What every growing boy needs

[724wd]

So I’ve been hunting for a vehicle for my 8 year old son and I to work on (I have been working on a flat fender jeep with my daughter for a few years). I’ve had my eye on a 2wd 1970 Chevy C/20 for several years, but the gentleman that owns it isn’t ready to part with it yet.

So one day I was talking to my neighbor and his twin brother about neighborhood business and the subject of the older truck he had a few years ago came up. He’d sold it to one of his older brothers, who had neglected it and seized the engine. The twin had purchased it from the original owner and sold it to my neighbor, and neither of them drove it very much before it was passed on to their elder. They both figured it could be bought pretty cheap from their older sibling. I quickly contacted him and went to look at it. We made a deal for $660 with the original wheels with OK Wild Country tires plus the 18” wheels with Toyo rubber on it now. There’s also a Hi-Lift jack in the bed.

It’s a 1984 Chevy K20, 4spd, 4 barrel with zero rust and, of course, the bad engine. It won’t even BUDGE when rocking the truck in gear! Whatever he did, it was bad! Said it sounded like a helicopter before it shut off! Original AM radio, no speaker holes in the doors, hinges sag a little, a dent or two here and there (tailgate is trash, but I have a rust-free one waiting), but overall solid.

So I will be picking up a $200, 200 mile, Napa rebuilt 350 from an acquaintance in Walla Walla this weekend. The engine lived in a taco truck that moved 2 blocks each day and one day, 1/2 block from home, started knocking a little. Might have been low on oil, so I’ll check the bearings.

Plans are to leave it pretty much stock height wise, and to use the original 16” wheels and sell the 18s. My son wants it sky blue with white in the middle down the side. It needs weatherstripping, some clean-up, a few odds and ends, but what a solid rig! I did see some Suburban doors with electric windows and locks on FB marketplace… and an Edelbrock intake… and some halogen or LED headlights…

[Dhoey07]

That's gonna be a fun one 

I bought a 1972 C10 when I was 15 and just about every cent I made went into that thing.  You are 100% correct when saying that is what every boy needs. 

[Karl Blanchard]

Awesome!!!! The fondest memory of hunting and fishing from when I was a small boy was my dad and my grandpas trucks. Those old Chevy's had that unique smell to them. To this day that smell brings me back to early morning pancakes and coffee, elk camp, kokanee fishing, and hot cocoa spilt all over my lap because it was too hot to drink in this lifetime 

[Fl0und3rz]

Nice! I am thinking about something similar - project with my oldest - for a while.  Good job!

[cavemann]

Awesome!!!! The fondest memory of hunting and fishing from when I was a small boy was my dad and my grandpas trucks. Those old Chevy's had that unique smell to them. To this day that smell brings me back to early morning pancakes and coffee, elk camp, kokanee fishing, and hot cocoa split all over my lap because it was too hot to drink in this lifetime 

your post brought me back..  my dads old F100 camper special with Caveman camper..  Those old all vinyl floors, seats and interior are distinctive.  and yes, the stop for the donuts, hot chocolate and candy for breakfast with a "don't tell your mom" right after jumping in..  Those old foam cups with lids always leaked..  and the AM only radio, news on the way to hunting and hawks or husking on 1000 on way home

[Karl Blanchard]

Awesome!!!! The fondest memory of hunting and fishing from when I was a small boy was my dad and my grandpas trucks. Those old Chevy's had that unique smell to them. To this day that smell brings me back to early morning pancakes and coffee, elk camp, kokanee fishing, and hot cocoa split all over my lap because it was too hot to drink in this lifetime 

your post brought me back..  my dads old F100 camper special with Caveman camper..  Those old all vinyl floors, seats and interior are distinctive.  and yes, the stop for the donuts, hot chocolate and candy for breakfast with a "don't tell your mom" right after jumping in..  Those old foam cups with lids always leaked..  and the AM only radio, news on the way to hunting and hawks or husking on 1000 on way home

yes! 7/11 in selah was my dads stop. We got a candy bar for our packs, and white powdered donuts were a staple 

[boneaddict]

FUN!

[Karl Blanchard]

FUN!

  I want one now......but not for my kid

[opdinkslayer]

Those late 60’s- early 70’s Chevy & GMC’s are awesome when done right. If I was loaded I’d do a restomod build on a 69’ 3/4 ton! 

[Angry Perch]

LMC Truck is your new friend!

www.lmctruck.com

[Stein]

I'm pretty sure I will be doing something similar, just not sure when is the right time to head down that rabbit hole.

[ctwiggs1]

Man that is my grandpa's truck all over again.  When he passed we sold it and never saw it again. I still kick myself over that thing!

[724wd]

Well that sucks. Taco truck engine ate number 1 and 2 rod bearings. Gotta finish tear down to see what-all needs replaced. On the bright side, it was supposed to be a 2 bolt main engine... but it’s a 4 bolt! So... yay me? 

[BigGoonTuna]

Good opportunity to toss a stroker crank in that thing

[actionshooter]

Well that sucks. Taco truck engine ate number 1 and 2 rod bearings. Gotta finish tear down to see what-all needs replaced. On the bright side, it was supposed to be a 2 bolt main engine... but it’s a 4 bolt! So... yay me? 

 I think for the price you pais you are still OK