Picked up a "new" C20 to add to the fleet!

[Mykids69]

I have the 69 C10 that is for my oldest son, I have the 70 C10 orchard find farm truck, and now the 68 C20 camper special for my oldest daughter. I will have a fleet in a few years, my 2 younger daughters and youngest son all want C10s too! Guess that means I will keep searching for a 67, 71, and 72!

Found on CL near Sacramento.

Had an engine fire, after close inspection, it was just minor damage. I have all the leftover parts in the garage from the 69 C10. It will need a carb, dist, wires, radiator, fan shroud, fan, heater box, battery, new wiring from the firewall forward, and belts n hoses, but all in all it is in good shape. Besides the battery, wiring, belts and hoses, I have everything else. Anybody have a stock wiring harness they dont need?
Crawled under, in, and over it. Small dent in the pass front fender, and get this....... no rust in the floor, rockers, or drip rails! Doors are not cut for speakers either!
Has a wood bed floor that will need to be replaced.

It is a 1968 C20 Camper Special. 3 gas tanks.
350ci is in now, came with a 327 originally. It has power steering, but 4 wheel drums that work really well.

What do you think?

I will get some more pictures in the day light, it's been a long evening!

[68bowtie]

Great truck

[Ol Blue K20]

Looks good, I want to see it in daylight.

[Astro-Balls]

Nice Find..

[morepwr]

Looks like a great start for a project! The solid body is a big plus.

[jocko]

Great find, I really like it!

[Mykids69]

Thanks guys. I will be headed to the shop later today to start the removing and cleaning of the crusty and melted crud and then start looking at a little paint under the hood and getting it running again.

Anyone have an old, not melted wiring harness they dont need anymore? Doesn't need to be perfect, mostly the firewall plug ends with basic wires?

[Ol Blue K20]

I'll look when I'm at the ranch tomorrow.

[Mykids69]

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

I'll look when I'm at the ranch tomorrow.

Thanks, Dale!

[Mykids69]

Did some cleaning today on the 68. Figured out the the wiring damage goes all the way into the cab. Heat transfer from the engine side of the harnesses melted most of the wires just inside the cab........... Now need under dash and both under hood harnesses, just keeps getting better!

I stripped all of the melted parts out and started cleaning up. Ended the day removing the valve covers and intake. I cleaned the Edelbrock intake in the bead blaster, guess what? It's a Torquer 2! Yeah for me!

And a shot of the SPID.

[Mykids69]

A few more pictures.......

[stsalvage]

Originally Posted by Mykids69

Did some cleaning today on the 68. Figured out the wiring damage goes all the way into the cab. Heat transfer from the engine side of the harnesses melted most of the wires just inside the cab........... Now need under the dash and both under hood harnesses, just keeps getting better!

I stripped all of the melted parts out and started cleaning up. Ended the day removing the valve covers and intake. I cleaned the Edelbrock intake in the bead blaster, guess what? It's a Torquer 2! Yeah for me!

And a shot of the SPID.

Me I run over www.truckandcarshop.com and buy the new M&H re-pop harness. But on my 1968 longhorn, I like how the 1971-72 side blinkers blink so I will use the 1972 front light harness so I can have that one Option other then that i replace all the harness and wires if your going to give it to one of your kids.

[Mykids69]

Been a long time since I have updated so now is the time. She is still not running, I made the mistake of digging into what i thought was a solid cab floor. Boy was I in for a few repairs. After reading countless threads and looking at what seems like a million and 1 pictures of everyone else's repairs, I dove into the floor, rockers and kick panels. I know how to weld, but had to learn about welding sheet metal. All in all it turned out great, but it just took forever. Seeing how the truck is at my work and I have been there for 24 years, it made it nice to have access to all of the things I needed to do the repairs. I have a quiet corner of the shop to keep it in and work on it in my "spare" time. The time is few and far between, but it beats trying to do it in my driveway at home!

pulled the seat, carpet and started cleaning some spots up. I was shocked to see only a small amount of rust on the passenger side floor......... hahaha, yeah, right!

Check out the photos to see the rest......

[Jeff's72C10*]

Nice find

[68bowtie]

I bet that truck would buff out nicely.

[Mykids69]

Originally Posted by 68bowtie

I bet that truck would buff out nicely.

Buffing out the truck is on the list for sure. The problem is that I think someone repainted it at one time or another. Although it looks like faded Medium Blue, it is a light blue metallic paint which is not the same as the door jambs, inside of the door or the dash.

I could just be wrong though...... and it could turn out really nice, buffed out!

[Ol Blue K20]

I looked for a harness yesterday. I don't have one that's complete or usable.

