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the Frankenstein build thread

mattman4x4

mattman4x4

1/2 ton status
Joined
Feb 16, 2005
Posts
186
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0
Location
Salisbury MD
Everybody seems to be doing it so.. this will be my thread for progress on my truck. "Frank" who started out a 73 K10 made in Baltimore MD. its now a conglomeration of parts made into a 3/4 ton 4x4 truck.

Specs: 1973

now a K20

10b front 14 bolt ff rear
chevy 350 with a 77Qjet
TH400 trans/203 T case
what I have found out about my truck over the two years I have owned it:
vin 1973
cab 1973 with 1980 wiring harness and trim
engine base on casting # 350 made between 69-80
carb Q jet was a 1977
frame date code was stamped 85
Trans year? T-case year?
what I have done:



Mechanical:
  • new distributor, wires, and plugs - done
  • new carburetor ( Edelbrock- 1400)- done
  • new fuel line and in line filter to carburetor- done
  • new fuel pump- done
  • new alternator- done
  • starter heat shield- done
  • repair rear breaks and lines- done
  • change differential fluid in rear axel- done
  • change differential fluid in front axel-
  • change transmission fluid and filter and gasket- done
  • change oil- done
  • new steering wheel (original style)-done
  • new horn contact and button- done Horn now works
  • run new e-break cables- mostly done ( at least they are hooked up from the drums)
  • replace leaking master cylinder
  • replace front brake hoses
  • toss headers and put on stock manifolds
    • found manifolds at junkyard and acquired
  • new exhaust, mufflers and tips
  • find oil leak and fix
  • lube chassis and drive train- done
  • fix power steering, replace hoses
  • fix power steering, replaced belt
  • fix power steering, replace pump or steering box if needed
  • Replaced fan belt-done
  • fix gauges (speedometer works) J
    • temp gauge done and works J
    • oil pressure gauge done and works J
    • fuel gauge bouncing done and works J
    • High beam indicator?
    • 4x4 indicator?
    • Break emergency light (works currently)
    • Volt gauge (works currently)J
    • Pull gauge cluster and paint backing with reflective paint to improve illumination-done
    • Re-paint needles all one color (orange/red?)
    • Replace light bulbs
    • Clean up/replace circuit board
    • Repaint and install dash bezel
    • Repaint and install dash trim
  • replace transmission/transfer case mounts (missing one currently)
  • adjust T-case linkage so I can put the truck in 4 wheel drive
  • service transfer-case
  • replace “universal transmission” tube with correct TH400 tube
  • replace seat-belts
  • replace battery cables
  • replace cooling hoses, water pump, thermostat, and flush and fill cooling system
  • Install a new tilt steering column
  • Find and Install a new wiring harness so I know what is what.
  • install speakers and radio
  • new shocks
  • new bushing set and mount set for truck
  • Get and install a new aluminum Edelbrock intake manifold

Body/ cosmetic:

  • degrease and clean up the chassis
  • new rockers
  • strip cab and herculiner it
  • repair/replace the bed ( Swiss cheese and rot)
  • rhino line or herculiner new bed
  • replace body mounts
  • fix other rust spots
  • get truck re-painted white
  • replace dash pad
  • replace carpet
  • reinstall tail gate
  • put cap on

Eventual project that I want to do:

  • Suspension lift 4 inches
  • bigger tires say 35”s
  • install A/C
  • swap in a 700R4 OD trans and 205 T-case
  • locked rear
  • better gears if needed
pics to be added.....
 
Well next weekend weather permitting My Father-in-law and I plan to do the following:
1. Finish running e-break cables (the stuff is on order from LMC)
2. Install a new aluminum Edelbrock intake manifold
3. Install a new set of refurbished valve covers
4. Install stock exhaust manifolds; exhaust kit (Dynomax), and mufflers
5. Because I need to drain the radiator I will also do:
New cooling hoses, water pump, thermostat, and flush and fill cooling system
6. Also I will also put in a new set of timing gears.
 
Well this last weekend was pretty rough, temps in the 90's heat index of over 100F. Needless to say I sweated my A## off, and only managed to get a samll part of my list done.

here is a before pic:
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb27/mattb3901/73 chevy/c063.jpg

here are a few of the progress shots:

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb27/mattb3901/093.jpg
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb27/mattb3901/095.jpg
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb27/mattb3901/098.jpg

I still need to hook up the exhaust, and put the truck back together! Dynomax sent the wrong hardware for the manifold back kit. They sent me hardware to mount headers...sigh. Overall I did get some things done, but have a lot of work to do this weekend!
 
Looks good. Ive thought about going back to cast manifolds instead of headers. still undecided. my hookers are worse for wear and something has to be done.
 
badmix said:
Looks good. Ive thought about going back to cast manifolds instead of headers. still undecided. my hookers are worse for wear and something has to be done.
Click to expand...


I'm going to manifolds on my K5. I figure I may lose some power, but the engine is stock, and whatever replaces it will be stock for a while. Mine are about rotted off. Got a set of used ones that look decent and when I get the exhaust redone they'll go on.

I don't feel it's worth the $300 for decent headers on my stock 305 is what it comes down to. I can use that money elsewhere.
 
I agree, heeders are nice to make power, then they age, rot, leak, and cause problems. My manifolds came out of a junkyard for between 50 and 70 dollars (can't remember exactly). Yes I may lose power but hey with the new intake manifold, new timing gears, straight pipes and stock mufflers it should be marginal.

