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1973 C10 "The Purple Truck"

Basic build
Overview Gallery Discussion
6872xtc said:
I have done wheel bearings basically like that on everything, even the big trucks at work. Never had a problem as far as I knew. I got a magnetic stand and dial indicator a couple of years ago and we were able to confirm that we were doing it right. It's kinda cool to see the actual measurement!
Click to expand...
I suppose that's the way to give yourself piece of mind. I got the job done this weekend. Nicole asked me what I wanted to do for Father's Day and I said "Truck time!"

Good thing I did the brake pads.

2019-06-16 16.08.22.jpg

I got every last penny out of those pads - not intentionally. They were just starting to touch the rivets.

The other thing I did was to install a drop shackle on the rear springs. Supposed to be 2" drop but measured 1.25". I do wonder if it will settle some too because the springs were drooped out a couple times during the process.

2019-06-16 08.51.38.jpg

2019-06-16 10.01.10.jpg

2019-06-16 10.46.56.jpg

Gonna have to watch the clearance between the spring and floor support if I load the bed down.

The difference is pretty subtle. Before and after photos.

2019-06-16 08.31.03.jpg

2019-06-16 16.08.52.jpg

I like that the gap between the top of the tire and the fender is the same front and rear. I don't have any plans to drop it further at this point. If I did that I would want to go with different wheel and tire combo and probably different graphics because that's a whole different look.

My youngest decided he wanted to ride with me to work. I reminded him he was going to have to share the seat with our dog but he still came along. Haha.
2019-06-14 17.06.37.jpg

2019-06-14 17.06.41.jpg
 
Replaced the clips, or whatever you want to call them, that hold the trim on across the back of the cab. Thought somebody might be interested to see the difference in what I took off and the white ones I got from LMC.

2019-06-25 11.38.59.jpg

2019-06-25 11.39.05.jpg

About half of the original black ones had the plastic ring at the top no longer functioning. When the wind was at the right angle it would vibrate the shit out of the trim piece and give anyone in the cab a panic attack.
 
I replaced the radiator Friday. Since the truck has AC it uses a HD radiator. There are 2 versions and of course mine was the more expensive one. I was looking at a Spectre radiator that is the modern aluminum core with the clamped on plastic headers. Not my favorite, but they seem to hold up okay, at lease in my personal experience with the 3 or 4 I've installed. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Radiator-S...967531&hash=item4423fe0b74:g:77UAAOSw89pboFrl Forewarning for anyone in the same market, a lot of sites show images of this radiator looking like an old school brass radiator, but if you read the description you will see it is not.

I did a little more poking around on Summit and Jegs and I found a quality looking radiator made by Champion on the Jegs site. On top of that, I couldn't pass up the one described as "monster core". It was only $35 more than the Spectre version I mentioned above. https://www.jegs.com/i/Champion-Coo...10002/-1?ymm=4294829746+4294829791+4294829790

I was comparing pricing on ebay and found a better price from the seller Ledfoot Racing. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1968-1984-...AOSwQM9UY~Hc:sc:FedExHomeDelivery!80620!US!-1 Turns out this is the business name for the company that makes Champion radiators. When I saw they had a 100% positive feedback on ebay I figured there was a better chance I wouldn't have the problem of receiving damaged radiators like I did with the crew cab. I figured with that feedback, they must either box them up really well or honor damage claims with no fussin.

I was happy to see it arrive undamaged.

2019-07-05 12.14.30.jpg

2019-07-05 12.14.25.jpg

2019-07-05 12.15.38.jpg

It seems to be very well built. I didn't see anything obvious that says where it's built, but the quality seems good either way. Full welded construction, no epoxy.

By the numbers it's the same size as the old radiator.

2019-07-05 13.21.48.jpg

Beware tho, the more square off design of the headers may cause trouble as it did for me. First problem I noticed is the rubber saddle mounts didn't fit the new radiator. I ended up finding a single universal mount I had from the crew cab project.

s-l1600 (1).jpg

It was perfect for the bottom mount in the core support but I only had (1). After looking at a bunch of parts stores websites, I stumbled across a Napa version that looks to be identical. I was in luck too, my local store had 2. No one else within an hour drive had them. https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NDP...adiator+Insulator&keywordInput=radiator+mount

On the top bracket I kept the factory style saddle mounts and just notched out the back side to clear the larger header. This worked okay because I needed to space the bracket out from the core support to keep the tanks from rubbing on the core support. I also added some rubber hose cushions to be safe. You can see the first hose I added to the edge of the opening in the core support closest to the camera in the picture below.

