72 C10 Longbed Duramax Swap!
- Thread starter TheIronGeek
- Start date
quick word of advice....im not saying it will, but if you like your life and your wife make sure you remove that gas tank from behind the seat, it could come back to light a far under your ass if you ever got rear ended.
This is what I ended up doing... Pretty similar to what Rick and Russ have done I believe, and I recommend it to any swap project that needs ground clearance.
The last pic doesn't show my modified lower oil pan, as I took that picture during the early test fitting stages.
Nice project OP. I recently acquired a '67 c10 that will be getting heavily modified at some point.
That is exactly right. Except for that stupid notch on the driver side. Removed that notch on mine and actually added volume to the pan.
Hey ya'll!
ok, nothing terribly exciting got done today, basically we pulled the transmission crossmember from my parts truck (interesting fact, it was my "first car" and i had it pretty much "done" when i wrecked it.)
then we cut the old one out of "old blue." Removed brake and fuel lines, and basically got everything ready for me to wash, degrease, and paint the frame!
ok, nothing terribly exciting got done today, basically we pulled the transmission crossmember from my parts truck (interesting fact, it was my "first car" and i had it pretty much "done" when i wrecked it.)
then we cut the old one out of "old blue." Removed brake and fuel lines, and basically got everything ready for me to wash, degrease, and paint the frame!
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glad I ran across this thread, I am wanting to tackle this project with a 72 long bed I have sitting with no motor, everything else is ready, including a shortened rear end with some meats already tucked under the truck
OP great job so far and I will be relying on you to help my efforts :thumb:
OP great job so far and I will be relying on you to help my efforts :thumb:
Good luck with your swap.I'm in the middle of a LGH/LBZ swap in my 69 short fleetside. It's taking a lot of time and money, two things I don't have a lot of right now. I'll be looking for some tips on your build that may be better ideas than mine. My skills are sort of limited.
Hey guys! Long time no see!
it's been a frustrating month starting with a transmission going out of my daily driver! Which is a 96 Olds Cutless Supreme.
Also, and any ideas would be great.
The Allison Tranny that i've got was out of a 2005 4WD truck. We talked to a junk yard, and they swapped us the 4WD Tail Shaft, for a 2WD tailshaft out of (i believe) an '02 tranny.
When we put it all together, it wouldn't tighten down. We thought maybe we had gotten something a little out of place putting it back together, so we took it to a transmission guy that we know. He said that my 4WD Sun Gear was too tall. So he ordered me a new one that he thought would fit, it didn't. I told him it was fine, and just to let me know when he figured it out.
3 weeks later he's been through three different sun gears, and a couple of other gearsets, and he calls me and tells me that "there aren't parts available to make this tailshaft work with this transmission."
My plan is to take the transmission back to the junkyard, and see if they will/can just swap me this whole transmission for another whole 2WD one.
So, we got the tranny back put together enough to use it to modify my cab!
First we had to try to get the engine and tranny leveled.
Then the white knuckled experience of just the two of us trying to get the cab on straight!
it's been a frustrating month starting with a transmission going out of my daily driver! Which is a 96 Olds Cutless Supreme.
Also, and any ideas would be great.
The Allison Tranny that i've got was out of a 2005 4WD truck. We talked to a junk yard, and they swapped us the 4WD Tail Shaft, for a 2WD tailshaft out of (i believe) an '02 tranny.
When we put it all together, it wouldn't tighten down. We thought maybe we had gotten something a little out of place putting it back together, so we took it to a transmission guy that we know. He said that my 4WD Sun Gear was too tall. So he ordered me a new one that he thought would fit, it didn't. I told him it was fine, and just to let me know when he figured it out.
3 weeks later he's been through three different sun gears, and a couple of other gearsets, and he calls me and tells me that "there aren't parts available to make this tailshaft work with this transmission."
My plan is to take the transmission back to the junkyard, and see if they will/can just swap me this whole transmission for another whole 2WD one.
So, we got the tranny back put together enough to use it to modify my cab!
First we had to try to get the engine and tranny leveled.
Then the white knuckled experience of just the two of us trying to get the cab on straight!
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and finally sat the Cab down over everything.
i swear the engine sits like it's SUPPOSED to be in there.
We can see that we're going to have to move the fuel filter to another location, and we might end up shaving some of the heater core cover just to help make a little more room.
but! it's on there!
We were both AWFULLY excited saturday evening!
Me ( i hold the flashlight) in the black hoodie, Arlie ( the real mechanic) in gray.
i swear the engine sits like it's SUPPOSED to be in there.
We can see that we're going to have to move the fuel filter to another location, and we might end up shaving some of the heater core cover just to help make a little more room.
but! it's on there!
We were both AWFULLY excited saturday evening!
Me ( i hold the flashlight) in the black hoodie, Arlie ( the real mechanic) in gray.
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Pretty sure to convert 4wd to 2wd, you also have to replace the output shaft along with the housing.
Nice job, I'm hopefully going to be close to dropping mine in sooner than later. Keep up the good work bud. Trevor
Hey guys!!
ok, update, but no pictures. Also! a couple questions!
I drove from Louisville to Hicksville, OH to visit "Hicksville Auto Recyclers" (facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/HicksvilleAutoRecyclers?fref=ts) for some help with my transmission issues. They said that they do 2WD to 4WD Conversions all the time, it's also where i got my 2WD tailshaft and housing. I arrived and was blown away by this establishment.
