Our "New" 1971 C-10 Cheyenne

(ANNOUNCER)>> TODAY WE'RE ON THE HUNT AGAIN LOOKING FOR A NEW PROJECT, AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE'VE FOUND ONE.

A '71 CHEYENNE C-10 THAT COMES WITH LOTS OF POTENTIAL, AND EVEN MORE GAS GUZZLING OLD SCHOOL BIG BLOCK HORSEPOWER.

IT'S ALL TODAY... HERE ON TRUCKS!

(RYAN)>> HEY GUYS, WELCOME TO TRUCKS. WELL WITH OUR '49 CHEVY, PROJECT CLASSIX FINISHED AND DONE, AND OUR ORANGE JEEP WRANGLER OUT OF THE SHOP, WELL WE'VE GOT SOME EXTRA SPACE, AND WE WANT TO FILL THAT SPACE WITH ANOTHER PROJECT TRUCK. SO WE'RE DOWN HERE AT AN INDEPENDENT AUTO DEALER. THE PLACE HAS A GOT A GOOD SELECTION OF TRUCKS AND A LITTLE BIT OF VARIETY.

NOW INDEPENDENT AUTO DEALERS TYPICALLY HAVE A WIDER SELECTION OF MAKES AND MODELS THAN NEW CAR DEALERS, LIKE THIS HONE HUMMER. AND THERE'S TRUCKS THAT WE WANT, THERE'S CARS WE DON'T REALLY WANT. PICK UP THIS COOL OLD SUBURBAN, BUT WE'RE NOT QUITE READY FOR ANOTHER JEEP JUST YET. AND NO MATTER WHAT WE GET, WE WANTED TO STAY CLOSE TO HOME.

(KEVIN)>> SO WE FOUND OURSELVES HERE AT GOWEN WHOLESALE AUTO IN LAWRENCEBURG, TENNESSEE. AND EVEN WITH ALL THE REST OF THIS GREAT STUFF HERE ON THE LOT, WE FOUND WHAT WE WERE REALLY LOOKING FOR TUCKED AWAY IN A BACK CORNER. SO WE BROUGHT IT OUT HERE TO SHOW YOU GUYS THE NEW TRUCKS PROJECT, CHECK OUT THE CHEVY. NOW A BIG BLOCK IN '71, WELL THAT WAS PRETTY COMMON, BUT YOU COMBINE THAT WITH THE REST OF THE OPTIONS ON THIS TRUCK AND YOU GET A RARE BIRD.

HECK THE MOLDINGS AND CHROME TRIM PACKAGE ALONE ADD CONSIDERABLY TO THE CURB WEIGHT.

AND THROW A CHEYENNE PACKAGE ON TOP OF THAT, YOU MAY AS WELL BE DRIVING A CADILLAC FOR A TRUCK. NOW THIS TRUCK IS ARGUABLY ONE OF THE MOST DESIRABLE CLASSIC PICK UPS EVER TO COME OUT OF DETROIT. SHORT BED, FLEET SIDE, CHROME BUMPERS, BIG BACK WINDOW, SUPER TRICK WOOD GRAIN BODY SIDE MOLDING, AND MORE EMBLEMS

AND TRIM THAN YOU CAN POSSIBLY SHAKE A STICK AT. THIS TRUCK IS LOADED FROM THE FACTORY, INCLUDING THE BIG BLOCK.

(RYAN)>> NOW THE LOW PROFILE STEEL COWL HOOD IS NOT STOCK, AND NEITHER IS WHAT'S UNDERNEATH IT. NOW THIS TRUCK DID COME WITH A 400 BIG BLOCK FROM THE

FACTORY, BUT IT'S LONG GONE AND IT'S SINCE BEEN REPLACED WITH A WARMED UP 454 OUT OF A 1970 CHEVY CORVETTE.

