The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop duramax LB7 into 65 k20

i am going to start a build on a K20 4x4 and i am unsure as to the kind of motor mount that a 6.6L duramax turbodiesel has and how hard it will be to mount to the truck.
Jonathan

Fire up the torch and welder and make one.

I have seen your other posts on this conversion.
You want to change everything on the '65, EXCEPT the exterior sheet metal and the gas cap.
With all the systems that you want to add to the '65 frame, you will be re-engineering and fabricating till the end of the next decade. Unless you are really good, you won't be able to make it as good as Chevy did.
Why not just find a late model and fit your '65 sheet metal to it. It may require some extensive sheet metal work, but that would be the only job.
On the new truck I would remove all the front sheet metal, bed and cut the cab away from the floor, firewall and dash. Leave the floor attached to the frame and firewall. You would have had to modify the '65 floor to get the ZF S6 under it anyway.
I don't think mating the late firewall up to a '65 cab would be that difficult, but the dash is about a foot deeper.
Tomy2tone01 extended the cab and doors on his AD and I am afraid something like that would be needed for what I had in mind.
As I said, a lot of body work, buy look at the options you get to just bolt back on.

There are as many different ways to build a truck as there folks that want to build one...

One disadvantage to swapping the old body on a new truck is you're stuck with an independent front suspension if you want the Duramax. Also if you don't like body work and prefer mechanical stuff then a body swap may not be any fun.

Swapping everything but the frame and sheet metal is a lot of work but you know what you have when it's done. You get to make all the decisions on what parts to use and how to put it together, that's the fun part for me, researching and deciding what the best parts for the job are and finding or making them.

I think your schedule and budget are a little on the short side, but it sounds like a great project and something you'll be proud of when it's finally all done.

Grigg

ok thanks for all your opinions and info. i saved all this money all these months here in iraq for this very specific purpose. i body swap would be fine except i am not much with alot of sheet metal and i have no desire to run IFS ever in my life. i have planned this truck for years and changed the plan alot in the last few months. maybe i cant get it done in the time i would like with the funds i have acrued but i can dang well shave YEARS off of my build with the opportunity i have been afforded in this situation. not many people ever have a couple months and a shop full of knowledgeable people to use while getting paid by the government to build yourself a truck. there are enough aftermarket parts these days that i can swap all these parts and still keep the old truck mistique to this build. which is important to me. i will be using all of you that are willing to help through this whole build and later on in my life when i fully restore my C20 camper special. thanks again for your opinions and advice. i will consider them all carefully.
Jonathan

I drive a 2001 Chevy 2500HD Duramax/Allison daily. I love it. For a straight axle you could drop a F#$D Dana 60 under the 2500 frame... I personally would not change the drivetrain in my 2001 truck a bit, but it is a matter of Preference.
CJ

your truck, build it like you want. However be practical. While something may be possible, it may not be practical.

For example, weigh out a complete frame swap vs the component swap. determine the time and cost to perform body work vs a major amount of fabrication. Then make your decision knowing you have covered all the bases.

Also, remember Money cubed and time squared. That is it will cost you 3 times what you anticipate in cash and 4 times longer than you think.

it sounds like your mind is set on component swap, then look at the two frames side by side. determine what you need to fabricate from scratch and what you can transfer from one frame to the other. Then map out the plan and follow it.

Either way, enjoy yourself.

well regardless whether or not i had the time before i was wounded to finish most of the fab for the drivetrain i wont now because of my physical therapy. but i am still gonna build the truck i have purchased the motor and also have 2002 2500hd duramax chevy that i drive now. so i have something to compare to. when i get done with physical therapy i will start the project like every other project truck builder does. lol. weekends and holidays. thanks for all the advice i will let everyeone know when i start.

Jonathan