mitch_04
01-07-2014, 07:52 PM
Figured I'd start an actual build thread since I post here all the time. I bought this '85 C10 with a number 1 goal of laying the body on the ground via air ride. Always liked this body style and always wanted an ultra-low pickup, although most of my friends (South Dakota) don't understand and like to go up with their pickups. Started browsing the C10 forums to see what it would take and started off by z-ing the front suspension 3 inches up and 1 forward to center the wheel in the fender. Then I started researching suspensions to see what I should do for the rear. I decided to go with the triangulated 4-link because a panhard bar would have moved my rear end too much (15" of travel).
Going by ExWestRacer's helping info, I tried to get 60 degrees between the upper links (got close, but not quite 60), upper links downward angled about 8 degrees, bottom bars level at ride height, upper bars 70% of lower bar length. Then, sadly, ExWest started racing and stopped posting. Luckily, that's when Ron Sutton started posting his information-packed threads. Between the pros and the help of everyone on here, I started my building.
Was originally planning on putting a 6.0 Vortec with a turbo, but decided on a 3.5 inline 5 cylinder I had from a rolled pickup purchase. Thought the DOHC with VVT would be a little more interesting under the hood, and since it's more of a cruising pickup the 6.0 would have been overkill. The 6.0 is still being built, I just don't know what it will end up in yet. Just got the engine mounted last weekend and will do the tranny crossmember this weekend. I didn't have the mount for the transmission yet, so I had to wait. A local shop swapped it from 4wd to 2wd in trade for the old transfer case, great people.
I'm waiting on my rims/tires and the purchase of suspension analyzer to decide whether or not I will modify the front suspension aside from my drop spindles, bags, and boxing the lower control arm. It has a long, long way to go, but it'll get there slowly, once piece at a time.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2014/01/IMG_8893-1.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/antonsenm04/media/IMG_8893.jpg.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/03/HPIM2997_zps57c59ada-1.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/antonsenm04/media/HPIM2997_zps57c59ada.jpg.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/03/HPIM2999_zpsd847f1e6-1.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/antonsenm04/media/HPIM2999_zpsd847f1e6.jpg.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/03/HPIM2993_zpsd2e72d90-1.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/antonsenm04/media/HPIM2993_zpsd2e72d90.jpg.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/03/HPIM2992_zpsb8f090e1-1.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/antonsenm04/media/HPIM2992_zpsb8f090e1.jpg.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2014/01/cutmypic_zps73f0ebc5-1.png (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/antonsenm04/media/cutmypic_zps73f0ebc5.png.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2014/01/IMG_0539_zps5d918d81-1.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/antonsenm04/media/IMG_0539_zps5d918d81.jpg.html)
Going by ExWestRacer's helping info, I tried to get 60 degrees between the upper links (got close, but not quite 60), upper links downward angled about 8 degrees, bottom bars level at ride height, upper bars 70% of lower bar length. Then, sadly, ExWest started racing and stopped posting. Luckily, that's when Ron Sutton started posting his information-packed threads. Between the pros and the help of everyone on here, I started my building.
Was originally planning on putting a 6.0 Vortec with a turbo, but decided on a 3.5 inline 5 cylinder I had from a rolled pickup purchase. Thought the DOHC with VVT would be a little more interesting under the hood, and since it's more of a cruising pickup the 6.0 would have been overkill. The 6.0 is still being built, I just don't know what it will end up in yet. Just got the engine mounted last weekend and will do the tranny crossmember this weekend. I didn't have the mount for the transmission yet, so I had to wait. A local shop swapped it from 4wd to 2wd in trade for the old transfer case, great people.
I'm waiting on my rims/tires and the purchase of suspension analyzer to decide whether or not I will modify the front suspension aside from my drop spindles, bags, and boxing the lower control arm. It has a long, long way to go, but it'll get there slowly, once piece at a time.
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2014/01/IMG_8893-1.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/antonsenm04/media/IMG_8893.jpg.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/03/HPIM2997_zps57c59ada-1.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/antonsenm04/media/HPIM2997_zps57c59ada.jpg.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/03/HPIM2999_zpsd847f1e6-1.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/antonsenm04/media/HPIM2999_zpsd847f1e6.jpg.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/03/HPIM2993_zpsd2e72d90-1.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/antonsenm04/media/HPIM2993_zpsd2e72d90.jpg.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2013/03/HPIM2992_zpsb8f090e1-1.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/antonsenm04/media/HPIM2992_zpsb8f090e1.jpg.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2014/01/cutmypic_zps73f0ebc5-1.png (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/antonsenm04/media/cutmypic_zps73f0ebc5.png.html)
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2014/01/IMG_0539_zps5d918d81-1.jpg (http://s160.photobucket.com/user/antonsenm04/media/IMG_0539_zps5d918d81.jpg.html)