Project C10 for Dad
 

It seems that as life goes on we sometimes loose track of those early childhood dreams. For me, it was completely restoring a vehicle from the ground up with my Dad. We used to talk for hours in the garage about what we could do as he worked on other people's cars to make a little more money for the family. It was a time when anything was possible and thoughts flowed easily. I learned a lot about the maintaining a vehicle, rebuilding motors, and some body work.

As the years went on less and less was spoken about a future project, but there was still a spark of interest left when I would could come back from college in the summer. One summer, I learned that the motor that we always spoke about rebuilding but never had a place for was sold. I knew then that the years he spent as a machinist had truly caught up with him and he wanted easier hobbies.

Metal detecting became his new obsession and would spend hours perfecting his method. He even got me interested in the hobby. Around 2008, he had begun loosing weight and we thought it was just the extra exercise he was receiving. By late 2012 it was apparent that it was something else when he began experiencing other symptoms. The same year that he was to retire, his doctors diagnosed him with stage 4 renal cancer that had spread to his prostate.

My Dad, Cash William Saville, passed away the Sunday before Thanksgiving of 2013 due to complications related his treatment.

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

It is with this project that I would like to remember my Dad.

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

Sorry for your loss, make your dad proud on this project.

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

Thanks Midnight Rambler.

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

So sorry for your loss. I am sure you really miss him. Build a nice tribute truck or at least something he would have approved of. Lost my Dad, then Mom, then Mother-In-Law, lastly last month my Father-In-Law.
It sucks. I feel for you.
Now lets see some pics of that project truck.

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

Here are a few pictures of the truck after pulled off the aftermarket running boards, nasty 80s cap, and pulled into my garage.

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

Fortunately, I know somebody with a much larger garage that will be helping me out. I took some Mothers quick polish to the fender and beneath all that oxidation there was still some shine left!

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

Sorry for your loss,tribute builds are always special no matter what they involve. Good luck with the project.

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

Thanks Cooperhwk and trac209.

I have started a started a build sheet with the parts I believe I need for the rolling chassis. The nice thing is that the body and frame had very little rust and should make the build go relatively quickly.

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

Here is my most up to date build sheet for the rolling chassis.

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

A little history behind this C10. I was built in California and at some point the original straight six was swapped out for 70-73 Camaro 350 built for the Los Angeles area. The truck was in Montana from 76 to 91. The last time it was driven was in 2001 and had been stored ever since then.

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

And the tear down of the front clip and making sure to note where all the shims came from.

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

Some friends came over to help get the bed and cab off the frame and stored for the winter. That cab was incredibly heavy!

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

The frame back inside and ready to be worked on some other day.

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

So it has been a while since I've posting anything, but I have still been keeping up with progress on the truck and taking plenty of photos.

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

During the first weekend of December, we pulled the 3 speed manual, headers, brake lines, motor, and the rear end.

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

The second weekend of the new year saw the removal of the front suspension and a mock-up of the exhaust cutouts for the drop crossmember. Oh yeah, my truck still had the original ball joints riveted in place that needed some extra grinding. The upper and lower control arm shafts had tons of play in them and will be replaced. We also flipped the frame to make it easier t get at the remaining rivets on the bottom of the frame.

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Last weekend we got the crossmember finished and bolted into place. After looking at the drop crossmembers on the market, I noticed that the shock mounts were flipped upside-down. So, we ground off the 12 rivets holding them in place, flipped the brackets, drilled two new holes per side, and bolted them in place. I am planning on going back and welding the old holes closed and grinding them flat. Remember...the frame is upside-down.

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And that brings us to this last weekend...

I was told to expect that the cross pin bolt would probably be broken and as it turns out, it was. Either way, we were able to remove it. With the C-clips out, we pulled the old 6-bolt axles out and pressed the new seals in place. After that, installed the new studs in the CPP 5-bolt axles.

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

Also on the list was to remove the old bushings from the rear trailing arms before they get blasted. The backing plates were blasted, primed, painted. The casting numbers on the axle tubes confirmed what we estimated was 3.73 ratio.

