72 - C30 - clean slate

[Boog]

Eric, knowing how you like 'em all stock it's good to see you willing to consider changing this one up. I like short flatbeds. Longer wheel base vehicles most always do ride better though.
It reminds me of the 72 wrecker my dad had. It was 3/4 ton on coil springs. We weren't commercial towing. It was our body shop wrecker. Flatbed with winch down in front of the bed and a removable stinger and cradle. It was made to tow vehicles or haul on the bed just by lifting the stinger out. It wasn't commercial built. It was all flat sheet steel floor and sides all around with the matching white/red/white/red paint as the cab. 454/T400 trans. Narrow Michelin tires and that truck rode real nice.
Ideas:
Lower a couple of inches. Shine it up a bit. No chrome simulators, just nice white wheels. Wooden stake sides, and/or, make an atv hauler out of it. Pair of ramps to load 2 atvs, one from each side + pull an atv or bike trailer with it for those outings.
Mount tool boxes, fuel tank, vice, etc for a welder's type utility setup. Mobile tech rig sort of.
Goose neck hitch to pull a lowboy trailer to haul all sorts of things. Landscaping, lawn care equipment, Christmas trees?
Fire wood and water on the bed with a mobile BBQ trailer setup. Eating's always good.
Maybe lose the flatbed and do a custom fleetside dually?

[rustytruck50]

Well.....coming from a fellow truck enthusiast, that's quite the conundrum & you could easily find yourself confused & frustrated by all of the different directions you could take with your truck.....because I care about your stress level, I'd give it to me to lessen the burden

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Boog

... No chrome simulators, just nice white wheels.

… or gloss black powder coat with 2.5" chrome lug nuts and silver painted wheel edge. No, not trim rings, hand painted like they used to do. Chrome Budds are the coolest, like on that Medium Green C/30 from Western PA. Go with a chrome bumper and get mirrors chromed. Bumper guards on front, no big full front guards. A factory flatbed would be super cool, but you could make a nice trim and tight one that is only as wide as the cab, maybe bobbed to 9' or 8'6" like a Longhorn. Attention to detail on the rear with round taillights at frame width in a diamond plate filler between bed and bumper. Bumper could be made from a 67-71 factory step bumper. A '72 bumper would be awesome, but the c-channel style are stronger and that kind could be shop-made. I think I'd put a headache rack to below the window. If you wanted it more functional for cargo protection, run the side tubes on up to roof height angled in to make top same width as cab top. Put expanded steel between. One not so bulky under bed tool box on one side and the identical one on the other side will be the cooler (custom built RV refrigerator). I have a built-in bbq idea but I just came here to suggest different wheel treatment

[Chevyland]

Originally Posted by 68bowtie

Repair rockers

Polish/detail

Fix black interior vinyl (where needed)

K30...

[Sheepdip]

Now you're teasing us!

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by Sheepdip

Now you're teasing us!

It's his job.........

[68Gold/white]

I like it!!!
I wonder if automatic one tons are at least a little unusual...surprised me.

Is that the LMC $149.00 black cover???

[davischevy]

Originally Posted by Curtb1971

Clean slate there to do whatever you want to. The old cowboy could use a drink of water and maybe a bath. I sure do miss the 133" dually I had.

Definitely needs some mud flaps. If you make it out this way again I'll have a pair hanging on the wall for you

Is that a Wood Motor Company bumper?

[Chevyland]

Originally Posted by 68Gold/white

I like it!!!
I wonder if automatic one tons are at least a little unusual...surprised me.

Is that the LMC $149.00 black cover???

It was a seat I pulled from a different truck a while back
I just SEM painted it black

Have this saddle blanket cover also
Like Pete suggested
I’ll see which looks best

I wouldn’t have bought the truck if it wasn’t BB / Automatic
You do see them in c30’s but usually motor homes
Seems like the original cab and chassis’s
Were usually 350 4spd, probably destined to be a work truck
Most likely why they are usually beat

It has its heat shield on the firewall
Looks like the engine has been rebuilt
Block, decked and hard to make out the stamp on front pad
Motor also feel like it’s been built
Not even tuned up it will burn rubber on the Dualls
I think it is possible that it is the original one
Looks like the last digit is X
And one before it might have been a K
TKX De coded- 72 402 Truck 210hp turbo 400 c30

[Sheepdip]

The more pic's you put up the better I like this truck! And yes by far most were bolt action tranny's and beat to hell after all these years. I'm thinking you got a hell of a deal.
Have you figured out the rear gear ratio yet?

[Chevyland]

Any way to tell
Without opening it up ?

[Chevyland]

These were just after I washed it

[Ol Blue K20]

It's a pretty good looking truck and going to clean up great.

[maverickmk]

Originally Posted by Chevyland

Any way to tell
Without opening it up ?

Jack it up, put it in neutral, mark a chalk line on the driveshaft, spin a wheel and count how many times the driveshaft rotates. That will give a close idea of the ratio.

[CG]

Boy that is a stout looking truck!

[DeadheadNM]

Seat cover looks great!

BB C30 automatic - should be 4.10 rear end but unsure if that’s changed given the dual rear axle. Here’s the dealer model selector https://www.gmheritagecenter.com/doc...olet-Truck.pdf

And an excerpt:

[Ol Blue K20]

4:10 was the tallest gear ratio for the HO72. If my memory is correct.

[68Gold/white]

Are those 16" tires. I can't get a good look at the wheels...

[Curtb1971]

Eric, awesome job on the seat and cleaning job dude

Originally Posted by special-K

Harrison, AR dealer bumper, ey? A certain member comes to mind. I love those western state pride mudflaps. I've used them for floor mats.

Hmmmm, we have been sniffed it out by other Larry. It didn't cross my mind until you had mentioned it.

Originally Posted by davischevy

Is that a Wood Motor Company bumper?

JP Williams Motor Co, looks like that truck only lived in Arkansas for a few years before heading to Colorado.

[special-K]

I like it like that! I only suggested a world of changes because of Boog's prior comment about you expressing the possibility of doing some modifying. This truck is a clean slate to leave blank!! Well, not exactly. Your personal upgrading is par for the course! I did the same with my '71 wrecker. Went with black Cheyenne interior by way of dying misc colored parts

[Chevyland]

I just thought the bbq idea
Might cost to much
Maybe
It would be easier to mount a microwave

Instead

[Boog]

Oh so a microwave on 12 volt will be more of a slow cooker then. I seeee.

[uncle]

There are rear axle codes stamped on face of chunk in webbing up top. They are hard to see sometime without getting it very clean. If you can’t find them I’ll try to get a picture and show you where I’m talking about. It should be a 410 but it is almost 50 years old. I never knew they had any code stamped on them until Joes Junk told me.

[Chevyland]

I’m pretty sure they are 410’s

On the subject of lowering it
I thought about doing an axle flip
But that will slam it, and be a lot of work
I can get about 2-1/4” lower in rear
By taking out the 6 lower springs
Leaving the top 2 as well as the overload
Above that
And leaving the axle below
Then get shorter u-bolts

Anyone done this ? On a c30
Or
Suggestions

[Chevyland]

With only 2 springs
Ride should be smoother ?
And, I believe, no mods to the shock mounts