1970 C10 restoration
 

OK, this is "the one" that will get resurrected. The '69 I brought home from OK in a blizzard in March was too rough to even think about rebuilding at my age. This one has really good bones in the cab and clip, but the box rusted out from the bottom up from sitting in a field for 17 years. Frame is a little tough too and will probably get swapped for the clean frame under the OK truck. OK box is really decent but will likely get sold, as I have another box for wood floor that I prefer for the '70.
The '67 is now for sale on marketplace... I really prefer the small back window, but repairing that cab and swapping 2 cabs, 3 frames and 4 boxes around is more than I want to get involved with.:lol:

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

So, the left door is a replacement and I like the scroll pattern along the top, but all I see for replacement panels has wood grain there. Anyone know what year/model truck is this from ?
The right door was stuck shut so I removed the seat, which all 8 bolts came out with little issue. Then the 4 door panel screws came out nicely, with only one putting up a mild argument for a short time. Very pleased with those results. Soaked the latch as best I could from the inside with Deep Creep and after 5 days, I was finally able to work the door open with a little gently prying and lots of back and forth 1/4-1/2" movement. Not surprised, but disappointed that the right door bottom is pretty much gone. I could see a hole at the front from the inside and with the left door being a replacement, suspected this door would be rough. Fortunately, the right door on the OK parts truck is really nice and will end up on here.

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

I bought this without tires/wheels and all the chrome wheels are from the '67, so I needed to get more "rollers" to put on that to sell it. I was perusing my local craigslist a week ago and came across some 15x10 wheels with N50x15 tires that just happened to be on 6 hole chrome wheels !! Chrome is pretty rough, but I'll clean them up to look "better". For now they hold air and look rather cool on there.
I like that the build sheet is still intact but disappointed the U16 tachometer is gone...

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

That truck had some good options. I've always liked the light yellow, it's a great color for these trucks.

Rg

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

Yeah, I'm 66 and need to restify my 67 and 68 C-10's and my 77 Trans Am. The TA runs and drives, just needs lotsa of other things..

I hope you can make a go of it. There's a You Tuber, I believe in your town, goes by Simon Fordman. His videos are all silent. A very talented young man. He looks to not be much over 30. He does all kinds of work on destitute vehicles that he buys, he rejuvinates them enough to ride and drive safely, sells of keeps them. His current last 2 videos are on a 62 Chevy II. THe car is a rusty turd, 6 cyl, speed on tree, thats all. He got it running and driving. In its condition after his 2 videos it would be a rough fixer upper. It sure was not when he had it delivered to his house.

Carry on!!!
Jeff

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

Built in Janesville Wisconsin -

K

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

I removed and sold the rusty box and set the box from the '69 on the frame. Guy buying the box said he has a '72 pickup and we can just set it on top of his bed rails for transport. Me: Oh, OK, I've done that before. This is what he shows up with. He did bring a pile of lumber and drill screws with to build a contraption to sit on the rails and strap it down on, but geeeeez, it took 1.5 hours to get it ready to leave.
Anyway, pics of the swap process and my "helper".

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

Then I swapped out the right doors.

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

The plan is to use the clean Oklahoma frame from the '69 for the, somewhat crusty MN/NoDak '70 build and I was planning to remove the cab soon and get the frame sand blasted yet this fall, but while removing that front clip, I discovered old crash damage on the left frame horn just behind the bumper. I worked at a heavy collision repair and frame shop for 13 yrs, that got sold 3 yrs ago and I don't get my "employee discount " anymore. We used to do bare roller frames all the time as part of the restoration work I did in the back shop, but the new owner doesn't do that anymore. I called 1 of the frame guys who used to work there too, as he does collision work at his home but he doesn't have the computerized alignment equipment and wants the truck all assembled to check for panel alignment, gaps and twists manually...:( Bummer, so I started doing a repair to the core support that I thought I had all winter to work on. This is as far as it gets for now, as I brought the '66 Chevelle in the shop to prep it for headliner install over the weekend.

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

Sweet helper! And the new place looks great. :metal:

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

Thanks, it's our "retirement home". Single level living with a full, walkout lower level that is completely finished as well. Our previous place was a 2,300 sq ft 2 story with a dungeon for a basement. All our friends were surprised to learn our new place was not a down size. It's 1,000 sq ft larger... LOL 2.8 acres with 400 ft of driveway to the back storage building. 1.25 acre of grass to mow all summer and lots of plowing fun in the winter. I suspect my wife will have it for sale about 10 days after I tip over and move to a condo...:lol:

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

Update on the amateur hand forming of patches. I had the support media blasted and then I shot it with SPI sealer/primer before working on it. The first patch was the lower edge and frame mount. Once I had it "acceptable", I used the spot welder as much as I could. It produces nice welds with NO grinding or cleaning. I did paint part of the area where I needed to weld, so just cleaned off enough for the spot welder to make continuity.

