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74 K10 build/rebuild

74SWB427 said:
I'll keep watching this for more updates. Maybe it'll give me the motivation to go out and work on my 74 k10 again.
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Back when I started this truck originally, I could buy squares for 1k or less. Now, they are 5k not running. If yours isnt beat, restore it. Its gonna be worth a fortune in a few more years.
 
I paid $800 for my crew about 5y/a. You cant barely buy rotten rollers for that 5k anymore.

Every destroyed pos has some wife behind it tell him to get that pos outahere.
 
PurfsMcGurfs said:
Back when I started this truck originally, I could buy squares for 1k or less. Now, they are 5k not running. If yours isnt beat, restore it. Its gonna be worth a fortune in a few more years.
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Mines a bit beat. Have some cab rust to repair. A big ass dent in the bed to deal with, but atleast it isn't rusted out like the original.

Pretty sure the frame isn't aligned. I cut the weld on frame brace off to redo it. Two of the steering box holes were all cracks. So drilled the ends of each crack. Took a die grinder to all the cracks and welded them. Then ground down and put a new brace on. And added the bolt on.

Really isn't a very street friendly truck anymore. Kinda ugly. Oneday it'll get completed. And get a semi decent paint job. And probably build a more friendly cammed big block.

I doubt I'll ever sell it. Was a graduation gift from my brother in 2011. A whole $900 running and driving.

I wouldn't even consider buying one now a days with the cost of them. And the poor condition of most.
 
The only thing i didnt get for my first k20 was the ord box brace.
My built out 77swb sure as shit needed it.
Got one cheap second had for my crew.
 
total newb said:
I paid $800 for my crew about 5y/a. You cant barely buy rotten rollers for that 5k anymore.

Every destroyed pos has some wife behind it tell him to get that pos outahere.
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Ain’t that the truth! My 74’s cab is hammered from rust decay. From the outside I can see through the A pillar/cowl areas into the cab. Both A pillars are brittle and chipping away. There’s a rust hole the size of a silver dollar above the passenger door. The rest of the body is riddled with rust as well. I’ve been looking for a cab or another square to start over with. But they are getting harder to find. Especially ones that aren’t hammered or outrageously priced. I’ve lost motivation to continue my 74, and either truggy it or strip it and put the parts on a gmt400.

Sorry for the derail…. Truck is looking good.
 
Figure I'll update this too. Nothing crazy. Got more of the bumper done. The welder was running cold on a few welds with the auto mode and it took some finagling to get it set on manual. I had to bump it up quite a bit. I really want a better machine. Everlast might get a large chunk of my money soon.

It's not bolted down, just has some bolts holding it on while I test fit it. I'm thinking about welding 2x2 angle down the center of the side bars as sort of an edge slider.
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So I finished the bumper. Added a top strip to fill in the tailgate gap, some corner braces under the bottom and painted it up. It looks decent and should save the bed until I inevitably crush the fuel tank, stub the ass end and run a fuel cell. Ha!
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I got over using cheap/old equipment building this bumper. My snap on welding helmet sucks and the vulcan is ok-ish. Its what I could afford back then. The wife is cool with upgrading the shop so I pissed away a big ass chunk of savings to get a legit setup. The everlast 225 lightning mig/tig and their 82i plasma. Even ordered a new lincoln helmet to go with it so I can actually see what the fuck I'm doing. Now I just need a tube bender and life will be sweet.

Once they showed up, I built a cart. The plasma will get it's own cart eventually but, I made it big enough to add a cooler for the tig and the plasma fit nicely under the deck. Waiting on the new helmet to show up so I can really play with this bad bitch.
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Next up, gonna start on an antiwrap bar and do some brake stuff while I wait for the 205 parts which should be here this week or next.
 
Dunno what you bought or what all you do. But I found I use the shit out of my hood with it on the cut settings. Probly wouldnt buy a hood that didnt have it
 
PurfsMcGurfs said:
I picked up a lincoln viking 3350. I wanted the best clarity I could find with a big lense. Shade settings go from 5-13 so I'm excited to try it out.
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I love my Viking, they're badass. It's heavy and your neck will feel it if you're not used to wearing it but the headgear is second to none and the size and clarity of the window are wayyyy better than older hoods.

The quick button to switch from grind mode to weld mode is awesome but you will forget to push it and blind yourself constantly. Be prepared :laughing:
 
Honestly, it's not too bad weight wise compared to my old helmets. The head gear is comfortable for sure. I do fog the lense though when I breathe so I'll have to adjust that. The viewing area and clarity are very nice, I can actually see! I might try a cheater lense eventually as well but my glasses fit easily which makes me happy.

My snap on only went down to 9 which sucked. With the new helmet I could clearly see my tracings and follow them with the plasma on 7 and 8. I dont use grind but, I may start using it. The snap on you had to turn all the way down to grind and I hated having to constantly adjust the knob.

10/10 worth the money.
 
Begin novel:

Havent updated this because I have been busy running the plasma table and setting up a new business. Dropped in here while I have some down time to leave a little update. I built an anti wrap bar for the truck, installed a new steering wheel, and updated the brakes. I added a manual line lock for a parking brake/rear lock out, installed a prop valve, and removed the factory combo valve. Also started on some half doors.