(KEVIN)>> THE INTERIOR IS JUST AS LOADED AS THE REST OF THE TRUCK WITH THE DELUXE TRIM PACKAGE, HEAD LINER, SEAT COVER, DASH PAD, AND ALL KINDS OF STUFF LIKE

FACTORY AIR CONDITIONING. NOW IT HAS BEEN MESSED WITH A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE IT'S

GOT AN AFTERMARKET RADIO AND SOME GAUGES FOR BETTER COMMUNICATION. SPEAKING OF GAUGES, HERE'S SOMETHING THAT YOU ALMOST

NEVER SEE FACTORY IN A CLASSIC TRUCK, A CENTER MOUNTED TACH.

(RYAN)>> SO AFTER SOME CLEVER NEGOTIATION, THIS BABY WAS OURS!

(KEVIN)>> NOW ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE NOTICED, OTHER THAN THE COOL EXHAUST NOTE AND THE RIDICULOUSLY HIGH STALL SPEED ON THE TORQUE CONVERTER, WAS THAT THIS TRUCK WAS ACTUALLY PRETTY SMOOTH ON THE ROAD THANKS TO THE INDEPENDENT FRONT SUSPENSION AS WELL AS THE TRUCK ARM SETUP OUT BACK. IT ACTUALLY HANDLED OKAY FOR AN OLD TRUCK.

(RYAN)>> NOW THE ROLLING STOCK ON THIS CHEVY IS KINDA TYPICAL OF WHAT YOU WOULD SEE ON A LIGHTLY MODIFIED

VEHICLE OF THIS ERA. YOU'VE GOT SOME WIDE BUT KINDA HEAVY STEEL RALLY WHEELS WRAPPED IN SOME RAISED WHITE LETTER TIRES THAT HAVE SEEN BETTER DAYS. THEY'RE OLD AND DRY ROTTED, AND THE COMPOUND WAS PROBABLY PRETTY HARD TO START WITH. SO NEEDLESS TO SAY, THIS TRUCK LACKS TRACTION.

AND OF COURSE A HEALTHY DOSE OF THROTTLE DOESN'T HELP THAT PROBLEM. NOW THE TRAILING ARM SUSPENSION, LIKE KEVIN SAID, RIDES PRETTY WELL, AND IT ACTUALLY USES COIL SPRINGS INSTEAD OF A TYPICAL LEAF SPRING ARRANGEMENT FOUND IN THE BACK OF MOST PICK UP TRUCKS. AND THIS TRUCK ARM SETUP IS ACTUALLY THE SAME BASIC DESIGN THAT NASCAR USES TO THIS DAY.

(KEVIN)>> NOW A LAZY DRIVE ON A TWO LANE COUNTRY ROAD COMBINED WITH THE 4.10 GEARS, 3,000 RPM STALL SPEED, AND THREE SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, NOT SO BAD. BUT YOU GET THIS THING OUT ON THE HIGHWAY AND IT IS SCREAMING, ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU KICK IN AND TRY AND PASS SOMEBODY. AND YOU GUYS KNOW AS WELL AS WE DO THAT A BIG BLOCK AND SUSTAINED HIGH RPM IS NOT A HEALTHY COMBINATION.

SO WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT.

(RYAN)>> HEY GUYS, WELCOME BACK TO TRUCKS AND DAY ONE OF OUR 1971 C-10 PROJECT. NOW LIKE WE LIKE TO DO WITH A LOT OF THESE PROJECTS, WE LIKE TO TAKE THEM OUT AND ESTABLISH A ROUGH BASE LINE OF PERFORMANCE SO WE CAN GET A BASIC IDEA OF HOW WELL IT HANDLES, ACCELERATES, AND BRAKES, SO WE CAN TRY TO MAKE A GOOD TRUCK EVEN BETTER. AND GET SOME HEAT IN THE TIRE. FIRST UP, ZERO TO 60. ALRIGHT, GET HER UP ON THE CONVERTER A LITTLE BIT AND GO!

