1994 Chevy C3500 Crew Cab Long Bed Build Thread

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

JScott23

8 Lug Expert
Joined
Sep 7, 2012
Messages
1,137
Reaction score
458
Location
Illinois
I had a feeling that was it... thats an awesome project. Should be awesome when its done.. Tell you what, you want to drive out on out here to Central IL for a summer vacation we can swap frames lol.
 

JScott23

8 Lug Expert
Joined
Sep 7, 2012
Messages
1,137
Reaction score
458
Location
Illinois
One item I forgot in my last post. Didn't know how much I would miss this overhead console until I didn't have one. Ebay took care of that. Found a decent deal on this overhead console. Only downfall is kind of smells like smoke. I'll have to do some cleaning on it so it doesn't make the whole truck smell..

You must be registered for see images attach
 

skylark

I'm Awesome
Joined
Nov 15, 2011
Messages
7,836
Reaction score
7,653
Location
Grants Pass, OR
I had a feeling that was it... thats an awesome project. Should be awesome when its done.. Tell you what, you want to drive out on out here to Central IL for a summer vacation we can swap frames lol.
My sister and her family live in Bolingbrook. Unfortunately i can only take a week at a time for vacation so driving there is impractical.
 

JScott23

8 Lug Expert
Joined
Sep 7, 2012
Messages
1,137
Reaction score
458
Location
Illinois
My sister and her family live in Bolingbrook. Unfortunately i can only take a week at a time for vacation so driving there is impractical.

Not only that, Towing a truck frame across the country isn't worth the cost in fuel, or worth the risk of flat tires, accidents, or terminal drivetrain failure that could leave you stranded thousands of miles from home.. Its not like its a super difficult thing to find...

The C3500 CCLB 2WD trucks are very common, and honestly I see them selling cheaper and cheaper. I've seen some of the rougher ones for $800-1200 routinely on craigslist. They are just such a big long truck, I don't think many people don't want to mess with them.

In my case, the CCLB 4x4's hold a much higher value, and people don't mind the size when it has 4WD I guess. I'll have a little harder time finding one but I'll get ahold of one eventually.
 

JScott23

8 Lug Expert
Joined
Sep 7, 2012
Messages
1,137
Reaction score
458
Location
Illinois
Got the overhead console in last night. Really was nerve racking cutting up a perfectly good console, but after a little tedious trimming and some persistence to get the little speed clip on, everything went on like it should. Haven't got the lights wired up yet, its on the to-do list.

You must be registered for see images attach


My 97 had one of these from the factory, my 93 has one, I've become accustomed to putting my sunglasses in there. Just the small things like that and the door panel pouches that I've gotten used to having.

Here are the only pictures I took of the interior before swapping it out. I'll admit, the rubber floors/vinyl seats were nice for back when I had three dogs.... but they were super hot, and super cold in the summer/winter seasons.

You must be registered for see images attach


You must be registered for see images attach
 

JScott23

8 Lug Expert
Joined
Sep 7, 2012
Messages
1,137
Reaction score
458
Location
Illinois
Lots going on recently. Hit up the Central IL Truck show and had a pretty good time. Probably close to 500 trucks there, pretty good turnout. I know they had over 1000 people attend.

You must be registered for see images attach


You must be registered for see images attach


Put a few hundred miles on the truck over the weekend, truck ran great, no complaints. Other than a less than desired 12 mpg.

You must be registered for see images attach


This week has gotten off to a rougher start.... my daily driver (white 93 6.5 crew cab) won't go into O/D and the transmission has been rebuilt recently. With 4:10 gears it makes it almost impossible to drive. (55mph=3k rpm) The transmission can't have more than 10k miles on it. I know for a fact that its probably the internal wiring harness/O/D module thing, which is a flawed component in the 92-93 4L80E's.

You must be registered for see images attach


That means this 94 turns into the daily driver. Which is fine for now, but come winter i'll have a bigger problem with it. They salt like crazy here and it's a rust free truck.

