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'86 Chevy K20

3K views 15 replies 5 participants last post by  Grit dog 
#1 ·
Bringing this discussion down from the 3rd Gen forums...


That truck is waaaaay too nice for a new driver. As for wives, laugh if you want to, I feel sorry for me too. Once my youngest graduates high school, I'll be kicking tires and considering trade-ins (on the wife, not the truck). A divorce means divorcing with my sons too due to the way the courts work (they make as much sense for fathers as burning a Wendy's down). So, I choose to stay with my sons and endure. Only 3 or 4 years of my sentence left.

Gritdog - My uncle has a truck like that, that his sons, my cousins are not interested in (because they're stupid). He knows I like vehicles so he's trying to get me to buy it. But he's wanting too much for it. I want to say it's an 82, 83, or 84, shortbed 4X4, standard cab. Mostly only had standard cabs in 1500s back then as far as I know. I think those grab handles on your truck look tough. That must be a late 80's due to the CHMSL. Love the long bed … like my truck.
Ha, took me a minute of staring at the pic to figure out what a CHMSL is, but that's just a cargo light. Truck is a '86. I probably paid too much for it too, but it's literally rust free everywhere except 1 little spot around the windshield frame (worst place to fix, but I am getting a chunk of A pillar frame from a junk cab to replace that outer skin with). Running driving, everything works including AC, cruise PW/PL and delay wipers! Original 350/TH400, 4.10 truck with all original components except the 350 was replaced with a mid/late 90s Vortec 454. Light blue paint is original, dark blue has 1 repaint on it. Has a million dings and scratches but it's all straight and solid metal and doesn't need a ton of work.
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#2 · (Edited)
Been finding some orig parts here n there. Interior needs seat cover, dash pad and carpet, but all the trim and gauges etc is in very good shape. Inside of the cab won't even need repainted, just a couple little scratches in the glove box area to touch up. Got new used matching door straps (in the picture), good condition hood ornament, and that air dam. Still on the hunt for an original grille that doesn't cost a fortune and a tailgate insert, but those damn things are like $500 if they're like new. Going to try my hand at restoring that insert and all the badges.
Also going to dye the door panel fabric back to life.
I polished out a little spot on the top of the door panel (by the door lock) and the oxidation comes right off. Door panels will be mint looking without replacing them.
907469
 
#3 ·
Headlight buckets were rattle can black....and blue.... and black again. Fixed that up for the time being with some old Dodge Light Driftwood color paint. It makes a nice metallic argent color.
Found an orig air dam for the front bumper. Strange, I've ripped them off every truck I've owned to date and added one to this one....
907470
 
#4 · (Edited)
Last one for now.
I'll re-paint with original colors, but really like the white strips on these, so may wrap the side stripe and roof with white when it's done.
Wheels, torn between something "modern", or doing 20" white steelies with original hubcaps. 35" OWL tires and white steelies from Detroit Steel Wheels!

Jury is out on the visor. I like the look, but rather have clearance lights. Younger son wants to keep it. Everyone else says loose it when we re-paint it.
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#5 ·
"That truck is waaaaay too nice for a new driver.
Gritdog - My uncle has a truck like that, that his sons, my cousins are not interested in (because they're stupid). He knows I like vehicles so he's trying to get me to buy it. But he's wanting too much for it. I want to say it's an 82, 83, or 84, shortbed 4X4, standard cab. Mostly only had standard cabs in 1500s back then as far as I know. I think those grab handles on your truck look tough. "

I like the grampa handles too. Those are going back on. I was after a shortbed K10 as well. Preferably a step side, but anything nice goes really quick and for alot of money up here. When this one popped up, I was gone to Oregon at 5am the next morning to beat the next guy in line to buy it.
Agree, it will be a very nice truck for a new driver, and totally impractical. It ain't going to be his drive 60mi round trip to hockey practice rig...We'd both go broke putting gas in it! He!!, he's already driving it now. Our boys have been driving about anything they can get their hands on since a very young age and both are probably better drivers than 95% of the people on the road. To say that I trust them is a true statement. Very proud of them both. Besides, a little whisky dent in a 35 year old pickup with leftover paint in the shop is way easier to fix than a new....anything!

His older brother isn't as much into the old iron. He'd drive a ricer with a fart can muffler if I let him. But this car was a good compromise on the Fast n Furious look....
For Christmas, we straight piped it, painted and installed the front spoiler and put some GT racin stripes on it. He'll be a senior in high school next year and fwiw, within a month of doing this to the car he got a girlfriend!
But the older one is coming around. He's been driving the big Chevy more the last couple weeks.

