'68 C20 396 4sp Utility ...resurrection :)

[KevinK7]

I've been posting for a while and some may have seen some of the pics, but I thought why not, lets' start a 'build' thread.
I wouldn't call this a real "build" thread since I didn't have plans to completely tear the truck down, but I figured why not post some of the work as I go along.

Living in NY, with my brother in Las Vegas (NV) I realized real quick, I was better off looking west and shipping back east.
Being a 'Camaro Guy' I've had a couple 1st gen's shipped east and you definitely learn to appreciate the lack of rust on vehicles from the southwest.

Anyway, I stumbled upon a "1968 Chevy 3/4 ton with Utility Bed" on CraigsList
Here are some actual photos from the ad:








I made the phone call, struck a deal and had the truck shipped from California to my brother's in Vegas, where it sat for a while.

Initially, I wasn't too keen on the utility bed, already thinking about pulling it to put on a factory bed. When the truck showed up at my brother' he told me how clean (and rust free) it was and said I'd be crazy to start 'messing' with it.
I already knew it was a 396 4 speed, but when I saw the SPID, I also realized it was "Special Paint" (of which I still don't know what specific color it was, but oh well


In October of 2019 I finally saw it first hand (along with a '68 50th I picked up, but that's for another story) and I just though the truck was SO cool
We flushed out all the old gas (had to change the fuel pump too) but the darn thing ran great!
All I had done was put a set of (Wheel Vintique 16" steelies) wheel and tires on it and drove it around for the week or so I was visiting my brother.

Here it is at DMV in Vegas for inspection


Even a trip out to Red Rock Canyon



Then in November of 2019, it was loaded up (with two others) headed back east to my house in upstate NY...

[KevinK7]

Trucks were picked up on a Tuesday evening in Vegas, arrived in NY Friday evening. We assisted in unloading and got them in the new garage...


I drove the 'utility' here and there (still hadn't done a thing to it), and on one trip the carb started acting up so the work began...

To step back a bit, I never had plans to "restore" this truck, just clean it up and drive it as it is. The more I looked into things, the more original I was finding it. Original, numbers matching motor, trans, carb, distributor, heads, intake, etc. etc. I've done a few Camaros, and to find something with all it's original parts as this would have been close to impossible.

Anyway, I pulled the carb, sent it out for rebuild and started getting into other things at that time...

[KevinK7]

One of the first things I did was to remove the lift gate...





Fast forward, ..I pulled the step bumper off the 50th I got... cut the ends off, narrowed he center section and fab'd up some brackets to mount it...

[KevinK7]

I started out with the typical dust bowl...


Aftermarket cruise control, manual choke added, extra horn and one heck of a wiring nightmare...



After cleanup...




Even the original heater box was in two pieces...

Luckily I found an original, cleaned it up and installed...

[KevinK7]

Amazingly dent free valve covers...






Rebuilt Carb... (Kudos to J&J Carbs of Fullerton, CA)

[KevinK7]

While working on the engine detail, ...I started on the interior...

- recovered the dash pad, added underdash lighting, intalled retrosound radio, restored steering wheel, install carpet, etc etc.



Dash pad vinyl replacement...
Link to the details:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...light=dash+pad

[68bowtie]

Originally Posted by KevinK7

I wouldn't call this a real "build" thread since I didn't have plans to completely tear the truck down, but I figured why not post some of the work as I go along.

This is exactly how I started mine. Not a build thread... only minor updates... Now it's been 4 years since I have driven it! Hopefully you can focus better than me.

Looking great so far. Can you share some details about the steering wheel refurb? That turned out fantastic.

Subscribed...

[notsolo]

Nice transformation, good things take time. I noticed the wiring under the hood, Scary! Interior looks great also.

[KevinK7]

Originally Posted by notsolo

Nice transformation, good things take time. I noticed the wiring under the hood, Scary! Interior looks great also.

That wiring was a mess. All through the truck too, they used those blue crimp connectors everywhere. I have few pics of all the soldering and shrinktubing, but just to list a few 'repaired/replaced' areas:

- column turn signal switch replaced.
- heater blower motor, replaced.
- radio harness and wiring
- underdash auxilary lights added (from a '67 Camaro : )
- wiper switch, headlight switch ...replaced.
- rewired all the rear wiring in the utility bed for the brake/tail lights.
- added underhood light

Redid the engine harness too, added the tach coil- pickup and 12V wire for the Pertronix, all bundled into the existing harness,so you don't even see them. Pretty much the case for wiring, hours upon hours, and you don't see hardly any of it

[KevinK7]

Originally Posted by 68bowtie

... Can you share some details about the steering wheel refurb? ...