[Barnfind46]

Glad to see that you are saving this one!

[Mykids69]

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

I looked for a harness yesterday. I don't have one that's complete or usable.

Thank you for taking the time to look, Dale!

When I get it running and driving, I will bring it by for you to see it.

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by Mykids69

Thank you for taking the time to look, Dale!

When I get it running and driving, I will bring it by for you to see it.

That would be great!!

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by Mykids69

Thank you for taking the time to look, Dale!

When I get it running and driving, I will bring it by for you to see it.

That would be great!!

[Mykids69]

Well, I went to spin the engine over to TDC to put in the new distributor and guess what?

Engine wont turn over! Pulled the plugs and #5 & #7 had a little rust on the plug, so i squirted a little PB blaster into the cylinder and let it sit. Put the breaker bar back on it today and it spins........ kinda.

Rotates about a 1/4 turn in both directions and then stops.......

Pulled the intake, again, and decided to pull the drivers side head to check #5 & #7 and found that the head gasket was blown and both cylinders are full of rust and water.

So now something simple has turned into a bigger project just to get it running.

Going to pull the other head and pull the engine to see if it is rebuild-able. This is a 350 that was put in place of the original 327. It is already 40 over and still has hone marks on #1 & #3, so I might get lucky re-honing and re-ringing it, but i am not holding my breath. Casting # 3970010 no date stamp cause its been decked. Hopefully the bottom end is still good. At least this way I will check for a 4 bolt main and see what cam is in it, so that's good, I guess.

I already have the original 69 block, #3932386, from my son's C10 at the engine shop getting redone so having another engine at the machine shop is not in the budget anytime soon. He got an engine that was "freshly rebuilt", also a 3970010 block. It was supposedly built by a local engine shop for 380hp. He paid the now ex mechanic at my work for the engine and to install it. Guy helped me install it and got the ignition installed while I wasn't there and told me he broke in the engine. Well he quit right after that and now the cam is junk. It lasted about 600 miles.

I do not have luck with engines from other people at all.

Guess I will stick to doing engines myself and not to trust other people, wish me luck.

[Mykids69]

Been a while, but the simple fix to get a running truck has turned into an overhaul.

010 2 bolt 350 bored 40 over. re honed, new bearings, new rings and some fresh paint. Turned out not too bad.

Was able to get it put back in earlier this week, but it has been raining so much here, that it just got set back in and bolted to the transmission.


Not sure if this post should stay here or get moved to a build thread? Admin?

Will keep updating as I can!

[Ol Blue K20]

I believe the bracket is not a factory item. Who does your machine work?

[Mykids69]

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

I believe the bracket is not a factory item. Who does your machine work?

I have the original engine from the 69 over at Main Machine in Concord, I have known the owner for 30+ years. It has been there for 3 months already. He had a 6 month back up. Its just Curt and 1 guy helping.

I checked George's machine shop in Vallejo and he said he can do just a block in an 8 week turnaround. 3 months for heads. The new owner is just working by himself.

Machine shops are slowly disappearing. I remember at least 2 where I grew up that are gone now. Shelldust, and Rigsby. The ones that are still around have long waits. I asked Morgan's in Walnut Creek and they said they are 12 months out right now and aren't even taking anything in!

I pulled this one apart at work and re-honed it myself, cleaned it up and put new bearings and rings in it, changed the heads with some spares I had and threw it back together and painted it. This one is just a temporary fix ($120 in parts) just to get it running. Rings, bearings, paint, engine mounts, carb rebuild kit, and plugs! I just ordered replacement harnesses and they cost more than the rebuild!

I found a used front harness, paid for it, and when I laid it out and started installing it, the wires were so bad that some of them fell apart when I straightened them out! I was told it was a 68 C10 harness, but when it was all stretched out and laying in the truck, I realized it was a GMC harness with 4 headlight connectors and side marker lights.

When I get the original 69 engine back and put it together, I will put it back in the 69 I brought by your place, and take the engine that is in the 69 now and go through it and put that one in the 68.

It will be like musical engines!

The one in the 69 now has the bad cam, so I will tear it down and make sure its still good and go from there.

Once the 68 is running and the Fleet Manager finishes his 66 Mustang in our shop at work, we will get the 68 in to be sanded down and repainted the factory color. What looks like some good faded factory paint is a repaint of light blue metallic which is flaking off. The fuel doors and side tanks will get removed from the bed, extra holes in the doors and bed will be filled and smoothed, then paint.

It was solid Medium Blue with a White grill, so that is how it will end up.

I am hoping to be done with both trucks for the September car show at Budweiser!