Tomorrow The '63 Comes Off Of The Hill

[magwakeenercew2jh]

I bought a long fleet '63 that runs. Smells like cat. It has a 327 and a 4 speed with a granny. Four may-pop tires. Broken glass all around. The rats have built several nests under the hood.

When I went to the dude's house - a really good guy I didn't know before this transaction - he told me that he rebuilt the 327, and the motor has about ten miles on it. All on his Llama ranch. And all in first gear...."wa, wa, wa" thru the mud at 200 RPM for six years.

I paid him and took the paper work to DMV...It was non-op'd. I paid $202 for

While I was gone, he pulled some ancient tool boxes. I came back the next morning with new plates and stickers good for 18 months. He told me that the Harley stickers were all mine. He said, "The glass for the driver's door is there, but it fell down in the door".

After about an hour trying to get it running, he gave me the keys to HIS truck (He'd picked me up a couple of miles down the dirt road to his ranch. That's where the Jeep was parked, so I was stranded)...I drove down and picked up a battery. We sprayed some starter juice in, pumped up the brakes after loading in some new brake fluid....I was off......

I hit Highway 41 and the motor purred like a kitten. Like the truck smelled. Ran smooth. Smelled like cat. Good thing there were no windows.

Really funny thing was that I was going down the road, hair (what's left of it) blowing around and catching ten or more years worth of leaves...Bull Durham wrappers and other junk flying around so much inside the cab I almost couldn't see the road. Plates taped on the tailgate and inside the on the dash.

When I was rolling through the 3 mile mark, about half way to my house, another Chevy...same year, I think, drove by the opposite direction. The guy waved. I waved back. Cool.

Tomorrow, I'll take pics and post them...She's a roach, to be sure.

Plans and help needed:

I REALLY want to make her short. Maybe Fleet. Maybe a Stepper. Somebody here was very nice on showing his fine metal work on the frame and offered advice. But his work was so good I could never even get close.

Does anyone know how to cut the frame down so I could get my ironworker friends to chop it and re-weld with some strengthening brackets or gussets...whatever... so I can use a stock short bed?

Next, I'll mock up a tranny...whatever good one I can find on a budget...350 probably because of the availability...Shorten the driveshaft. Take the long bed to the metal reclaimer. Look for a shortie.

You all know the rest.

Thanks for any help with the frame chop measurements.

[62 short step]

Nothing like a good story to go along with picking up a new truck! Awesome, post some pics when you can or the pic sheriff will catch you!!

[kizer]

Congrats man. I love those stories of an old truck up and going again.

[MacAttack]

Originally Posted by magwakeenercew2jh

I hit Highway 41 and the motor purred like a kitten. Like the truck smelled. Ran smooth. Smelled like cat. Good thing there were no windows.

Good thing you didn't lick anything.

[magwakeenercew2jh]

Here are some pics.
http://magwa.smugmug.com/gallery/779...04779116_PPRoX

Didn't do much today. 5 gal of gas w/Stabil, scraped about thirty HD decals off, swept out the cab....found out my 5 lug Rallys wont fit on 6 lug plates.



The P.O. had mentioned it, but the red is ground and the black is positive. I forgot. Toasted a wire, but caught it before it shredded the fuse block.

Can you believe someone welded (sort-of) a bunch of horseshoes on to the sheet metal of the bed....Now *that's* a Farm Truck.

I guess I'll take the pressure washer to the engine compartment on Monday. The weekend is reserved for SWMBO...gardening season. I'm finishing her birthday present. Made a 10 x 10 greenhouse out of schedule 40 PVC.

When she came home and saw the '63 off of the hill, she thought someone was here visiting....Hahaha!!!

I said, "Pretty roachy truck, huh?". She said, "Yeah, your clothes are filthy".

Anybody know the best nasty-juice to splash on the motor before I hit it with the washer?

Still looking for that "where to chop the frame" advice.

[protrash64]

I have used Oil Eater for years. It works really well at getting grime off. DO NOT get a good whiff of it.....it burns your lungs. Seems I always get a whiff when Im sprying it and the breeze catches it....other than that it does wonders for drying out your hands too.

The frames I have seen shortened are not cut straight. You will want to go from 127" to 115" wheelbase, usually done on the straight section behind the cab. They cut vertically down, horizontally across about a foot, and then vertically down again. Remove a section and make a new cut the same and butt them together. I think this allows for greater surface area on the weld. I have not done this, just seen it, so you're on your own from here on out........

Congrats on getting the party started.........

[magwakeenercew2jh]

Thanks much, Pro.

I'm looking forward to de-farming the '63. $lowly, but $urely.

I'm pretty good at cleaning, so I'll stay on that for a while. It alays makes the fun part a little more fun when the grease is at least "minimized".

[protrash64]

By the way.....the O/E Ive used for years is the same jug!!! Pour it in a squirt bottle and you can cut it with water. I usually keep filling up my bottle when cleaning up a bunch of parts...when it gets weak I top it back off with some more O/E.

Yes, clean parts are nice, but you can use the O/E on your greasy clothes, too!