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

I just want to say that this build is still going. The past several months have been difficult for me with the holidays, the remembrance of my Dad passing, and his birthday.

Our car community here in the small town Two Rivers, WI also lost a close friend and car enthusiast suddenly this past week. We all called him "Bear" and he'll be missed. He's the short guy directing us where to put the cab in post #13.

Either way, I am pushing forward and setting a lofty goal of completing this tribute resto-mod within a year from now. I greatly a appreciate comments and assistance

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Yesterday, we got the rear end all closed up and the new five lug axles from CPP installed. The new slave cylinders went in too.

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

I also gave the rear-end one more pass with the buffing wheel before going on to primer and paint.

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

I spent quite a lot of time today on the buffing wheel removing decades off dirt and grim from the brake lines and some other components. Its amazing how a little extra time make these old parts look like new. I don't pictures of them primed and painted yet.

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And here's the rear-end all primed and painted. I don't think that I'll ever get used to paint fumes.

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In the coming weeks, I will be receiving many new parts to keep this project rolling.

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This is the direction that I want to move in.

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

I just got a box full of Moog parts and and another box of odds and ends from Classic Parts of America. I also received my chrome rear bumper.

You may be wondering why get the bumper now. Well, the rear bumper supports I ordered don't line up right and need a litlle grinding/drilling make them work before paint.

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

Very nice work so far. And sorry for your loss!

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Thanks FrankensteinC10

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I'm not sure if others stock up on parts only to use them later on. Well, that's where I am at now. However, I didn't realize that one of the boxes wasn't just a filler box, but one of my lower control arm shafts that flew out of the box during shipping. I was able to get a full refund from O'Reily's. I'd hate to be the guy behind the UPS truck when that happened!

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Last weekend I was able to get the drum brakes installed. I never remembered them being such a pain to install, but then a point was made about how there is usually tension on the parking brake cable. After that the assembly went just fine. I still need to find some donor wheels and tires to get this rolling.

I also received the last of the parts from ECE for the rear suspension. Fortunate for me, Stan over at ECE noticed that I accidentally ordered 2 pairs of rear springs and adjusted the order before shipping everything out.

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I have been busy the last two weekends helping out with a 402 big block rebuild and engine swap. I have definitely learned quite a bit during this time and that most off all it is important to do things right the first time.

Also, we were able to pick up the donor wheels and tires. I am hopeful that if we can figure out the wiring nightmare in the 1974 Chevelle Malibu, we will have more room to get this chassis rolling.

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The car above took longer than expected and its time we start working on the truck again!

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With the last of the brake and suspension parts in, we decided to lay everything out in a relatively organized way to speed up the process.

The rear-end is hiding in the back on the horses.

And a 47 suburban behind that.

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The first thing to go in were the 3/8" c-notches from CPP. These things were beefy! The first one fought us and the other went in without a single adjustment.

The supplied grade 8 14 7/16 x 1 1/2 bolt wasn't long enough to get the nut started through four layers of steel in one location. So, another quick trip out to AutoZone solved that problem. Well, almost. They only had one 2" bolt and the other was thirty minutes away.

Another strange observation was that the instructions, which suck, stated that the bolts were supposed to be 20 treads per inch, but they were all 14 TPI.

Attention: its just a really funky angle that I took the picture at and the frame didn't twist.

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I also got the drums primed and painted, but didn't get a picture.

Re: Project C10 for Dad
 

looking good.. looks like your getting a lot of work done.

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i read up on you post and i admire youre dedication to your wanting a project with your dad.
my grandfather is the one that got me started on our trucks as the first one i remember him having is a 71 longhorn with all the bells and whistles. he is 94 years old now and im dreading the day that he goes to our lord. but i share with him the progress i make on my 67 and he gets excited as i go thru the pics with him.
you're doing a good thing there. keep it up

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I hope that you have the longest time possible to share your progress with your grand-father. I know that my Dad would be proud of the work that I'm doing and all the new skills that I am learning. Thank you for your support.