Huck’s 1985 C10

Huck

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Jan 27, 2011
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Ok, so most of you guys know that I picked up a blue, 1985 GMC Sierra Classic 1500 in February. Wanted to start a thread to keep up with the build. Plans are LS swap, 4-link with either bags or coilovers and tubular front end with either bags or coilovers, custom-ish interior. More details further in the thread.

It had about 104k OG miles on it and was a cut-down long bed. Super clean, I have yet to find any rust at all. Most are rotted in the rockers and cab corners but this doesn’t even have a rusty battery tray. I’ve wanted one of these for yearssss, so this one will stay around a while I hope.

This is how I picked it up:

-305/TH350/2.73 peg leg
-PW, PL, cruise (doesn’t work), A/C that works
-Vintage audio headunit (sucks balls)
-gas gauge is accurate though! The never are lol
-Frame and bed were cut down to a short bed
-whole truck clear coated
-4/6 drop
-McGaughys drop spindles and shackle flip with cut stock springs
-worn out parts store shocks
-notched
-New brakes
-20x8 and 20x10 polished torque thrusts with 245/40 and 275/45 Achilles tires, all brand new
-shorty headers and flow 40s with nothing after that


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Huck

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Here’s what I’ve done so far:

-New Quadrajet, old one was so worn out I could move the throttle shafts 1/8”

-Got rid of all the emissions and vacuum BS that’s not needed

-New plugs, cap and rotor

-new fuel pump (old one seized on me, thankfully didn’t bend the pushrod or hurt the cam)

-Rebuilt the entire front end (inner/outer tie rods, new upper control arms, rebuilt lower control arms, idler and pitman, MOOG big block springs with 1 coil cut, new rag joint)

-New Belltech SP shocks all around

-pinion shim to correct pinion angle

-sold the torque thrusts and picked up some rallies with OE size 235s, skinny beauty rings and stock center caps

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Huck

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I’ve started gathering parts for the LS swap.

-Tejas Steelworks engine mounts. These raise the engine and move it forward slightly so that you can use the stock truck oil pan and the stock AC location. Only a very small notch in the frame has to be done to give the AC lines a little breathing room.

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-Tejas high clearance trans crossmember. Will work with pretty much any trans and has high exhaust humps to keep the exhaust higher than the frame

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-Tejas ECM mount that will go on the drivers fender where the Jack is and mount both the ECM and a fuse block

-an ‘87 fuelie tank from AMD



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Huck

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Before I can go much further, I need to decide which engine and trans combo I’m going with. Any opinions are welcomed. Either combo will get a Sloppy Stage 2 or equivalent cam (.585/.585ish lift and 112ish LSA) and a 2800-3200 stall. There’s not much price different between the 2 so I’m leaning toward the LY6/6 speed

——LQ4 or LQ9 and a 4L80E
—pros:
-LQ4s and 80Es are plentiful
-known platform
-respond well to cam and timing changes
-should be around $350-375 at the tire

—cons:
-I HATE the 80e ratios
-cathedral port heads (only a minor con)
-will need a 3.73 or 4.10 to be enjoyable but will hurt HWY mpgs


——LY6 with a 6L80E or 6L90E

—pros:
-LS3 rectangle port heads, flow way more than the LQ4/9 heads
-stronger rods
-stronger block
-2 extra gears
-can run a 3.23 or 3.42 gear for cruising but still roll out from a dig
-should be 425-440 at the tire

—cons
-have to buy from timing cover and new cam gear to get rid of VVT
-6 speeds are finicky


The fuel system, harness and tuning depend on the combo. There’s a swap meet this weekend that I’m going to scout out. If I don’t find one there, there’s a local guy that sells these pull out combos with a warranty all day long.



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Oktain

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You know... Texas Speed takes aluminum 5.3's, they punch them out, and sleeve them to 7.0L...

:crazy:

Instead of an 80e, can you source a T56 for a "reasonable" price?
 
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Huck

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Jan 27, 2011
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You know... Texas Speed takes aluminum 5.3's, they punch them out, and sleeve them to 7.0L...

:crazy:

Instead of an 80e, can you source a T56 for a "reasonable" price?

Haha I bet they do!

Nah, T-56s are all $2500+ and then I’d still have to buy the clutch and the pedal assembly. I’d be in that swap $3500 by the time I’m done. That’s for a later date lol. Wanna make it a fun cruiser for this stage, then later on upgrade the suspension or get a whole chassis. At that point, I’ll swap a stick in, probably a TR-6060


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Khaos

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LQ9/80e, slap a 3k converter, 4.10s, tbss intake, get a cam spec'd and let it spin to 6500

Never ran mine on the dyno but just looking at similar builds I should be putting north of 380 to the tire. It's plenty of fun and I enjoy beating the hell out of it. Sure I wish it had more sometimes but then I remember I don't want to fix shit when I send it to the moon lol.
 