907476
 
#6 ·
That visor needs to go, I think.
Wheels? How about those Centerlines that had no holes or patterns whatsoever? Which I happen to have a set of.
I'll have to look around and see what I have in the grille department.
 
#7 ·
^ Ha, crap, now it's like 15-3 in favor of ditching the visor! lol
I know what wheels you're talking about. Basically what's on it with no slots. Centerline drag wheels? Those are cool too.
I'm kinda set on 18s or 20s, mostly 20s, though.
If you have a OE quad headlamp grille with the center inserts and bowtie, I'm interested.
 
#8 ·
I'll see if I can get to take a photo of one of those wheels. It's not the one you're thinking of, though. It's as if they forgot to take the mill to a Nineties wheel, so just curves and shiny aluminum. Not sure I've ever seen another set.

Most of my stuff is for the '73-'79 bodies, but I do have some later things, too. As I recall, the grille on my '82 Suburban is in perfect shape, but I'll have to look.
 
#12 ·
Dang 16-3 now!
I kinda thought it promoted the "80s useless bolt on parts look", before flat brim hats existed! Maybe it'll be ok if I leave those silly window visors on it and put a pair of stick on scoops on the hood!

Actually I'd rather have clearance lights, but not the combo of both. Sounds like triple the work to make all the visor holes disappear and then drill 15 NEW holes in the roof in different spots though!

Thx for the compliment. Engine is fairly clean, but it looks a little better in pics than real life. Whats nice is the firewall, hood, fender wells etc look almost like new. No need to gut everything and repaint under the hood.
I did manage to preserve all the factory stickers and labels though (I'm really trying to NOT tear into this thing until we have a little fun driving it around this summer with it's "patina"). They cleaned up pretty good, then I covered them with a piece of clear bra. Should be good for another 35 years! Same deal with the engine bay. It's clean enough to not be embarrassing, but would look so much better if I pulled the engine, gave it a Rustoleum rebuild and some clean new parts like alternator etc.
 
#10 ·
Bringing this discussion down from the 3rd Gen forums...



Ha, took me a minute of staring at the pic to figure out what a CHMSL is, but that's just a cargo light. Truck is a '86. I probably paid too much for it too, but it's literally rust free everywhere except 1 little spot around the windshield frame (worst place to fix, but I am getting a chunk of A pillar frame from a junk cab to replace that outer skin with). Running driving, everything works including AC, cruise PW/PL and delay wipers! Original 350/TH400, 4.10 truck with all original components except the 350 was replaced with a mid/late 90s Vortec 454. Light blue paint is original, dark blue has 1 repaint on it. Has a million dings and scratches but it's all straight and solid metal and doesn't need a ton of work. View attachment 907468
Very nice truck!!! I also love how so very nonchalantly mention the teeny-weeney small block was replaced with big block 454!!!


AZJohnnyO
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#11 ·
Very nice truck!!! I also love how so very nonchalantly mention the teeny-weeney small block was replaced with big block 454!!!


AZJohnnyO
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Ha, you caught that? It's no powerhouse, especially being a peanut port motor. But it runs alright with a set of headers, true H pipe duals and an Everbroke , I mean Edelbrock carb. I'm pretty certain the crate Indmar vortec 350 in my boat would out run it. It will do a good burnout, but I haven't hooked a trailer to it yet.
 
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#13 ·
Forgot to mention my vote...ditch the visor!! [emoji4][emoji4]


AZJohnnyO
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#14 ·
Not much happening yet with the truck, but it's about time to start. I need to shuffle our schit around and make long term space in the shop to work on it.
Since I discovered it was really a GMC cross dressing as a Chevy, it's going to come out as a GMC like it should. Found an original GMC tailgate trim band in good condition for cheap. But may patch up the holes and leave it off. I like this look.
Fckin emblems are espensive! Scored this grille emblem NOS from a 2010s GMC and got it fit to the grille. Not bad. Looks good enough that I'll pass on an OE grille unless one lands in my lap.
Got some OE GMC dog dish hubcaps. Wheelz will be this when she emerges with new paint.
Maybe less talking and more sanding is what I should be doing!
911965
911966
911967
 
#16 ·
Got started on it.
Discovered it was previously sanded down bare and repainted.
Likely a warranty re-paint as it is super thin and literally only the exposed surfaces.
somehow the “new” paint job stayed on for probably 30 years with no peeling, but the paint to primer bond is crap.
rather than scuff and prime, I have to strip it all off. But it comes off with a razor blade. Paint just skins right off the primer.
915962

Look how the paint just peels off On the upside it’s coming off quickly and the truck will not have multiple coats of paint on it
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915964
 
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