1979 C-10 Shop/Race Truck Build

HP HUNTER · 10-05-2023, 09:34 PM

8 years ago we bought this truck with the intention of building a shop truck we could race on Friday nights, and also get my 11 year old son involved with the build. My plan was to build a low buck truck and show my son how to use parts most would through away. Our first engine was a 327 backed by a Turbo 350 and the factory open 3.42 gear, my son learned how to build a engine on the 327, we paid 100.00 for the virgin core. I will go through the build as we built it, our goal now is to run 6.80s in the 660. Heres our plan.

Picture of the truck and first engine (327)

HP HUNTER · 10-05-2023, 10:36 PM

Our 327 on the dyno, 11.1 compression, 462 fuelie heads, 480/240/108 SFT cam, Performer RPM intake, 750 Holley. Track performance was 13.90 @ 101 MPH going through in second gear (3.42 gear) in Colorado's thin air.

HP HUNTER · 10-05-2023, 11:03 PM

The next order of business was to build a locked rear end with 5.13 gears, so we bought another truck 12 bolt and built it cheap. Some pictures.

kansas stocker · 10-06-2023, 12:22 AM

Known as the "Lincoln Locker" in this part of the country. Hard to keep the run out down but seem to last forever on the dirt.

HP HUNTER · 10-06-2023, 09:26 AM

When the rear end was installed we went from a 13.9 to 13.4 ET at high altitude, but I still felt the truck didn't pull through low gear like it should, 1.92 60 foot, knowing the stocker trucks went 1.77 @ Denver this bothered me, although I knew they were 300 pounds lighter, but didn't have my HP. My focus turned to the driveline which is a disaster on a 79 C-10, heavy rear brakes, heavy discs up front, which only accept a heavy tire rim combination, 6 lug. So I looked at the Lamb front brake setup and decided I didn't want to spend the money and wait (wish I had) so I tried to go the LM1 Camaro front disc setup which required I believe a 1981 and newer front spindel, but could never figure out the caliper setup so I had the original style heavy front discs redrilled for a car bolt pattern. I now could get a race style front tire and rim on the truck. I still had the ultra heavy 2 piece drive shaft robbing me............................

HP HUNTER · 10-06-2023, 09:37 AM

So we headed for Kearney Nebraska 2130 feet elevation 4300 DA with bad humidity and ran 12.80 @ 105 MPH but still a horrible 1.82 60 foot, still in the back of my mind a not so quick stocker truck runs 1.77 60 in Denver running 13.8s? I've got something going on here...................

1320/105 = 12.57 getting robbed

Anything that can be done to hit the tires harder at this point only responds with a drastic reduction in ET-more to come.

HP HUNTER · 10-06-2023, 09:45 AM

Keep in mind at this point this truck has been running about 6 1/2 years from the time it was built to the 12.80 @ Kearney and has about 20,000 miles on it, mostly with the 5.13 gear, we drove it a lot, and the late Harold Bettes felt pretty comfortable over in the passenger seat going lunch!

Tim H · 10-06-2023, 10:20 AM

Just how much time was spent porting the heads ? I realize that is something you have a lot of experience in.

HP HUNTER · 10-06-2023, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tim H

Just how much time was spent porting the heads ? I realize that is something you have a lot of experience in.

Heres some information on the 327 build:

Heads from start to finish maybe 40 hours approx
Flow @ 28 inches SF 600 4.030 bore, 2.020 Intake valve

.200 don't remember
.300 193
.400. don't remember
.480 239
Peak 259 around .650 lift

Hp was 445 HP @ 6600 RPM
TQ was 400 for one RPM point, 390s flat for a long time

HP HUNTER · 10-10-2023, 10:01 AM

So we moved to Texas, I ran the truck @ 450 feet elevation, 2000 DA with the 327 which resulted in a 12.13 @ 107+ with a 1.63 60. at this point I knew the truck would never run 11s in the heat so I decided to build a 350 hoping this would put it into the 11s. Notice my ET @ Kearney 2130 feet 12.80 dropped to 12.13/7.63 @ Little River 450 feet. My drive line losses were showing what every bit of extra power was worth.

1320/107.5 = 12.27 much better at this point, but far from done..........

10-05-2023, 09:34 PM	#1
HP HUNTER Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Colorado Springs Colorado/Thousand Oaks Ca Posts: 638 Likes: 76 Liked 326 Times in 116 Posts	1979 C-10 Shop/Race Truck Build 8 years ago we bought this truck with the intention of building a shop truck we could race on Friday nights, and also get my 11 year old son involved with the build. My plan was to build a low buck truck and show my son how to use parts most would through away. Our first engine was a 327 backed by a Turbo 350 and the factory open 3.42 gear, my son learned how to build a engine on the 327, we paid 100.00 for the virgin core. I will go through the build as we built it, our goal now is to run 6.80s in the 660. Heres our plan. Picture of the truck and first engine (327) Attached Thumbnails Last edited by HP HUNTER; 10-05-2023 at 09:41 PM.