Years ago I used a two part epoxy called "PC-7" on a Camaro wheel, I still had the cans and was amazed it was still good!, so I used it again on the truck wheel. I just googled, and the stuff is still around...
https://www.amazon.com/PC-Products-P.../dp/B0815KTCKR

In a nutshell, you seemingly 'make it worse' before you make it better : ), use a hacksaw or similar to open up the cracked areas, fill the voids with the mixed epoxy and let it sit. From there, it's sanding, grinding, more sanding, etc. It takes time, but the epoxy sands relatively easily. It's just tedious with all the curves, etc. but you get there.
My truck wheel didn't look 'that' bad starting out, but when you look closely, there are more cracks than you think. It's a bit unnerving hacking away at it (making it look worse than when you started), but you need to open the areas up for the epoxy.

Anyway, after all the sanding, prime and paint. On my Camaro wheel, I did use a sprayer (and basecoat...clearcoat) which I'd recommend. For the truck wheel, I used a 'rattle can' and cleared over and it will be fine.

My apologies, I forget who on the board here ID'd the Nissan paint code that pretty darn matched the Fawn interior color. I found Duplicolor in a rattle can, so I used it. Note these are not full size cans, get TWO if you're doing this.




Here's some more pics of the process...




Since I didn't take as many pics as I should have on the truck wheel, here's some from a '67 Camaro wheel I did years ago.

[KevinK7]

I wasn't planning on doing anything with the paint/patina, but a tested a light scuffing with a scotchpad. In no time, I did half the hood.
I'm amazed at how much 'crud' came off. I'll be searching around to see what others have been doing with the patina, but I think I'm going to try lighly polishing it, I just don't want to remove what little paint is left lol

[Ol Blue K20]

Subscribing to follow along. You're doing some nice work....

[Snake72]

Subscribed. Amazing work on that clean old truck. The before and after pics of the engine bay are incredible

[6t9camaro]

Looking Good! Subscribed

[KevinK7]

OK, ...so a brief update.
While I awaited my tach order from Brother's, I continued with the wheel reinstall. Then installed a set of Bilstein shocks, I never took any pics.

[KevinK7]

...the Brother's tach conversion kit finally showed up. This was the last piece I was waiting for. I even picked up a clock from a member here, so that was already waiting.
The excitement was building, I finally had everything to put the cluster back together. I flipped it over, put the lens in, the cluser back, the gauges, had the wiring all set, etc. Flip it back over.............................................. : (

How the heck did I not see this! .....................wrong lens!!

I called Brother's, and they sent out a new ...TACH lens, which put things off another week.

[Happy_dan]

Is that a Coors light in one picture. I am shocked.

Also, in the instruments, it looks like the teach needle is red? Just the picture?

See you Wednesday!

[KevinK7]

Originally Posted by Happy_dan

Is that a Coors light in one picture. I am shocked.

Also, in the instruments, it looks like the teach needle is red? Just the picture?

See you Wednesday!

Coors Light? lol ...could have been. Must have run out of Hudson's or Smokey Quartz

[Happy_dan]

You would never run out of those. Post #9 has a Coors Light bottle. Probably used it for gasoline. LOL. I know you didn't drink that

[Ol Blue K20]

Originally Posted by Happy_dan

You would never run out of those. Post #9 has a Coors Light bottle. Probably used it for gasoline. LOL. I know you didn't drink that

But......I like Coors Light.........

[Happy_dan]

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

But......I like Coors Light.........

Sorry. LOL.

I just know that Kevin likes IPA's

[KevinK7]

Haven't updated in a bit...
- I had posted previously about an issue with the rebuilt carb. I did contact the vendor, and after checking a few things on my end, I sent it back to them to look at again. I need to follow up with them to see where that is.

I did however get the Fawn upholstery from SMS, and seat is now redone. Going to get that back in the truck, ...and wait for the carb

I was lucky that by chance a good friend (less than a mile away) noted his neighbor does upholstery work. They stopped over Sunday to take a look, I dropped the seat of Monday night, done in less than 24 hours

[Happy_dan]

Looks great!
Drive it here.

[68bowtie]

Dude. Seriously. That seat looks amazing. It's a pet peeve of mine when you can spot an aftermarkert seat by the wrinkles because it's not "tight" enough. That looks great! Color looks spot on too.

[KevinK7]

Originally Posted by 68bowtie

Dude. Seriously. That seat looks amazing. It's a pet peeve of mine when you can spot an aftermarkert seat by the wrinkles because it's not "tight" enough. That looks great! Color looks spot on too.

Thanks Tim
I actually commented to the guy who did it, how tight it fit. He said it was 'fun', that it was like bus seat material.
I got the seat back in the truck last night, you should see it with the seat belts
I'll grab some pics once I get it back out of the garage...