LIKE WE SAID, TRACTION CAN BE A PROBLEM. 60, I THINK WE HIT 60 JUST ABOUT STANDING STILL. THEN WE TURNED THE TRUCK AROUND AND DID A 60 TO ZERO TEST AS BEST WE COULD. [ tires squealing ]

(RYAN)>> THEN TO MEASURE OUR LACKLUSTER RESULTS KEVIN GOT THE TAPE MEASURE AND STARTED WALKING, AND KEPT WALKING A WHILE. WELL, WELL, WELL, 206 FEET FROM ABOUT 60 MILES AN HOUR. THE SPEEDOMETER'S GIVING US A FITS AND KINDA BOUNCING AROUND A LITTLE BIT. BUT EITHER WAY, IT'S KINDA EMBARRASSING FOR

THIS OLD PICK UP TRUCK. IF YOU REMEMBER, OUR RED SIERRA STOPPED FROM 60 IN 119 FEET IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY. WE'VE GOT SOME WORK TO DO ON THIS ONE. AND FINALLY HANDLING!

(KEVIN)>> ACTION, ACTION!

(RYAN)>> IT JUST WILL NOT HOOK UP. ALRIGHT, THIS THING OBVIOUSLY PUSHES, OH GOSH, STEERING IS... I WAS GONNA SAY KINDA TIGHT.

(KEVIN)>> NOW ALL THAT LOSS OF TRACTION LOOKED FUN, SO I FIGURED I'D GIVE IT A SHOT.

MISSED ONE! NOW THAT PERFORMANCE CLEARLY EARNED RYAN'S RESPECT.

(RYAN)>> HOW'S MISS DAISY DOING IN THERE?

(KEVIN)>> ALRIGHT, NOW WHAT RYAN'S GONNA TELL YOU IS THAT THAT WAS THE DRIVING MISS DAISY RUN, AND I'M GONNA TELL HIM I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT. SO OF COURSE I HAD TO GIVE IT ANOTHER SHOT AND SHOW HIM WHO'S BOSS.

OKAY, I KILLED ONE, A LITTLE BIT OF REDEMPTION. I'M STARTING TO SMELL GASOLINE. YOU SMELL GAS, I SMELL GAS! THE GAS FUMES WEREN'T JUST COMING OUT THE EXHAUST. WITH AN UNBAFFLED FUEL TANK AND EXCESSIVE BODY ROLL, IT

WAS THROWING A LITTLE BIT OF GASOLINE OUT THE FUEL FILLER CAP.

OKAY, NOW ON THE RECORD, I'M GONNA SAY THE CONE MOVED. IT WAS A SUICIDAL CONE, IT JUMPED IN FRONT OF ME, AND I RAN OUT OF BRAKES, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL STUCK, MY SEATBELT WASN'T ADJUSTED RIGHT, AND THOSE KINDS OF

THINGS GOING ON, I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT. RYAN'S NOT A BETTER DRIVE, BUT I CAN HANDLE THIS STUFF.

(RYAN)>> NOW YOU JUST HEARD KEVIN'S EXCESSIVE EXCUSES FOR THE POOR HANDLING, BUT YOU CAN SEE THE EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF

BODY ROLL THE TRUCK'S EXHIBITING IN THE CORNERS, AND THAT'S DUE LARGELY TO A MISSING SWAY BAR BUSHING. NOT TO MENTION ABOUT A 50 YEAR OLD CHASSIS DESIGN.

(KEVIN)>> NOW ANOTHER TEST WE WANTED TO PERFORM WAS AN AVERAGE FUEL ECONOMY TEST BECAUSE LETS FACE IT, SPIRITED DRIVING THROUGH CONES, STOP/START TESTS, ACCELERATION

RUNS, WELL IT'S WASTEFUL ON A CONSUMPTION LEVEL.

PLUS, THIS THING KICKS IT OUT THE FUEL CAP LIKE A TYPICAL OLD TRUCK. SO WE'RE GONNA RUN SOME GAS OUT OF THE TANK, MEASURE HOW MUCH WE PUT IN, KNOW WHERE WE STARTED FROM SINCE THE ODOMETER ACTUALLY WORKS ON THIS VEHICLE, AND SEE HOW MUCH GAS WE USED.

