1981 K20

[Smokinthehippies]

Smokinthehippies submitted a new Build:

1981 K20 Build-a change in the wind!

So Yesterday my buddy gave me this truck since i'm helping him move out to Nashville and he had to get it off their property anyway.

View attachment 230347

basically what is known

odo shows 95k
Earl Schieb paint job. dull red over what looks like it used to be a pretty shiny blue.

lowish miles on a crate goodwrench 350, i know a mild cam was put in it after my buddy got it a few years ago.
has a th4000/ Np208, both seem to work, but the tranny is said to be on a last leg, and the Tcase was known to have made a loud POP one of the last times it was driven.
10 bolt front
14BSF rear that has less than 100 miles on a complete rebuild 4.88s and a detroit locker with all new big drum brakes
some kind of 6" lift with 35"BFG KM1s that show no weather cracking even after sitting for the past 3 years
dual tanks ( one of which has a leak issue)
bench seat from a newer vehicle that is in good shape.
a faulty park safety switch
zero rust. period
a few dents but nothing major.
carpet all pulled out.




think thats about it. need to spend a little time underneath the hood and truck with a pressure washer and get a feel for the situation

Read more about this build here...

 

[Smokinthehippies]

so he bought it in 08 or 09. drove it and putted around for a few months just as a toy once in awhile. decided he was gonna build it up as a mall crawler and put 40s on it. built the 14bsf up with 4.88s. was going to put a dana 60 under it, so he never geared the front.
parked it until yesterday. once a year we would go up to where it was parked, throw in an optima start it, maybe splash in some gas and that was it.

honestly, the only reason i wanted it is, 1. i know how picky he was with trucks and how good of care he took of them (aside from the abandoning it for 4 years!!) so i knew how good of shape it was in. 2. every year we'd start it, it would pop up after about 5 seconds, even on gas that was a year or two old. hell driving it yesterday was still on that old gas. amazing.

goals for this truck are to avoid any major downtime or project build length. i wasnt planning or ready to be having another old chevy, but this all happened in the span of about a week, plus things are getting pretty boring around the house with no big redneck truck.

for the time being, i'm going to match the front to a 4.88, fix the radio and drive it and wheel it for the summer, fixing only what breaks as i go.

part of that includes the purchase of
4.88s with a carrier that has a lock right
new set of shafts and a manual hubset from a ripperoo on here. hopefully get that swapped in with new seals and bearings and keep the thing rolling at all times.

eventually id like to do the 1 ton swap, at which point i'll have the axles ready for the SAS i want to do on my 95... bingobango

 

[swettysblazer]

I saw your sig change in the lounge, and was wondering where you got this.... good to see your back in another squarebody. Looks like a really good clean solid starting point. I'm watching

 

[454Sub]

The 208s have a problem with the shift fork wearing and popping out of 4H. Every one I ever delt with would stay in 4L just fine, but H for whatever reason would pop out.

Neutral safety can be wired around, where it starts in gear if you would like.... Mine went bad and I did that for awhile, can be dangerous if you dont use your head. When I went to the B&M I hooked up the B&M one in the factory ones place.

Not sure how you feel about the 700/20? combos, but having an OD in that wouldnt be bad. Just have to rebuild the hell out of it, but you are going to have to do that to the th350 anyways. Plus with the t-case having problems. Kinda makes sense. A PROPERLY built 700 with a 208 would provide a decent low, and a nice highway gear as well.

Not sure exactly on that particular year, but adding a radio in that you most likely will have to add a constant hot all time wire (as in hooked basically straight to battery) for your radios memory (yellow) wire. Unless you go old school with the knobs and such style radio.

 

[Smokinthehippies]

The 208s have a problem with the shift fork wearing and popping out of 4H. Every one I ever delt with would stay in 4L just fine, but H for whatever reason would pop out.

well. it realistically isnt going to stay as a 208 for too long becuase,

Neutral safety can be wired around, where it starts in gear if you would like.... Mine went bad and I did that for awhile, can be dangerous if you dont use your head. When I went to the B&M I hooked up the B&M one in the factory ones place.

Not sure how you feel about the 700/20? combos, but having an OD in that wouldnt be bad. Just have to rebuild the hell out of it, but you are going to have to do that to the th350 anyways. Plus with the t-case having problems. Kinda makes sense. A PROPERLY built 700 with a 208 would provide a decent low, and a nice highway gear as well.

i'm hoping to throw in a whole new setup at some point. it will be either a 4L60/80 or ideally an NV4500. which will probably have a 241 behind it. but thats a ways down the road, for now i'll just limp the 350/208 and see where things lead.

Not sure exactly on that particular year, but adding a radio in that you most likely will have to add a constant hot all time wire (as in hooked basically straight to battery) for your radios memory (yellow) wire. Unless you go old school with the knobs and such style radio.

it does have a radio in it now, looks like it cost about $15 at walmart. i havent checked the wiring yet but i can only assume it is glorious. anyway, probably going to pop in a new deck, run an amp and speakers and maybe a small sub. for the time being its going to be a bit of a mall crawler more than beater anyway.

 

[Cucv_M1008]

need some speaker wire? No terding this truck!

 

[Smokinthehippies]

need some speaker wire? No terding this truck!

No ill probably get all new stuff.

Few more pictures as I was washing everything off tonight.

That's an example of the blue popping thru the red

 

[454Sub]

Blah, I see evidence of your "glorious" speaker wiring in your last pic.


Nice passenger window roller upper.


Overall not a bad start. Body looks fairly clean, interior doesnt look to bad (minus blue loomed speaker wire) and so on so forth. Solid keeper for sure.

 

[Smokinthehippies]

Blah, I see evidence of your "glorious" speaker wiring in your last pic.


Nice passenger window roller upper.


Overall not a bad start. Body looks fairly clean, interior doesnt look to bad (minus blue loomed speaker wire) and so on so forth. Solid keeper for sure.

Isn't vice grip like the oem replacement window crank for these rigs.
Yeah for the price I won't complain. Seems like a solid way to blow some money

 

[Deuling]

Great lookin rig Steve!!

 

[sokoloka]

Jealous of the price! Handsome truck too.

 

[Cucv_M1008]

When are we going camping ? now that i have weekends

 

[82355]

It was probably brown before it was blue.

Martin

 

[bbru]

Nice ride, good luck with the build

 

[Smokinthehippies]

It was probably brown before it was blue.

Martin

Good call. Before it was red it was blue. And before it was blue it was the same brown as my k5. Makes me sad because I actually really like that gold/brown color. Apparently I'm the only one since 81 tho.

 

[Cucv_M1008]

Son of the terd!

 

[Smokinthehippies]

When are we going camping ? now that i have weekends

i say give me a few weeks to get the front axle geared. sold the mercedes, hopefully getting the front end fixed on the blue truck this weekend, and my gear parts show up next monday.

Nice ride, good luck with the build

thanks! hopefully by going slow and maintaining driveability i should be able to stick with that one

Son of the terd!

no, this has no terd references. clean slate.

also, think i fixed all the picture links. PB was being a peckerwood.

 

[Cucv_M1008]

Sounds good!

 

[Smokinthehippies]

currently trying to get my 38" swampers back off the blazer. although i think thats quite a lot of tire for the 10 bolt, i think it will help offset the deep gearing on the highway. its not set in stone so we will see. will just have to drive dainty on the skinny pedal.

 

[Smokinthehippies]

slapped some paint on the core support last night
also put on a newer reusable air filter i had floating around
need to go pick up some mounting screws for the grill, it was heldon by zip ties but i cut it down so it wouldnt break