I also looked up the casting marks on my block; it was rated at between 180 and 195hp for 1977 in a stock configuration. So with stock manifolds, If I get close to 195 hp thats great!
torque no clue

Chevy casting number 3970010....350...69-80...2 or 4 bolt
Engine code: 13S417269 …. No idea
Block code: VO118CLC: 1973, 74, or 1977 350 180-195 hp from a corvette in CA
Chevy head# 462624 79-85 Chevy 350-400 cid 1.94 1.50 76cc
 
update and pics

Well I finally finally finished upgrading and repairing frank! My last post was progress, since then I have a several week hiatus due to wife’s pregnancy (all day morning sickness). This last weekend my Father –in –law came down and helped me finished the job up. We put on the carb, installed the radiator, ect. We finished putting on the exhaust. When it was finally all together we did not hook up the dizzy and flooded the system with gas. Realized our mistake hooked up the dizzy and then blew out one muffler (damn that sucked). Right after we started the truck with coolant we notice a leak at the firewall, heater core took a crap. It cracked at the outlet pipe and leaked all over the cab. So we had fixed that to!

Here are some finished pics:
Old exhaust
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb27/mattb3901/DSCN2113.jpg

finished pic 1
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb27/mattb3901/DSCN2114.jpg

finished pic 2
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb27/mattb3901/DSCN2115.jpg

bracket we had to make to get PS pump alinged correctly:
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb27/mattb3901/DSCN2116.jpg

blown out muffler ( damn!)
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb27/mattb3901/DSCN2117.jpg

good muffler:
http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb27/mattb3901/DSCN2118.jpg
 
update to do list so much fun!

Mechanical: to do:
· change differential fluid in front axel-
· run new e-break cables- mostly done ( at least they are hooked up from the drums)
· find oil leak and fix (added some stop leak)
· fix gauges
o High beam indicator?
o 4x4 indicator?
o Re-paint needles all one color (orange/red?)
o Replace light bulbs
o Clean up/replace circuit board
o Repaint and install dash bezel
o Repaint and install dash trim
· adjust T-case linkage so I can put the truck in 4 wheel drive
· service transfer-case
· replace “universal transmission” tube with correct TH400 tube
· adjust T-case linkage so I can put the truck in 4 wheel drive
· service transfer-case
· replace “universal transmission” tube with correct TH400 tube
· replace seat-belts
· replace battery cables
· Install a new tilt steering column
· Find and Install a new wiring harness so I know what is what.
· install speakers and radio
· new shocks
· new bushing set and mount set for truck


Body/ cosmetic:
  • degrease and clean up the chassis
  • new rockers
  • strip cab and herculiner it
  • repair/replace the bed ( Swiss cheese and rot)
  • rhino line or herculiner new bed
  • replace body mounts
  • fix other rust spots
  • get truck re-painted white
  • replace carpet
  • reinstall tail gate


Eventual project that I want to do:
  • Suspension lift 4 inches
  • bigger tires say 35”s
  • install A/C
  • swap in a 700R4 OD trans and 205 T-case
  • locked rear
  • better gears if needed
 
I am starting a project of removing the current bed and replacing it with another fleet side bed in better shape.
Here is my plan:

1. disassemble the current truck bed
2. clean up the frame and repaint it ( thinking of using reustoleum rusty metal primer{greay} then top coating with rustoleum spray paint semi gloss balck)

3. disassembly of the new bed
4. treat the surface rust with a rust converter
4a. repair a few rust holes with fiberglass and resin
5. pain bottom of the bed with rustoleum as above then undercoating
6. reassemble the bed with using seam sealer
7. Herculiner the interior of the bed
8. prime and paint the sides white with rattle cans

Here is my question
1. who as used restoleum products on there projects? I know there are other more expensive products (POR15 ect.) but I cannot justify that cost...hence rustoleum
2. I have also thought about just painting the bottom of the bed and inside the fenders with spray on truck bedline. Has anyone done this?
thanks
Matt
 
Well I finally got around to changing my dif fluid in the front, and the ring gear had the following
GM, serial number, 11 41 3 79
11/41=3.73
If I read this correctly I have 3.73 gears.

this is just one more piece to the puzzle.
So this begs the question how big of tire can I run with the following:
350, th400, Np208, GM 10 bolt, GM14 FF?

cheers Matt
 
Progress!

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Pulled the bed, cleand up the frame, and pulled the trans and T case~!
 
more progress

Wow I cannot believe its been almost three years...Life has gotten in the way of my truck build. In 2010 I installed the new bed (pic to follow).
So last year (2011) I had some time during my school break to work on my truck. We pulled off the front clip and pulled the engine. This is where we found a big problem under the back of the fender on the cab wall:
DSCN2620.jpg

DSCN2618.jpg

The 350 was striped it of paint, pulled the water pump and timing gears, and oil pan seal. and installed a new oil pan seal, new timing gears, and water pump. Then repainted it orange. Re installed the engine. Then we bolted up my new TH400 and NP208 and drive shaft. Then came the body lift, and new poly body mounts. I repainted and cleaned my gas tank, moved it to the opposite side for the new bed. Ran new fuel lines.
more pics:
DSCN2633.jpg
 
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DSCN2619.jpg

repainted the front core support~
put on my new fenders:

http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb27/mattb3901/DSCN26252.jpg[IMG]

[IMG]http://i207.photobucket.com/albums/bb27/mattb3901/DSCN2631.jpg

DSCN2629.jpg
 
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Fuel system problem

Well I hooked up the gas tank, and fuel lines, re installed the carb and fired it up. Then I had a big problem gas shooting out the top of the Edelbrock 1400 where the needle and seat are! This continued several times until I gave up.
What I have done to try to fix this:
1. pulled off carb- disassembled cleaned it.
2. checked the float level
3. added new gaskets.
4. disconnected the vent line (so now open to air)

Help please!~ still blowing fuel out the top and not starting
 
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