MEASURE THE MILES AGAINST GALLONS.

OKAY, SO WE DROVE 95 MILES AND RAN NEARLY THREE QUARTERS OF A TANK OF GAS OUT OF THIS THING. I'M GONNA FILL IT BACK UP TO THE TOP, DO A LITTLE MATH.

NOW 95 MILES IS HARDLY ENOUGH FOR AN ACCURATE SCIENTIFIC TEST, BUT IT'S CERTAINLY ENOUGH TO CONFIRM OUR

SUSPICION THAT THIS IS A GAS GUZZLING PIG.

ALRIGHT, WE'LL FILL IT TO THE SAME LEVEL, I CAN SEE THE GAS. NOW WE TRAVELED 95 MILES, BURNED 10.5 GALLONS, THAT

GIVES US RIGHT AT NINE MILES PER GALLON, NOT SO GOOD. THEY'RE FUN MILES BUT THEY'RE EXPENSIVE.

(KEVIN)>> HEY, WELCOME BACK TO THE SHOP. WELL AFTER TAKING OUR NEW TO US '71 CHEVY PROJECT TRUCK OUT ON THE ROAD AND PUTTING IT THROUGH ITS PACES, A COUPLE OF THINGS ARE VERY CLEAR THAT WE HAD KIND OF SUSPECTED, AND THAT MOST OF YOU GUYS ALREADY KNOW. IT'S THAT BIG BLOCK HORSEPOWER AND TORQUE IN A VINTAGE TRUCK, A TON OF FUN.

IT ALSO CONFIRMED THAT STOCK SUSPENSION WITH A NOSE HEAVY WEIGHT BIAS KIND OF PRESENTS A HANDLING CHALLENGE. THE OTHER THING THAT IS CRYSTAL CLEAR IS THAT ALL THAT POWER AND TORQUE, WELL YOU PAY THE PRICE AT THE PUMP.

IT LIKES GASOLINE, BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT LIKE THIS.

IN 1971, WHEN THIS TRUCK CAME OFF THE LINE WITH A BIG BLOCK, GAS PRICES WERE 36 CENTS A GALLON. YEAH, LET THAT SINK IN FOR A SECOND. AND EVEN WITH THE DOLLARS ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION, THAT'S STILL ONLY $1.31 A GALLONISH, GIVE OR TAKE. SO WHAT THAT TELLS YOU IS THAT THE FACTORY COMPROMISED AND GAVE US HORSEPOWER AND TORQUE AT THE

EXPENSE OF FUEL ECONOMY.

(RYAN)>> BUT A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE THING, AND NOT JUST THE PRICE OF FUEL. TECHNOLOGY HAS COMPLETELY CHANGED AUTOMOTIVE PERFORMANCE. HECK, WITH A LATE MODEL VEIGHT, YOU CAN JUST ABOUT HAVE YOUR CAKE AND EAT IT TOO AS FAR AS PERFORMANCE AND ECONOMY GOES. CAUSE WHAT FUN IS 400 PLUS HORSEPOWER IF YOU CAN ONLY PLAY A COUPLE OF VERY EXPENSIVE GALLONS AT A TIME? NOW TECHNOLOGY HAS NOT ONLY IMPROVED EFFICIENCY OF ENGINES, WELL IT'S ALSO CHANGED THE MATERIALS THAT ARE USED IN THE PRODUCTION OF THEM, MAKING THEM SMALLER AND MORE POWERFUL. SO WE WANTED TO THROW THIS TRUCK UP ON THE SCALES AND SEE