2019-07-05 14.03.54.jpg

Another problem spot was the bottom of the header on the passenger side. Again because of the square design, it was hitting the bottom of the core support. It wasn't tight against it, but it would bump on it so I added a piece I had trimmed off the universal radiator mount mentioned above. You can just make it out down below in between the radiator and overflow tank.

2019-07-05 18.17.06-1.jpg

I also added a spacer behind the bracket to keep the radiator from being in hard contact with the core support. It's a 1/2" thick piece of PVC plastic that comes in black.

2019-07-05 19.11.01-1.jpg

It ends up being slightly tilted at the top but the fan clears the shroud fine. The problem is the top bracket is all 1 long piece, not 2 brackets with a plastic filler between like the newer stuff I've messed with. It is also kinda formed to fit the shape of the core support. If you scroll up and look at the picture of the core support you can see how the opening has bumps across the top where the mounting holes are, the bracket is stamped to match these. I didn't want to modify it because I figure it might not be easy to find. I was thinking I could keep an eye on the junkyards and if I find another, I might modify it to make a bracket that doesn't need the spacer.

The truck runs right at the temperature the thermostat is. Yesterday I drove 45 minutes with outside being 91 degrees and the AC on cold, fan on high. It worked perfect. No more having to play with the AC temperature vehicle speed to keep from overheating.
 
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mrk5 said:
I replaced the radiator Friday. Since the truck has AC it uses a HD radiator. There are 2 versions and of course mine was the more expensive one. I was looking at a Spectre radiator that is the modern aluminum core with the clamped on plastic headers. Not my favorite, but they seem to hold up okay, at lease in my personal experience with the 3 or 4 I've installed. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Radiator-S...967531&hash=item4423fe0b74:g:77UAAOSw89pboFrl Forewarning for anyone in the same market, a lot of sites show images of this radiator looking like an old school brass radiator, but if you read the description you will see it is not.

I did a little more poking around on Summit and Jegs and I found a quality looking radiator made by Champion on the Jegs site. On top of that, I couldn't pass up the one described as "monster core". It was only $35 more than the Spectre version I mentioned above. https://www.jegs.com/i/Champion-Coo...10002/-1?ymm=4294829746+4294829791+4294829790

I was comparing pricing on ebay and found a better price from the seller Ledfoot Racing. https://www.ebay.com/itm/1968-1984-...AOSwQM9UY~Hc:sc:FedExHomeDelivery!80620!US!-1 Turns out this is the business name for the company that makes Champion radiators. When I saw they had a 100% positive feedback on ebay I figured there was a better chance I wouldn't have the problem of receiving damaged radiators like I did with the crew cab. I figured with that feedback, they must either box them up really well or honor damage claims with no fussin.

I was happy to see it arrive undamaged.

View attachment 307866

View attachment 307865

View attachment 307867

It seems to be very well built. I didn't see anything obvious that says where it's built, but the quality seems good either way. Full welded construction, no epoxy.

By the numbers it's the same size as the old radiator.

View attachment 307868

Beware tho, the more square off design of the headers may cause trouble as it did for me. First problem I noticed is the rubber saddle mounts didn't fit the new radiator. I ended up finding a single universal mount I had from the crew cab project.

View attachment 307873

It was perfect for the bottom mount in the core support but I only had (1). After looking at a bunch of parts stores websites, I stumbled across a Napa version that looks to be identical. I was in luck too, my local store had 2. No one else within an hour drive had them. https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/NDP...adiator+Insulator&keywordInput=radiator+mount

On the top bracket I kept the factory style saddle mounts and just notched out the back side to clear the larger header. This worked okay because I needed to space the bracket out from the core support to keep the tanks from rubbing on the core support. I also added some rubber hose cushions to be safe. You can see the first hose I added to the edge of the opening in the core support closest to the camera in the picture below.

View attachment 307869

Another problem spot was the bottom of the header on the passenger side. Again because of the square design, it was hitting the bottom of the core support. It wasn't tight against it, but it would bump on it so I added a piece I had trimmed off the universal radiator mount mentioned above. You can just make it out down below in between the radiator and overflow tank.

View attachment 307870

I also added a spacer behind the bracket to keep the radiator from being in hard contact with the core support. It's a 1/2" thick piece of PVC plastic that comes in black.

View attachment 307871

It ends up being slightly tilted at the top but the fan clears the shroud fine. The problem is the top bracket is all 1 long piece, not 2 brackets with a plastic filler between like the newer stuff I've messed with. It is also kinda formed to fit the shape of the core support. If you scroll up and look at the picture of the core support you can see how the opening has bumps across the top where the mounting holes are, the bracket is stamped to match these. I didn't want to modify it because I figure it might not be easy to find. I was thinking I could keep an eye on the junkyards and if I find another, I might modify it to make a bracket that doesn't need the spacer.