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

After that was completely welded in and welds cleaned up, I started to reproduce the mount flange. At first, I was thinking I would make it out of 2 pieces to be easier to form, but I didn't see where that was going to help much, so I just started bending and came up with a reasonable facsimile. I still need to tweak it a little and add the inner wheel house nut to the lower flange. Biggest hold back is the mount itself. When I first started banging around to remove the heavy rust, I thought the mount was OK, but as the pic shows, not so much. I'll have to see if the mount on the other support is good and cannibalize it. Otherwise, I will need to find a donor from a clean, crashed support.

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

Final 2 for now...

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

I was going to take the trailing arms to the blaster when I picked the support up, but as I was looking them over, I decided one wasn't quite as nice as I originally thought. The 2 sides were spreading from rust growth between them. I tried to knock it loose and clean between the pieces with a hacksaw blade but that wasn't working very well. SOOO, I drilled out the welds and took it apart.
I picked them up today and will get them in SPI as soon as the weather improves. They had them all last week and the weather was PERFECT for painting.....ggggrrrrr. Waaay too windy to paint today.

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

Nice metal fab work. It's kind of fun to make those parts.

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

My 1970 CST Blazer had the same pattern door panels originally. 1969 is similar. At the top, the 1969 panels have an embossed Chevy bowtie.

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/_next...jpg&w=828&q=75

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

I dug all the dirt and rust out of the brace on the truck, and no surprise, it's as rusted out as the one I cut off. So, I'm going to place a wanted ad to see if I can get a nice donor piece off a crashed truck, etc.
This gives me time to find one while I jump back on my '66 Chevelle. I brought that home from having a headliner installed today. Got a lot of work ahead to get that ready for a club cruise in 13 days.

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

I did get the trailing arms and radius rod back from blasting and shot them with the SPI too. Also got new urethane bushings in them all.
I loaded the '69 rolling chassis and cab on my trailer and brought that up to the shop to remove and sell it. Again, I had my little helper along for the muscle. My wife asked "how long is that piece of junk going to sit in front now"..LOL I told her 3 weeks to give it plenty of time. I placed an ad on marketplace Saturday and it was gone on Sunday... ;)

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

Then I scraped about 5 lbs of dirt off the transmission and removed that to store on a rolling engine stand inside for the winter. Not sure what I'm going to do with it. It's a unicorn TH475 with a unique size output shaft, housing and yoke. It's the yoke that nearly caused a stroke. Extremely hard to find a new one and they cost $600 !!! In honesty, I'd rather get my 200 4R core rebuilt and have overdrive for the 3.73 gears anyway. At one time, these cases were sought after for drag cars, as they are a little stronger than the 400 case. I'll do some research over the winter and decide what to do next spring. I have a '70 Chevelle SS that I'm bringing into the shop this winter for a rotisserie rebuild.

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

Today, I got back on the core support mount issue. I hadn't gotten any response for a donor piece, so I ground off the spot welds and got down to just the bracket. Then I cut a piece of 16 gauge to form a new piece to replace the rusted area and use the rest of the bracket.
THEN I logged on here only to find a PM about a possible source for a donor...LOL That's about how things go for me. Oh well, I saved the source info for another issue. I bent it over a 7/16 bolt to get the radius and that fit really well. Then cut out the center of the bracket to mark shaping the insert.....and I ran out of picture room in this response..LOL More later with pics of the welding in.

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

More pics of the support bracket hack...fitted, welded, ground off the ugly and ran it thru the blast cabinet.

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

happy I found this build thread... inspiring .....in the beginning you say " think about rebuilding at my age " well so much for that ...keeps us young nice work ...great fab skills... keep the updates coming Im in need of the motivation :)

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

Subscribed

Re: Another C10, 1970 this time
 

Finished the mount repair last week. Didn't take any pics, but I sprayed the new patches with SPI before I welded the mount itself in and then touched that up as well. I loaded the restored rear control arms and core support in the bed and the truck is now tucked in the car barn out back for the winter.
I, finally, got the state to correct the vin on the title for my '70 Chevelle and that will be coming into the shop next month for a "bit" of work on a few body panels...;)