Larry's 1978 K10

[Dogmann]

Outstanding !!
Sell
It to me!!

 

[anthonyca]

Every single time I hear of someone selling their first project car I get upset that I sold the Nova that my brother and I were building. Great looking truck. My father just passed and old cars bring back the good times, especially one he watched you build.

 

[redthies]

The Corvair van looks pretty neat. Keeping it all original I would guess?

 

[Larry]

Yeah, the Corvair will be returned to original white with a redish orange stripe and plain cargo van interior. I already gutted the interior with all of the early 80’s conversion van crap my dad put in it. Luckily, he kept the original bench seat and never cut holes in the body window or vents. I pulled the engine to reseal in late 2010 but haven’t gotten back on that project to put it back together. Been too busy with the K10, Suburban and my FIL’s Sportside 4.3L to 7.4L swap. This little van is actually very clean with zero rust and only a small amount of body filler above the right front tire. It will be an easy fixer. The hardest part is getting all glue off the interior walls were my dad had carpet glue in.

 

[redthies]

One of my buddies in high school had a love affair with Corvairs. I remember him pulling out of a parking lot and the bump from the curb caused the last bolt holding his engine/transaxle in place to snap, and the whole thing just dropped out onto the road! He was NOT into maintenance, as you may have guessed.

 

[chilliwak]

Larry, you never cease to amaze:Wow1: me with your projects! A Corvair van? Doea it get anymore unique or cool? Cheers, Chilli.

 

[Larry]

Thanks Chili!

Hehe, yeah it is definitely a unique little rig and not something I would seek out as a project vehicle. The story is my dad traded a ’68 Chevy C10 for it way back in the early 80’s to a group if Mennonites. The van was not much use to them on their farm. Dad loved this little van and was his little project for many years. I lost my dad in the summer of 2010 and couldn’t bring myself to getting rid of this unique little van. As I mentioned, I pulled the engine to reseal it as all Corvairs leak oil like the BP Deep Water Horizon. The good news is Corvair engines are very popular with folks that build small airplanes so there are a lot of parts available for them with modern sealing proterties, etc. There are even fuel injection kits out there for them. This winter I might get the engine resealed and reinstalled before I forget how this thing goes together. I’ve been real busy working on the Polar Bear lately. I’ll post updates to the Polar Bear thread when it is ready for show and tell.

 

[Rot Box]

Corvairs... ugh eepwall: I guess I should show a little more respect--after all they are considered the eighth wonder of the world with their fan belt setup LOL :coffeedrink: :hehe:

 

[Larry]

Lookie what I picked up last night for the BigassGas8.1L K10! Thanks to member NOIBN for the bird dog work in finding this and letting me know about it. The Polar Bear burb in is bits right now so I have to finish up the projects I started on it as well as some landscaping work at the house before I can direct fundage to buy the condiments to install this in the K10. Probably get this installed in Nov or Dec.

It is a brand new service replacement Dana 60 CUCV axle. Not a reman, but a new one! 4:56 gears and all...no traction devise though. Yippie!!!

 

[NOIBN]

Not everyday you see a NOS D60 in the back of your truck. Glad you were able to get it. One step closer to having a real truck there--now you just need to get rid of that stinky gas enigne. But at least with a D60, you will be able to drive down a dirt road now, right?? Gotta have at least a D60 for that.

 

[Larry]

Hehe....Yeah, the internet and the off-road magazines say you need a Dana 60 front axle if you are going to go on a dirt road and stuff. LOL Funny, my buddies and I all wheel the heck of full-size American trucks with Dana 44’s and never had any major carnage. Bill wheels the heck out his Ram Charger with an ARB equipped front D44 with no issues but he is also a wise pilot with surgeon like off-road driving skills.

On a snow trip a few years ago I busted a front U-joint while wasting both the stub shaft and long shaft on my D44 but it was only due to a dry U-joint (non-greasable type), not an actual component failure. The truck got sidelined and I had to ride shotgun the rest of the day. I never even heard of a D44 ring and pinion failure. This D60 doesn't have greasable joints either! WTH?

Ah, well….hopefully, I will be accepted into the 4x4 club now that I have a real front axle. As far as diesel power, don’t hold your breath. I’ll take my 425HP/500+ lb ft of torque in the 11 MPG big block GASOLINE variety, thank you very much. When you deal with diesel junk all day, every day, like I do the last thing you want in your toy is smelly, heavy, high maintenance diesel engine. If the 8.1L dies a NEW crate long block is $4200, if an injector fails, I am out $50. If a Cummins dies, you are out $9000- $12,000 for remain, if an injector fails you are out a few hundred bucks.

