66 C10 Project SWB
 

Hello, This is my first post but have been reading throughout this board since I purchased the truck in January of this year. Its a bigger project than I wanted but I went with it anyways. Last spring I just finished a 78 CJ7 that was a 5 year rusted out project and I didn't want that this time but here we are anyways. I was looking at a guys 72 that he wanted too much money for and had too much rust, but this was in the background. Its a 66 LWB, factory AC, with the 327, 4 speed on the floor.
(first post of a pics so may or may not work)
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...ps60c41499.jpg
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1879b7db.jpg

The Plan:
SWB conversation
Air ride
5 lug conversation
All power... brakes, steering, windows, locks etc
Power tilt hood...maybe

Normal rust
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5f953928.jpg
Rockers, cab corners, floor corners.
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...psb43a6709.jpg
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...ps402e8290.jpg

More to come...

Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

This is what I have done so far.
Sand blasted floor, primed, replaced all the rust in on the cab.
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...ps524da66a.jpg
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...psf307ee3c.jpg
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...ps13a8dbc8.jpg
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...psa4dfbc96.jpg
I got a little carried away cutting the new patch panel. It ran a little short.
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...ps17ea32a9.jpg

More to come...

Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

I figured out how to resize.
Mainly everything in black is new metal.

http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...psf138483c.jpg
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...psf8de95bd.jpg
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4cb2adfa.jpg
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...psd81b7e74.jpg

Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

New or new to me stuff I've picked up in the last 6 months

'86 front end suspension. Cleaned, blasted, ground down stamping flaws, paint, new bushings and ball joints.
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...psc8d664ce.jpg
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...ps062d675c.jpg
'72 12 bolt 5 lug rear axle. Great shape. Cleaned, replaced all seals and outer wheel bearings. Picked up a nice differential cover off of ebay.
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...ps862c20a5.jpg

More to come....Tomorrow

Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

My plan from the start was to convert the lwb to a swb, Frame and Bed. I ended up finding a swb bed about 2 hours away. He had quite a few people coming to pick it up so I had to leave on a short notice to beat everyone else there. It was a great find. Mainly rust free, a little damage on the lower corners, wheel tubs have been stretched by 4 inches, and I got him to throw in a decent tail gate. $500, and around here that is a good deal.
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4e539668.jpg
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...psf22b82cb.jpg
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0afaf19e.jpg
This is the worse of the damage.
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...psc745604f.jpg

Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

The floor in my shop isn't exactly level so I had to use my dad's shop. Its a metal fab shop so he had all the right scrap metal laying around and a 220v welder so it made sense. I did it in his paint room so not to disturb business too much. I leveled out the frame, checked it for square and welded on metal stands.
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...psb3d61c90.jpg
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...psf86ff9c1.jpg
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...ps6bdaaf79.jpg
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...psb9dd67d9.jpg
Cut out 12 inch in a Z pattern for strength. Welded extra bracing in the inside. I thought the diamond looked better than just a square piece of metal. I think I found that on here somewhere.

Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

Great work!

Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

Looks good, jump right in should be back on the road in no time. Since you went with the short fleet side, do you still have the chrome trim from the long box?

Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

My plan is to run air ride and set it down pretty low. Not sure how low but I felt that the trailing arm may drag at times. I flipped over the frame and started to shave.
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...pscfcab242.jpg
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...psa174f63c.jpg
Welded in a piece of flat plate.
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...ps7315dd14.jpg
Then cut some holes out for the exhaust.
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...ps3c58db25.jpg
Welded in some 4 inch pipe to regain some strength.
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...ps83251b58.jpg

Well that's about all Ive done so far. I only work on it on the weekends and my wife is incredibly understanding with the time and cash it takes to do a project of this size. I hope everyone enjoys these pictures and keeps following along with my progress. Ill try and update it weekly. Comments and suggestions are always welcomed.

Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

Thanks!

Thanks! I do have some. A lot of it wasn't in good shape and has already hit the trash pile. What parts are you needing?

Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

outstanding fab work. congrats on the understanding wife those are few and far between.

Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

THANKS!

Shes a keeper. I haven't been married long (Oct of last year) but a few things I have learned already is never say no to anything she wants to buy, help clean the house, and annoy her to the point she tells you to get the hell in the garage. The old timers will probably disagree, Seems to be working so far.

Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

nice work so far I'm in

Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

hey retard..I think you meant "conversion".


a conversation is what I had with your mom last night.


oh, nice work btw =)

Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

Ohh Sneaky LOL, I knew you were on here and going to bust my balls. Damn spell check, always screwing me.

Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

ha! projects looking good man! can't wait to see it layed out.

Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

Nice truck! And some good progress too:metal:
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Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

thanks!
thanks!

Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

I didn't get a whole lot done this weekend. My grandfather pasted away in March and dad and I worked on cleaning out his shop. Four truck loads of trash and one 1400 pound load of metal to the scrap yard. He kept everything. I did find this cool old toy of his. Not sure what I plan on doing with it other than a bookshelf item. The wheels were robbed a while back to fix another toy.

http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0f4457b1.jpg
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...psb05625f1.jpg

Did get my Jeep out and washed up. I mentioned it in my first post that this was my first ground up resto.
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...psbb0018c6.jpg

Anyways back to the truck. I did get some time to start the sandblasting process on the frame. Pretty slow and boring.

http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...ps653d803f.jpg

Thanks again for everyone viewing.

Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

Nice Jeep, your doing some great work

Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

Welcome to the forum :D

Sorry to hear about your Grandfather :(

You're doing some real nice work on your truck. Judging by the looks of your Jeep, this truck will be equally nice.

Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

Thanks

Thanks, he will be missed.

Hopefully I can do twice as good on this project as the last and Ill still probably only be half as good as some of you guys. With the Jeep project I realized that you must take your time and don't take short cuts. Seems like everything on the Jeep that I did short cuts on has bit me in the ass. Ive learned to just spend the money in the right places and have the right tools. Still learning a lot tho. Great info on this board.

Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

Good to see another Nashville guy on the board...
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Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

Got back on the truck this weekend. Cut in the CPP C notches. Sandblasted the back side of the notches to etch the metal, sprayed some primer on it before bolting them on.


http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...psb028fd73.jpg

http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0c2389a1.jpg

Straightened out the lower radiator support. It was twisted around were someone winched it from there.
Before:
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...psb3c85524.jpg
After: Used a torch to heat up and twist the support back straight. Its not prefect but usable.

http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...psbff84915.jpg
http://i1276.photobucket.com/albums/...ps40352ca8.jpg

Re: 66 C10 Project SWB
 

everything is looking good!!