77 Chevy K10 Silverado

[bftank]

love watching this chevrolado, brings back memories of my brown 77 shortbed gmc k10 i had in high school. wasn't two tone, just brown and a little rusty. we called it, "the turd". still waxed it once a month after i washed the mud off from playing in the hills. great truck. wish i had never sold it.

 

[Chevrolado]

love watching this chevrolado, brings back memories of my brown 77 shortbed gmc k10 i had in high school. wasn't two tone, just brown and a little rusty. we called it, "the turd". still waxed it once a month after i washed the mud off from playing in the hills. great truck. wish i had never sold it.

haha. Nice name for it.. Thanks! Glad to see I can bring back some fond memories while I play with this one. I'm really enjoying it so far. I just cant wait until it's driveable again. I only got to drive it on the initial day.. and then I started tearing into it and it hasn't been up and running since. Hopefully it will be when I get the new alternator in though.

Before I really run it though, I will probably empty the whole cooling system and replace all of the hoses, clamps, and thermostat. Need to make sure no more rubber breaks during mid motor run and start spraying more fluids everywhere. hah. Not a good feeling.

 

[locrwln]

As for the interior.. I can only speak to what I was told. They told me it is OEM options and that this particular truck was basically a top of the line model in features upon it's creation. It's a '77 with full electric locks and windows and even has the fender for the alarm arm/disarm key. The alarm itself is no longer installed, but I have the key and the fender still has the key port to arm or disarm the alarm.

Again, if anyone out there happens to know if these are even stock features, I would appreciate the confirmation or correction (if I'm wrong). I can only go off of what the little bits of info that I got from the person that handed it down to me.

Congrats on the wedding, my wife and I are best friends and truly enjoy spending time together (almost 18 yrs together). Best wishes for a long and happy life together.

Awesome platform you have started with. Like others, I have had two of the square bodies.

My first one was a '81 2wd swb with a built 383 small block. It was some kind of fun. The seat looks like a Qualitex brand (used to be built in San Antonio, not sure if they are even in business anymore). I had an older version in it and the truck was stolen (when I lived in San Antonio, 1990) and that is one of the items stripped out of it. I replaced it with a new one and could drive all day in that seat and the fold-up/fold-down center console was awesome.

My second one was a '78 solid "chocolate" brown, swb stepside, 4spd, 350, 4wd. It only had 90k original miles when I bought it in 1992. I sold it at 99k and I shouldn't have, it was totally rust free and in great shape. My wife and I really miss that truck.

The only advise I would give would be to look into checking the frame around the steering box. They like to crack there. Plenty of solutions, just pick your style.

Jack

 

[Chevrolado]

Congrats on the wedding, my wife and I are best friends and truly enjoy spending time together (almost 18 yrs together). Best wishes for a long and happy life together.

Awesome platform you have started with. Like others, I have had two of the square bodies.

My first one was a '81 2wd swb with a built 383 small block. It was some kind of fun. The seat looks like a Qualitex brand (used to be built in San Antonio, not sure if they are even in business anymore). I had an older version in it and the truck was stolen (when I lived in San Antonio, 1990) and that is one of the items stripped out of it. I replaced it with a new one and could drive all day in that seat and the fold-up/fold-down center console was awesome.

My second one was a '78 solid "chocolate" brown, swb stepside, 4spd, 350, 4wd. It only had 90k original miles when I bought it in 1992. I sold it at 99k and I shouldn't have, it was totally rust free and in great shape. My wife and I really miss that truck.

The only advise I would give would be to look into checking the frame around the steering box. They like to crack there. Plenty of solutions, just pick your style.

Jack

Thanks! Yeah, we are having a lot of fun being married now. We're a month in and definitely enjoying the new lifestyle.

Wow. That seating company makes some AWESOME setups! Very cool. Thanks for the info.

Sad to hear you let go of that truck. Hopefully you find yourself a good one to get back into someday.

Thanks for the advice on the frame. I'll have to check it out next time Im at the shop.

 

[redthies]

we called it, "the turd". still waxed it once a month

Is this the proverbial "polishing a turd" I've heard so much about??? :elkgrin:

 

[clandr1]

Glad to see you fixing up an old square body. They seem to be getting more and more rare to find without having been jacked up to the moon and run through a mud pit 18 times while your cousin gets drunk in the back

 

[Chevrolado]

Is this the proverbial "polishing a turd" I've heard so much about??? :elkgrin:

haha. I think it is!

Glad to see you fixing up an old square body. They seem to be getting more and more rare to find without having been jacked up to the moon and run through a mud pit 18 times while your cousin gets drunk in the back

Thanks! Yeah, you dont see too many great ones anymore these days. Im hoping I can get this thing back in prime condition.

