'85 K1500 LB7/ZF-6 Swap!!!

[Kspen90]

Well this morning I passed the point of no return when I sold the motor and trans out of my mud truck! First order of business will be to pull the body off, clean all the mud off the frame, box it in where I feel is necessary, install a 2" body lift, then reinstall the body and get to work on fitting the Duramax in there. I plan on fixing the truck up some what to where it looks decent, but nothing like what Lonnie is doing to his '82, after all it is mainly a mud truck. The build will consist of the LB7/ZF-6 backed by a divorced NP205 transfercase, either 1 ton or 2.5 ton axles depending on what size tires I decide to run (most likely 2.5 tons), and either 37" or 46" (most likely 46's) rice paddy tires for the mud, and a DOT mud tire for the street. I will try to post as many pics as I can for everyone interested in the build. Let the fun begin:thumb:

 

[Max Attitude]

Should be a fun project!

 

[turbostang7]

Very interested in this. I have an '84 K30 single wheel sitting here

 

[Kspen90]

Got the body off and frame stripped down this weekend. My frame rotisserie will be here friday, so Ill drop the axles then and get the frame put on there and start getting it boxed in

 

[clrussell]

Finally found a use for the ole wrecked truck huh?

Glad to see this, it'll be cool!

Dream of mine to put my 71 long bed on my 05 chassis and make a nice daily driver..

 

[SmokeShow]

Looking good.

 

[Kspen90]

Got the frame on the rotisserie this weekend and it ended up being a lot more bent than I thought, so it took the better part of a day, some heat, and a little engineering to get it all straightened back out. I ended up only getting 90% of the passenger side frame rail boxed in, which is less than i had hoped to get done. Its taking a little longer since Im having to use a torch and a stick welder, when Im used to using a plasma cutter and a MIG welder, so needless to say in having to do a lot of grinding. I should have the entire frame boxed in by the end of next weekend, and will pull the Dmax from Christine the following weekend and start working on getting it fitted into the '85 frame.

 

[Kspen90]

Finally found a use for the ole wrecked truck huh?

Glad to see this, it'll be cool!

Dream of mine to put my 71 long bed on my 05 chassis and make a nice daily driver..

Yeah, I wanted to find a 07.5 or newer single cab dually to swap the motor into, but i just dont have the money right now, and I couldnt just let it sit around and go to waste. I was getting really tired of the gutless 350 that was in my 85 anyhow.

Looking good.

Thanks:hug:

 

[SmokeShow]

This is gonna be awesome!

 

[x MadMAX DIESEL]

This is gonna be awesome!

Agreed

 

[Cheapskate207]

Subscribed! I had an 85 K5... love square bodies and have always dreamed of a dmax swap:thumb:

 

[djforrest119]

Sub'd

 

[WVRigrat05]

Hard to find a good frame these days, fiances dad just bought a frame off a 86' and its 1/4" out straight line and 1/2" cross measuring.

 

[SmokeShow]

Hard to find a good frame these days, fiances dad just bought a frame off a 86' and its 1/4" out straight line and 1/2" cross measuring.

What's the factory tolerance? I'd be surprised if its much better than 1/4" tolerance back then. LOL

 

[WVRigrat05]

Lol, I wondered that myself, but you can definitely see where the truck yanked on something super hard on the driver side or took a hard blow to the pass. Side, the frame was under a big block mud truck, so it's hard to tell.

 

[Lonnie]

If I remember correctly, the oil filter may sit in the dr side frame rail somewhat.

Do some measuring before you box everything.

 

[Kspen90]

If I remember correctly, the oil filter may sit in the dr side frame rail somewhat.

Do some measuring before you box everything.

Thanks for the heads up Lonnie:hug:Im not really in the position to do any real measuring at the moment since the Duramax is still in the 02 and I have no idea where its going to end up in the 85, so I suppose Ill just box the whole thing in and cut whatever is in the way out later. My plan is just to set it as close to the firewall as possible, and since mine is a ZF-6 I dont have the trans dipstick tube to contend with like you did.

 

[Kspen90]

Im planning on cutting the section of firewall out of the 02 that the pedal assembly, brake and clutch master cylinder bolt to and trying to make it line up to the 85 cab, but Im not sure if its going to work or not. Also Im going to attempt (although I think it might be impossible) to fit the dash from the 02 in the 85 cab

 

[SmokeShow]

The dash in the 02 is waaay deeper so if it fits side-to-side, itll at least have to be trimmed off on the window/front side. I'll be curious to see how it'll match up to the doors too with the wing windows. I don't think it'll be able to stick out that far like it does in the 02. That'd put the gap btwn steering wheel and seat too close I imagine.

It'll be interesting to see if you can somehow make it work though!

 

[Kspen90]

The thought of cutting out the entire firewall from the 02 and putting it in the 85 is on my mind. That way I'm pretty much pushing the dash into the engine compartment. I'll have a better idea once I get the engine out of the 02 though.