What should I do with my dad's 1969 K/10?

[Sidewinder4.9l]

Here's the story;

This was my dad's truck (He's still alive, just hasn't touched it in 18 yrs) and he wrecked it (Blacked out/Landed in a 7' deep culvert) causing the issues you see here...

The truck has a TON of memories (He'd let me steer it when we'd go into the hills, when I was little, and he pulled my parent's first mobile home, to where it sits now, with it)

And I'd love to get it running/driving again...

Here's the specs:

1969 Chevrolet k/10
307 v8/ 4spd transmission
4x4 Standard Cab/ Longbed

Here's what I'm dealing with-

[Sidewinder4.9l]

Here's a few more pics...

[SCHRUMGMC]

I believe you should keep to fix up over the years. Pass to your kids The before an and after will blow you away

[jocko]

well, i hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but while anything can be "fixed up" - you'll want to stick a pencil in your eyeball before you finish that thing. The roof alone is reason enough for me to punt - as well as the passenger side A-pillar (and probably the entire passenger side). And I don't give up so easily, but...

I do, however, understand it has sentimental memories. So, here's what I'd do:

- remove the glovebox door and keep it for reference/sentimental value
- remove as many un-crunched parts as you can, things like the steering wheel (that you held as a kid), gun rack, emblems, etc.
- sell the rest for scrap (sorry, but I simply don't think it's fixable)
- buy another 69 or even a 70 K10 when you can - in much better shape - preferably a plain jane that you can then build to match the specs of your old SPID without "restorer's clone guilt"
- restore it as you have the money
- I think your dad would be very proud if you showed up one day in ANY 69 K10 that you stuck the old (restored) steering wheel on.

While emotional attachment is undeniable - Lord knows I'm polishing a turd right now myself - I think it's best to know when to say when. It was a nice truck, bring back the memories sooner and with more fun by starting with a better survivor that doesn't look like it was ridden so hard and put away, well, with a bulldozer.

I think you would be happier in the long run (actually, I think you'd be happier much sooner too) - and while the steering wheel, and whatever else you can salvage, don't sound like much now - they will mean a lot more when they are in the new, shiny (or not shiny, doesn't matter), running truck.

[Sidewinder4.9l]

Originally Posted by SCHRUMGMC

I believe you should keep to fix up over the years. Pass to your kids The before an and after will blow you away

If I did a general "Once over", brakes, tires, fuel system, etc...

And get a donor cab....I could drive it as is..

The bed is actually rust free on the sides...

[SCHRUMGMC]

I like Jocko's suggestions .

[blasher]

First of all, welcome to the board! Second, I have to agree with jocko 100 percent - but I apologize that the bulldozer part made me laugh. And third, you could probably set a restore record with your before and after pics. Good luck with whichever way you choose to go.

[Sidewinder4.9l]

Originally Posted by jocko

well, i hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but while anything can be "fixed up" - you'll want to stick a pencil in your eyeball before you finish that thing. The roof alone is reason enough for me to punt - as well as the passenger side A-pillar (and probably the entire passenger side). And I don't give up so easily, but...

I do, however, understand it has sentimental memories. So, here's what I'd do:

- remove the glovebox door and keep it for reference/sentimental value
- remove as many un-crunched parts as you can, things like the steering wheel (that you held as a kid), gun rack, emblems, etc.
- sell the rest for scrap (sorry, but I simply don't think it's fixable)
- buy another 69 or even a 70 K10 when you can - in much better shape - preferably a plain jane that you can then build to match the specs of your old SPID without "restorer's clone guilt"
- restore it as you have the money
- I think your dad would be very proud if you showed up one day in ANY 69 K10 that you stuck the old (restored) steering wheel on.

While emotional attachment is undeniable - Lord knows I'm polishing a turd right now myself - I think it's best to know when to say when. It was a nice truck, bring back the memories sooner and with more fun by starting with a better survivor that doesn't look like it was ridden so hard and put away, well, with a bulldozer.

I think you would be happier in the long run (actually, I think you'd be happier much sooner too) - and while the steering wheel, and whatever else you can salvage, don't sound like much now - they will mean a lot more when they are in the new, shiny (or not shiny, doesn't matter), running truck.

I'd honestly be happy to simply get another cab, and do as you said; Swap as many panels as I can out of the 69*



*From now on, we'll refer the 69 as mine, for all intensive purposes.

[Sidewinder4.9l]

Originally Posted by blasher

First of all, welcome to the board! Second, I have to agree with jocko 100 percent - but I apologize that the bulldozer part made me laugh. And third, you could probably set a restore record with your before and after pics. Good luck with whichever way you choose to go.

Thanks for the welcome!

