'70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Bought the truck back in 2001, it was my sole daily driver from then until my mom got really sick (lung cancer) in July of 2013. Since then it's been a part-time driver. I got tired of the 3-speed column shifter hanging up so I bought a TH400 from ebay for $100 that came with everything I needed to make the swap, including an automatic steering column, crossmember, shift linkage, etc. Pulled the pan and replaced the filter and fluid and it's been in there since. That was about 7 years ago. Recently I removed the 250 and installed a freshened up 402 out of a '71 motorhome that I bought on the board a couple years ago. I had purchased a rust-free cab from a board member back in 2011 and my son and I did the cab swap in September of this year. Since that time, it's been a fair-weather driver, as the drip rail sealer was removed when I got the cab and I have not replaced it yet.
The core support, right fender, right inner fender are NOS items. The right door is a rust-free original (not to this truck). I still need to get a left door and SWB bed (good luck finding an original, right?). Will probably go with a Woodall aftermarket bed, but would like to find an original driver's door, as I have heard that the repop doors do not fit right. I will post some pics of the cab swap shortly. Plans for the truck are a medium blue with white top and white on the metal interior with blue trim. I was going to go blue on the inside as well, but I like the look of the white/blue interiors that I have seen.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Looking forward to your pictures of progress.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Sounds Cool!
I hope you can give up your membership in the drum brake club soon! :D
Good driver side doors are very difficult to find. I've found a couple through the years, have not installed them yet, would never sell them...good pass side doors can be had, easily...

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Guys I will post some pics on Monday. Thanks for the comments. Have a great weekend!

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

I don't have a lot of pics, but I will post what I have. Here is the old sixer before it was removed. Notice the "high performance" P/S pulley :lol:

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

This is the "good side" of the old cab before it was removed. The driver's side floor, rocker panel, and kick panel were rotted. Also, above the windshield, the passenger floor and kick panel had holes, and the cab supports were gone on both sides.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

As I mentioned before, had a rust-free cab waiting in the wings for a while.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Out with the old. Look ma, no cab!! Sorry so blurry, crappy cell phone pic.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Next, it was time for a little more power! ...and a lot less fuel economy...

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Last pic I have of the cab change. I have since put the front clip back on, I will take some pics of that and post them later.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Cool build. Very jealous of the rust free cab! Especially in Indiana.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

It had work done before I bought it, but it is rust-free now. Guy I bought it from was in Newark, IL, but said the truck it was on came from WI.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Have not made a lot of progress on the truck over the last 6 months, been busy with HS band activities almost every weekend. My oldest daughter is graduating next month so those activities will be over. Then it will be more truck time! Here is a couple pics of what the truck looks like currently. I have driven it a handful of times since completing the cab and engine swap. Boy does it like the gasoline! Oh well, such is the plight of the big block owner...

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Removed the old rusty bed on Saturday and began cleaning up the frame for paint. Cut up the old bed, went through 6 sawzall blades. This old metal is tough. Check out the pile of rust that came out of the bed!

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Not a lot of progress, but got one coat of paint on the rear half of the frame/suspension after a LOT of wire brushing and scraping. I used Rustoleum low gloss black farm implement paint, and brushed it on. I am going to put a second coat on as soon as I get a dry day. Next up after painting will be to get the exhaust system and tubular transmission crossmember installed. Stay tuned...

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Not really related to progress, but my son, who is a senior in HS made this killer key ring for me.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

It's been a while since I posted, but I have made progress on the truck. Got the full exhaust system installed with electric cutouts with exits in stock location behind rear tires. I did get the tubular trans crossmember installed, you can see it in the pic of the exhaust cutouts. Removed drums and spindles to make way for disc brake swap. Removed upper control arms to replace the cross shaft bushings. Will be cleaning up the front third of the frame as well for paint.
Sorry for the small pics.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Got the front third of the frame painted. I ended up removing the entire front suspension and replaced all wear parts. Found NOS upper and lower ball joints, used US made Moog lower control arm cross shafts and Dorman upper control arm cross shafts. The steering components were good, as I had replaced them previously with all US made Moog parts a few years ago. Removed the steering box and painted it as well.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Also painted the frame under the cab, but I don't have any pics of that, because I didn't remove the cab from the frame. I unbolted the front mounts and used a high-lift 3-ton floor jack to lift the cab off the mounts, removed the mounts and painted that area and after it dried, I bolted it back down and did the same with the rear mounts. It was a long process, using mostly an assortment of wire brushes to clean the frame prior to painting. It's been a busy spring and summer and when I'm not busy it's been too dang hot to do anything.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