[old Chevy guy]

I hate you guys on the west coast,you buy the old ratty farm truck and its stiill 100 times nicer than any truck you can find for any amount of money over here in the east coast rust belt! LOL

[TwiggyTheDrummer]

Man, that's not bad to start with. You didn't happen to find a petrified cat under the seat did you?

[daverod]

Nice old truck !! Congratulations on your find. It sounds better if you say it smells like *****. Good luck Later Daverod

[magwakeenercew2jh]

A very little bit of work on the '63 today. Powerwashed the engine compartment. The 2" of thick grease has now turned to 1/2" of caked-on grease.

I added a few pics to the first ones here:

http://www.magwa.smugmug.com/gallery...5_wtWGk#P-1-20

I don't know what I'm gonna do with this truck. The motor is slimy. But smooth.

Of course, she didn't like the high pressure wash...even though I hid all of her private parts, some water got in and caused some serious "popping".

I used some paint spray cans to do my kind of body work today. No sand paper. No bondo. No nothin'...just wash, dry and paint. Maybe I'll make a 30 footer out of her.

Oh, I opened both doors and had at the cat-smelling interior with the power washer, too.

I can tell you all that if I'm gonna keep working on this truck, I'm gonna need to find a hood spring somewhere. I looked in LMC and they don't sell 'em. Someone on ebay had a hinge and spring...He was reasonable on the parts, but made up for it on "shipping and handling"...and was quite clear the hinge was a dog. I think my hinge is okay. But a spring is a must.

Oh, something "funny". The PO used an axe handle to hold up the passenger's side of the hood. Probably did that for 20 years.

I laid it across the motor the long way on the driver's side while I was in there cleaning up. Later, I decided to start the truck...or see if it would start.


It started. Also the belt kicked that 4' pole right at me and down under the truck in less than a second. Broke the clutch linkage loose. So I pulled my fat (trying to lose weight), 62 year old body under the truck. Found the culprit and patched 'er up. Stupid move on my part. But a truck that has a four speed with a granny needs a clutch.

Some day not too far down the line, I'll have a different tranny in this truck. But not now....

[chevroletrestoguy]

Looks good. That engine compartment cleaned up good. I like the wheels and tires on that truck. It reminds me of my grandfathers.

[chevroletrestoguy]

Here's a picture of the tires and rims on mine before I tore it apart. Rust was taking them over.

[killthewabbit]

Nice find, and the horseshoes made me lol.

[LILRED66]

Magwa:

Don't give up now...you are well on your way. Maybe a few days on the hill and you will grow more fond of the '63! Either way, thanks for sharing your project with us.

[magwakeenercew2jh]

Originally Posted by LILRED66

Magwa:

Maybe a few days on the hill and you will grow more fond of the '63! Either way, thanks for sharing your project with us.

Thanks, Tony.

You never know. I've put a few projects off on the '83 to work on the '63. It's a pretty good life that allows the time to do work on either.

Once I finish the other projects, unless I decide to buy something a little closer to "fixable" with my limited skills (not likely considering budgets these days), I'll probably get back into the '63.

But like someone here says, "never crushed....."

I appreciate the thought. I HATE the rust.....(yeah, yeah, I know...."Candy a$$ed West Coaster don't know from rust" )

[aboz]

Hey Bill...wanted to make sure you still need the hood spring. I'm shipping it out today. I haven't gotten to the other one in the parts yard but I've cleaned the rust off the one and sprayed on some rust converter. Don't sweat the shipping cost, it shouldn't be more than a coupple of dollars. All I ask is that you give me first dibs on that four speed when you decide to get rid of it. My three speed Saginaw is still causing me to use too much fuel on the highway. Keep up the good work.

[magwakeenercew2jh]

Originally Posted by aboz

Hey Bill...wanted to make sure you still need the hood spring. I'm shipping it out today.

Thanks. I got the hood working, but am using a funky spring. That will help when I get my "stride" back.

First shot at the tranny is yours. No question about it. Thanks again.

[LILRED66]

Bill:

Remember: "Inch by Inch, Life is a Cinch...Yard by Yard, Life is Hard".

[daverod]

That's to funny. I give ya a week and you'll be back at it.

[monolith]

If all else fails and you're just still too frustrated with the project, you may be able to cash in on some of that elbow grease you've already put into it- sell the truck to someone who wants a longbed and start a "shortbed" fund with the profit. You may be able to find one that needs less work.

[aboz]

Hey Bill, I finally mailed the hood spring yesterday. Sorry for the delay. Maybe installing it will get you back in the swing of things. I must say your three tone primer paint job is inspiring. Mine is just two tones of dull gray. I can see you adding some offset racing stripes in gray primer through that red hood of yours. Just a thought. Keep the faith!

[aboz]

Greetings Bill. That spring should be in your hands today if it hasn't already reached you. Keep us in the loop on the restore. Aboz.

[daverod]

Originally Posted by daverod

That's to funny. I give ya a week and you'll be back at it.

Damn, you were'nt kiddin. Proved me wrong. Kinda miss the guy. Him and all his cat piss stories