And I agree....The truck is in rough shape; But as many of you know:

A mangled, ALL THERE truck, is better than a half decent/tossed together truck that the PO didn't hook half the crap up...


I'm just letting it simmer on the back burner as is; Until another cab, etc turns up.

Just wanted to get this show on the road; Get some input, etc from other's that've been down this particular road before.

[jocko]

I guess the big question I left out - but am assuming the answer is not a good one - is what did the culvert diving do to the frame? That's the real reason I was suggesting starting a bit more from scratch. And keep in mind, if you swap the cab, the title will likely need to change anyway - the title VIN is generally driven by the riveted cab VIN plate. It gets "messy" in some states when you have a hodge-podge of VINS on 1 truck. If the replacement cab come WITH a title, then you're in better shape - and they sometimes do come with a title, but not always.

Whereabouts is Salyersville in the beautiful state of Kentucky?

[Sidewinder4.9l]

Originally Posted by jocko

I guess the big question I left out - but am assuming the answer is not a good one - is what did the culvert diving do to the frame? That's the real reason I was suggesting starting a bit more from scratch. And keep in mind, if you swap the cab, the title will likely need to change anyway - the title VIN is generally driven by the riveted cab VIN plate. It gets "messy" in some states when you have a hodge-podge of VINS on 1 truck. If the replacement cab come WITH a title, then you're in better shape - and they sometimes do come with a title, but not always.

Whereabouts is Salyersville in the beautiful state of Kentucky?

It sort of pressed the rails together; Nothing that can't be straightend out though, from a repair shop...

Otherwise, the frame is fine.


As for the VIN...I have a clean title....So all the VINs would be done away with, except the original for the truck (Sentimental thing)....


As for where I'm located in KY;

2 hrs East of Lexington, 1 hr West of the Ky/WV state line.

[jocko]

No kidding! I'm a hoosier, but I've spent a good amount of time near Flemingsburg/Moorehead area in a little town called Hillsboro - that cant' be too far away from you, maybe a little west I'm guessing. Lots of relatives still there.

Wasn't sure what you meant by all the VINs being done away with(?) If you do a cab swap, the VIN attached to it will be what you need to have titled I believe. Big project, I wish you the best with it, but if you can pull it off, and I'm sure you can, you'll have a very special truck.

[Mister-B]

Yeah, man. Over the past week, I've picked over 5 separate trucks at the junk yard, and I think all of them were in better shape than this one... And that's a junk yard.

Do as others have said, and take what parts you can, and build a new one in memory of the original.
Posted via Mobile Device

[70cst]

Hey Sidewinder4.9l ...

to the forums and from Ohio.

It sounds to me like you want to fix her up and keep it in the family.

If the frame isn;t to bad then maybe go for it.

But be patient as it will take $$$ and time.

Good luck

[Sidewinder4.9l]

Originally Posted by jocko

No kidding! I'm a hoosier, but I've spent a good amount of time near Flemingsburg/Moorehead area in a little town called Hillsboro - that cant' be too far away from you, maybe a little west I'm guessing. Lots of relatives still there.

Wasn't sure what you meant by all the VINs being done away with(?) If you do a cab swap, the VIN attached to it will be what you need to have titled I believe. Big project, I wish you the best with it, but if you can pull it off, and I'm sure you can, you'll have a very special truck.

Morehead is where my other forum buddies (I'm actually a Ford man at heart) meet at....

Have been haunting MH the past 3 yrs actually......

It's 50 miles from me....45 min drive...



As for the VIN's...Just was gonna pick up a cab....VIN isn't a biggie...I have a good one, which is less paperwork, etc...

[huahuamick]

WOW!!! Nice Post!Kind Regards

[Sidewinder4.9l]

Originally Posted by 70cst

Hey Sidewinder4.9l ...

to the forums and from Ohio.

It sounds to me like you want to fix her up and keep it in the family.

If the frame isn;t to bad then maybe go for it.

But be patient as it will take $$$ and time.

Good luck

Thanks for the warm welcomes guys!

[hugger6933]

Welcome from eastern Arkansas. I build late model trucks and car [a very few] and SUV's for a living. And I have out of my body shop since I was a kid in 1987. My dad had no auto background but a farming one that he had retired from and was bored with life so he started hanging out at the shop. Now some 20 some years later he is in his mid 80's still doing it every day and loves to teardown any wreck that comes in. Very valuble memories indeed. Now back to you I do think a cab replacement might be the best option for you and that would put you well on your way towards fixing your truck. I think the thing to do is to get it out of the thickit, clean out all the loose parts and stuff just laying needlessly in the bed and the cab and then get it where you can get all the way around it and reevaluate the situation again, but once you do I think you will agree that a cab swap is gonna be a great foundation. With the memoires that this truck holds I would think that you probably would be planning a frame off type resto in the first place, well the cab not only needed to come off for cleaning and bushing replacment but it will be easier to stad up and cross measure the frame to make sure it is square before it leaves the frame shop. And on that subject most frame places can do the job as long as it has all 4 wheelsand then they can go from there and when it comes back you should be able to paint up and start dropping on parts. If I were in the same position I would not be the least bit worried about building that truck. welcome again ,Jim

[steelhorse]

Find another truck and combine the two to make one. Good luck and welcome.