Thanks for the bird dog on this axle Nick! You da’man even though you hit too much on the diesel bong!

 

[NOIBN]

Hehe....Yeah, the internet and the off-road magazines say you need a Dana 60 front axle if you are going to go on a dirt road and stuff. LOL Funny, my buddies and I all wheel the heck of full-size American trucks with Dana 44’s and never had any major carnage. Bill wheels the heck out his Ram Charger with an ARB equipped front D44 with no issues but he is also a wise pilot with surgeon like off-road driving skills.

That is the key there. A 44 will hold up to most sensible situations, but when the factory never put your motor (big block in your case <giggle>, and a Cummins in mine) on anything but a 60, there is something to be said for it. When an unintended blip of the throttle can send 650lb/ft of torque through the driveline, I'll pony up for a little extra insurance.

On a snow trip a few years ago I busted a front U-joint while wasting both the stub shaft and long shaft on my D44 but it was only due to a dry U-joint (non-greasable type), not an actual component failure. The truck got sidelined and I had to ride shotgun the rest of the day. I never even heard of a D44 ring and pinion failure. This D60 doesn't have greasable joints either! WTH?

The factory joints are never greasable--even in the prop shaft, and they are some of the longest lasting joints out there because they have the exact amount of grease they need and the seals never get disturbed by over-greasing etc. I just took a set of 200k joints out of the S10 Blazer that were still perfect. Now, I INSTALLED non-greasable joints in my D60 axles when I built mine because they are stronger than the greasable style. When the cross is machined for grease passages the forging becomes weaker as do the trunions because they have holes in them. The non-greasable units remain solid thus stronger. I took the strength option over the servicable option. Was it the right choice?? Dunno, but I don't do many water crossings and we don't get much rain, so I think I will be ok.

Ah, well….hopefully, I will be accepted into the 4x4 club now that I have a real front axle.

I don't know about that. The paint on your truck is pretty shiny.

As far as diesel power, don’t hold your breath. I’ll take my 425HP/500+ lb ft of torque in the 11 MPG big block GASOLINE variety, thank you very much. When you deal with diesel junk all day, every day, like I do the last thing you want in your toy is smelly, heavy, high maintenance diesel engine. If the 8.1L dies a NEW crate long block is $4200, if an injector fails, I am out $50. If a Cummins dies, you are out $9000- $12,000 for remain, if an injector fails you are out a few hundred bucks.

Thanks for the bird dog on this axle Nick! You da’man even though you hit too much on the diesel bong!

Man, I never could have done a conversion at those prices. Those are like dealership list prices plus 30 there, but that's neither here nor there. Congrats on a drool-worthy acquisition. What are you going to use to take the cosmoline off??

 

[Larry]

Hehe, I agree…..I’ve actually been worried about the D44 with big power under the hood so the D60 is a welcome relief even though the D44 has been good to me thus far. I like to poke fun at the lubeless joints for the fun of it but in reality we use SPL lube for life joints on all of the major fleet trucks my company builds too although greasable drivelines are an option that only a small amount of customers choose. The lube for life SPL drivelines have been pretty darn good. After all, they last for a lifetime right???….A lifetime can be a measured in months or 20 years depending on the duty cycle. The lifetime ends when the joint life ends…

I dunno about the Cosmoline, any suggestions? I have a big industrial Landa steam cleaner from my dad’s shop days that burner runs on, cough, cough…DIESEL fuel. It gets really hot and can blast the paint off most anything. I think that may work. Whatca, think? For the heck of it I sprayed brake clean on the hubs today which didn’t even budge the cosmoline one bit. I might just paint right over it.

 

[NOIBN]

Cosmoline that is fresh would probably come off well with the diesel powered (heavenly aroma) steam cleaner. Once cosmoline dries, which I am positive yours has over that much time in storage, I am not sure what the steam cleaner would do. You can make your cosmoline fresh again by spraying it down with WD40 and letting it soak in. I would probably give it a few good coats over a few days and let it soak in real good. That will freshen it up and give it its slightly greasy consistency back to it. At that point the diesel powered (best power in your shop) steam cleaner should knock it right off because fresh cosmoline has a drop point of around 130*F. I bet a final wash with some Zep purple cleaner would take any remaining residue off. You may want to pull the calipers off and remove the brake pads from them before hosing them down with WD40--if you plan on running the pads. If you plan on replacing them for better pads like the Bendix MKD149FM pads that I run and recommend, then you can hose them down with WD40 all you like.

 

[redthies]

When the military de-cosmos their junk in the field they immerse it in boiling water right? I've never dealt with the stuff, but it has quite the reputation!