Looking for body for 79 Chevy 1500

[farmer joe]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but there is no such animal as a 1979 Chevy 1500.

There is however, a 1979 K10, K20, and K30. A GMC would be a K15, K25, or K35. The K designates four wheel drive, C is two-wheel drive.

The 1500 designation wasn't used until the late eighties when Chevy's took on the Sierra name for pickups in general.

. I know that I just get confused I'm kinda knew to doing mechanics. I think it d be a k 10 the title says its a k20 but its got 6 bolt wheels the tranny is from an 89 1500. I still need a bed cab and fenders so maybe whole front clip

 

[farmer joe]

Thanks it be the k 10 know where I can get a donor truck ?

 

[bucket]

If you are willing to drive, I have a fairly decent shortbed I can sell. It needs a patch panel behind one of the wheel openings (I think it's the right side) and a couple minor holes repaired at the very rear tailpan. The one bedside is very nice and so is the floor and wheel tubs. It has a driver side gas door.

 

[farmer joe]

If you are willing to drive, I have a fairly decent shortbed I can sell. It needs a patch panel behind one of the wheel openings (I think it's the right side) and a couple minor holes repaired at the very rear tailpan. The one bedside is very nice and so is the floor and wheel tubs. It has a driver side gas door.

Thanks man if u were closer I would. Drive several hrs. I think I'm gonna try to fix my cab and find a bed a little closer I found one at j&s truck beds near Sandy lake pa

 

[19kilo76]

With my 76 K10, I had to go with a newer cab and front end (even though I didn't want to) because they are easier to find. I couldn't find 76 parts with a damn here in Louisiana. So you may have to go that route. My 76 needed a whole new floor pan all together though. It was so rusted that I don't know how it was held together at all.

 

[farmer joe]

I'm gonna get the cab checked over and buy the floor pans and cab corners and rockers hopefully that's all that the cab needs maybe I can do the same with the bed I could do the weld in panels around the wheel wheel wells and floor piece

 

[Greybeard]

This might give you some idea of what I am up against as soon as winter is over and I get back to working at a real job. I've had this truck for about ten years and expected to turn it into a mud bogger race truck. So I spent about $3,500 on parts for the engine alone and put a sm465 (converted near-new 2wd tranny obtained free of charge) with a 205 into it (It had a 454/T350/203 in it before). Then I got bored with it and a couple years later I lost my job of 23 years. It has sat for the most part for the last five years since I started college and although I was driving it for short runs in 2014, it hasn't even been started since winter started in 2014. I do/did put it in gear every now and again when it needed to be moved while I was dragging it with the tractor just to turn the engine over and move some oil around.

FWIW- I finish school in 13 weeks and will hopefully graduate too. (woohoo, no excitement in that BTW) Then when my current job is over (I drive a school bus) I will have some time to work on this headache again and it needs a ton of work as you can see. I'm not certain the cab is worth trying to save, however, it will be a good test bed for honing my welding skills.

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[farmer joe]

My cab has some of the same rust spots on the floor think mine mite not be as bad where rockers go but I'm looking at rockers floor panels cab corners possibly cab supports and doors that should fix the cab

 

[Greybeard]

Both of us have a lot of work in store.
and I am not very good at welding sheet steel.

 

[farmer joe]

Ever hear of a glue stronger than weld and doesn't cause rust? I bought fenders on ebay

 

[bucket]

Ever hear of a glue stronger than weld and doesn't cause rust? I bought fenders on ebay

3M Panel Bonding Adhesive. Works great, but requires a special applicator gun. It ain't cheap.

 

[bucket]

Looks like there's a much cheaper gun now:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0..._m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=18SY1TED8ZN2BRGRGBBF

 

[farmer joe]

I think im gonna have a guy I know do it so the cabs done right

 

[Greybeard]

I think im gonna have a guy I know do it so the cabs done right

Ya don't learn nothin that way. No pride in having others do work ya could do yourself. Sounds a lot like the rubes riding Harleys these days, they brag about all the 'coverups' they 'had' the dealer install for them. Too inept to turn their own wrenches. They have misplaced pride...pride comes from doing for oneself as much as possible and learning by talking and asking. Of course, there is a limit to what one can do personally. I do understand that. But really...having a dealer mechanic install a chrome cover over something and calling 'custom' and being proud of that? Really?

Welding metal is not hard, welding sheet metal is not hard, but it takes practice. I have not welded anything light gauge in over five years and even then it was sporadic. And when I was welding light gauge stuff it was with an industrial sized wire welder (older analog Millermatic). There is a really big ease difference between using a $8,000 440v infinitely adjustable machine and a $490 110v 5 tap machine.

I'm building up a resource pile of different welding wires, pliers, clamps, magnet's, tips, etc. I still need to stockpile weld through primers, seam sealers and undercoat for protecting the undersides of the weld where the majority of rust will reoccur. I am also still looking for a good used pressure tank sand blaster. Otherwise I will need to rent one. I have no plans on doing a fine paint job on the outside, rattle cans and wet sanding will do the job so touch ups are much easier. I learned that from years ago, a truck used is a truck scratched. And some of the trails I followed were no more than four feet wide in trees.

 

[farmer joe]

Yeah I know wat you r saying. I weld on and off but I haven't had much time with welding no time eith a wire welder and no time with body work . I figure I'd better keep learning on other stuff before I try that sorta thing. Maybe I should go full Road Kill on it. Ha-ha oh and I just figured out 7018 welding rods are nicer than 6013