The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks Need Help!!!!! 1966 Chevy K20 Mods!!!!!!!!

Hi my name is jonathan. i am currently in Iraq with the army. i need someone who can answer some questions for me. someone who doesnt mind having their brain picked about possible modifications to a 1966 C20 that i would like to turn into an everyday driving four wheel drive machine. not super aggressive but definitely an attention getter. please let me know if there is anyone who can help me. Thanks so much! Heim30@yahoo.com

There's no one here that can help you. But ask anyway, we'll make some stuff up as we go. Fire away.

i can try to help the best i can. i am going to start driving my 62 GMC 4x4 burb everyday.

Hey Jonathan, A bit more info would help. Whats the condition of the truck and what are you planning on spending?

Ok here is the deal. first off thank you for the response. I currently own a 1966 Chevy C20 camper special that i will restore to an all original status when i am a bit older. that is my ultimate dream truck and it has been in my family since 1968. Right now i need an every day driveable truck and i have always wanted to take a 66 chevy c10 or c20 and use the what i could use from it and add newer more upgradeable parts where necessary. what i really need from someone is to tell me what is and isnt possible to do. i would like to use the frame, body and motor at the very least. i know i will need a new tranny and axles. i want to put a 6"lift kit on it. have it be four wheel drive obviously. i dont know if i can do that with the chassis it has. i also would like to upgrade the motor if it is possible to do to a 283 cu in v8 small block i would like to convert it to fuel injected and if it is possible put a cam and a small supercharger on it. this is a dream truck i have thought about along time i just dont know about performance parts and aftermarket customizing these old trucks. i have worked on my 66 c20 fairly extensively and i grew up on a farm so i know mechanical terms and parts. just not the performance or modification stuff. sorry for the long posting. help if you can. if not i am still appreciative of the reply.

Ok here is the deal. first off thank you for the response. I currently own a 1966 Chevy C20 camper special that i will restore to an all original status when i am a bit older. that is my ultimate dream truck and it has been in my family since 1968. Right now i need an every day driveable truck and i have always wanted to take a 66 chevy c10 or c20 and use the what i could use from it and add newer more upgradeable parts where necessary. what i really need from someone is to tell me what is and isnt possible to do. i would like to use the frame, body and motor at the very least. i know i will need a new tranny and axles. i want to put a 6"lift kit on it. have it be four wheel drive obviously. i dont know if i can do that with the chassis it has. i also would like to upgrade the motor if it is possible to do to a 283 cu in v8 small block i would like to convert it to fuel injected and if it is possible put a cam and a small supercharger on it. this is a dream truck i have thought about along time i just dont know about performance parts and aftermarket customizing these old trucks. i have worked on my 66 c20 fairly extensively and i grew up on a farm so i know mechanical terms and parts. just not the performance or modification stuff. sorry for the long posting. help if you can. if not i am still appreciative of the reply.

If it's actually a Chevy and it's a C20, that means it's a coil sprung front and rear two wheel drive. Making that a 4WD will be very hard if not impossible. Best option would be to do a body swap to a newer drivetrain to get what you want. I would suggest 87 or older with a TBI and O/D trans. 88 and newer has the front suspension grafted into the frame which may make locating body mounts a little harder. Just my 2 cents worth,
Scott

Heim, you have a pretty ambitious plan there. Sounds like the plan is bad or you have the wrong truck to start with (You asked for opinions , right?) A C20 is pretty badass truck to start with and is well suited to do a variety of tasks. But to convert to 4wd will be a major hackarama. If you do as 48 suggests and put the truck onto a whole new 4x4 frame, well,frankly you don't have your family's C-20 anymore do you? The blower and new engine are all cool and all, but in this economy, do you really need that stuff? And spending the money and engineering effort on all of that? Here's my 2 cents. Throttle back! Put the truck into an outstanding mechanical condition first. Top notch brakes are first and foremost. Then get that 292 up and running. Do you know anything about 292's? They have incredible torque, have 7 main bearings, will get "decent" fuel mileage and be reliable as rain. Then bring the cosmetics back to where you are pleased. You say you know you need a new rear axle and all. Not really. A more modern 5 speed transmission has been successfully installed by probably hundreds of guys into these trucks. Old school overdrive transmissions are another option. I suggest a serious rethink of the priorities of your build. Sorry to pee on your parade, but that's the view from here.
( I assumed a 292 in there, but you didn't state that in your post)

