So I just had an interesting drive...

[chevy_mike]

So I picked up my "new" '65 C10 last Friday and drove it 150 miles back home without any real issues. The next day it won't start. I got it jumped and was warming it up a little so I could move it into my driveway. I start to move and it died. Open the hood and try to jump it again and noticed the starter cable had rubbed on the headers and was sparking a little. Oh crap! Glad that didn't happen on the long drive home.

So this past weekend my buddy and I cleaned up all the wiring and got the lights working, starter rewired and the alt. charging again. Cool, now I just need some new tires as the ones on it were old and dry rotting.

Okay... I'm getting to the drive, hang in there... So yesterday I test fitted my slot mags to make sure they would clear and to figure out what tire size I wanted. The lug nuts that were on there were some funky type where it was a combo mag style with an acorn taper. Problem was they would bottom out before really tightening up correctly. No problem, they will get replace when the slot mags go on.

On to today... Ordered the tires and they get them in this afternoon. Cool, I'll drive up, have the mounted to the slot mags and put on. Well that was a great idea but I guess they see more of the "ricer" crowd and not hot rodders so they didn't have an mag lug nuts in stock. Fine, I'll drive home and just go out later and get some at NAPA. So I am about a half mile from my house when I hear some thing go clank. Then another. Then it seems a little loose and then I hear that telltale sound of a wheel coming off. Luckily I wasn't going too fast and was able to pull right over.

Get out and sure enough I don't see any lug nuts and the drum is resting on the inside of the wheel but hadn't come completely off nor did the wheel hit the fender. Woo Hoo!!!! Lucked out big time. No real damage.

Called the wife to come pick me up, when and got my other truck, jack and some lug nuts. Got back to the '65, jacked it up, got the wheel back on and luckily no damage to the threads, and got it back home. Sure am glad I didn't decide to drive in rush hour traffic to NAPA like had crossed my mind...

Now I need to go up and get some mag lug nuts... hoping NAPA has the correct one and enough of them. Will post up pics once I get the new wheel/tire combo on.

Not quite what I had planned on doing this evening but it sure kept it from being boring.

[steverino66]

You're one lucky hombre. I once lost a right front wheel off a Chevelle doing 70 - coasted to the shoulder making sparks, chased down the wheel (just for a couple of seconds it seemed like the dash would vibrate through the windshield)

[chevy_mike]

Okay, got my lug nuts and got everything on. Just how I wanted it to look!!!! Major happy dance going on in my head.

Before pic (rear wheel is the one that tried to part company)



The after... (front 235/70-15 on 15x7 slot mag, rear 255/70-15 on 15x8.5 slot mag)



Funny the letters lined up just by backing up a few feet. LOL

[TwoFiftyShifter]

I've needed special lug nuts for alloy wheels before, went to 2 local parts stores, 2 advance auto parts stores, went into the first autozone, and they tell me the autozone thats 25 miles away has 50 of them in stock, and as I'm pulling out, I blew a brake line.

I was pissed. Your truck looks a few thousand times better than before. I have the same slotted mags on my truck.... Did you rattle can your truck?

[likaroc13]

looks much better...glad u and the truck are okay too

[losthope]

you are lucky wish i was in traffic when i was driving my 54 ford( i know i said ford) i heard some clinking nosie and thought wtf is that made a right turn and crash bang boom thought the motor dropped out the car as i saw my driver side tire go rolling down the street in front of me! clinking noise was lug nuts rattling in the dog dish hub cap!!!!!ripped them right off the studs messed the fender all up...bad day..... glad you and the truck are safe!!

[VA72C10]

very cool with the slots

[fryer1979]

I have always loved slotted mags, they seem to look good on just about anything. Your pickup looks great with the mags and new BFGs.

Couple questions for you if you don't mind: first, what is the drop on your suspension? Second, do you have any rub issues with the front tires?

[chevy_mike]

Thanks for the props guys. Yeah, I considered myself lucky over the last week. I have totally loved slots forever it seems. I had bought these for my '68 project but after getting the '65, I knew they had to go on it. They just look so right!

To answer some questions, the PO rattle canned the paint. Krylon IIRC. I actually have two gallons of John Deer Blitz Black so I might respray it down the road, just to make things uniformed (but keeping the same style). Planning to put some flames or scallops on it too.

As for the drop, it was done before the PO got it so he didn't know much. From what I can put together, it is Ground Control 3" dropped springs front and they converted (no idea why) over to leaf springs in the rear. Only 3 leafs, shackle flip and dropped shackles. Oh and air shocks (not bags) in the rear. I still need to sort out things as there are no bump stops and it tends to "crash" metal to metal on rough road.

As for rubbing, nothing so far but haven't really driven it with the new combo. Got things put on and cleaned up right before dark last night.

[94tx]

Do you know the original wheel tire combo on the rear wheel? That's exactly what I'm looking for, white walls and all.

[chevy_mike]

Originally Posted by 94tx

Do you know the original wheel tire combo on the rear wheel? That's exactly what I'm looking for, white walls and all.

The wheels "look" to be 15x6 and the tires were Candy Store WWW, bias ply in G78-15 size. Tire size I got off the tire, the wheels I am guesstimating based on other wheels I have laying around.

[Gkirk]

cant believe you found the tires i live in nc and the radial ta are back ordered everywhere

[chevy_mike]

Interesting. I called my local Discount Tires and gave them the size. They said they would need to order them and take a few days. I told them I was looking to get them that day. They checked around, called me back and said they would have them by 3pm. I was stoked! Didn't know there was a shortage.

BTW, tirerack.com showed them in stock.

[Gkirk]

sears told me they had 2 but they only had 1 and i found a tire store that had 4 but he said they were not makin them anymore so he wanted 175 a piece but sears came through for me and got the other one next day so im happy but i have been told that coker tire bought the molds to make them !! which is good love the look

[jocko]

lost my nuts, so to speak, on a 57 chev once - kept seeing these little sparkly things flying out IN FRONT of the car as I was cruising down the highway doing about 65 (right after getting my shiny new Cragar S/S and BFG T/A's mounted). Happy as a clam and wondering what those shiny flying things were until the big ker-plunk came and I got passed on the left by my own front tire... Unilug is NOT a good design - but now with any new wheel, I try to remember to re-tighten them after the first 20-30 miles. I don't really ever want to experience that joy again! Glad you're ok and nobody got hurt, including the truck.
jocko

[astrochimp]

I like the way your truck looks.............