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Huck

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Unless of course you can get an LY6 for cheap then screw it run that

That’s where I’m stuck. I just assumed I’d do the LQ combo like you said but then when I started looking for engines, LY6s are only 200-400 more than the older LQs. And the 4L80 and 6L80 are the same price around here.

From my understanding, other than changing the cam/front cover to get ride of the VVT, the LQ and LY6 are essentially the same engine. Just some small revisions like knock sensor placement/etc and LS3 heads.


So now it’s just a matter of researching how much more complicated swapping those in are. I’m waiting to hear back from my tuner and a couple guys that have done the swap. If it’s way more complicated and expensive to integrate, I’ll go with the LQ, if not, LY6 for sure.


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Tiki

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Jan 23, 2011
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Agreed on 80e ratios, 6 speeds way more betta.

could always get the L92 :bertstare:
 

Tiki

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Eh. DOD/AFM to delete, more expense for minimal gain compared to LY6


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L92 and L9H had no AFM fam, but had VVT. My understanding is the AFM specific lifters are the bigger issue.
 

Huck

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L92 and L9H had no AFM fam, but had VVT. My understanding is the AFM specific lifters are the bigger issue.

Hmm, thought L92s were AFM too. I’m still learning on the newer motors. I’ll take any of them as long as it’s not AFM lol.

Talked to some guys in the C10 club of Ga today at the swap meet. They’re not crazy about the 6-speeds. I love the idea of it but most guys I talk to shy away from it and say it doesn’t handle the power as well. Apparently cruising on the interstate in high gear and matting it is no bueno for them. But that doesn’t make sense to me since they seem to do fine in stock trucks. Not sure why it would be different in a lighter truck. Waiting to hear back from a couple tuners to see what they say


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Tiki

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6.2/6L80e in my 11 feels like a rocket ship with no complaints, but I’ve driven nothing but GM trucks so I’m pretty easily impressed.
 
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Huck

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6.2/6L80e in my 11 feels like a rocket ship with no complaints, but I’ve driven nothing but GM trucks so I’m pretty easily impressed.

Drove my coworkers Denali with the 6.2/6L80 when it had like 350 miles on it. Expected more, but I also wasn’t really beating on it since it wasn’t even broken in. Plus it has lots of torque management I’m sure


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Oktain

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Drove my coworkers Denali with the 6.2/6L80 when it had like 350 miles on it. Expected more, but I also wasn’t really beating on it since it wasn’t even broken in. Plus it has lots of torque management I’m sure


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Beyond eliminating DOD, Torque Management is one of the biggest things I can't wait to ditch when I finally tune the truck. The 6L80's are tough from what I've seen/heard too. There's a guy in Toronto shoving 1000+hp down a 6L803's throat in a 2014 Sierra All Terrain, and the only drivetrain part he's broken has been the output shaft on his front diff from launching in 4wd with drag radials. Hoowybrow on Instagram.
 
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Huck

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Beyond eliminating DOD, Torque Management is one of the biggest things I can't wait to ditch when I finally tune the truck. The 6L80's are tough from what I've seen/heard too. There's a guy in Toronto shoving 1000+hp down a 6L803's throat in a 2014 Sierra All Terrain, and the only drivetrain part he's broken has been the output shaft on his front diff from launching in 4wd with drag radials. Hoowybrow on Instagram.

Ohhhh yeah, I follow him. Didn’t realize he was still running the 6-speed. I talked to my tuner last night, he said he’d recommend the 6-speed for sure. Said they are a little more finicky to get right, but it just takes some extra street tuning, no big deal.

Can’t freaking wait man, I need to start ordering more parts lol. There’s a show 9.5 weeks from now I’d like to be done by. We’ll see if that happens or not


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Oktain

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Ohhhh yeah, I follow him. Didn’t realize he was still running the 6-speed. I talked to my tuner last night, he said he’d recommend the 6-speed for sure. Said they are a little more finicky to get right, but it just takes some extra street tuning, no big deal.

Can’t freaking wait man, I need to start ordering more parts lol. There’s a show 9.5 weeks from now I’d like to be done by. We’ll see if that happens or not


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Going from my Sierra to the Yukon, the 6speed definitely helps.
 
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