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Barn Find 74 K20 Build (LS Swapped Daily Driver)
- Thread starter 76k5blazerr
- Start date
After getting a title and registering and insuring the truck, I replaced the entire fuel system from the tank to the carb and gave the engine a good tune up, new plugs, wires and distributer, which got the truck running great. Then I replaced almost the entire brake system, replaced everything but a couple of steel lines that were ok. I also found a used set of 285/75/16 tires to put on just temporarily because you literally couldn't drive the truck with the tires that were on it, they were bias ply, had tubes in them, weren't round at all and extremely rotted. After the new to me tires went on, except for 2 bent wheels revealed by the balancer, it drove down the road great.
Drove the truck as it was from about March 2019 until August, with no trouble except horrible fuel mileage thanks to the full time 4x4. In August I installed new cab mounts, a mile marker part time kit, a 4 inch lift, some knockoff American Racing wheels from Facebook and a used set of 35s. I have always wanted a square body truck on a 4 inch and 35s and since I plan to keep this one forever I decided it was the one. I also replaced the hood and a local shop mixed me up paint to the factory code and my buddy came over and painted it and it matches perfectly.
So I already have all of the original paperwork on the truck, as in the owners manual, all of the warranty and service interval paperwork filled out with the original owners info from the dealer, inspection sheets dated 1974 from when it left the dealer, glovebox option sheet etc. Part of why I am so happy to have this rig. The only thing missing was the actual build sheet. I had always heard about people removing the seat or pulling up carpet and finding it but never actually have. So about a month ago I put an old school metal gun rack in the truck and had to unbolt the seat and slide it forward to get to the bottom screw with my drill, and I shine my flashlight up under the seat and what do you know, there it was, the holy grail of barn finds!!!
That brings us up to date, I drive the truck almost every day, it shares DD duty with my 89 Jimmy, its been doing great. Plans from here on are to ls swap it this coming summer of 2020 to make it more practical for cruising long distances, more highway comfortable etc. Would love to find a 6.0 and 4l80 to stay true to a 3/4 ton but would settle for a 5.3 and 4l60. I guess I have not yet stated my goal for this truck, so I will now. It will never be a wheeler, not to say I don't off-road it but it's not being built as a wheeler. I want it to be a good daily driver/roadtripper I guess you could say. Eventually want to have it repainted as well. Thats all I have for now, I will now update this thread as I get more work done on it! Here is a pic from the other day at my buddy's farm with his grandfather's old J10. Also, I compounded, polished and waxed the paint the other day and it cleaned up surprisingly well.
Man this thing looks just right with the amount of lift and the tire and wheel setup. I dig the old DMI farm bumper. Those were always great when hauling hay wagons and chopper boxes around. You should give the bumpers and mirrors a fresh coat of white spray paint, it will make a huge difference. It did on mine.
rad truck.
What's the paint code?
What's the paint code?
Nice find!
Looks perfect with the 4” and 35’s and I love that colour on it!
Looks perfect with the 4” and 35’s and I love that colour on it!
It's probably called "baby shit yellow".
and GM produced a few fantastic examples in 74
it appears to be a little lighter than my 74.
and GM produced a few fantastic examples in 74
it appears to be a little lighter than my 74.
My other favourites are the greens. I tried real hard to save Gangrene the 79 c10 I had just because I liked the colour. Too far gone!
Very cool truck. Also a dream combo for me.
I also thought the bumper was cool, very rarely see them, but I took it to the scrapyard yesterday, it was a great trailer hitch when the truck was stock height but after the lift it was all but useless, way to high and no way to use a drop hitch with it. I tried to give it away on facebook marketplace but had no serious takers. Replaced it with a step bumper and intend to install a receiver hitch to the frame under it. The front bumper I will probably replace sooner or later because it is bent, and when I do it will be painted white. That will probably be when I paint the truck and will do the mirrors at that point as well. For now I like the surface rust look.
@skunked the paint code is 527 and it is called yellow gold.
@max 02 I also love the greens that GM used, I have a 72 c10 that is "dark olive". Very nice color.
Cool truck, love the look.
Love it. What a good find.
Ive had some led pods in my toolbox for about 3 months, my buddy gave them to me, they came with a light bar he bought. Mounted them up today behind the grill, wanted to hide them as much as I could because I don't like how they look on classic trucks. Turned out pretty well, they definitely aren't the nicest but for free they are decently bright. Should help a little driving through the woods at night.
Excuse the weird reflections from my camera flash.
Excuse the weird reflections from my camera flash.
Love this truck, nice score!
That's cool how you are building it! Looks good!
May I ask what's with the Montana license plate?
May I ask what's with the Montana license plate?
My inspiration for this truck was a 76-77 k20 I saw on vacation in Montana a few years ago. K20’s are really pretty rare to see around here. Most were either work trucks and rusted away or got junked, or they are now turned into mud trucks. So the one I saw in Montana was one of the first nice examples I had seen. I knew I wanted one. Here is that truck.
And mine when I got it...
While on that trip, I picked up that Montana plate at an antique shop and it’s been hanging on my wall and when I got this truck, which just happens to be the same color, it seemed fitting. So I found a 1974 Montana registration sticker to put on it and slapped it on. The plate is actually a 1976 bicentennial deal so the 74 sticker isn’t quite correct on there but I doubt anyone notices. I also have some vintage big sky country mud flaps that I may or may not install to go with the Montana theme. I mocked them up and took a pic but they aren’t installed yet. Maybe I love Montana too much for a N.C. boy.
LS swap is in the beginning stages of becoming reality... scored this 2000 4x4 burb this afternoon for $1100. 185k miles.
Made the 70 mile drive home, seems to run and shift fine. So it will donate it’s 5.3/4l60 and now I am on the hunt for a transfer case. Options are between the 90-91 1/2 ton np241c and a 208. If anyone has any input on which one is better to use I am all ears. I know the 241c will work with the VSS but not sure about my stock cable speedometer? I want to use my stock gauges if I can. The 208 and a advance adapter would work with VSS and cable speedo right? Also not sure of what trans crossmember I’ll need, will my stock one work? I still obviously have a ton of research to do. Please point me towards any of yalls build threads or good articles that could be of use if you know of any. Feels good to have made the first step happen though.
Made the 70 mile drive home, seems to run and shift fine. So it will donate it’s 5.3/4l60 and now I am on the hunt for a transfer case. Options are between the 90-91 1/2 ton np241c and a 208. If anyone has any input on which one is better to use I am all ears. I know the 241c will work with the VSS but not sure about my stock cable speedometer? I want to use my stock gauges if I can. The 208 and a advance adapter would work with VSS and cable speedo right? Also not sure of what trans crossmember I’ll need, will my stock one work? I still obviously have a ton of research to do. Please point me towards any of yalls build threads or good articles that could be of use if you know of any. Feels good to have made the first step happen though.
