Project Goldilocks, '66 C10 SWB BBW Build

[theastronaut]

I got the last piece of the steering column finished tonight. A friend had borrowed the column cover to get his paint matched to it so I didn't have it when I was working on the other column parts. I wanted to shorten it to match the three inches I took out of the column, but keep all of the factory stamping details. It would have been easier to just chop the end under the dash off, but what's the fun in that?


Marking the ends with masking tape.




The mounting holes are exactly three inches center-to-center so I decided that I'd remove the section between the holes.




There's not quite three inches from the end that would be cut off to the indention, so I didn't shorten the cover quite three inches.




Beginning to cut the center out.




Center removed, and the end section slid forward and tacked into place.




Fully welded and ground down.






And mounted back on the column.

[theastronaut]

Got the steering column parts bead blasted and the tube painted. Tomorrow I'm going to finish cleaning the inside of the bed with CLR and 0000 steel wool. I want to go ahead and get the bed buffed out, undercoated, and the floor in so it'll be ready to go back on the frame. LS2 blocks may as well be unicorns around here so I'll pick up a cheap 5.3 off craigslist to get the motor mounts and T56 crossmember sorted out.

Feels good to finally get to work on the truck, I've been wrenching on the VW the last two months in my spare time!


The turnsignal switch housing was bent so I straightened it out and double checked the fit before blasting everything.






Primed/guidecoated, wetsanded, and painted.










I've also started polishing out the side trim using Wenol metal polish to take the haze of the original anodizing, then waxing it. All the original trim is in unbelievably good condition, I won't have to replace any of it!

[CRGRS 66]

nice work astronaut, hey you posted about glass beads on my what to use thread, are there different grades/grains of the glass beads?

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by CRGRS 66

nice work astronaut, hey you posted about glass beads on my what to use thread, are there different grades/grains of the glass beads?

Thanks, I've been using 80 grit from Harbor Freight, havent tried any other grits. I bought it to use on aluminum carb bodies but I like it on steel parts too. It's not the best for heavy paint or pitted rusty parts but it's fine for parts like the column that were thinly painted with only minor surface rust. I use #45 sand for parts that need more aggressive stripping.
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[CRGRS 66]

Originally Posted by theastronaut

Thanks, I've been using 80 grit from Harbor Freight, havent tried any other grits. I bought it to use on aluminum carb bodies but I like it on steel parts too. It's not the best for heavy paint or pitted rusty parts but it's fine for parts like the column that were thinly painted with only minor surface rust. I use #45 sand for parts that need more aggressive stripping.
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Thanks for sharing, the steering column parts came out looking awesome.

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by CRGRS 66

Thanks for sharing, the steering column parts came out looking awesome.

Thanks!


More baby steps, got the column parts primed with DP90 and then a few coats of K36 high build.

[theastronaut]

Picked up a cheap 5.3 for mock up duties today. Next on the list is a scattershield so I can get the motor/trans mounts built and finish the frame bracing.


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[Bomp]

Been watchin for awhile. Man you have some nice progress. Keeps me motivated.
Subscribed.

[clemdaddy]

amazing detail... each and every part, the smallest thing, all the hardware... amazing. i think that if you ever cut a corner you wouldn't be able to sleep. you'd get up and go out to make it right.

keep it going, we'll be here...

[FRENCHBLUE72]

The details on this thing are nuts/... Keep up the good work I check back here all the time for ideas..

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by Bomp

Been watchin for awhile. Man you have some nice progress. Keeps me motivated.
Subscribed.

What?! You're the one providing motivation and making major progress!! I'm at a snails pace compared to you! Love your build, I check in on it often!

Originally Posted by clemdaddy

amazing detail... each and every part, the smallest thing, all the hardware... amazing. i think that if you ever cut a corner you wouldn't be able to sleep. you'd get up and go out to make it right.

keep it going, we'll be here...

Thanks clemdaddy! Your're right, it would drive me crazy! There's already a few things I have in mind to go back and do over like the C-notch and some of the trimming on the bed floor.

Originally Posted by FRENCHBLUE72

The details on this thing are nuts/... Keep up the good work I check back here all the time for ideas..

Thanks, glad you like it! Hoping to get back on the frame as soon as I can pick up a scattershield!

[theastronaut]

Bought a new lens for the gauges, it came in today. I wetsanded and buffed the lettering off and sent it to Jason at Greenback Decal. Instead of printing the 160 mph speedo graphics on a clear decal we are going to reprint the whole thing straight on the lens. This way the color will match and there's no chance of getting air bubbles under the decal. He said the tach should be finished soon and he'll have the lens in a couple days so he can work on it. Can't wait to see the gauges finished, I think it's going to be one of my favorite parts of the truck!


I forgot to take a finished after pic but buffing the lens is much clearer now.

[duallyjams]

I can't wait see it either.

[pdxhall]

I'm looking forward to seeing it too. We've talked about this before and you've beat me to the punch on having one done. I'm just looking for a color change. I didn't think about just polishing off the graphics on a new lens. I have been thinking about getting a piece of polycarbonite cut and then printed on.

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by pdxhall

I'm looking forward to seeing it too. We've talked about this before and you've beat me to the punch on having one done. I'm just looking for a color change. I didn't think about just polishing off the graphics on a new lens. I have been thinking about getting a piece of polycarbonite cut and then printed on.

Getting a piece cut might be better, the repro's had a bit of distortion that I had to sand out before buffing. Lexan or something similar would be much clearer. I even thought cutting from glass but it would be too easy to break and I don't know how well the graphics would stick.

[duallyjams]

What color silver did you use on the gauge cluster trim.

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by duallyjams

What color silver did you use on the gauge cluster trim.

Sorry for the late response, I just found the can. It's SparVar S120 Silver.
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[theastronaut]

Santa came early this year! It's just like I wanted and even has the lip around the edge to put the original style shift pointers on it!

[aggie91]

That looks good. Who did the work on the gauge(s)?

[truckzilla]

Coolness abounds here!

Keep it up!

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by aggie91

That looks good. Who did the work on the gauge(s)?

Jason Wilson at Greenback Decal made the tach and is reprinting the speedo lens.

http://parklane410.wix.com/home

Originally Posted by truckzilla

Coolness abounds here!

Keep it up!

Thanks!

[naynay]

can you post some pics of the whole truck?

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by naynay

can you post some pics of the whole truck?

The truck is completely apart (and was when i bought it) but I had posted pics of everything when I first bought the truck and posted it all here. All those pics on the first page are gone though; I'll work on getting them uploaded to photobucket and put them back up.
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[theastronaut]

Here's a few quick ones til I get the first page fixed.














About the only rust it has.

[truckzilla]

Wow! I'm blown away at how straight that truck is! It must have been garaged its whole life and hardly used. I can't believe how little rust it has!

Talk about finding a gem!