Now most of you are probably thinking, just rebuild the transmission. I could, but i do have ambitions to 4x4 swap one of my two trucks since i want 4x4 but don't want to buy a 3rd vehicle. Since I already have a trans/t-case/shift linkage from a 93 k3500, all i need to find is a K3500 crew cab chassis that i can swap my truck over too. Should be able to find a truck with a blown up 6.5 or something. Then i can part that truck out and swap my stuff over to the 4x4 frame rebuilding the whole thing with new fuel/brake lines etc etc. I could SAS my current truck, but i don't mind IFS, and i'd like to keep stock height/steering/ride quality.
 

JScott23

8 Lug Expert
Joined
Sep 7, 2012
Messages
1,137
Reaction score
458
Location
Illinois
Update!

I've been daily driving this thing for about 2-3 months now since my 93 (white crew cab) lost overdrive. Daily driving the truck has gone well, but I'm not really fond of the carb...

So that said.... I've rolled the dice on Fitech's EFI throttle body. Should make it run a lot better for daily driving. Its kinda unfortunate that the Engine/Trans will run as separate functions, (fitech fuel management/baumann trans controller) but oh well. Should give me better starts and better gas mileage.

If I can get this truck to be a consistent runner I should be able to run this thing for quite a few years... Since this has the 350, and doesn't have power windows, power locks has clean but not perfect paint, I will be using this as my daily driver from this point forward. Even though its rust free. Just still doesn't mean to as much to me as the white one.... I'd rather fully restore the white truck to keep for a long time. No real aspirations to keep this thing for the rest of my life, simply enjoy it as long as I can.


And finally, a few pictures from driving this thing so far this year.


You must be registered for see images attach


You must be registered for see images attach


You must be registered for see images attach


You must be registered for see images attach


You must be registered for see images attach


You must be registered for see images attach


You must be registered for see images attach


You must be registered for see images attach


You must be registered for see images attach
 

JScott23

8 Lug Expert
Joined
Sep 7, 2012
Messages
1,137
Reaction score
458
Location
Illinois
Update!

I haven't been posting on here as much as i should be, i should be better about that but with facebook truck pages becoming so popular i just forget to bounce over to the forum.

So i've run the 350 for about 6 months. Its been alright, i've done a little work with it here and there, it lacks torque in such a long truck, but it works. That said, its been using oil which from my theory is from the rings not seating. Will have to take up the warranty with GM. Its also getting a whopping 8-10 miles per gallon. Can't have that. So its coming out. I'll use the motor and the Fitech fuel injection in another project of some kind.

The white truck's transmission lost 4th gear and its perfectly running 6.5 has a rear main seal leak, so its time for some changes.

Pulling the 6.5 out of the white truck, and putting it into the red truck, saving the 350 for another project. Then add this motor to the white truck. Not sure on what trans yet.

The motor is a 95 P-Pump 12 Valve. Should be interesting although i'm not sure what trans i'm going to use yet. Motor is stock, pump hasn't been messed with. I'm thinking 4K governor springs, head studs, all re-sealed and possibly a different turbo. Will have to pick up another 4" diamond eye kit as well. Thought about a stack but i can't justify that with as much as i use my bed.

You must be registered for see images attach


Did some swapping of front ends because i was bored one night. Ultimately i want to keep the white truck as long as i can. Red truck doesn't have as much sentimental value to me. So that's why i'm going to put more time and effort into the white one. red one is just my daily driver for as long as i can run that truck.

You must be registered for see images attach


You must be registered for see images attach


Got a start on everything tonight. Gotta get the 6.5 out of the white truck and get the rear main seal fixed. Then i'll put it in the red truck which is my daily driver. White truck needs a lot of TLC, so i'm in no rush to get the cummins swap done.

You must be registered for see images attach
 
Last edited:

phule

Back in a 400 again
Joined
Jun 11, 2012
Messages
2,358
Reaction score
145
Location
Southern nh
Effin love that red truck on 18x10s!

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk
 
Top