 

[Chevrolado]

No real updates for this weekend.. I got locked out of the shop. I bought a new, one wire, 100 amp, black alternator to replace my busted one and then went to the shop to install it and realized that the bolts to install it were inSIDE the shop, and I was outside the shop sitting at my truck.. Needless to say, couldnt mount it. So the alternator is just sitting in the cab along with a box full of cooling parts (new radiator hoses, heater hoses, thermostat, etc) and some miscellaneous door parts that need to be installed (new hinge pins, new corner window glass seals, new door strikers..)

Snapped some random pics as I was sittin there though as it has since rained a few times, so I got a free couple washes! hah. :lol:

The new fuel line will treat me much better than the rubber setup the PO had on it.. This would shouldnt dangerously spray fuel everywhere whilst running

Its not CLEAN by any means.. but no longer so dirty.. hah. :metal:

 

[DanimalsBurb]

Wow! That's a nice powerhouse.. hah. Man I wish he still had it too! I wish I could see more of these around.. But then again, I guess I could be fairly "unique" when I get mine fully rebuilt.

Thanks for the input on the colors.. I DO like them.. but the wife hates it (It might just be cause the rust and the faded parts and such.. I bet if it were CLEAN paint, she might like it more). I need more encouragement on these colors. If any of you other posters think this color combo should stay, voice your opinion. I'm on the fence.. could be persuaded either way. hah.


Yeah man, there is something about these classic trucks that I love SO much. May not be as "efficient" as the new ones.. but boy are they easier to work on/build/customize and general use is pretty basic! hah. What you see is what you get!

Yes keep the og colors for sure. I always think resto/custom when I do things to my vehicles. I think of it as how it would look if you could buy it brand new today off the dealership floor but modify it with a better suspension lift kit and better tire technology.

 

[Hellbilly]

As a fellow owner of the pre-80s K10s, I must say that I'm absolutely in love with all these body styles. I mean, think of the things that truck has been through. The history, the parties, the music that's played through the speakers. It's just a history lesson that Chevy is the heartbeat of America. Haha.

 

[1leg]

If your interested i have a complete set of those wheels(6 lug). I would let them go for around $75. PM me if your interested.

 

[Chevrolado]

Yes keep the og colors for sure. I always think resto/custom when I do things to my vehicles. I think of it as how it would look if you could buy it brand new today off the dealership floor but modify it with a better suspension lift kit and better tire technology.

Thanks for the input on the color scheme.. It will be a debate for quite some time to come, Im sure. I have a lot of motor/powertrain stuff I want to do before I get to the body stuff.

As a fellow owner of the pre-80s K10s, I must say that I'm absolutely in love with all these body styles. I mean, think of the things that truck has been through. The history, the parties, the music that's played through the speakers. It's just a history lesson that Chevy is the heartbeat of America. Haha.

Serious! I'm a big fan of them as well. And to think.. this truck itself actually has been on this earth 8 years longer than I have. It's like I'm traveling back in time to an era which I wasn't alive yet. I'm 27.. The truck is 35.
..Then again, I've always been into the 70's-80's era in which I wasn't truly a part of. It just seems like a better time. hah.

If your interested i have a complete set of those wheels(6 lug). I would let them go for around $75. PM me if your interested.

Thanks for the post. I'll think about it. I really want to go with some better "offroad" type wheels, so if I was spending any money on the wheel/tires at the moment, it will probably go towards a new set. But Ill keep it in mind in case I decide to just go for the refresh for the time being.

 

[Chevrolado]

Stopped by the truck today to install the new alternator. Still has a broken wire though, so I need to strip and redo the wiring to the new alternator, but it's now bolted up anyway!

100A krinkle black 1-wire:

So after that was accomplished.. I pulled out the little creeper from the shop and I took my first pass through the UNDERside of my truck.. Let's have a look-see..

First I found where the two gas tanks feed into one switch box.. It looked fresh. My father in law must have re-done this in the recent years

Then I noticed all the leakage that he had mentioned to me on the transfer case.. so I decided to get some before snaps of how it sits before I end up pulling the thing to have it rebuilt with new seals.

So I was basically "taking inventory" of current situation.. Now I'll know where to move forward.

Underside of the bed and the rear suspension:

And just to finish off the little update.. I shot a quick pic of the current dual Flowmasters running out the back.. Mm.. Im a fan.

That's all for today folks.. Comments, questions, advice, all is encouraged.

 

[chilliwak]

Just curious if that is the np203 transfer case you are running Chevrolado? I will probably have to rebuild mine soon so I am interested in your experience and how much it costs you to do it. Thanks for the pics and updates. Cheers, Chilli....

 

[Chevrolado]

Hey Chilliwak.. To be honest with you, I dont know yet. Does anyone know how to identify transfercases? I think I was told originally it was a NP203, but I don't know for sure. I'll have to get into it and check to see.