Project "Simple Green" - Turbo LS 1965 C10

[RidgeHunter]

Also let that 283 be saved. I love me some 283s and 327s. Cool finned valve covers, too.

I want to go with a more radical build on my 283 or a ridiculous 327/5-speed manual eventually. Small displacement is not the best route in a truck but I love them.

 

[zghorner]

Random thoughts:

1. Man after my own heart. My first ride was a '65 longbed fleetside, 283,2 barrel, 3 on the tree. Became a built 283,4bbl TH350. $1,000 bucks from the second owner when I was 14. Still have it and still drive it.

2. Go Early Classic Enterprises on the disc conversion. Why hassle? With a frame and a cab you can build these trucks through the mail. LMC truck is your friend. Why body swap? 63-72 frames are pretty modern and all kinds of drivetrains have been put in them.

3. 10 second strip beast that cruises all day is a tall order for a C-10. Power is easy. Getting it to hook is another. Also...heavy. 12-13 second truck seems more realistic.

4. 67-72chevytrucks.com is a great resource for 60-66 rigs too.

5. There's an Oklahoma FB group for 60-66 Chevs that has parts listings. CL has junk all the time too.

6. Please don't go bigger than 17s on it. Please.

7. Here's my junk. Needs a lot of time and money, but I'd drive it anywhere without fear of it breaking down. Hasn't left me stranded since 2004. Straight truck, minimal rust issues.

the 283 will someday be a coffee table base in my man cave lol (or something similar). I love that motor. And I dig your ride a lot man. I think we have similar taste.

I signed up at 67-72chevytrucks and glad I did, lots of god solid advice already and piles of relevant info in sticky threads.

I will look into the classic enterprises disk conversion but the reason I am considering the hassle on a cross member swap is (1) I have more time than money, and (2) i would gain powersteering. I am leaning towards a bolt on kit at this point but well see. The newer CM is a bit wider which I don't like...I dig the way the wheels and tires are tucked on these trucks as is.

I agree with you on the wheels. Right now I am thinking about some old school 15" wagon wheels painted white to match the bumper and grill but undecided at this point...do you know if they made those in a 10" width? I also agree that 10 sec is a lot to ask for out of a 4,000lb TRUCK. Luckily our rear suspension is already a great platform to build upon so we'll see. Spent the evening at my buddies house with the 8 sec turbo ls fox body picking his brain about this and that. I will have no problem making 600whp with minimum motor mods and he is confident we can make it hook without a great deal of effort. Whatever it runs, it runs. Either way the thing is going to be an absolute beast on the street. hell even a 12 sec vehicle is quick in my books and should eat up 90% of whats out there cruising around. Since I'm going to all of this trouble I might as well shoot for the stars...Even if all I do is land on the moon

 

[RidgeHunter]

Like these? You can get any width you want I'm sure. I have 9" in the back and 7" I think. I honestly can't remember and I just bought them last year. I'm stupid.

http://www.summitracing.com/search/...line/u-s-wheel-70-series-white-8-spoke-wheels

I rattled canned them and stuck them in the oven for a bit, much to my girlfriend's dismay. Holding up well.

 

[zghorner]

yep, just like that.

 

[swampratt]

Love the Truck projects.
No matter what engine they end up with.
One of the quickest street cars i rode in was a 1957 chevy 4 door with a tweaked 283.. first gear would get the tires sticky and that long throw 4 speed shifter hit second and My head tweaked back as the car went up in a wheelie..I was in the back seat..
Awesome ride.
You can make them run.
even destroked to small 265" and run em to 10,000 rpm.
This one is a driver my buddy put together recently .. was submerged in a flood and the engine I built years ago for his 3/4 ton,, the may 3 tornado tore the3/4 ton up.

Here is it idling at 950 rpm.. 11+ compression 396 BBC with strip dominator intake and 800 edelbrock just a little 280H for a driver.
Needs more springs as I stuck 2.19-188 valves in the heads that i ported for it.
Seat pressure is 121psi currently.. needs about 1435-140 or just a better spring than the comp ones. floats valves at 6500rpm. Right springs and it will pull to 7k easilly.

http://vid263.photobucket.com/albums/ii146/6jeffswish/396bbc 005.mp4

 

[zghorner]

well ive been getting more details about the cost...funny when you talk to someone that's done the LS swap they say "oh its not that bad, turbo, custom piping, quick computer tune and youre done.". Just the wiring harness modification and tune will run me at least a grand . Had a "buddy" quote me on the rust repair (just tacking in the new metal, no body work+cost of metal pieces) at about $1100 .

Right now the plan is still to focus on the rust repair while figuring up the cost of the ls swap since no matter which way this project goes the rust has to be fixed. Good news is my uncle has an '01 Yukon denali with a 6.0 in decent shape that I think I will be able to get a deal on. I have to verify that it has a 4L80E but well see. Also, I decided to build the factory 12 bolt vs look for a 9". I think the ease of building the factory rear outways the cost and difficulty added in fitting a 9" under there, even if its not quite as strong. Originally I was going to put some newer leather seats in it but decided to have the factory bench redone...some leather Tahoe seats would just look like complete garbage in that truck.

 

[Mad Professor]

On 01 YD should have a 4L65E. That was about the time of the update from a 4L60E. I believe you'll have to find 3/4 or 1-ton to find a 4L80E.

There is a place on S. Shields that does some amazing leather seat work.

 

[zghorner]

You are absolutely right about it having the 4l60...kind of a bummer there. Thanks for the tip on the upholstery but probably going back factory vinyl.

 

[gfercaks33]

If you get the donor truck you should be able to modify the harness to marry into the the factory harness. There's a wealth of knowledge at ls1tech they have a spot for transplanting motors with wiring guides.

 

[swampratt]

Not hard to stick a 9" into something..If you weld that is.
For cost savings during these builds welding is a must have skill. I have taught a few people how to weld.
My wife instantly got it. Stick welding..She said so you are basically melting the 3 pieces together and one piece is the rod.
Yep.
She struck the arc and laid a perfect bead joining 2 pieces of steel together.. Then said that is easy enough and went inside.
I have had friends I could not teach..They just did not get it ,,did not move the rod in.
It really is simple.

There are some Lincoln or big other Ford cars certain years that had 5 on 5 bolt pattern of the chevy truck 5 lug.
Yes it is true.. You can also have in the 9" 5 on 4.5" or the 5 on 5.5" which I usually get.
My toughest weld up brackets on a rearend was my son's 83 Cellica GT the rear bit the dust.. those things are thin.
Neighbor had a 1966 ford mustang 6 cylinder rear end..same bolt pattern.. or close enough.. and within 1/4" of the same length.
Took about 2 hours to cut off the old brackets and have them positioned on the Ford rear and welded up.

Good to have donor parts.