68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

I finally got enough money together to start this build thread. Going to be sending the radiator support, inner fenders, air cleaner, and stove pipe pieces to the powder coater. Also swapping out my leaking power steering gear with a new redhead variable unit along with new high and low pressure lines.

But wait there is more :) Also decided to get a tilt column. I have already gotten the intermediate shaft. Bought a new drivers side fender. For inside the cab I got a new under dash wiring harness, headlight switch, heater harness, and heater control panel.

Parts should be arriving here next week. Since I am off work tomorrow I am going to get started on removing the radiator support bumper, fenders, etc.
This should be fun :)

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

:cool: Time for some pics!:D

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

YES IT IS!!!!

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

yea :wop: :)

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

cant wait for the pics

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

YUP, I agree
:wop:

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

:wop: :wop: :wop: :wop:

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

Here things as they are. I have not torn into anything yet gotta eat breakfast first :) Then the fun begins. :crazy: There will be more as I tear it all apart.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...uild/Truck.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...nerfender2.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...nnerfender.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...d/PassSide.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...ewofengine.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...uild/Front.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...deofengine.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...nerFender2.jpg

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

And one more..

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...nnerFender.jpg

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

Looks like a great start! Keep us posted!!!!!

Josh

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

It took me 5 hours but I did it. Core support, inner fenders and a whole lot of other stuff has been dropped off at the powder coaters. Drivers side fender is off. Here are the pics.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...d/100_5375.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...d/100_5374.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...d/100_5373.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...d/100_5372.jpg

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

After looking at that last pic It makes me want to pull the engine and clean up the firewall. Please dont say vintage air surefit kit or my wife will kill me :)

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

Always great to see one get a makeover

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

UPDATE: I dropped off a ton of stuff to the powder coater. Rad support, air cleaner, hood latches and a lot more I am sure I am forgetting :)

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

Looking good. I start taking mine apart this weekend.

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

vintage air surefit kit, sorry couldnt resist, looking good though, what are your plans for it???


-steven:crazy:

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

I am replacing the driver side fender and door hinges. Rad support, pullies,air cleaner assembly, stove pipe assembly & the hood latches are all getting powder coated. New power steering gear is going in along with a tilt column and intermediate shaft. New headlight switch, new under dash wiring harness, new heater controls, heater harness, vacuum guage and I think that is it. :) I really really want that surefit system but there is not enough $$$$ for it unless I want to push off the 700r4 for another year. and I dont :)

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

I took off the front bumper and the power steering pump along with its brackets. Frame is dirty but not bad at all.


http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...ild/Frame1.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...ild/Frame2.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...ingcloseup.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...wrsteering.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...rsteering2.jpg

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...ountdriver.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...tpassenger.jpg

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

I got my parts back from the powder coater today.
Here's a few pics.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...uild/Parts.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o.../HoodLatch.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...ebuild/Fan.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...erAssembly.jpg

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

UPDATE:
Im waiting for some parts to come in for the radiator core support. I still need to take off the exhaust manifolds and get them blasted and possibly jet coated.

If all goes well tomorrow night I will get the column taken out and the old power steering gearbox taken off and the new redhead put in. Here is some before pics of the bumper and the headlight bezels from tonight. Tomorrow they are headed to the power coater.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...ontBumper1.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...ontBumper2.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...ringBracke.jpg

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

In the back are the power steering brackets. I decided not to powder coat the power steering pump. I have it cleaned. I need to mask off all of the holes and wire wheel it. After that I will paint it.

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

looking good and just take your time to get it done right the first time. i know how much we all want to see it all done. im shocked the the city has not said nothing because your truck is all apart like that, here they are on my ass all the time.well enough of that good luck.

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

Chaps7931 I got some good neighbors and I keep it covered to boot. Plus I have done so much computer work around this area that they kinda owe me :) Plus its in my driveway facing the garage.

