Alright, let's give this a shot! It's been a while since I have started a build thread and thanks to
denmah and
Mook we are back on the forums! Happy days!
So let's start this with an intro post on the truck and a brief outline of the plan, and then I'll make some subsequent posts with progress as things go. Most of this will be stuff that I have already done, but then I will continue to update it as this thing progresses. Also, I will try and get better at updating my Instagram on it as well, @squeakytruck.
The Truck:
1984 Scottsdale C10 long bed
305/700R4
Booooone Stock, 111,894 miles.
Started its life in Ohio with a family friend until the early 90s when my Grandparents bought it and brought it back down to North Carolina.
They used it mainly to haul brush and trash to the dump and various home projects, with the longest trips being a few hours to the beach, so it really didn't get many miles on it.
After my Grandfather passed while I was in college, I kept the truck running for my Grandmother (I lived the closest at the time, and was the only family member who did anything car related) Once she left North Carolina and moved in with my folks, she gave me the truck! ( I had also borrowed it to get back and forth to work many times while I was young and dumb and daily driving the cars I raced...)
For a while, it has just been a parts hauler and winter beater (No A/C so its pretty brutal in South Carolina summers), but after a few years of watching Sloppy Mechanics I got inspired to make some changes. The issues now are that the 305 is so anemic that its difficult to just take out and drive long distances (its 115 miles each way to work for me) so I want to essentially make it a good driver that, if need be, I can take to work and be comfortable (and safe).
Hauling cement for the patio and semi off-road out at the range, this truck still gets used, and will never be a show truck. Plenty of rust, so time for sloppy!
The 305 has seen better days... It's going to stay in the truck for now, I want to keep the truck on the road as long as possible, so the idea is to gather (over time) everything I need for the swap and then try to do the swap in a long weekend or so.
Went to the local Pull a Part looking for a 6.0, but far too late, they were all gone. But I did find a 2003 Avalanche that was mostly untouched. Figured that would work well enough for me. The first engine pull for me and working mostly by myself, so no pictures of the pull. Ended up having a friend come help for the last couple of hours to finish the pull. Then dragged it home in the bed of the C10.
Suburban hell and a wife that doesn't enjoy cars and doesn't understand projects has me building this thing in a shed in the backyard. It was a little tricky getting it into the shed from the bed of the truck, it will be even more tricky getting it back out I imagine, but that's future me's problem!
Heads off, pan off, and mounted up on the engine stand, time for the real work to begin! But that will wrap up this post. Ill regroup and reorganize and come back with another post for the engine build-up part of this party. Thanks, everyone!
denmah and
Mook we are back on the forums! Happy days!So let's start this with an intro post on the truck and a brief outline of the plan, and then I'll make some subsequent posts with progress as things go. Most of this will be stuff that I have already done, but then I will continue to update it as this thing progresses. Also, I will try and get better at updating my Instagram on it as well, @squeakytruck.
The Truck:
1984 Scottsdale C10 long bed
305/700R4
Booooone Stock, 111,894 miles.
Started its life in Ohio with a family friend until the early 90s when my Grandparents bought it and brought it back down to North Carolina.
They used it mainly to haul brush and trash to the dump and various home projects, with the longest trips being a few hours to the beach, so it really didn't get many miles on it.
After my Grandfather passed while I was in college, I kept the truck running for my Grandmother (I lived the closest at the time, and was the only family member who did anything car related) Once she left North Carolina and moved in with my folks, she gave me the truck! ( I had also borrowed it to get back and forth to work many times while I was young and dumb and daily driving the cars I raced...)
For a while, it has just been a parts hauler and winter beater (No A/C so its pretty brutal in South Carolina summers), but after a few years of watching Sloppy Mechanics I got inspired to make some changes. The issues now are that the 305 is so anemic that its difficult to just take out and drive long distances (its 115 miles each way to work for me) so I want to essentially make it a good driver that, if need be, I can take to work and be comfortable (and safe).
Hauling cement for the patio and semi off-road out at the range, this truck still gets used, and will never be a show truck. Plenty of rust, so time for sloppy!
The 305 has seen better days... It's going to stay in the truck for now, I want to keep the truck on the road as long as possible, so the idea is to gather (over time) everything I need for the swap and then try to do the swap in a long weekend or so.
Went to the local Pull a Part looking for a 6.0, but far too late, they were all gone. But I did find a 2003 Avalanche that was mostly untouched. Figured that would work well enough for me. The first engine pull for me and working mostly by myself, so no pictures of the pull. Ended up having a friend come help for the last couple of hours to finish the pull. Then dragged it home in the bed of the C10.
Suburban hell and a wife that doesn't enjoy cars and doesn't understand projects has me building this thing in a shed in the backyard. It was a little tricky getting it into the shed from the bed of the truck, it will be even more tricky getting it back out I imagine, but that's future me's problem!
Heads off, pan off, and mounted up on the engine stand, time for the real work to begin! But that will wrap up this post. Ill regroup and reorganize and come back with another post for the engine build-up part of this party. Thanks, everyone!
