My Dad passed away this last March. He was young at 56, a fireman back home in the mountains of Colorado. I have his 1979 Chevy Silverado K10, sb 400, TH350, full-time 4-wheel. When I got to it it was a basket case. Every component, system, piece of interior and square inch of sheet metal needed serious work. It was the truck I learned to drive on, took dates out in. I'm even the first person to dent it . . . Anyway, he didn't have the heart to junk it and neither did I.
The truck is now in a shop in Iowa. We stripped it to the frame, sand blasted the frame and powder coated it. The rear end was rebuilt with a limited slip differential. The front end and T-case were rebuilt. Stainless Steel disc brakes were added front and back. New springs were added as well as new Rancho performance shocks. The 4" lift that was in the truck when he had it has been duplicated.
I thought I would rebuild the 400 but then the lure of the 6.0L Vortec with the HO heads called . . . . I am headed in that direction and will put a beefed-up 4L40E using many of Hit_Man's heavy duty suggestions to another member. Custom stainless dual exhaust with mandrel bends will allow the 6.0 to exhale, but I want to play with the truck a bit before going into a blower or other system. The 6.0 alone will add 100 horsepower to the stock set-up.
The interior will be custom leather covered dash, door panels and 40-20-40 seats, SS gauge cluster and an '03 or '04 HVAC system. Outside it will look stock, but for the loss of a lot of the two-tone trim and chrome banding. A 2-part black cherry paint and 33" tires on chrome wheels should dress it out nicely.
Any suggestions??