K10 i am not using my families c20. sorry for the confusion. just wanted to know if it was possible to take a 66 chevy 4x4 and make it a a completely bad [censored] truck. i thought c20's had a 4x4 version. but i dont much much about the different models. i didnt particularly want to do a body swap but the look is mostly what i want with the new truck i want to build. the family c20 is in good running and driving condition. just not restored yet. i drive it all the time and keep it running well. 48bigtrucks gave me a good option and good advice and i thank you for yours. sorry bout the confusion with the whole family truck thing. if there is a 4x4 version of a 66 chevy that i can use that would be great if not then i will body swap. i would still like to modify the motor the way i planned. the cost as long as it isnt ridiculous isnt that big of a deal to me. i live well enough to cover gas and such. but thank you for the concern. plus i am single which has a lot to do with it i am sure lol. i will definitely change my plan as necessary. i have never done a body swap before so i would like to know how difficult that is. i could start with an 87 frame and upgrade the running gear and a little motor work and put the body on there that would be almost as good. nothing is as good as a 66 chevy pickup but lets be serious. if it is too costly or too much fabrication to do it. then i am not going to do it. thanks again for the advice and you most definitely did not pee on my parade brother.

In 66 they did make a 4wd, it's called a K20. Look in my other post in my signature line at my 63 K20,
Scott

As noted before, it is going to be impossible to turn that C20 into a K20. The 4 wheel drives use a leaf spring suspension, while the 2 wheel drives use coil springs. Just having to swap out the entire spring setup would make it prohibitive. Sure, technically it could probably be done, but the cost would be so high that it wouldn't be worth it, the body swap would be far cheaper.

'66's can be found in 4 wheel drive. Take a look around a bit and you can probably find one. If you are set on doing the body swap, then that is your choice. It is, after all, your truck to do with as you please.

Now, I have in the past test fitted a '63 body onto a '77 3/4 ton 4x4 chassis. The cab and bed fit on pretty nice, but you do have to do some fabrication to mount everything. It's not like the newer body mounts will work, so be prepared to fabricate mounts or at the very least modify existing mounts to make it work. It isn't all that hard, just very time consuming.

alright scott. i have been talking on the engine and driveline forum and i have narrowed alot of things down so here goes. So the other guys tell me i can use a 1966 k20 and it swap the engine or uprgade it, swpa the axles for more more modern ones and, put a newer tranny with a good overdrive in it for better mileage. so if i can do just those few things, obviously mechanic work is never that simple, i would be extremely happy. sorry bout the confusing c20 k20 stuff. i didnt know the model designator. i have worked on my c20 camper special alot but i havent been able to get into building my own trucks well because i havent had the money or time. i am only twenty five. so now is a good time to start. i have a shop with tools and lifts at the farm so i can do most work. i have never done axles but i am sure with the knowledge on here and my dad and uncles i can get that done fairly easily. i had a thought to put a cam and a small supercharger on a 283 small block V8. that is my favorite motor of all time. i wanted to modify it to get the power of the larger motors in the smaller package. but i am willing to reconsider if that just isnt a viable option. no matter what i will stick with and 8 cylinder. ok so axles, tranny, engine, and wheels and tires. can i run 18" off road wheels with 35" tires on a stock 66 k20? thank you for your advice this has been so wonderful. there is noone here in iraq for me to ask and i only have a couple months to build this truck when i get home in august or i have to buy one to go back to work. i can take my c20 for a while but i dont like putting the extra miles on my baby! lol. thanks again.

