Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

I have a 66 stepside, been in my family since new. My grandfather bought it new and then passed to my dad, then to me when I turned 16.
I have all the original parts, owners manual, and sales receipt for it.
My dad restored the truck back in 1989 but put a lot of bondo in the truck and needs a good restoration again. It had a 250 inline 6 with a 3 on the tree. Now has a 305 V8 with the 3 on the tree.

I finally got the spark to tackle the rust and restore this old truck.

Here is some pics of the past


My grandfather in 1969 on a boyscout campout
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/1120/cc1969.jpg

The original paperwork (I scan these today)
http://img821.imageshack.us/img821/4367/receiptl.jpg
http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/9038/folderfz.jpg
http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/688/ownersmanuel.jpg

The 66 when my dad drove it to college
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/7923/1975g.jpg

Dad restored it in 1989
http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/7618/1990b.jpg
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/3137/1991j.jpg

As it is today
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/9932/img0778o.jpg
http://img59.imageshack.us/img59/5559/img0774r.jpg
has a good bit of rust. It will take alot of welding and patching.

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

Started to clean up and repair the original steelies. They had alot of rust and a couple are pitted pretty bad. But I'm welding them and building the metal back up.


http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/3102/img0785c.jpg
http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/9196/img0784fq.jpg
these will need some welding
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/7229/img0787vu.jpg
http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/9196/img0784fq.jpg
http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/6961/img0788q.jpg
I have one that I'm welding up at work; its worse than the ones above.
It really came out nice, you can't tell it has been repaired.

Tomorrow I plan on changing the rear springs with some Jeep springs and get started on cutting the front ones.

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

That is great to have a truck with a family history like that. It looks pretty good currently aside from the front of the hood. Is that all rusted thru?

Keep us posted on your progress......:)

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

I been trying to come up with a paint scheme and was thinking of going back to yellow but I found this truck. I believe is Bahama Blue. I will put chrome steelies and wide whites just like this truck. But its a little low for my taste.
http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/4438/bahamablue.jpg

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

probably pretty close to rusted thru. LMC has the front patch panels to repair the hood.
I test welders for a living, and I'm decent with a welding machine. It will take a lot of work but thats the fun of it.

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

Wecome to the site- great history.

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

That is cool to a truck with the family history and memories.

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

Great looking project. Cant wait to see more.

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

Well today after work i want to put my jeep coils and lower the rear today. But I had a problem; i lost the key to my lock lugs. Right now i have 15x10s and they stick out a tad pass the rear fenders, so I had to take them off to lower the rear end. I used to hid the key behind my bench seat. But i sent my seat off to get redone. (that was 2 years ago) Now i dont remember were i placed it.

So since i couldnt to that I decided to grind the tires for the wide white look. Not a big deal they are getting dry rotted anyways. They came out better then expected.

After that I started to sand the hood. I found a lot of body filler. Then my dad comes over and tells me "oh yeah they had a big hole thats all body filler". Its starting to look like the hood is mostly filler in the front. I think I will just search for another hood now instead of messing with this one.

No pics today but tomorrow I post some up

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

Nice lil project...great history!!! Like to see pics of your wheels. I did the same on mine. I'll have to post pics later this week.

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

here is my progress yesterday and today.

The top of the hood isnt as bad as I thought. Its repairable, but the lower section is too bad. I will just put a after market piece in.
http://img340.imageshack.us/img340/7720/img0791od.jpg

http://img408.imageshack.us/img408/1197/img0792cf.jpg

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/1430/img0793kg.jpg
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/1196/img0790gd.jpg
white wall with stock steelies
http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/9673/img0799l.jpg
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/1280/img0800m.jpg

I managed to get my locking lug off, ended up going buy on of those lock lug removal sockets.
The tires are really too wide for the stock wheels but i managed to get one on. (275/60/15) Kind nice that my dad bought a old style tire machine for a $100 bucks a while back. Do my own tires! I will not running these tires on the road like this. This is just so i can lower the suspension until I buy some new wide whites.
I ended up having to add some washers in between the rim and the brake drums for spacers. The inside of the tire was rubbing on the bed.

just for kicks here is my other toy: it runs low 12s with just bolt ons, LS1, 4L60E with 3600 stall
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/2882/56409383zm5.jpg
http://img145.imageshack.us/img145/648/35097866al1.jpg
http://img237.imageshack.us/img237/592/33ne4.jpg

Thats it until this weekend will be to busy the rest of the week i believe.