The truck runs right at the temperature the thermostat is. Yesterday I drove 45 minutes with outside being 91 degrees and the AC on cold, fan on high. It worked perfect. No more having to play with the AC temperature vehicle speed to keep from overheating.
Click to expand...
I have one of those upper radiator brackets if you decide you want it it can make it to blazer bash
 
I hope you have good luck with the champion radiator. We have a suburban here that is on its 3rd one in a year. Keeps leaking where the tubes meet the tank on the passenger side. Place we ordered it from kept wanting us to pay shipping for warranty until we got in touch with champion directly. Its actually # 4 because one replacement got damaged in shipping. If it happens again we are giving up and going back to a parts store one, at least they don't need shipping. Ruined a hunting trip in the fall when it let go half way to camp. The fitment was similar to yours, required some messing with and mixing isolator mounts. Definitely not a direct replacement like it is supposed to be. Really annoying because it looks so sweet when you pull it out of the box.
 
I'm hoping being in a 2wd will give it an easier life.
 
I was running Northern Radiator brand all metal/aluminum radiators in my 7.3L and 6.0L powerstroke work trucks when I was in Moab. I bought them through Napa. Not sure how the price compares. I think my 1990 F350 with the Cummins also has one and it never gets hot even towing 13,000+ lbs in the mtns. They are just an all metal style radiator with factory style tanks and such.
 
I have heard of Northern. I was thinking I had read that's who makes Jegs branded radiators.
 
mrk5 said:
I suppose that's the way to give yourself piece of mind. I got the job done this weekend. Nicole asked me what I wanted to do for Father's Day and I said "Truck time!"

Good thing I did the brake pads.

View attachment 306235

I got every last penny out of those pads - not intentionally. They were just starting to touch the rivets.

The other thing I did was to install a drop shackle on the rear springs. Supposed to be 2" drop but measured 1.25". I do wonder if it will settle some too because the springs were drooped out a couple times during the process.

View attachment 306232

View attachment 306233

View attachment 306234

Gonna have to watch the clearance between the spring and floor support if I load the bed down.

The difference is pretty subtle. Before and after photos.

View attachment 306231

View attachment 306236

I like that the gap between the top of the tire and the fender is the same front and rear. I don't have any plans to drop it further at this point. If I did that I would want to go with different wheel and tire combo and probably different graphics because that's a whole different look.

My youngest decided he wanted to ride with me to work. I reminded him he was going to have to share the seat with our dog but he still came along. Haha.
View attachment 306229

View attachment 306230
Click to expand...
Sweet looking truck! I did have to notch the box crossmember when I did my rear shackle drop.
 
Also, with the new radiator I kinda have the reverse cooling problem when running the AC on hot days. The coolant temps run normal at speed on the highway, but start to warm up stopped at a light. Well I got to thinking about the fan clutch I put on and double checked the part number and it's a standard duty clutch, not heavy duty. :doah:

This got me to thinking about standard vs. heavy vs. severe duty fan clutches. This is the info I found on Hayden's site:

• Standard Duty Thermal: Turns the fan 50-60% of shaft speed when engaged. Used with fans with lighter pitch (1-1/2" of pitch). Flat plate impeller design with 30 sq. in. of working surface.

• Heavy-Duty Thermal: Turns the fan 80-90% of the shaft speed when engaged for increased cooling. Used with deeper pitch fans (2 1/2" of pitch). Land and groove design with 47 sq. in. of working area allows higher operating RPM's.

• Severe Duty Thermal: Turns the fan 80-90% of the shaft speed when engaged. Used with deeper pitch fans. (2- 1/2" of pitch). Land and groove design with 65 sq. in. of working area. Larger working surface provides cooler running and longer life expectancy.

At what temperatures do fan clutches engage?

Answer: Most fan clutches engage at about 170°F air temperature (about 180-190°F engine temperature). They reduce the temperature about 20°F before disengaging.
​
It's a little hard to measure in the vehicle, but my fan has more than 2" of pitch. The ideal way would be to lay it on a flat surface and measure the height. Anyway, I should have a heavy duty fan clutch. Now I'm debating between going heavy duty or severe duty.
 
Both turn on at the same temp and the same shaft %. Severe duty just spins the deeper fan the same speed. So it should run a less deep fan at higher shaft speed %.

Go big or go home.
 
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