The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks 1964 2wd and 1965 4wd project

Hi all I'm a long time lurker but haven't had much to discuss until now. I own a 1965 C60 dump truck and have been using that for 28 years, and a 1987 ton 4wd for 24 years. I've lurked her for information on those. I also own a 1958 Cadillac Fleetwood 60 Special that I bought in 1977.

I just made a deal to by a 1964 Chevrolet long bed 2wd 230 3sp mnl, which needs work but the 2 previous owners have done some restoring. The body has been cleaned up and painted and the next guy has done mechanical to make it good road worthy. Well my life style requires a 4wd as everything I own is 4wd. So I just made a deal to buy a 1965 3/4 ton 4wd with 292 4sp from a junk yard for $650.00.

So there is plenty of work ahead, parts to buy and advice to seek and I'm just getting acquainted. When I finish adding this all together I will have a new truck to be my primary transportation.

So if anyone has any advice or comments to help me get started I would appreciate it. I need to compare the differences between a 1964 1/2t 2wd to a 1965 3/4t 4wd and add the two together. I will be installing new bed boards. Adding a tilt wheel from my 1977 K20 and some accessories that I had done to that. I'm looking to adding fuel tanks to the frame and removing the gas tank from behind the seat if possible. I have a 1957 Oldsmobile Golden Rocket 371 Tri Power that I've been wanting to use in something probably not for this but its a thought. Any advice or comments welcomed and lets get acquainted.

I have done the swap a few times, I will definitely recommend that you really look at the spring pins and hangers on the 4wd chassis. These are greaseable on our trucks, but were rarely greased and are usually shot. The pins and bushings are still available. The other thing is that the 3/4 ton truck will probably have the "shear type" rear cab mount and will most likely be sagging in the back on one side or another or both. These cab mounts can be rebuilt by Steele Rubber, however it is not cheap. The alternative is to remove the rear cab mount perches from the frame of a 1/2 ton and use them, I went that route on the last two I had done. The last thing is to be sure that the T case has good mounting bushings and that bearings are set up right, if the input shaft can get to much play in it and start to work back and forth which will knock out the center of the aluminum cap on the back side.
All in all the swap is really easy between those years, it is just best to check out the suspension and t-case before putting a cab back on it.
Good luck!

The sheet metal is interchangeable between a '64-'66 Chevy C10, C20, C30, K10 K20, so swapping tin, is not an issue. The 2wd & 4x4 frames & suspension are entirely different, between the 2wd & 4x4, as well as, the frame cross-section on the 1/2 ton & 3/4 & the 2wd & 4x4. Anything is possible, but reverse-engineering a 2wd to a 4x4 or vice-versa, is rather involved, costly & time-consuming.

Thanks for the start and what to look for in the 4wd mechanics. The guy at the junk yard is a friend and he advised that I should move the body over to the 3/4 4wd because he felt that it was in good shape and he knew the truck for many years. The cab and doors rotted and bed was gone. The 1964 is a southern truck with no northern salt rot so that is a plus for the 1964.

When I found the 1964 and it is in excellent body shape, my pipe dreaming was leading me to take one of my S-10 4wd suspensions and adapt it using the 4.3 Auto, then I remembered this other 1965 and thought it might be a 4wd and it was, that further laid my plans. Its a fresh project so I will be studying my plans.

Thanks for the Start and when the project starts it will have a complete pictorial from the junk yard to the road.

Hello to Moderator -- this is not a post !!!!
Can I be taken off the Post wait list. It is taking to long for my post to get posted.

I am not and never have been a spammer and you can Google Xjdigger and I have a long history on bullitan boards.

No, you cannot, because it doesn't work that way. There is no capability in the software to remove one person from moderation.

Your next post will get you out of moderation anyway, so keep posting.

Welcome to the Stovebolt, Xj Digger.

Help with K20 ratio?

I just noticed in research that the K20 has a 4:57 and my intent was to have a 4wd for the road and every day use. How easy and available is it to swap out Gears? The K10 has 3.73 but it may be nice to have 3.07 for gas mileage. Need to figure the ratio's using the 292cid with 4sp

I'm through with computer controlled vehicles so I will build my own that I understand.