So its not "an eyesore" Hate that damn word :( Here is the latest. I took out the original column and while I was looking I noticed some rust near the brake booster brackets so I took out the brake booster. I ran out of time before I could get the steering gear and its shaft off so I will finish that off tomorrow. Cant wait to get that tilt column in there :)

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

sounds good and i would like pict of that install, and i am followings your build. makes me glad to see someone from san jose with a full build thread

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

Ok here is the latest. I wasnt feeling to good last night so I took the night off and now I am back at it. However that power steering gear is getting the best of me. Here is a pic of the pain in the $#$#$ :crazy: Also when I pulled off the brake booster I noticed some slight surface rust on the brackets and also on the firewall. I hate rust!! Its like that energizer bunny just keeps going and going and going. So I got out the 3.8 drill and a wire wheel and went to town. Only took 10 minutes. I have it primered right now. Letting it dry. Going to shoot it with some black and clear coat it. At least the rust will be stopped until I can get the cab to the blasters next year.

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...eringgear4.jpg

Before

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o.../Firewall2.jpg

Primered

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...lPrimered3.jpg

Painted

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...allPainted.jpg

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

first off where did your get your parts powder coated and was it expensive? i looked arouund and found very few people and they were $$$. 2nd why dont your just cut and weld a new peace where the rust is?

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

The place I use is spray technology in Santa Clara. Ask for Bill and when you talk to him be specific about what you are bringing. They do a lot of blasting on cars for the body shops in the area. For all of what I had done it was $225 and that included inner fenders. I didnt cut it out and weld another piece for 2 reasons. 1. It was surface rust. Nothing that I wirewheel wont take care of 2. I dont have a welder :)

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

Whats messed up is now that I see that pic it makes me want to rip out the motor, get my grinder, slap a wire wheel on it and go to town on that firewall. Who knows that may just happen. :) I have a bad motor mount on the drivers side that needs to be replaced. The wife is gonna be pissed :)

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

Looking good! Ain't it funny how these things just snowball?:lol: :lol:

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

hey skokie mightest well do it since you are taking it apart, im also from san jose and if you need a welder just let me know, i began shaving my firewall this summer but did not get to finish because of time. in my opinion i think these trucks are best done a full restoration, just to get it all done the first time. just my opinion. always glad to hel just let me know.

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

Thanks for the offer. I appreciate that. Ok now for the update :) I got the old power steering gear off. It looks like the seal at the top is blown out because that is where it was leaking. Also noticed a very small amount of surface rust where it was sitting.

So I broke out the wirewheel and in 2 minutes I had it cleaned up. I have some eastwoods rust encapsulator on its way so for the meantime I just gave it 2 coats of rattle can primer to hold it.
Here are the pics.

Before

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...etupbefore.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...tupbefore2.jpg


After

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...erailafter.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...railafter2.jpg

Update:
 

Ok I got the new power steering gear in. Its a red head with a variable from Wes at Classic Heartbeat. That pitman arm nut was a pain to get back on. Once I had the old one off I wire wheeled the crap out of the frame , cleaned it up with some brake cleaner,dried it & and gave it 2 coats of primer, 2 coats of semi gloss black, & a coat of clear just for good measure.
Also here is a pic of the truck cover.
Here are the pics

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...TruckCover.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...adGearbox2.jpg

http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o...eadGearbox.jpg

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

Update time. I got some more parts in today. The new battery tray, fan shroud, heater harness, & new heater controls. Still waiting for the under dash harness and a few more little things to come in.

I was going to get started with the core support but I had to take one of the pieces that the fender attaches to to the powder coater. I left it on by mistake when I had the core support powder coated so its getting done again with the bumper.

I am planning on picking those parts up tomorrow. If all goes well then I maybe this weekend I will be able to rent a cherry picker to take out the motor and change out the flexplate. Then clean up the firewall some.

FUN FUN FUN :)

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

Got the bumper and the rest of the parts back from the powder coater. I will have some pics later.

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

your firewall can look like this, nice and clean. just my opinion

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

I like that firewall but dont have the $$$$ to go that far with it until maybe next year. I am 90% convinced that I want the surefit ac system for the truck just gotta wait until the next phase.

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

UPDATE: Well all of the powder coating is now done and I have picked up all of the pieces. Just waiting on a part for the steering column and a wiring harness to come in. In a couple of weekends I am planning to pull the motor to install a new flexplate and motor mounts. While it is out I will clean up and rattle can the engine bay. Should be fun :)

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

Got the under dash harness in today. Now all I am waiting for is the steering coupler for the rag joint and then it will be time to install some parts.

Re: 68 build thread. It has begun :)
 

Sounds good what all you doing to your 68 and from what i have seen of the pics . I will be glad when i can start my build on my 68 but due time i guess... good luck and keep the pics and update coming.

Eric