This 1970 Chevrolet K10 Stepside is a factory four-wheel-drive long bed finished in bronze and built around a modern drivetrain rather than a period-correct restoration. The 1967 to 1972 Action Line trucks are among the most sought-after GM pickups, and the majority of the ones that get built are short-bed Fleetsides. A long-bed Stepside on four-wheel drive is a less common starting point, and this one has been put together to be driven and used rather than parked. The odometer currently reads 41,261 miles, though true mileage is unknown on a truck of this age.
Power comes from a Gen IV iron-block 5.3L V8 that was gone through during the swap. The heads were redone and the short block received new rod bolts, with a camshaft, pushrods, and rockers completing the valvetrain. Exhaust is a Flowmaster FlowFX system. Engine management is a Holley Terminator X Max handling fueling and timing, and the truck carries a flex fuel sensor, giving it the ability to run pump 93 or E85 with the ECU adjusting for the blend. Behind the engine is an SM465 four-speed manual, still one of the more durable truck gearboxes GM built and known for its deep granny-low first gear. A gear-driven NP205 transfer case splits power to a Dana 44 front axle and a 12-bolt rear fitted with a Detroit Truetrac and 4.10 gears. With 35-inch tires under it, the 4.10s bring the effective gearing back in line for road use while the SM465's low first handles slow work and loaded starts.
Underneath is a 4-inch Rough Country lift on Mastercraft 35x10.50 tires mounted to 15-inch Mickey Thompson wheels. Braking is by front discs with drilled and slotted rotors and rear drums, and a trailer brake controller has been added for towing. Steering is power assisted, which makes a real difference on a lifted 4x4 running 35s. The cab retains its bench seat, which presents in excellent shape, and all of the factory gauges function as they should. That includes the tachometer and vacuum gauge along with oil pressure and coolant temperature, all reading correctly off the late-model engine, which is the kind of integration work that often gets skipped on an LS swap.
The result is a four-wheel-drive Stepside with modern fuel injection, flex fuel capability, a four-speed manual, and a helical-gear limited-slip rear, set up to tow and to be driven regularly.
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