Fellas i'll tell you what, that place was super awesome. it was a building probably... same size as your standard Kroger. Basically it's an indoor JunkYard. They deal pretty much exclusively in Duramax truck parts. I saw probably...30 engines, and probably twice that in transmissions and transfer cases just sitting on shelves. Rows and Rows of misc other parts.
they said a duramax rearend will run me about $750. The cheapest I've found elsewhere is closer to 1500.
I got to talk to one of their engine dudes, and he really helped me with some questions on wiring that i had.
I pulled the Allison out of the trunk of my car, and Jake "Stu" Sterwart helped me. It turns out. I'm ignorant, and the transmission guy that I took it to at home just had no idea what was going on inside of an Allison. Because Stu just set everything i had together, tightened it down, and boom. Everything was put together properly. I had all of the parts that i required, i just couldn't get them to fit quite correctly!
Got it home, and this weekend got the torque converter in it, and the tranny connected to the engine. So now, everything is in it.
I have to build the tranny hump. Put the doghouse on. and get the Cab (with all of the wiring) from the duramax parts truck from the junkyard next weekend.
Now my questions!
1. When you guys moved the gas tank out of the cab, What kind of fuel cell did you guys get? Did you guys just get one from LMC and call it good?
2. Those of you that have done Duramax Swaps, what did you guys do for Fuel pumps? Since i'm not using a tank/pump set up from the Parts truck, what did you guys do about your pump? also, do you guys know what kind of fuel pressure i would need? (forgive me if these are a couple ignorant questions. i figured i would start here and then move on if none of you guys had an answer off the top of your heads)
3. I can get the steering column from the parts truck, but i hate the look of a new style steering column and wheel in an old cab. Ideas?
i recognize that it's my project, and it feels lazy to ask! but, of you guys that already did a Duramax swap, what's somethign that you did, that if you were doing it again, you WOULDNT do?
Thanks guys!!!i appreciate your suggestions and help!!
ok, update, but no pictures. Also! a couple questions!
I drove from Louisville to Hicksville, OH to visit "Hicksville Auto Recyclers" (facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/HicksvilleAutoRecyclers?fref=ts) for some help with my transmission issues. They said that they do 2WD to 4WD Conversions all the time, it's also where i got my 2WD tailshaft and housing. I arrived and was blown away by this establishment.
Fellas i'll tell you what, that place was super awesome. it was a building probably... same size as your standard Kroger. Basically it's an indoor JunkYard. They deal pretty much exclusively in Duramax truck parts. I saw probably...30 engines, and probably twice that in transmissions and transfer cases just sitting on shelves. Rows and Rows of misc other parts.
they said a duramax rearend will run me about $750. The cheapest I've found elsewhere is closer to 1500.
I got to talk to one of their engine dudes, and he really helped me with some questions on wiring that i had.
I pulled the Allison out of the trunk of my car, and Jake "Stu" Sterwart helped me. It turns out. I'm ignorant, and the transmission guy that I took it to at home just had no idea what was going on inside of an Allison. Because Stu just set everything i had together, tightened it down, and boom. Everything was put together properly. I had all of the parts that i required, i just couldn't get them to fit quite correctly!
Got it home, and this weekend got the torque converter in it, and the tranny connected to the engine. So now, everything is in it.
I have to build the tranny hump. Put the doghouse on. and get the Cab (with all of the wiring) from the duramax parts truck from the junkyard next weekend.
Now my questions!
1. When you guys moved the gas tank out of the cab, What kind of fuel cell did you guys get? Did you guys just get one from LMC and call it good?
2. Those of you that have done Duramax Swaps, what did you guys do for Fuel pumps? Since i'm not using a tank/pump set up from the Parts truck, what did you guys do about your pump? also, do you guys know what kind of fuel pressure i would need? (forgive me if these are a couple ignorant questions. i figured i would start here and then move on if none of you guys had an answer off the top of your heads)
3. I can get the steering column from the parts truck, but i hate the look of a new style steering column and wheel in an old cab. Ideas?
i recognize that it's my project, and it feels lazy to ask! but, of you guys that already did a Duramax swap, what's somethign that you did, that if you were doing it again, you WOULDNT do?Thanks guys!!!i appreciate your suggestions and help!!
I'm using twin Kennedy lift pumps in the Camaro and I really like them. They flow plenty of fuel and are virtually silent. You technically don't have to have a lift pump for the Duramax to run, but I would recommend having one.
I think most guys that pull the tank out of the cab usually buy the retrofit tanks that go under the bed. I will be eventually be figuring that one out for myself as well...
I would try to retain the original steering column myself, but that's just personal preference. I like the nostalgic look of factory interiors.
I think most guys that pull the tank out of the cab usually buy the retrofit tanks that go under the bed. I will be eventually be figuring that one out for myself as well...
I would try to retain the original steering column myself, but that's just personal preference. I like the nostalgic look of factory interiors.
Those guys advertise on Craigslist all the time. They are VERY proud of their parts, and they price them accordingly.
Did "Stu" make sure to prop the trans up on its bellhousing before he did the tailhousing? There's a bearing in there that can slip if you try it horizontally. There's a guy with a thread in Mike's trans section that probably has this issue right now.
I would've liked to see two guys pick an Allision up out of a car trunk. :roflmao: Hernia, anyone?
Did "Stu" make sure to prop the trans up on its bellhousing before he did the tailhousing? There's a bearing in there that can slip if you try it horizontally. There's a guy with a thread in Mike's trans section that probably has this issue right now.
I would've liked to see two guys pick an Allision up out of a car trunk. :roflmao: Hernia, anyone?