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Noob truck build- New and improved now with k30

80' 427

80' 427

1/2 ton status
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Joined
Nov 14, 2006
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Location
NEBRASKA
I have been on and off this site for a few years mostly in the fall-winter and before going to moab. I have decided to build a more versitile truck. I farm with my dad and all so wheel in our pasture, tuttle creek (in kansas) and Moab. Up to this point I have had a 84 K-10, basic 350/700/208 with 10bolts. Locked rear, truetrac front, 4.11s, 2.5" lift and trux 33" tires. It has taken me most anywhere and it is a great truck (for sale). I need more tire now and maybe some more extreme body mods to keep following my buddies. The plan is to build a 3/4 with a 454/400/203. I have 2 trucks I am combining. A 79 c10 with a 454/400 and a 74 3/4 with a 350/350/203 4.10s. It will get 3-4" of lift and 36" humvee tires. I guess the questions are 1. How would you lift it 3-4"? 2. I plan at least a detroit rear but unsure about locking the front 44 or trutrac again. It will be a semi dd in the winter and used on the farm all summer. 3. Since I have a 2wd steering box and a flat top front is crossover the best? I don't plan on going bigger than 36s but I have already been where I have limited out my 1/2 ton steering. Do I NEED hydro assist?

Any other suggestions?
 
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first, ditch the hummer tires. i'd also get rid of any part of a np203. go with a th400-205. could do standard 4" lift springs in the front and shackle flip in the rear. go x-over steering and if you need more power, go hydro assit.
 
YZEATER said:
first, ditch the hummer tires.
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I agree 100%.

I've got'em on my K5. I've had worse tires...but a TSL or Bogger or even a decent mud terrain will do so much better. So unless there free, I wouldn't waste your money. I got 5 for $100 with 75% tread left and still think I got ripped off.
 
I understand. This is kinda on the low budget to start with so this tires will work for a bit and the 203 is cheap. May go doubler someday. Th400/205s are rare around here. Mostly worried about the lift and lockers and will work on the rest. Ordered a intake, cam, ls7 vette pan all for the bbc. Has peanut ports but will work ok for now and will pull my camaro to the track better than my k10.
 
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Lift: Go with 3 or 4 inch lift springs in the front and a 4 inch shackle flip in the back. Hands down the best low-budget way to lift it and still have it flex pretty well. If you're looking for travel on the front, I also suggest the shock tower project that lots of guys have done (including me).

Lockers: Put a Detroit in the back. The front is largely a matter of personal taste, wheeling style, and how extreme you're going to get. Lock-right is the budget answer, but 36's are right at the edge of causing problems with a lock-right in a D44/10b if you do any rocky stuff and like to use the throttle. :D

The above prescription also makes for a decent daily driver depending on tire.
 
Desert Yeti said:
Lift: Go with 3 or 4 inch lift springs in the front and a 4 inch shackle flip in the back. Hands down the best low-budget way to lift it and still have it flex pretty well. If you're looking for travel on the front, I also suggest the shock tower project that lots of guys have done (including me).

Lockers: Put a Detroit in the back. The front is largely a matter of personal taste, wheeling style, and how extreme you're going to get. Lock-right is the budget answer, but 36's are right at the edge of causing problems with a lock-right in a D44/10b if you do any rocky stuff and like to use the throttle. :D

The above prescription also makes for a decent daily driver depending on tire.
Click to expand...

Quoted for truth. If you want a really low budget shackle flip, pull the spring hangers off the front end of the rear spring on a 2wd and install it as your rear shackle hanger for about 2.5" lift. Use the spring hanger from a 4wd for about a 4" lift.:D
 
Thanks. I was wondering about the front locker. I would rather go low budget so when I go 60 I don't have a lot in it. We wheel somewhat hard but it will be used as a winter dd. Since the wranglers are garbage what swamper should I use? I was thinking 35 12.50 R16.5 SSRs cause they are 10 plys. Also not to question but why shouldn't I use the 203? I have been wheeling a 208 and have yet to brake it. I even truck pulled it and broke the 8.5 first (at 299').
 
ever since my first old style chevy, i've hated the 203. mine never shifted right, even though it was adjusted correct, they are really heavy compared to a 205. the one in my 85 currently still doesn't shift well, and if you want part time you have to convert it.
 
I will be going through the case and it has a part time kit already. Doesn't mean I won't have trouble but I am a bit bull headed and have to try stuff first.
 
You should see how long I tried to make a 4 speed work in my dragcar.
 
BGKYK5 said:
You're getting an LS7 oil pan for your BBC? :scratches head:
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Yep has a trap door and a baffle to keep the oil around the pickup. So hopefully it will still get oil when at a 45, unlike how my sbc which starts too loose pressure about the same time the carb stops working. esp down hill.

Edit: I thought about this last night. I am guessing you didn't know long before gm made a ls engine they had a 500+ hp ls7 that was designed for the 1970 vette. It never happened but it was avalible as a crate motor over the counter. I think the specs were 12.5 to 1, alum heads, 454. Pretty badass. Had a road race pan.
 
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Got it, yup I was thinking Z06 LS7 which obviously wouldn't work for a number of reasons. Now that you mention it I do remember that there was a different LS7 previously, but I didn't know any of the details about it.
 
Well I ran into a problem. I need suggestions on these two setups. Remember I am poor too so it is one way or the other. Te truck I got has a 350/205 and I have a 400/203 which one would u choose? Remember 454, offroading, towing, tractor pulling what ever. The 203 has a new chain.
 
I'm no expert, but my $.02 worth: A 203 case will never be as strong as a 205...just the way it is. On the other hand, a well built TH350 with a few bells and whistles can live with big block power for quite some time. Put a temp gauge on the tranny and run the 350/205 combo if you have to choose one or the other.

That gets you wheeling while you save your pennies to buy the proper boneyard parts and/or adapters to put the 400 and the 205 together eventually. :) If you've already got that 203, hang on to it to build your doubler setup sometime down the road! :D
 
I have been thinking today that I will most likely leave it 350/205 because it is in the truck. I will hook put the bbc and see how it lives. If the th350 falls apart we will regroup. This is my second truck so if it breaks it can just sit. Going to the 400 would require driveshafts and hinder et to wheeling.
 
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