C30 vs. C10 - help, please

[colonel]

Hi folks,

I´ve been offered a 1981 "C-10" Shortbed Stepside with a 454 engine. The truck has obviously undergone a complete restauration.

When I checked on the VIN I found out the truck was born a C-30 Regular Cab with an inline 6 cylinder engine and RWD.

I am uncertain about the range of modifications to this truck and would like you to help me out in terms of the following questions:

The trucks looks like a C-10 to me. Can this be a C-30 frame or is it more likely that the frame has been replace by a C-10 frame?

The truck comes with a swapped in 454 and disc brakes in the front and drums in the rear. Were 1981 C-30s ever equipped with a BBC? If so, did they come with drums or did they have discs all around?

I attach a link to a video showing the vehicle in question: http://youtu.be/89YGQ_84qys

Thanks for your input,

regards,

Alex

 

[bucket]

Due to a crappy internet connection, I didn't watch the video. But the truck is probably a hot rodded C-10 with a replacement cab from a C-30. Pretty common, when someone is looking for a nice replacement cab, they aren't going to care much what series it came from. If the cab has a good title with it, it's just easier to title the whole truck that way.

 

[89Suburban]

Gawd DAMN Bucket fix yo Internet because that truck is mutha fuggin BEAUTIFUL!!!!

 

[GTME94]

+1, that is an awesome looking truck and sounds incredible.

One easy thing to look for for 1/2 ton (C10) to 1 ton (C30) would be 6 lug wheels on the C10, 8 lugs on the C 30, plus beefed up suspension with different spring mounting. There are a couple of recent threads on the differences here on this board.

The LMC truck parts catalog has a pretty good VIN and powertrain options decoder list in the front and it looks like the 454 was only availalble on the C20 and C30. Standard brakes were front disc, rear drum for all the models, the heavier trucks had larger brakes.

Good luck, that's an incredible looking truck.

 

[colonel]

The truck has 5 lug Rallye wheels. I was under the impression this was stock with C10s and C20s while the C30s had 6 lugs?

Thanks,

Alex

 

[towjoe]

5 lug is C10, 6 lug is K10 all rest are 8 lug. if it's 5 lug it's more than likely a C10 someone put a C30 cab on like Bucket stated. seen lots of them that have had cab swaps over the years. Only way to tell for sure would be check the frame for it's ID #. If it's a short bed like I understand in the reading, there will be a place the frame has been spliced where it was shortened if it's a C30. never seen a factory short bed C30.

 

[Jims86]

Only diff between 10, 20, and 30 cabs id the VIN plate....grab that sucker!

 

[89Suburban]

FYI I moved this out of the Library into Tech Discussion.

 

[bucket]

Gawd DAMN Bucket fix yo Internet because that truck is mutha fuggin BEAUTIFUL!!!!

I live out in the sticks, it's as good as it gets for now

 

[83swb]

That's one good looking rig there. Like bucket said, don't be scared about the VIN, I'd bet during the restoration the original cab was swapped out for a rust/damage free cab off a C30.

 

[smurph20]

Dot worry about what the vin decoder says its a swapped cab on a C10 frame BUY IT AND ROCK IT

 

[89Suburban]

It might affect his registration cost and emissions testing. Only thing I can think of that would be an issue. See I live in DMV hell and just got done being the laughing stock and put through a real emotional hell with getting my Burb passed this year so it is my mentality right now.

 

[83swb]

It might affect his registration cost and emissions testing. Only thing I can think of that would be an issue. See I live in DMV hell and just got done being the laughing stock and put through a real emotional hell with getting my Burb passed this year so it is my mentality right now.

He shouldn't have too much of an issue because the trucks were both 2WD, and the high GVW won't require a commercial insurance policy because it qualifies for antique plates. I think FL is lenient on emissions aswell...

 

[smurph20]

You can get a wheel barrow registered in Fl as a truck lol aslong as it has blinkers and brakelights and headlights and a horn lol.

 

[bucket]

You can get a wheel barrow registered in Fl as a truck lol aslong as it has blinkers and brakelights and headlights and a horn lol.

My K30 was originally from Florida, the original owner somehow got it registered as a C10 down there. Still to this day, it's listed as a C10 on the title, even though it's been registered in 3 different states now and the VIN decodes as a K30.