New Member/Project NJ

[zosoppp]

Greetings all,

Just bought a rough survivor 1970 C10 LWB Fleetside (found on CL) locally in NJ.

The frame doesn't appear to be bad, surface rust and mud but no holes. Haven't had it up in the air yet, but what I could see/feel looked OK.

The cab has issues in all the usual places, right rear lower corner, both rockers, small holes/bubbles around the driver's door rain gutter.

The engine was replaced by the PO with a newer 350 and the truck is complete, and aside from the engine is original as it left the factory.

Has rear leaves instead of coil springs, was originally a 350 engine, has PS and PB (original 4 wheel drums) and the tanks' been replaced recently but is still in the cab.

The PO also still has the original 350 engine stripped down and cleaned ready for machining and rebuilding. It's allegedly a number's matching (didn't think that GM did that on truck blocks that old) engine that he'd offer me separately.

My question for the group at this point, is there value to having the original block (or even a block that's of the correct vintage)? The seller was an engine builder (now retired) and is telling me that the older blocks are thicker castings, and also with higher nickel content (has 010 cast on the block end).

Otherwise on the to do list is to look into front brake upgrade to disk, and tank relocation. Also I see a lot of body work in my future to arrest what rust has started, and of course the rockers. Also the passenger door mechanism is stuck and the door will not open so I'll have to see about that. I might have to pull the seat and door card to see what's gone wrong inside the door.

Anyway, looking forward to an adventure in restoration.