10-05-2023, 10:36 PM	#2
HP HUNTER Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Colorado Springs Colorado/Thousand Oaks Ca Posts: 638 Likes: 76 Liked 326 Times in 116 Posts	Re: 1979 C-10 Shop/Race Truck Build Our 327 on the dyno, 11.1 compression, 462 fuelie heads, 480/240/108 SFT cam, Performer RPM intake, 750 Holley. Track performance was 13.90 @ 101 MPH going through in second gear (3.42 gear) in Colorado's thin air. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by HP HUNTER; 10-05-2023 at 10:56 PM.

10-05-2023, 11:03 PM	#3
HP HUNTER Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Colorado Springs Colorado/Thousand Oaks Ca Posts: 638 Likes: 76 Liked 326 Times in 116 Posts	Re: 1979 C-10 Shop/Race Truck Build The next order of business was to build a locked rear end with 5.13 gears, so we bought another truck 12 bolt and built it cheap. Some pictures. Attached Thumbnails

10-06-2023, 12:22 AM	#4
kansas stocker Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: kansas Posts: 233 Likes: 447 Liked 247 Times in 46 Posts	Re: 1979 C-10 Shop/Race Truck Build Known as the "Lincoln Locker" in this part of the country. Hard to keep the run out down but seem to last forever on the dirt.

10-06-2023, 09:26 AM	#5
HP HUNTER Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Colorado Springs Colorado/Thousand Oaks Ca Posts: 638 Likes: 76 Liked 326 Times in 116 Posts	Re: 1979 C-10 Shop/Race Truck Build When the rear end was installed we went from a 13.9 to 13.4 ET at high altitude, but I still felt the truck didn't pull through low gear like it should, 1.92 60 foot, knowing the stocker trucks went 1.77 @ Denver this bothered me, although I knew they were 300 pounds lighter, but didn't have my HP. My focus turned to the driveline which is a disaster on a 79 C-10, heavy rear brakes, heavy discs up front, which only accept a heavy tire rim combination, 6 lug. So I looked at the Lamb front brake setup and decided I didn't want to spend the money and wait (wish I had) so I tried to go the LM1 Camaro front disc setup which required I believe a 1981 and newer front spindel, but could never figure out the caliper setup so I had the original style heavy front discs redrilled for a car bolt pattern. I now could get a race style front tire and rim on the truck. I still had the ultra heavy 2 piece drive shaft robbing me............................ Attached Thumbnails

10-06-2023, 09:37 AM	#6
HP HUNTER Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Colorado Springs Colorado/Thousand Oaks Ca Posts: 638 Likes: 76 Liked 326 Times in 116 Posts	Re: 1979 C-10 Shop/Race Truck Build So we headed for Kearney Nebraska 2130 feet elevation 4300 DA with bad humidity and ran 12.80 @ 105 MPH but still a horrible 1.82 60 foot, still in the back of my mind a not so quick stocker truck runs 1.77 60 in Denver running 13.8s? I've got something going on here................... 1320/105 = 12.57 getting robbed Anything that can be done to hit the tires harder at this point only responds with a drastic reduction in ET-more to come. Last edited by HP HUNTER; 10-06-2023 at 10:00 AM.

10-06-2023, 09:45 AM	#7
HP HUNTER Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Colorado Springs Colorado/Thousand Oaks Ca Posts: 638 Likes: 76 Liked 326 Times in 116 Posts	Re: 1979 C-10 Shop/Race Truck Build Keep in mind at this point this truck has been running about 6 1/2 years from the time it was built to the 12.80 @ Kearney and has about 20,000 miles on it, mostly with the 5.13 gear, we drove it a lot, and the late Harold Bettes felt pretty comfortable over in the passenger seat going lunch!

10-06-2023, 10:20 AM	#8
Tim H VIP Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,036 Likes: 1,017 Liked 481 Times in 157 Posts	Re: 1979 C-10 Shop/Race Truck Build Just how much time was spent porting the heads ? I realize that is something you have a lot of experience in.

10-10-2023, 10:01 AM	#10
HP HUNTER Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Colorado Springs Colorado/Thousand Oaks Ca Posts: 638 Likes: 76 Liked 326 Times in 116 Posts	Re: 1979 C-10 Shop/Race Truck Build So we moved to Texas, I ran the truck @ 450 feet elevation, 2000 DA with the 327 which resulted in a 12.13 @ 107+ with a 1.63 60. at this point I knew the truck would never run 11s in the heat so I decided to build a 350 hoping this would put it into the 11s. Notice my ET @ Kearney 2130 feet 12.80 dropped to 12.13/7.63 @ Little River 450 feet. My drive line losses were showing what every bit of extra power was worth. 1320/107.5 = 12.27 much better at this point, but far from done.......... Last edited by HP HUNTER; 10-10-2023 at 10:07 AM.