It took a minute for me to get the new welder dialed. I was fighting with pretty extreme spatter. I thought I was doing something wrong but, turns out the wire from my LWS was shit. As soon as I ditched it and went to something more brand name, the spatter went away. Guess the everlast is picky about wire. The tig works great, just need to steady my hand a little more. I ran a cheater lens for the tiny welds on the half door and it made a dramatic difference. I love the new helmet.

I havent touched the truck in at least 2 months because when I'm not working on the house or doing business stuff, I take the car out for a nice drive to the coast. I really want to build another car strictly for autox/hpde which moves me into the next part.

In all reality, I've been seriously considering a part out. Besides the love to hate relationship I have for this truck; a single cab shit box doesnt make much sense with dogs and a wife. I haven't even thought about going wheeling since the last time I wrenched on this thing either. A lot of it has to do with a weird vision issue I have going on, but even still, wheeling hasn't had much appeal. If I work on it more, I'll continue to update. If I part it out, I'll probably start a new thread in other builds when I decide what's next. I'm gonna keep building stuff but, it most likely wont be another trail rig.

Here's a couple pics incase I decide to keep building it.
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Whose shock towers did you use in the back? Can you post a pic of how you cut the bed floor?
 
Man havent seen one of them Dana 70's in a minute...beefy. Thanks for sharing

IMO you'll regret parting it out or selling.
Every dentside ford I've ever sold I've regretted, I got one back after I married the girl I sold it to its now a parts rig. Not getting rid of this one despite having to be cast aside and in the way for a year+ while getting shop/house finished
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The rear shock towers are from ruffstuff. Pretty sure it's the 12" towers. If I had my plasma table, I would have done them differently but, they are typical beef universals. I'll take a pic the next time I'm out in the shop. I had eye surgury and the recovery will be about 7 more weeks so, no promise it will be soon.

I don't know what the plans for the truck are for now. All projects are at a standstill because I'm not working. I'm getting a business going and now that my eye has been worked on, I have to wait and see if I persue the idea or go back to a 9-5. If worse comes to worse, bill's have to be paid and it'll get parted out.

If not, my wife's moms BF has a tube bender he is giving me so, it may become a buggy when I get back on track. I would finish building this and move on to race cars. I like going fast. :flipoff2:
 
Thanks. I also vote don’t part it out. Not sure why I didn’t look at ruffstuff towers. Tmr looks like they have one that will put the upper shock mount about straight above the top plate. This is the only build I could find that uses the diy4x front shock towers. I put on the diy4x towers, lower mounts/ gussets, and ruffstuff top plate mounts for the rear, but haven’t come up with what I want to do for the rear uppers.

On the front shocks, did you flex it out to come up with a 14 inch shock? I flexed mine out with a tractor the other day and a 14 will be just slightly too long on compression. I ordered a 13 inch bilstein.
 
PurfsMcGurfs said:
The rear shock towers are from ruffstuff. Pretty sure it's the 12" towers. If I had my plasma table, I would have done them differently but, they are typical beef universals. I'll take a pic the next time I'm out in the shop. I had eye surgury and the recovery will be about 7 more weeks so, no promise it will be soon.

I don't know what the plans for the truck are for now. All projects are at a standstill because I'm not working. I'm getting a business going and now that my eye has been worked on, I have to wait and see if I persue the idea or go back to a 9-5. If worse comes to worse, bill's have to be paid and it'll get parted out.

If not, my wife's moms BF has a tube bender he is giving me so, it may become a buggy when I get back on track. I would finish building this and move on to race cars. I like going fast. :flipoff2:
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Shake-n-Bake
 
_stucky said:
On the front shocks, did you flex it out to come up with a 14 inch shock? I flexed mine out with a tractor the other day and a 14 will be just slightly too long on compression. I ordered a 13 inch bilstein.
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Yea. I did it with a cherry picker and a floor jack. The tractor bucket bleeds down too fast (shitty old 8n) The way I ran my exhaust left me with about 1" of clearance at the pumpkin (when stuffed) and my pitman arm has about 5.5" of travel before contact. I have about 6" of up travel before the shock bottoms out. I still have to finish the bump stops but, I'll probably full bump it at 5" which will leave a safety margin of 3/4-1"

I'm using the dana 60 c shock tabs fyi. I flexed the truck out on the hill a while back and it twists real good up front with the 14s. I had shock in both directions when the rear was on the bump stops. It'll need a limit strap to prevent driveshaft issues at full droop for sure.

My plan was to link the front and go full hydro so i will use the diy towers and c/o's if that ever happens.

As for the rear, the ruff stuff towers were ok. I would say run a 12" if you are mounting to the spring plate or a 9" if you are mounting to the tube. I wish I had gone 9" because mounting shocks to the spring plate is a pain in the ass and doesn't fit ideally. I didnt want to build a huge lower shock tower off the tube so I just welded 2 tabs to the outside edge of my leaf plate for the lower mounts. Its jenky but, it works. I'm even considering a cantilever style setup now that I have a plasma table.
 
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