What too beware of

[EGLIDERIDER]

I'm looking for a project truck and wanted some input from the "Expert Panel" here as to what to watch out for. I mean, where are these bodies likely to have rust damage, are there any suspension issues to worry about?

Mike

[JayDubBlazer]

rust is found just about everywhere on these trucks. in particular the floorboards, rocker panels, cab corners, and drip rails. There isn't a metal peice on these trucks that won't rust out given the chance. As far as suspension, as long as you keep it stock it is pretty cheap with parts availible. But after 30 some years the springs will get tired and many people on the site have converted to air bags.

[Mike Culpepper]

Check out this thread. I found it helpful when looking for my '72/
Mike
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...threadid=44599

[lukecp]

Try to get the most solid truck you can find...especially the cab. Beds and front clips are fairly easy to patch and replace, but cabs are a little more time consuming to work on. Especially beware of rust above the windshield if it is severe....there is a patch panel for this, but i would imagine that it would still be hard to repair. Take a magnet when you look at a truck and search it over real good for bondo. You don't want any shoddy bodywork hiding beneath a nice paint job.

Good luck!

[dtlilly]

R. Front fender, battery tray, core support and inner fender are usually ate up. Cab corners, inner/outer rockers, cab mounts, floor, kick panels, windshield frame above visors.

[VTKidder]

My .02 is to make sure the cab and doors are very clean and straight. If you get a rig that has a sweet front end and bed, but the cab is shot, you run the risk of springing the cab when you cut into it for repair as one of our dumber board members (VTKidder) did. Once you've sprung a cab, you might as well toss it in the weeds because nothing will ever line up again. Doors won't hang right, glass won't fit straight, etc.

A bed, core support, fenders; they are all stuff that can be purchased pretty cheap and bolted on. Make sure the frame and cab are clean and you'll have a much happier time restoring one of these trucks.

Welcome to the board from Vermont as well...you'll find the answer to all your questions here.

[Fred T]

Originally posted by yellow72custom
Take a magnet when you look at a truck and search it over real good for bondo. You don't want any shoddy bodywork hiding beneath a nice paint job.

Let me add to place the magnet in a rag. Keeps you from scratching the paint and the seller from seeing exactly what you're doing. Check the rocker panels, fender bottoms, lower edge of doors and fenders. Also, crawl under the truck, look for rusted parts there.

I looked at a beautiful 71, started seeing rust blossoms under the paint, and was okay with that until I crawled under it. Cab and bed supports were gone. I was at a dealer, with a kid as the seller, and took him in the office, made the wife and son stay outside. Had a chat with him, learned that his dad owned the lot, and dad bought the truck at auction with fresh paint. The kid didn't know any better, so I was kind. I don't know if his dad got screwed on the deal or was trying to screw someone, but he still had the truck for sale a year later.

A 69 that I looked at had fresh paint. Owner said he had paid a guy to do bodywork and paint. He had been had royally. Only bodywork done was with bondo, several gallons used. Again, I was kind to the dummy, he even called me back to see if I was interested at a lower price. He ended up trading for a rusty station wagon, just to unload the truck.

[VTKidder]

Fred,

I've got a set of muffler belts if you're still looking for some.

[VTKidder]

If you've still got that gallon of elbow grease, I'll trade you straight up.:p

[Hooter]

well look for loose u-joints, tranny mounts, rusted drip rails, check the condition of the cab supports, note if there is any rust on the floor which could mean a windshield leak, and definetly bring a magnet with you and use it to see what's , metal and what's Bondo

[Hutch]

EGLIDERIDER
On Early 4x4's watch out for cracked frame under the steering box.
This is usually covered in grease and dirt and is hard to spot and even harder to repair.
Try to find a truck that has not been altered too much, check the numbers on the components to verify originality.
The fewer the respray's the better. surface rust on original paint is better than too many coats of paint.
Pay extra up front to get what you want and save yourself the trouble of retrofiting a lot of components.
The cleaner the cab the better.

Have fun

[EGLIDERIDER]

Thanks to everyone for the input, observations and expert guidance. A special thanks to Mike Culpepper for the outstanding link "Idiots Guide" (have we worked together before? ). ). I copied the whole thing and saved it as a word document. VERY informative.

Mike

[Blue Beard]

Get dirty, down under the truck will show alot about the condition......anything bent, wrong pieces or installed wrong, missing parts, rust.

In general bumber to bumper check it thoughly, but end result look at what price is on the unit......

[landon4421]

I payed $4000 for the 4x4 I started with ! I was blind to the things to look for ! Then I found this board, and I would love to take the truck back to the guy and shove it up his a$$ ! I did not really look the truck over that good I just jumped in head first and bought the truck. Since then that truck has been taken apart and the frame was replace and the old one sold. It was cracked next to the sterring box and in some other places ! But now I have a good solid frame that I payed $1800 for ! Take your time and shop around, dont be a dork like me and jump in head first, it will cost you more in the long run !:p

[Low68]

Here is my opinion after working on my one truck so far. If I were to do it again, I would find the most stock truck that I could, definately no previous body work, original paint, and original everything. Even if it doesn't run, you know what the body is like. If you want a truck that is numbers maching, you will probably want one that still runs. Otherwise, just get a blown 502. That is all that I would worry about as far as what to look for. But, everyone is different, and your ability to work on the truck is probably different in some ways than mine. So, if there is something that you can't do, look for a truck that already has that done. Like landon said, take your time. wait until you find the truck that has what you want.
low68

[EGLIDERIDER]

landon4421

I'm sorry you had such a bad experience. I'm sure a lot of us have been-there, done-that,got-a-t-shirt. I got mine on a '46 chevy 2-door sedan stree-rod project. What a P.O.S. rust-bucket. Unfortunately, I couldn't see past my "Vision" of the finished car. I messed with it for about two years and finally got frustrated with the endless money eating monster and didn't see a whole lot of progress so I sold it.

Mike