It's looking good so far. Keep on it

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Thanks Dale.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Got the upper and lower control arms on, and got the right spindle and rotor assembly on and all fasteners torqued to spec. Progress is progress, but I don’t know if I will be able to take it for a drive before the snow flies or not. Still have to finish the front suspension and put the engine and trans back in, but first I need to get the trans rebuilt and get the heads fixed and back on. The engine developed a miss, so I pulled the heads off thinking I would find a burnt valve. Turns out number 8 exhaust valve seat had sunk. So I took them to work but it’s so busy in the machine shop they have not had a chance to get to them.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Here are a couple pics. I’m not the best photographer but this is the angle I could get without moving a bunch of stuff.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

She's a roller again! Got the front suspension and disc brakes installed. Still need to install the sway bar, then the front suspension will be done! Next will be changing the master cylinder and installing a prop valve, then flushing the brake system, filling with fresh fluid, and bleeding the entire system. I don't have much space to work in, sorry for the bad pic.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Replaced the drum/drum master and distribution block with a new disc/drum master and a used prop valve I purchased from the parts board. It was a PITA to reposition the lines, especially the one for the rear brakes. Part of the problem is the garage was hot and muggy because it had just rained, but I got it done. I used the existing drum brake lines. I also got the sway bar installed with NOS bushings and all stainless hardware, but I did not take a pic of that. Here is a pic of the master/prop valve installed. I clear coated the master and cover, hope it holds up. You can see in my previous pics the old one was pretty rusty.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Lookind good. I've been contemplating what to do about protecting the finish on my new master cylinder as well. I dont want chrome and I definitely don't want rust. I would imagine a good coat of clear will do fine. I wonder if a flat clear will hold up?

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

I used Rustoleum Matte clear and put 3 heavy coats on it. Time will tell. I know if I get brake fluid on it, it will take the clear right off, but I was careful while bench bleeding it and so far so good. I just need to take care when I fill it when I bleed the brakes.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

It’s been a while since I posted, but I have made progress. I got the engine and trans back in, just have to get the accessories back on and drop the distributor and button things up. I put a Performer RPM intake on it and had a guy at work go through the heads. The number 8 exhaust valve seat was sunk into the head. The engine had a miss, and I figured it was a burnt valve, because the right bank didn’t sound quite right at an idle. It also had three intake valves that had warped heads on them. He also took .020” off the fire deck surface of each head to straighten them up. Should run much better now. I hope to be able to fire it by next week.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

So here is where I am today. The engine is together and the core support and right render is on. Still got the left fender and hood, will install the inner fenders when I take it back apart for paint, hopefully next winter. Going to fire it up shortly.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

How do I post a video? I tried but got ”security token expired “

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

The Needy Beast saw daylight again for the first time since February 2018. Didn't get to drive it, need to address the front end alignment, but it backed out of the garage under it's own power. Hope to make a shakedown run this week sometime.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

It’s getting there...

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Thats a nice accomplishment after a significant down time. Congratulations are in order:metal:. Like a friend of mine said, "the reward is just around the corner"

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Thanks for checking it out. I wanted to post a video of it running but the site won’t let me, or I don’t know how is probably more like it.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Shakedown run revealed a couple issues, mainly transmission fluid leaks. Need to tune the carb with metering rods and jets and springs and the motor will be ready for battle.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

I am restoring a set of bucket seats and a console, finished in medium blue. As a quick week night project I decided to refinish the seat belt buckles. I used Dupli-Color Perfect Match paint in medium blue mica with Perfect Match clear. They turned out pretty decent. I hope the console looks this good when it’s finished.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Now my belts look really faded though... oh well, it’s going to be a semi-daily driver.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Here is a pic of the seats, with the covers just sitting on them, and the console.
I found an aluminum dash panel with a wood grain applique that is close to what the door panels have on them for the cupholder portion of the console. I think it will match fairly well.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

Here are a couple pics of the modified bench seat sliders that I converted for use with the bucket seats. I used angle iron to make the brackets for the front and back that bolt to the seat, and spacers to get the correct attitude or angle for the seat back. I need to figure out what to do with the release lever on the passenger side for the slide, I think it is going to interfere with the console in it's stock configuration. I don't know how much room I will have between the seat and the console, as I have not mocked them up in the cab yet.

Re: '70 C/10 The Needy Beast
 

I got the carb dialed in with metering rods, jets, and step up springs. It seems to run pretty damn good and has good throttle response. I still need to address the transmission leaks. I had the stock pan on it and it was pretty uneven on the mounting flange so I got a chrome pan for cheap and tried it but it still leaked. Then I got a cast aluminum pan and used the rubber gasket that came with it and it still leaks. I have a Federal Mogul fiber gasket that I am going to try. If that doesn't do it, I'm not sure what I will do. If anyone has suggestions, I would love to hear them. I tried a fiber gasket and a rubber gasket with the original pan and the chrome pan and they both leaked. I hope the fiber gasket with the aluminum pan does the trick, I am getting tired of draining and filling this thing. At least the aftermarket pans have a drain plug...