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Chance's '84 Chevy Silverado build

Because I don't have enough projects on my hands....:rofl:

Admittedly, this thread is a little premature in starting it but I'm just going to be logging my progress of rebuilding my truck.

My very first vehicle ever was a 1973 Chevy Silverado, K10 with 4" lift and 33's, picked it up for $300 near my 16th birthday. That was back before I knew anything at all about vehicles, (I didn't know that engines needed coolant haha. I ended up ruining the engine)

Sold it and regretted it ever since. I always told myself I would pay $6k+ to buy it back, but after a while that turned out to be an unrealistic dream. This spring I picked up a '84 Silverado, SBC 350, manual SM465, long bed, 6" lift and 35's. The kid I bought it from had been doing the bodywork in his high school bodyshop class and decided he wanted a Subaru instead. The body on it was the best condition out of all of the ones in my price range (unrestored trucks), took it for a quick test drive and bought it on the spot.


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I won't go into too much detail yet on all the stuff I'm going to be doing to it, however the general picture for it is:
—Near-show-quality restomod. It will get a good paint job and straightened bodywork on it, along with some sweet custom touches.

—Will never see off-road other than the occasional dirt parking lot. (going to keep it nice as long as I can)

—Daily driver. Tired of driving my Hummer around since I sold my Duramax, I know it gets terrible gas mileage but I will live with it. It's keeping the SBC for now until a late-model motor swap is budgeted. SBC will be getting some love though.

—Tow rig for dirtbikes and the Hummer. Need something else to drive so I can build the Hummer into the off-road monster that I want it to be.

—Keep it for a very long time. After my 2nd Duramax, I decided I'm kinda phased out on the new trucks that cost an arm and leg each month to buy. Sure they are nice, reliable and comfortable, but I want just an old simple truck to baby.

After I bought it my life kinda got hectic with buying a new house and changing companies after having been with the same one for 8 years and I wasn't able to spend any time on it. Life is settling down and I am kicking this truck into gear. I still have other projects going on right now at the same time so it won't be an overnight build, but I want it done before my H3 reaches 65k miles, (currently at 57k)

Here is its current state:
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Kevin B.

Kevin B.

Not often wrong. Never quite right.
Moderator
Location
Vehicular limbo
I hear you on the new trucks. I haven't even had one and I know I don't wanna spend that much. I've always liked the old boxy trucks so I've been looking forward to this since you said you found it.
 
I Lean

I Lean

Mbryson's hairdresser
Vendor
Location
Utah
Watching. I helped a friend do a similar restoration on a '73 that looked pretty good when he bought it, but turned out was mostly made of Bondo. :) He did a LOT of work replacing sections of metal on that one....hopefully you won't be in the same situation. :cool:
 
I Lean

I Lean

Mbryson's hairdresser
Vendor
Location
Utah
Oh yeah, I almost forgot...keep in mind The Fall Guy's truck was also a longbed. ;)

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BlueWolfFab

BlueWolfFab

Running Behind
Location
Eagle Mountain
I Lean said:
Watching. I helped a friend do a similar restoration on a '73 that looked pretty good when he bought it, but turned out was mostly made of Bondo. :) He did a LOT of work replacing sections of metal on that one....hopefully you won't be in the same situation. :cool:
Click to expand...

There are a lot of spots on it are already to bare metal, I've been keeping the truck stored inside since purchase. There is not much if any bondo on it. There is one pretty good chunk on top of the drivers side bedrail, and one on the very top of the tailgate, but I popped the tailgate bondo out and that dent doesn't seem too hard to fix with my stud welder.

I've never seen The Fall Guy, (it's a movie right?)
 
P

Pile of parts

Well-Known Member
Location
South Jordan
We used to jump my friend's dad's truck (Chevy longbed) over some serious railroad tracks at about 60 mph. We never saw from the outside but always imagined it looked like the Fallguy jump. ( watch opening credits) Nice truck, fun build!
 
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zmotorsports

zmotorsports

Hardcore Gearhead
Vendor
Location
West Haven, UT
Subscribed.

I had a 1984 Chevrolet shortbed that I put a 396cid big block that I bored out to 402 with a TH400 behind in high school. I loved that truck and sold it after getting married because I thought it was time to "grow up". Man I miss that truck.

I couldn't drive anything stock so shortly after getting married I built up a 1986 Suburban that I installed a fuel injected 454 into with a TH400 that I put a wide ratio gear set into. Loved that truck as well as it was my daily driver. Hated selling it but I don't think I could give up my 06 D-Max that I have now.

Here is my 1986 Chevrolet Suburban right before I sold it in 2009. I drove that truck for 13+ years putting over 160k miles on her. No off-roading as it was a tow rig for my race/show car and snowmobiles in the winter but it was a great truck. I went through the entire drivetrain in the first year or so of owning it replacing engine/trans and rear axle with a 14-bolt full-floater before tearing it down to the shell and repainting it. I used PPG DBC/DC2021 basecoat clearcoat and it held up well and looked as good the day I sold it as it did the day I put her back together.

Looking forward to seeing your truck come together.

Mike.

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