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

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Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

Ha!!! I don't think those are Stock Steelies, but I like the tires...:metal:

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

why dont you think there the stock ones? They are.

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

Whoa!!! Relax my young Jedi Knight...LOL
These are the ones I saw...

http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/1196/img0790gd.jpg


For some reason the pics of the black rims didn't show on my computer the first time I looked. Yes I agree the black ones are.

http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/9673/img0799l.jpg

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

ok got yeah Jedi Master. lol I wasnt getting all sturred up over here or anything, just asking thats all.

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

When do you think you'll get it on the road??? I'd like to make it to the Invasion Show Sept. 4th...
that's what I'm shooting for anyway.

Check it out:
http://theinvasioncarshow.com/ICS/





...

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

haha Sept 4 is way to soon. and that looks like a long haul for me. right now with the 305, 3 speed and 3.73s i get only 11 mpg on the highway plus my 305 is pretty much stock; so at 70 im turning 3200 rpms and its about out of breath. I get better mileage city driving.

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

UPDATE! Post pics later
finally i somewhat caught up on the honey do's (never ending)
started working back on the old truck this week.
Pulled the holley 600 off for a rebuild
bought some thin white for the stock wheels

scored a saginaw 3speed with overdrive from on the members here

also I was BSin with my dad; then him I was trying finding a powersteering gear box for the truck. He and tells me he has a power steering gear box and pump in his old shop. been there for years and I never knew about it. Good thing I said something.

There is a local car show saturday I plan on bring the truck out there will post pics

Nick

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

Any 2wd power steering box from a '69-'87 truck, or Suburban will work. The '81-'87 boxes had metric fittings with O-rings. You will need an adapter plate to mount that box.....I have them for sale.

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

actually it came off a 65 chevy truck

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

Ill take some tonight. Last night i was rebuilding the carb. Been trying to fix my backfiring problem. Well it ended up being the ignition. And nothing was going right last night. Had 2 dead batteries finally I had one that was charged up. The Cap and rotor burned up pretty good. I have a spare cap and rotor but I'll put it back together tonight.

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

heres my seat redone. the lines dont quite line up but I cant complain it the guy did it for free.

http://a.imageshack.us/img801/6553/86626892.jpg

Re: Project 1966 Chevy Stepside with family history
 

Update on the old truck, Recently installed lowering springs in the rear. I got some rear springs out of a 98 jeep grand cherokee for 25 bucks from pull a part. suppose to lower the truck 4 inches from stock. Well I'm sure my rear springs were pretty wore out. the springs only lowered the truck 1-1/2". I'm thinking of going a inch lower. Probably just use some lowering blocks.
http://a.imageshack.us/img825/1474/img0828b.jpg
http://a.imageshack.us/img192/4894/img0835od.jpg
http://a.imageshack.us/img185/1203/img0836q.jpg
Since the lowering, my right side exhaust is rubbing on my panhard bar. nothing a torch can't fix.

getting ready to pull the motor. Pulled the 3 speed off the bell housing. Had my trans jack ready to got but it was in the way. Just pulled it out by hand
http://a.imageshack.us/img198/5586/img0827st.jpg
The top trans is the synchronize 3 speed overdrive that will be going in its place. Looks like i will need to shorten my driveshaft. Once everything is out I will wash and degrease everything and then start painting