WHAT KIND OF WEIGHT WE HAD OVER THE FRONT END OF THIS THING BEFORE AND AFTER AN ENGINE SWAP. NOW OUR REGULAR CAB SHORT BED PICK UP IS PRETTY WELL LOADED UP AND ABOUT AS HEAVY AS THEY COME. IT'S GOT AIR CONDITIONING, IRON HEADED BIG BLOCK, BIG HEAVY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, AND SOME KIND OF WIDE AND HEAVY STEEL WHEELS, AND WE COME IN AT 4,123 POUNDS. NOT TERRIBLE, BUT IT'S BY NO MEANS A LIGHT WEIGHT. NOW WE'RE NOT AFTER BETTER WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION FOR THE SAKE OF PURE HANDLING. WE'VE GOT PROJECT ROLLING THUNDER FOR THAT. BUT WE WANTED TO SHOW YOU THAT YOU CAN DITCH THE FACTORY BIG BLOCK, OR THE BIG BLOCK THAT'S IN HERE, AND NOT ONLY IMPROVE PERFORMANCE. YOU CAN IMPROVE DRIVABILITY, RELIABILITY, AND FUEL ECONOMY, AND IT DOESN'T HAVE TO COST AS MUCH AS YOU MIGHT THINK. NOW OUR SEAT OF THE PANTS DYNO TELLS US THAT OUR MILDLY BUILT BIG BLOCK IS EASILY MAKING OVER 400 HORSEPOWER. BUT WHEN PEOPLE SAY BIG BLOCK, THEY'RE NOT KIDDING.

THAT THING'S HUGE. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN OR IMPROVE ON THAT POWER NUMBER WITH A MUCH SMALLER ENGINE, LIKE THIS LS SITTING HERE. NOW IT'S NO SECRET THAT LS BASED ENGINES HAVE A LOT OF POTENTIAL AND CAN MAKE SOME SERIOUS HORSEPOWER, BUT THEY DON'T HAVE TO COST THAT MUCH. YOU CAN PICK UP AN IRON BLOCK TRUCK ENGINE FOR RELATIVELY CHEAP. HECK, YOU CAN PICK UP A FULLY DRESSED VEIGHT WITH

ACCESSORIES, ENGINE WIRING HARNESS, AND CONTROL UNIT FOR ABOUT $1,500 BUCKS.

SOMETIMES LESS THAN A GRAND IF YOU KNOW WHERE TO LOOK. AND IF YOU WANT TO SAVE EVEN MORE WEIGHT, YOU CAN PICK UP AN ALUMINUM BLOCK ENGINE, SOMETHING OUT OF A CAMARO, GTO, OR CORVETTE.

HECK EVEN SOME OF THE TRUCK ENGINES WERE ALUMINUM BLOCK. SO DO YOUR HOMEWORK IF YOU'RE CONSIDERING AN LS SWAP. NOW ALL WE HAVE TO DO IS FIGURE OUT WHAT

DIRECTION WE WANT TO GO.

(RYAN)>> HEY GUYS, WELCOME BACK. NOW LIKE WE TOLD YOU, WE'RE GONNA BE SWAPPING OUT THIS BIG BLOCK IN FAVOR OF A MORE MODERN AND MORE EFFICIENT VEIGHT OF EQUAL OR GREATER HORSEPOWER. BUT THERE'S NOTHING REALLY WRONG WITH THAT BIG BLOCK. SO WE'RE NOT GONNA GIVE AWAY. IN FACT WE'RE GONNA TRY TO SELL IT FOR AS MUCH AS WE CAN TO OFFSET THE COSTS OF THE NEW OR REPLACEMENT ENGINE. SO IF YOU GUYS FIND YOURSELF IN A SIMILAR SITUATION WITH A USED ENGINE TO SELL, HERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS YOU CAN DO TO MAXIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO PUT IN YOUR OLD POCKET. NOW THE FIRST THING YOU CAN DO IS BREAK OUT YOUR VIDEO CAMERA

