Larry's 1978 K10

Been laying low...imagine my reaction when I saw that they finally got your truck in the mag. Congrats my friend! Interesting that they didn't use all those photos they took in '13; I'm sorry I missed OX this year. I think I finally sent you the ones I took in '13, pm me if I haven't.

For those who haven't had the pleasure of wheeling with Larry, the K10 literally just idles up and over obstacles with the 8.1. The "burble" of that engine is sweet. :sombrero:
 

justcuz

Explorer
Larry,

First, congrats on the magazine feature. It is always nice to have an article you have written or a vehicle you own featured in any publication.
Second, I was rolling through Colorado when you where on your Balwin Lake trip. Spent the night in Keenesburg, my buddies property is literally right behind the wild animal park. Funny to listen to lions roar and bears grunting in the middle of the night!
Third, Why is it that most women don't share our passion for multiple vehicles? How many kitchen appliances does your wife have? I could buy 3 vehicles for the money mine has invested in Cutco knives alone!
Fourth, Being the owner of 2 square bodies myself (73 Suburban and 76 3/4 ton) and the next generation of the GMT 400 (93 Extended Cab K2500 light duty and a 93 Suburban K1500 heavy duty {14 bolt SF, 3/4 ton rear springs, Z71 Bilsteins, green bars up front}) I kind of prefer the GMT 400's for long range comfort, chassis strength and fuel injected engines.
Fifth, I would love to find a GMT 400 K2500 Suburban and use an aftermarket kit to convert it to SFA. I think it would be an ideal expedition style vehicle.
Lastly, another diesel option for this type of vehicle would be a diesel 2wd Ford Expedition converted to 4wd using Dana 50 TTB stuff. Agile Off Road is doing it with Ford vans, so it should be strong enough for an Expedition.
 
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Larry

Bigassgas Explorer
Hello justcuz,

It was nice to meet you at the Overland Expo although we didn’t get to talk much. Next time.

Keenesburg? Wholly cow, that is like Kansas or Nebraska out there! You could probably roll a bowling ball for a few miles and not hit a single Californian or Texan. Sounds like a perfect place to put an animal sanctuary.

Yeah, I heard you. For her it is not kitchen stuff…it is scrapbooking stuff. She has more of that than I do truck stuff but she’ll never believe it because her parts, pieces and tools are smaller and fit in her playroom. LOL

I agree, GMT400’s are much more conducive to long distance travel. The GMT400 Suburban is actually my favorite Suburban of them all. I don’t even mind the IFS much on the 2500 series Burbs. If I would have found one of those before finding the deal on my ’89 square Burb I’d probably have one too. GMT400’s aren’t perfect but their list of issues is pretty short. The thing I love to hate the most about the GMT400’s is how you must drop the lower control arms just to replace the engine mounts. That is a PITA on a GMT400 4x4 with torsion bars! I did a V6 to TBI 454 in a GMT400 2wd and it was a piece of cake project outside of having to drop the lower control arms just to replace engine mounts.

Meh, I don’t believe in anything Ford. I mean nothing, zero, zilch… nada
 

Clutch

<---Pass
4wd using Dana 50 TTB stuff. Agile Off Road is doing it with Ford vans, so it should be strong enough for an Expedition.

That is pretty cool...TTB is pretty hot for the prerunner crowd...never heard anyone slinging one under an Econoline. Have seen cut and turned beams on the 2WD's, Camburg was doing them like that...which they "borrowed" from AutoFab.

Setup right they offer a smooth ride and a bit burlier than IFS.
 

Larry

Bigassgas Explorer
I used to think the same way until I bought a Colorado.

Yep, sometimes it works out that way. We bought a new 2002 Tahoe Z71 that was a turd from day one (constant transmission 1-2 shift shutter no dealer could seem to fix, service tcase errors, fuel sending unit, brake light switch failure, driver’s door module, and that’s all I can remember). We drove it 36,000 miles and had enough then traded it on the exact same Tahoe but a 2004 version. Nobody even realized we got a different Hoe because they were identical outside the slight color change between the 2002 Pewter and 2004 Silver Birch. The 2004 served us 8 years and 130,000 miles without one single issue. My wife’s aunt has a 2005 Colorado with a 4 cylinder with around 160K on it last time I put brakes on it. The poor little truck looks like it’s been to Pakistan and back but it’s never had an ounce of problems or work outside of routine maintenance and even at that, she doesn’t exactly maintain it well. Sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you don’t and sometime the problem is the loose nut behind the wheel.

That is pretty cool...TTB is pretty hot for the prerunner crowd...never heard anyone slinging one under an Econoline. Have seen cut and turned beams on the 2WD's, Camburg was doing them like that...which they "borrowed" from AutoFab.

Setup right they offer a smooth ride and a bit burlier than IFS.

Okay, run along now boys and don’t be highjacking my thread with Ford
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Larry

Bigassgas Explorer
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What is that on my computer screen!?
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Pretty cool looking Ford though
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Old Fords never die….they just eventually get repowered with GM engines :elkgrin:
 

justcuz

Explorer
I would own that! TTB dana 50 and a Sterling rear. Crew Cabs rock.
Larry I am a Chevy guy too, my Mom retired from Generous Motors in 1987. However I could be convinced to do something like this. That's a TTB Chevy with a Ford front cross member to mount the beams. Due to the difference in the Chevy Chassis the radius arms mount inside the frame rails practically out of sight.
 

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justcuz

Explorer
Here are a couple of my oldies. The first is my 63 in El Mirage with some water in it. The second is my 73 on its lid. The 63 had a 327/4spd/front 44 and 12 bolt rear. The 73 had an external hub 8 lug Dana 44 front with an LSD and the 14 bolt rear had a Detroit locker. It had shock hoops in the front with 3 shocks and double shocks in the rear. The 73 started out as a 1/2 ton 350/4spd truck around 3400 bucks brand new. We put the 3/4 ton axles and utility body on it in 79 or 80. Front springs were Deavers. The 73 was used for everything from regular 4 wheeling to chase duties for off road racing.
 

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arveetek

Adventurer
I'm always a little late to the party, but I just now got around to reading my latest issue of Peterson's. I was on a business trip and was at the airport waiting for a flight, when I finally had a chance to pull my magazine out. As soon as I looked at the cover, I thought to myself, "Hey! I know that truck! That's Larry's truck!" I showed it my coworker and told him how I love following your build on here. First time I ever saw someone I "knew" make it into a magazine! ;-)

Congrats on making it in the magazine!

Casey
 

Larry

Bigassgas Explorer
I'm always a little late to the party, but I just now got around to reading my latest issue of Peterson's. I was on a business trip and was at the airport waiting for a flight, when I finally had a chance to pull my magazine out. As soon as I looked at the cover, I thought to myself, "Hey! I know that truck! That's Larry's truck!" I showed it my coworker and told him how I love following your build on here. First time I ever saw someone I "knew" make it into a magazine! ;-)

Congrats on making it in the magazine!

Casey

Thanks Casey!

Ohhh, you mean like the '54 F-100 I'm building with the Caddy 500? :D

Yep, just like that! :sombrero:
 

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