Here's a little baby K10 from '61 for comparison.
http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2578304020054213402wSjlLJ

You need to make sure the axles come from the same truck. You don't want to mix gear ratios between the front and rear. I still think the easier job would be to do the body swap. That way the drivetrain retains it's original geometry and is all used to working together,
Scott

I agree with Scott on that one. It would be much easier to swap out the body onto a complete drivetrain than to piece together a drivetrain using newer differentials and such. That geometry is important. One wrong angle and it will eat up u-joints or things of that nature. Swapping onto a complete drivetrain avoids those issues.

Hey guys, gotta hop in here on this. I've been fllowing this, and have also read heim30s other posts. The truck in question is a K20 (we cleared that up in a different thread), so a conversion isn't the issue, but rather updating an existing 4x4. Swapping to later axles is no big deal, the mountings are essentially the same. You would want to get them from the same donor truck, I would suggest a '73-'81 K20 (later if it's a HD version with the full foat rear) or from a '79-'87 K30/'88-'91 V30. The latter has a heavier duty front axle and brakes.

"The truck in question is a K20" WTF!

What's the problem then? Aren't we throwing the baby out with the bath water?


Doesn't a K20 use Dana 60's front and rear? You can get posi and differnt R&P's for those. Get an undercab vacuum brake booster an bada-boom-you're done. I'm sorry fellas, I just don't get it. My.02

What is the reason behind changing the axles

There was just some confusion with the model designation. Not a big deal, but we sorted it out.
As to the axles, no, the K20 did not use dana 60s. The front would be a Dana/Spicer 44 closed knuckle, the rear would be an Eaton HO52. While the front is easy to get gears and other parts for, the rear is not. There is also issues with brake improvements (disk fronts) and strength. Whle the closed knuckle axle is very strong, the open knuckle (disk brake) versions are stronger. This is primarily due to the stronger spindle to knuckle mounting. The open knuckle uses 7/16" studs instead of the 3/8" that the older axle uses. It also has a tighter turning radius. For what hiem30 wants to do, brake upgrades are a must, easpecially with the larger tires. Personally, I would opt for the kingpin style Dana 60/ GM 14 bolt full float out of a '79-'87 K30/'88-'91 V30 1 ton, as those are about the strongest axles one can get without going to custom built axles.

ok bill. awesome! thank you very much for your patience. so we have the axles worked out and i appreciate the advice. sorry again about the model confusion apparently that is a big issue to some people. ok well there arent too many more questions i can ask while i am still over here. do i need a new transfer case or will the original work? and what is a good manual tranny with a decent overdrive to improve mileage some? thanks again for the knowledge. i am learning a ton and it is great to have this resource.

It's not that it's a big issue, it's just that when you think C20 you have a certain expectation. Those designations were done for a reason. I, for example, had it in my mind that you had a 2 wheel drive, that's what led to all the confusion. No big deal, though, it's been sorted out and you are getting the info you need.

By the way, stay safe over in the sandbox! And once you get home you be sure to post up pics of that truck!

no problem bear. i will be sure to do that. i believe i have found a great starter truck online. and the man who is selling it is willing to hold it until august for me if i am serious about buying. if anyone has a spare minute i would appreciate a more 66 knowledgable person to look at the specs and tell me if anything on that truck will cause me problems. it looks like a great start to what i want to do to me. and if the axles are closed knuckle i can replace them and sell the old ones. i know that those are fairly popular axles people look for. thanks guys

http://www.oldchevytruck.com/trucks7/zj.htm

ok one question that has slipped my mind. bear or bill or anyone who who has kept track of what i want to do can answer wheneever you get a sec. what is the bolt pattern on those axles that were suggested to put on the K20? i am trying to find some nice looking 18" off road wheels. i just am unsure about the lug bolt pattern to search for.

