K30 build, frame clean up

Pusher · Sep 4, 2026

Just for fun, I rolled the C/50 40's up next to it.

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83K31003 · Sep 4, 2026

I assume it’s gotta 465/205 combo in it ? I think I can see the Z-bar in the engine bay pic but it’s a little blury.

Nice ride !

Pusher · Sunday at 11:20 AM

Yes Sir, 465/205, the 205 is syncro'd though. You guys have any input on where this may have came from? I found it while cleaning out the SM465. It looks like a gear tooth at first glance, but the other side has a machined lip, almost like the tip of a shift fork, or a piece from a casting bearing boss. I was able to pick up a spare trans from a 2wd for a couple hundred, I think the mainshaft is all I need to change out for 4wd.

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83K31003 · Sunday at 12:20 PM

My guess would be the contact wear point pieces for one of the shift forks - nothing else in a 465 should look like that.

On your spare tranny question - yes, swapping out the main shaft will work just fine.
There were a few changes made bearing wise after 1978-ish but if I recall the shafts will interchange with no problems.

Ya’ could just R-n-R the top cover and forks of your original trans if all else appears to be well.

As far as your mentioning the synchro 205’s - both my ‘83 K-30’s came with them ( both 454’s and one 465/205 & the other TH400/205 ).
GM made them standard equipment in ‘83 & ‘84 try’n to push the convenience of the auto locking hubs and shift on the fly crap.
The way around it was ordering the manual hub option - by ‘85 they dropped the synchro as standard equipment and just let it be an option until ‘88.

Pusher · Sunday at 2:23 PM

Thanks pardner. My tunnel doesn't have an access cover, so I'd have to R&R the trans. I figured it would faster and easier to go through this 2wd one, swap it in, and have one on the shelf for a spare or for sale.

83K31003 · Sunday at 7:49 PM

Noth’n wrong with spare parts !

83K31003 · Sunday at 10:52 PM

Question for ya’ - is your floor tunnel bonded/glued in place or is it all sheet metal continuous with the floor pan ?
I ask because I am trying to figure out what and when the floor tunnels changed.
My ‘83 Crew Cab K-3500 had a bolted in removable tunnel and my ‘83 Cab Chassis K-30 regular cab has a glued tunnel in it.
I’ve also had two K-5’s ( ‘85 & ‘86 models ) that had glued tunnels.

Just curious if your ‘84 K-30 is glued or solid sheet metal ?

Grit dog · Monday at 12:20 AM

Pusher said:
Just for fun, I rolled the C/50 40's up next to it.

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DO IT!!!

Pusher · Tuesday at 11:33 AM

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Pusher · Tuesday at 11:35 AM

Grit dog said:
DO IT!!!

It would sure look nice, but the wheel/tire combos are 200lbs each.

Pusher · Tuesday at 12:47 PM

I gave myself a few days to think about it, but I'm having some trouble deciding on factory hangers and 2.5" blocks, or ORD 3/4 ton flip hangers. The only pro to factory hangers, is I can revert back to dually very easily. If I go the other route, I can clean up the frame behind the factory hangers, run a u bolt flip kit, mount the shocks outside the frame, and delete the lift blocks.

Grit dog · Tuesday at 1:02 PM

Pusher said:
It would sure look nice, but the wheel/tire combos are 200lbs each.

Meh….I think the Detroit Steelies and Grabbers on our K20 are about 150lbs each. Still gets 7 mpg downhill with a tailwind like it did before…
Besides i bet the duals are 200lb per side….im joking. I know those big truck wheels don’t fit but it’d look bad ass with something similar!

83K31003 · Tuesday at 1:31 PM

Pusher said:
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Appreciate the pics of the tunnel - the best I can figure is that maybe different body part stamping were provided for different plants over the years.
There doesn’t seem to be a definitive direct connection between cab types or specific year model when the floor pan & tunnel changes occurred.

Pusher · Tuesday at 1:41 PM

83K31003 said:
Appreciate the pics of the tunnel - the best I can figure is that maybe different body part stamping were provided for different plants over the years.
There doesn’t seem to be a definitive direct connection between cab types or specific year model when the floor pan & tunnel changes occurred.

I think you're right, different plants didn't always assemble the same. This truck has the "Janesville Gray" brackets and crossmembers, but when I checked my SN, the assembly plant wasn't Janesville.

83K31003 · Wednesday at 6:22 AM

Pusher said:
I think you're right, different plants didn't always assemble the same. This truck has the "Janesville Gray" brackets and crossmembers, but when I checked my SN, the assembly plant wasn't Janesville.

Mine’s a Flint, Michigan Plant built truck that was ordered as an “incomplete chassis” for an up fitter called “E-One” ( they mainly build fire trucks and emergency response / search-n-rescue type vehicles ) down in Ocala, Florida - it was a 4WD brush/support truck with the C7E/G52 RPO options.
As best as I could tell they just painted on the department graphics, installed the basic red exterior emergency lights, radio/CB communications equipment, spot/search lights on each A-pillar, a second auxiliary alternator that looked like it could rival a nuclear power plant and a flatbed with all the equipment required.

Please tell me about these Janesville Gray brackets & crossmember differences - I wasn’t aware of these details and different items ? Always learning something new - good stuff !

K30 build, frame clean up

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