[longbed67]

Originally Posted by jocko

well, i hate to be the bearer of bad tidings, but while anything can be "fixed up" - you'll want to stick a pencil in your eyeball before you finish that thing. The roof alone is reason enough for me to punt - as well as the passenger side A-pillar (and probably the entire passenger side). And I don't give up so easily, but...

I do, however, understand it has sentimental memories. So, here's what I'd do:

- remove the glovebox door and keep it for reference/sentimental value
- remove as many un-crunched parts as you can, things like the steering wheel (that you held as a kid), gun rack, emblems, etc.
- sell the rest for scrap (sorry, but I simply don't think it's fixable)
- buy another 69 or even a 70 K10 when you can - in much better shape - preferably a plain jane that you can then build to match the specs of your old SPID without "restorer's clone guilt"
- restore it as you have the money
- I think your dad would be very proud if you showed up one day in ANY 69 K10 that you stuck the old (restored) steering wheel on.

While emotional attachment is undeniable - Lord knows I'm polishing a turd right now myself - I think it's best to know when to say when. It was a nice truck, bring back the memories sooner and with more fun by starting with a better survivor that doesn't look like it was ridden so hard and put away, well, with a bulldozer.

I think you would be happier in the long run (actually, I think you'd be happier much sooner too) - and while the steering wheel, and whatever else you can salvage, don't sound like much now - they will mean a lot more when they are in the new, shiny (or not shiny, doesn't matter), running truck.

I agree... I might also keep the vin plate, and register it with the same vin that your grandpa's truck was... but get the replacement vehicle and restore it completely before getting rid of the other one.... you never know when you might need some random part that might still be good on the truck your have...

[GASoline71]

Originally Posted by steelhorse

Find another truck and combine the two to make one. Good luck and welcome.

This.

The frame on you pop's truck is tweaked pretty bad. It will probably never line up right again. Especially when you start bolting on new cabs, and sheetmetal.

Take some things off of this truck to honor your pop, and bolt them on another '69 K10. There are more of them out there.

Gary

[MARKDTN]

You need to drag it out of the bushes and onto a flat level surface. Get the axles level on blocks or air up tires-whatever. Clean out the trash and then take more photos and seriously evaluate. I have fixed some rough cars in my life, but WOW that one looks really bad. I see bad cab, bad frame, bad engine, bad heater, etc. Maybe it looks worse than it really is.

[Sidewinder4.9l]

Originally Posted by GASoline71

This.

The frame on you pop's truck is tweaked pretty bad. It will probably never line up right again. Especially when you start bolting on new cabs, and sheetmetal.

Take some things off of this truck to honor your pop, and bolt them on another '69 K10. There are more of them out there.
Gary

I'm just gonna strip it out, as far as possible, scrap the rest to recoup a tad of money; And go from there...

Originally Posted by MARKDTN

You need to drag it out of the bushes and onto a flat level surface. Get the axles level on blocks or air up tires-whatever. Clean out the trash and then take more photos and seriously evaluate. I have fixed some rough cars in my life, but WOW that one looks really bad. I see bad cab, bad frame, bad engine, bad heater, etc. Maybe it looks worse than it really is.

The engine ran fine.....Gives a good reason to rebuild/add to it...

I'm just looking at how things are, etc...



P.s-My dad is alive and well!

And it's his/our truck; Not my grandfather's...lol

[lap15]

I think your first order of business is to try and find a donor truck with close specs. Tear down your truck and save everything you possibly can. Then attempt to rebuild one truck as close to original as you can. It will never be the same as original, but at least it will still be part of the family and a great conversation piece.

[Sidewinder4.9l]

Originally Posted by lap15

I think your first order of business is to try and find a donor truck with close specs. Tear down your truck and save everything you possibly can. Then attempt to rebuild one truck as close to original as you can. It will never be the same as original, but at least it will still be part of the family and a great conversation piece.

At this point...It's on a piece of thread budget...

Basically just getting input/ideas...

Buddy of mine's offered his media blaster to use.....So that'll be a HUGE help..