OR YOUR PHONE, AND CAPTURE SOME VIDEO OF THE ENGINE RUNNING. REV IT UP A COUPLE OF TIMES TO SHOW ANY POTENTIAL BUYERS THAT THE ENGINE RUNS GOOD AND IT SOUNDS GOOD. AND THIS ONE DOES. NOW THE NEXT THING YOU CAN DO IS GO INSIDE THE CAB, GET SOME MORE PICTURES OR SOME MORE VIDEO OF THE GAUGES SHOWING THAT THE ENGINE'S UP TO OPERATING TEMPERATURE AND IT'S HOLDING OIL PRESSURE AT IDLE. THAT'LL MAKE ANY POTENTIAL BUYERS FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE OVERALL CONDITION OF THE ENGINE. NOW ANOTHER THING YOU CAN DO TO HELP ALLEVIATE ANY FEARS SOMEBODY MIGHT HAVE ABOUT THE ENGINE POSSIBLY HAVING SOMETHING WRONG INTERNALLY, WITHOUT DISASSEMBLING IT, IS

TO DO A COMPRESSION TEST. HERE'S HOW IT'S DONE. THIS IS A MASTER COMPRESSION TEST KIT THAT WE PICKED UP FROM MATCO, AND IT INCLUDES A VARIETY OF LEADS, OR HOSE ADAPTERS, SO YOU CAN USE THIS KIT ON A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT ENGINES THAT ACCEPT DIFFERENT TYPES OF SPARK PLUGS.

AND OBVIOUSLY INCLUDES A QUALITY GAUGE SO YOU CAN GET ACCURATE CYLINDER PRESSURE READINGS. NOW BEFORE YOU DO THE ACTUAL TEST, YOU NEED TO REMOVE ALL THE SPARK PLUGS, PULL THE POWER FEED FROM THE IGNITION, CLAMP THE FUEL LINE SHUT SO YOU DON'T WASH DOWN THE CYLINDERS, AND IT'S ALSO A GOOD IDEA TO HOOK UP A BATTERY CHARGER SO THE ENGINE CRANKS OVER QUICKLY. THEN USE ONE OF THE SPARK PLUGS YOU REMOVED TO MATCH UP THE HOSE ADAPTER THAT FITS YOUR ENGINE, AND JUST THREAD IT IN BY HAND. IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE TOO TIGHT. THEN OBVIOUSLY CONNECT THE GAUGE AND MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S CLEAR OF THE MOVING PARTS ON THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE. THEN WITH THE THROTTLE HELD OPEN, GO AHEAD AND CRANK THE ENGINE FOR A GOOD SEVEN OR EIGHT SECONDS, OR UNTIL THE READING STABILIZES. [ engine turning over, not firing ]

(RYAN)>> THAT'S GOOD! NOW WE ENDED UP WITH A PRETTY STRONG 180 PSI, WHICH IS PROBABLY AN INDICATION THAT THIS IS A HIGH COMPRESSION ENGINE. THEN JUST RECORD YOUR READING. THEN JUST REPEAT THE TEST ON THE OTHER SEVEN CYLINDERS. NOW MORE IMPORTANTLY THAN THE ACTUAL PEAK READING YOU GET ON THIS GAUGE FOR THIS PARTICULAR CYLINDER IS THE COMPARISON BETWEEN IT AND THE OTHER SEVEN CYLINDERS. YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE MORE THAN 10 OR 15 PERCENT VARIATION ACROSS THE BOARD. IF YOU DO IT MAY BE AN INDICATION THAT SOMETHING IS WORN INTERNALLY. BUT IF YOU GET A GOOD TEST, THEN YOU'LL HAVE DOCUMENTATION TO SHOW ANY POTENTIAL BUYERS THAT THE ENGINE'S IN GOOD SHAPE, AND YOU'VE GOT VIDEO TO SUPPORT THAT PROVING THAT THE ENGINE RUNS GOOD AND DOESN'T MAKE ANY WEIRD NOISES. AND THAT WAY HOPEFULLY YOU CAN MAXIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY

YOU GET FROM THE GUY WHO WANTS TO TRADE HIS CASH FOR YOUR ENGINE. GUYS THANKS FOR WATCHING TRUCKS, SEE YOU NEXT WEEK.