Back From the Past

Getting Started

With the new engine and transmission in hand, the first step to the rebuild was the restoration. Years of weathering and shoddy quick-fixes had left the Chevy in serious need of repair. The frame was the first section to be addressed. The paint was stripped and the rear had to be modified to fit a new rear suspension from a wrecked 2003 Chevrolet 2500. With the back end getting a suspension upgrade, the front would undoubtedly need a little boost as well. With the implementation of newer parts from a Chevy pickup 27 years its junior, the C20 would have to undergo many different alterations and part replacements in order to function properly.

“The frame needed to be adjusted to work with four-wheel drive,” says Hoover. “After we got that out of the way, we reinforced the entire frame with quarter-inch steel for boosted strength. We knew there would be a lot of extra stress on the old 3/4-ton frame and wanted to get it done right the first time.”

With the frame properly reinforced, a Dana-60 axle was installed in the front, but it wasn't a simple one-to-one swap. The transfer case from the parted out Duramax put the driveshaft out on the driver’s side, which meant that Hoover would have to completely modify the Dana axle to fit the driveline properly. Drilling out the old welds, the driveline setup was swapped from the right side, which was its original position, to the left, which accommodated the setup of the newer T-case. With much of the frame work finally out of the way, the rest of the neglected Chevy needed to be taken care of.

“The body was in seriously rough shape when I bought it,” adds Hoover. “I had to replace the entire floor, along with the fenders, door skins and lower bedsides.”

Hours Of Work

Replacing the dilapidated parts didn't finish the job, however, and Hoover, along side his father, spent hundreds of man hours touching up and refinishing every inch of the Chevy. When it came time to address the dash cluster, Hoover's desire to keep it original had to be changed, as the Duramax gauges and steering column were to be installed. The next modern upgrade to the C20 was new bucket seats and a center console, which drastically changed the aesthetic appeal inside of the classic Chevy. Going back to the exterior, Hoover installed stained-wood flooring that he and his father custom cut. As for the missing rear bumper, a custom fabricated one that Hoover also cut and formed—along with a custom built fuel tank—was installed to replace the old and outdated stock fuel tank, which guaranteed clean fuel and accommodated the diesel fuel necessary to the Duramax engine that was now part of the Chevy.