New Here from N.E. California

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CalSgt

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Location
CA
First Name
Casey
Truck Year
1980
Truck Model
Chevy K-10 Custom Deluxe
Engine Size
350
Hello, just joined from from N.E. California.

I'm getting ready to restore my 1980 K-10 Custom Deluxe, it was my first car at age 16 I daily drove it until about 2007 or so when I bought the wife a Yukon Denali & got to take over our 2006 Duramax.

The poor truck has been sitting since 2008 in the high desert of CA, it has since been taken over by the pack rats & full of turds and piss I'm sure.

Got the truck on Super Bowl Sunday in 1996 in the middle of a snowstorm, drove it home not totally skilled at driving a manual. It had a crappy discount store tan paint job, a 250CI inline 6, SM465 granny low four speed with 205 transferase. I drove it for a while before modifications began. With dad's guidance and help we sanded it down and repainted it in GM bright white, I removed all of the aluminum body trim and welded up the holes. Next came updating the tranny, I put a NV 3500 out of what was then a brand new chevy truck in it. The New transmission didn't clear the front driveshaft so a 3.5" lift went on at the same time. Shortly after a fender bender led me to buy a 1981 C-10 for a replacement bed. Then a SBC was in order, I re-ringed the tired old 350 out of mom's K-5, and upgraded to a 700R4 auto which lasted until now.

I have a complete and fully dressed 5.7L Vortec to go in, it will need some machine work and rebuild but I have everything to go with it. Serpentine belt setup, A/C, Alternator, ECM, PS, and manifolds, I have a 4L60E to match it too. I have a 1998 fuel tank I will try to retrofit into the frame for the EFI.

I plan to go Dakota Digital for gauges, and probably LMC Truck and ACC Carpets to round out a fresh new interior including fresh glass and seals.
 

AyWoSch Motors

The Parts Guy
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Location
New Mexico
First Name
Ayden
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
K1500 Sierra
Engine Size
350ci V8
Sounds like you have plans.
Your gonna have your hands full, I like the ideas though.
You came to right place for help, lots of great minds that know what they're talking about.... and then there's me, haha.
Welcome from New Mexico.
 

WFO

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Location
Texas Panhandle
First Name
Dan
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
K20
Engine Size
350
Welcome from the Texas Panhandle.
 

CalSgt

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Location
CA
First Name
Casey
Truck Year
1980
Truck Model
Chevy K-10 Custom Deluxe
Engine Size
350
Sounds like you have plans.
Your gonna have your hands full, I like the ideas though.
You came to right place for help, lots of great minds that know what they're talking about.... and then there's me, haha.
Welcome from New Mexico.
Thanks for the welcome, I'm totally open to sugestion on the build with exception to the Vortec since I already have everything. I havent really shopped for parts for this thing in the last 15 years so I'm out of touch with who sells or manufactures quality stuff...

Welcome from the Texas Panhandle.
Thanks
 

animal

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Location
Georgia
First Name
Lee
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
c10 silverado
Engine Size
350ish
:welcome:
 

tpripps

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Location
Scandia, MN
First Name
Tyler
Truck Year
1978
Truck Model
C30
Engine Size
454
fun story! welcome from MN
 

CalSgt

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Casey
Truck Year
1980
Truck Model
Chevy K-10 Custom Deluxe
Engine Size
350
Here's a picture because 1000 words and all that Jazz... Ordered a new set of tires the other day, 33x12.50R15's are not near as available as when I built it. I wanted somewhat of a highway tread so I got some Yokahama G015's.

You must be registered for see images attach
 

AyWoSch Motors

The Parts Guy
Joined
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Location
New Mexico
First Name
Ayden
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
K1500 Sierra
Engine Size
350ci V8
Here's a picture because 1000 words and all that Jazz... Ordered a new set of tires the other day, 33x12.50R15's are not near as available as when I built it. I wanted somewhat of a highway tread so I got some Yokahama G015's.

You must be registered for see images attach
A squircle, nice.
That's beautiful truck.
Nice choice on the tire size too, fits the style of the truck
Thanks for the welcome, I'm totally open to sugestion on the build with exception to the Vortec since I already have everything. I havent really shopped for parts for this thing in the last 15 years so I'm out of touch with who sells or manufactures quality stuff...
I'm not familiar to where to get new things, dont buy many things new. I'm more into OEM original things. I get all my parts from junkyards and swap meets and the fleamarket, and restore them. Have lots of parts.
I recently parted out a blown up vortec, if you need any things off that like brackets or connectors, etc...
 

Frankenchevy

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USA
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Jeremy
Truck Year
Square
Truck Model
CUCV
Engine Size
Small
No need to retrofit the gas tank from the vortec if you don’t want. Use an 87 tank and sender with a vortec era fuel pump like the ep381.
 

CalSgt

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Location
CA
First Name
Casey
Truck Year
1980
Truck Model
Chevy K-10 Custom Deluxe
Engine Size
350
No need to retrofit the gas tank from the vortec if you don’t want. Use an 87 tank and sender with a vortec era fuel pump like the ep381.
I'll look into that if the '98 tank won't fit in the saddle bag spot. Only reason I planned on using it is because I already have it.
 

AyWoSch Motors

The Parts Guy
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Location
New Mexico
First Name
Ayden
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
K1500 Sierra
Engine Size
350ci V8
LOL... Is that a term for the headlight configuration?
Yessir. Refers to it being a round eye body style but with square headlights.
80 specific.
Heard someone here on the forum call it that, and it got me laughing and it stuck.
 

CalSgt

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Location
CA
First Name
Casey
Truck Year
1980
Truck Model
Chevy K-10 Custom Deluxe
Engine Size
350
Yessir. Refers to it being a round eye body style but with square headlights.
80 specific.
Heard someone here on the forum call it that, and it got me laughing and it stuck.
I was always proud of it, one of the original square lights with the single piece hood and doors over the gas caps.
 

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