If the outside is that rusty, there's going to be more underneath and inside. $5K sounds rather high, but I'm from a farm truck community, not a collectors. A K20 has 8 lug wheels,
Scott

thanks for looking at that truck scott. I am also from a farming comunity. i thought 5000 was a little high as well but i figured i could give him the extra for being willing to hold it for me. it is going to be hard to find one of those bodies that doesnt have much rust on it. there arent too many of those to be found and i have been looking for a few months now. if you know of some i would gladly take the reference. i guess it just depends on if it is surface rust or if it has rusted through the metal. fixing some rust damage wouldnt bother me but alot would be a big pain. but the running gear all sounds ok? are those closed knuckle axles? thank you for the lug number. is it a certain 8 lug set? like and 8x____ something?
Jonathan

You wanted opinions so...I think you should put it in granny gear and slow down That truck in your link has been for sale for a long time, 2/2/08 it was posted. I personally don't think you should comit your self on having the owner hold it for you till you get safely home. There must be a reason a truck like that has not sold in over a year, price = the "real" conditon of the truck maybe?? Ask for LOTS more GOOD pictures, under hood, floors, frame, yada, yada and if your still mind set on this truck try to have some one, maybe a Bolter who is close to look at it for you before you come home, see the truck and say What The, for this?

thanks alot for the advice tedy. i got a little jumpy on asking for ya'll to look at it. right after i made my post i saw how long it had been sitting there and i know things dont usually last that long unless there is something wrong. i told him i would like more info on all the rust and why the bed looks like it is touching the cab on one side and not on the other. could be a bent or warped frame or something or maybe just a warped bed. but i cant go look at it. so i told him to sell it to whoever gives him a good offer and if he still has it when i get home i might come look at it. and i would not committ myself to a truck until i had it checked out by someone or myself and of course not before i ran it across my Bolter buddies. i will just gather the info i have gotten and will get about axles, trannies, bodies, so on and so forth. there is a wealth of knowledge that i intend to use on this site. you guys have been massive amounts of learning help so far. it is awesome. i wont buy anything until i get home. i have gotten most of the list i need and have saved all the replies that have any kind of info about parts and such into a file so i dont have to reask questions. now i am back at the same juncture i came from. stuck in iraq with no way to go after the thing i wanna start building. LOL. but at least now i know some of the things i can and cant use and will and will not need. Thanks guys. i will check Stovebolt everyday but i think for the moment most of my questions are answered. when i get the truck i know i will want to modify it to fuel injected(personal preference). and put an A/C in it. but anywho. that comes much later. thanks for the advice guys. especially bill, scott, bear and tedy. thanks muchly. i will keep in touch!
Jonathan

Hey Jonathan,
Here's a tech tip Woogeroo put together. Use some of the tips to asks sellers questions and where to take pictures for you to see if there's real rust issues. The 60-66 trucks have specific areas the like to rust out at. If these areas are good and clean, you may have found the right truck to buy. Just don't settle on a truck just because it's available at the time, the right one will come along,
Scott

Thank you scott. actually once i asked the guy about the rust and why it hadnt sold yet he hasnt responded anymore. so that is a pretty clear picture. andi will never buy something i cant crawl into and under. i downloaded the 60-66 buyers guide and saved it so i will study that and know what to look for. i appreciate all of it. when i get home i will post pics of my c20 camper special and update as i work and i will put pics of whatever K20 i find and put the whole mod process on stovebolt. plus a little more brain picking i am sure LOL. Thanks guys!!!

And guys!!! If you see a 66 4x4 worth starting a project on. go ahead and let me know please.

Hey bud i first want to thank you for your service to our country, its an honor to talk to you. I have a 1966 k20 i picked up for a good price and started working on it right away. I would suggest finding a 4x4 truck but a 4x4 conversion is not impossible. Mind you it would take a lot of work but that what a project is all about. My truck has a 4 inch lift and is a fleetside longbed. I would be glad to send you pics of any part of the truck like the suspension and anything else so you have an idea what to work with. I can even take all the measurements of parts if you need. My email is mountain9er@yahoo.com if you want to email me directly i can send you some pics and answer more questions the best i can. Rob

Who is this that is trying to convert to 4x4? I just gave it a try and got pretty far in the conversion but then found a true 3/4 ton 4x4 frame for sale and bought it. This was a few days ago 10-24-10. I live in oregon and would like to get rid of the 2wd frame that is partially converted into 4wd.

Thanks!

After reading the entire thread, I think I need to take a nap. Any progress on your project, since you have been back in the states?