1970 C10 Shortbed conversion LSX

[HINZ28]

HINZ28 submitted a new Build:

1970 C10 Shortbed conversion LSX

I should have started this thread last year when I bought the truck. Let's see if I can put some pictures in order and show everyone what I have done to my 1970 C/10. 307 and what is coded M20. Seems identical to a Sm465 2wd LWB truck.

May 2016 we pulled it out of some weeds, aired up the tires, filled with gas and I drove the truck from Minden NE, back to Lincoln NE.
Here is what I found
View attachment 229944

Leaving Minden with a full tank. Truck made the couple hour trip with out a hiccup.

Truck was home. Quick wash

To be continued ...

Read more about this build here...

 

[HINZ28]

One of the first things I wanted to do was make the interior bearable. It was in pretty rough shape. Stripped the floor bare. Only maybe one or 2 tiny pinholes. Very solid floor.

Power washed

Dynamat the floors also inside all the doors, behind the tank. Hope to keep it quiet in here!

Carpet laid

Pulled the seat from a barn find CST that I had picked up

Here is the 396 camper special truck. Pulled from a barn it had sat in for to long. Truck was rough. Took a few parts off it and tripled my money.
Here's a few pictures of that truck

I did wash it!

And put tires on it

 

[HINZ28]

Next step was a bigger one. I wanted a short bed truck. Finding one in Nebraska is about impossible and the are very high priced. This is where decided to shorten the truck and make my LWB truck into a SWB truck
LWB bed is off

Making some of the first cuts here under the cab. The goal is to take 12" out under the cab in the straightest section of frame. Then an additional 8" off the rear of frame section.

Cut in half and cleaning up frame.

Stitched back together on both sides of rail, for added strength i grinded down welds on inner channel and added a diamond/fish plate.

Frame is 20" shorter and now a SWB truck. As you can see in the background of this picture I had found a "matching" hugger orange SWB bed.

A few pictures of this bed. It was not very nice. Worked great as a temporary bed will I was shortening the Long bed

Stripped the longbed down so cutting each bed side would be a little bit easier. Also planned on converting it to a wood bed floor

 

[westn11]

Loving it. I did a similar build with my 1967 C10. Took it from a long bed down to a short bed. Good luck... yours is a much nicer starting point than mine.

 

[HINZ28]

While the box was off I did lots of cleaning. I stripped the frame down bare and under coated or painted everything. Replaced every nut and bolt with new hardware.
Installed a new POL trac arm.
5" CPP lowering springs in the rear.
Bell tech shocks

Up front was due for an upgrade also.
Drum brakes were removed

Installed 2" drop spindles
CPP 2" drop springs.
Converted to disc brakes leaving the truck 6 lug
Every ball joint and tie rod was also replaced with Moog parts

Reason why I wanted to leave the truck 6 lug.
Picked up a set of M1009 CUCV K5 blazer 15x8 4 nub wheels. With these wheels I could get a better stance, width and also be able to run factory hub caps!
Sandblasted then bare and painted white

First drive as a SWB truck. I had these rally's laying around with some pretty worn out tires, but they got it rolling!

 

[K85 Octane]

Damn, you working on two at once or what?!
I dig the idea of using the blazer rims

 

[Chevy305]

Love these trucks

 

[HINZ28]

Damn, you working on two at once or what?!
I dig the idea of using the blazer rims

Well this C10 is at a pretty good driver point. There is more I need to ad to the thread. Once I started driving it everyday I knew I needed another one to work on

 

[max 02]

Very cool!

Nice job!

 

[Stomis]

I started reading and said "ew a street longbed" so thumbs up

 

[Bowtie85]

Subscribed

 

[HINZ28]

Some pictures of my shortening my original bed and converting it to wood floor.
Got a pine SWB wood kit from Mar-k along with all new supports.
Started with my original bed torn down.

Cut a 12" section out of front and a 8" section out of rear

While the bed was off I decided to move the tank out of the cab. Came up with this 60s chevy car tank that fit almost perfect

Filler in the market light. Still need to build the door. Right now I just carry a philips with me

Then the bed was on and things were starting to come together......short lived feeling

You can see why it was short lived in the background of this picture......LS

 

[HINZ28]

2002 LQ4 iron block 6.0L LS series motor

 

[ashman]

nice!
Love my LS conversion.

 

[76k5blazerr]

Im liking it, been tossing the idea around of shortening my 72.

 

[Avery4jc]

I really like this build...

 

[CK10]

I love those trucks, you're doing great work keep it up!

 

[HINZ28]

Tearing out the 307

 

[HINZ28]

Cleaning up the 6.0
Motor started out pretty nasty. Was happy the manifold bolts came out in one piece.

Power washed and acid wash

Painted the block and mounted up some speed engineering long tubes. These ended up not fitting

Ended up replacing almost every accessory and bolt. I'm to picky

Lots of cleaning

Setting motor in.
Added 243 casting heads
BTR stage IV LS1 cam
Dual springs
Hardened push rods
LS7 lifters
Left the original 4 speed Sm420 trans
New 11" clutch kit
Advanced adapters slave mount (modified a little)
Random slave cylinder
Will wood master
Stock pedal with CaptainFab mount and linkage
Flywheel off a 2000 4.8 Silverado (NAPA)

Used dirty dingo slider LS mounts along with new poly factory style motor mounts.

Leaving the factory 4 speed created problems with my want to run longtube headers. The bell housing mounts on a rear engine mount/ crossmember. Headers had to clear that crossmember and also clear my external slave cylinder. Ended up with some 2010+ Camaro LT headers. They were a tight fit, trimmed a little bit on frame but they worked.

 

[HINZ28]

Have about 1000 miles on since the swap. Drive it all the time. Love the big loppy cam and 4 speed.
Also got both chrome bumpers on it