog1]

Originally Posted by ofnaman

Alright guy's, stop with the two daughter talk, it's scaring me. I have a 5 year old son and we decided to try for ONE more...... Well, twin daughters are on order now......

Back to the truck, I actually like the way the bed wood turned out. Got me thinking, I wander what it would look like using the plywood and 1" flat strips in the factory locations. I like the look of the flat strips over the factory rolled ones.

Also love the inline.

Congrats on the twins girls! Mine are 15 now, and Sophomores in high school.

I thought about doing all flat strips in the factory locations, but decided to just go with the 2 wide strips. The reason for the wide steel strips is that it saved me money! A single 48" wide sheet of plywood will not cover the floor of the truck, so I had to split it into three strips, and spread them apart to get under the edges of the angles on the bedsides. The two steel strips hide this, and make it look like the floor is one piece. I was going to add more strips in the factory locations, but it was more work and $ than I wanted to put into a pickup bed floor...

And the twins? Mine tore all of the old wood out of the floor and stripped the interior of the cab one day when I was at work, and they had a day off from school. Pretty cool that they are interested in dad's old truck.

[Low Elco]

Teenage Daughters? (Shiver) Two boys here, thank you Lord!

Neat 'ol Beater! Glad you're getting back on it, hopefully a (long, cold) winter is easing a bit here and I can get back on it. Thanks for the inspiration!

[ChevDog1]

Made a little progress over the weekend (after fixing my winter beater):

Had a pretty bad crease in the drivers side fender:

[ChevDog1]

Removed the bad part:

[ChevDog1]

Installed the replacement fender that came with the truck. Now I just have to weld up the trim holes and do a little bodywork:

[ChevDog1]

I also tried something a little different, and would like to hear your opinions (good or bad). My truck came with a square tube chrome grille, and I absolutely hate these. I really want to put a 73 grille and headlight surrounds on it, but thought I would try a little creative work on what I already have first. Let me know what you think!

[Old School Low]

Is there a way, process, to make my alum wheels really shine? Ive gone at it 5 diff ways and absolutely nothing. Havent I seen 'polished aluminum" wheels that look almost like chrome? Headed to used tire shops, see if I can get something for the front to start.

[Old School Low]

This is aafter axle flip, sitting on ground. Look alright? Perches I used are Jegs #60195 w only center hole.[IMG][/IMG]

[ChevDog1]

Looks about like mine did. How much travel do you have before it bottoms out in the trans?

[Tx Firefighter]

Old School Low, I posted in your build thread about lowering stuff. Maybe it will help a bit.

[Old School Low]

No one to bounce while I look at the moment, but I have so little travel dont think it could move more than 1/8 in. If thats the case, does it look ok as is? I am back to stock shackles but might go to first hole on extended. I like lowww (but still hoping no notch). Yeah but your exhaust is clean ghetto. I wont even show u mine, but it might be in prev photos. All will be sanitary w engine swap. Next door neighbor is not friend at all but is a mechanic and has agreed to take existing 350 as payment for doing swap. We're outside and snow and freezing for next few days. Can barely see my motor anymore with coats, hats etc hanging all over it.

[Old School Low]

I have 5/8 thread left on shim bolt. I want to try using all that up w shims to try and correct camber. Or a solid spacer? (i need to sell something and buy DJM drops for 229.99 huh?)

[ChevDog1]

Old school - what I'm asking is if you unbolt your joints from the rear diff, how far can you push the driveshaft into the transmission before it bottoms out? In my case, there was barely enough room to actually remove the driveshaft - nod it could only be removed if it was turned "just right"

[Old School Low]

Well, dont know at the moment. Does shiny area tell us anything? Looks like 1/2in from bottoming into tranny.