Scottgenex
Junior Member
- Joined
- Sep 22, 2024
- Posts
- 7
- Reaction score
- 10
- Location
- Utah
- First Name
- Dakota
- Truck Year
- 1976
- Truck Model
- K20
- Engine Size
- 8.1
Hello all wise forum people. I'm usually a lurker on most forums and only ever post when I need assistance with an odd question. Which, I kinda do. But, that's a later thing.
I got my '76 K20 18 years ago as my first vehicle when I was 15. An unwise choice as the economy was close to tanking and fuel price was on the rise (~$4.00 back in 08-09 if my memory serves right). Minimum wage jobs doesn't fulfill the needs of a carbed 400.
So, I opted to ride a bike on days when I could. The square sat. Then I got a economy car, then sports cars, and motorcycles, and it sat most the time year after year. Eventually I discovered it had a cooling issue, but the gauges never worked and I never fixed them so the problem was not there in my eyes. It ran on low and/or no coolant most my owner ship. When I added some it ran worse. Til it consumed it all. Knowing that I parked it permanently.
I wanted to do a diesel swap to tow boats and impress girls, but couldn't afford the luxury of a Cummins swap. So as a naieve twenty-something old I got a full diesel engine (6.2) and drive train setup out of an Airforce donar truck for next to nothing. Well, that sat in the truck for years and I finally learned they were a dog of an engine. Sorry for those that love em.
Fast forward to now to make a story short. Three years ago I pulled it into the shop to "restore" it to some middle-of the-road standards. I'm no pro body guy. I'm a mechanical guy. A ten footer is good enough for me.
I opted for an 8.1 Vortec since I'd seen it done on Dirt Ever Day and thought it was somewhat unique. They've definitely jumped up in price since then. Using Larry's resource thread that many are probably aware of, and my own ingenuity, I put a '05 variant in attached to the TH400HD/NP208.
I then had to attack all the rust and rot. Basically a whole new bed, floor, rockers, cab corners, pillars and much more. I've never done that stuff before but know the concept. I did a OK job in my eyes and that's all that matters. I got myself some semi-pro paint supplies and painted it Toyota gloss metallic grey. First paint job I've ever tried to do right. Then slapped some Method 708 and KO2s on it.
There's a ton of other stuff I did, but this is long enough. Mechanically almost everything is updated, new or refreshed. Interior is the same. All new carpet, seat was restored and heated and so forth. You get the idea.
Anyway. Thanks for reading this far. Glad to have a group of others that love these trucks as much as I do.
- Dakota
2024
2009
I got my '76 K20 18 years ago as my first vehicle when I was 15. An unwise choice as the economy was close to tanking and fuel price was on the rise (~$4.00 back in 08-09 if my memory serves right). Minimum wage jobs doesn't fulfill the needs of a carbed 400.
So, I opted to ride a bike on days when I could. The square sat. Then I got a economy car, then sports cars, and motorcycles, and it sat most the time year after year. Eventually I discovered it had a cooling issue, but the gauges never worked and I never fixed them so the problem was not there in my eyes. It ran on low and/or no coolant most my owner ship. When I added some it ran worse. Til it consumed it all. Knowing that I parked it permanently.
I wanted to do a diesel swap to tow boats and impress girls, but couldn't afford the luxury of a Cummins swap. So as a naieve twenty-something old I got a full diesel engine (6.2) and drive train setup out of an Airforce donar truck for next to nothing. Well, that sat in the truck for years and I finally learned they were a dog of an engine. Sorry for those that love em.
Fast forward to now to make a story short. Three years ago I pulled it into the shop to "restore" it to some middle-of the-road standards. I'm no pro body guy. I'm a mechanical guy. A ten footer is good enough for me.
I opted for an 8.1 Vortec since I'd seen it done on Dirt Ever Day and thought it was somewhat unique. They've definitely jumped up in price since then. Using Larry's resource thread that many are probably aware of, and my own ingenuity, I put a '05 variant in attached to the TH400HD/NP208.
I then had to attack all the rust and rot. Basically a whole new bed, floor, rockers, cab corners, pillars and much more. I've never done that stuff before but know the concept. I did a OK job in my eyes and that's all that matters. I got myself some semi-pro paint supplies and painted it Toyota gloss metallic grey. First paint job I've ever tried to do right. Then slapped some Method 708 and KO2s on it.
There's a ton of other stuff I did, but this is long enough. Mechanically almost everything is updated, new or refreshed. Interior is the same. All new carpet, seat was restored and heated and so forth. You get the idea.
Anyway. Thanks for reading this far. Glad to have a group of others that love these trucks as much as I do.
- Dakota
2024
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2009
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