New guy W/ "An old truck love story" Intro: Its a Novel..just scroll to the pics :D

[NavyJetMechLegacy]

Hello, new to this site. Looking forward to browsing your builds and picking your brains for info and advise while tinkering with my first old truck

So here's my Intro and "Love Story": (or skip to bottom for pics)

My previous ride/commuter, a 2011 Mazda 2, (yes, my manhood did reduce in size upon entering it each day) was destroyed by massive soft ball sized hail storm. Thus began the search for a new vehicle. Yes, I drove a “skittle” blue, testicle shrinking, all plastic, 90hp, wussy car, but I’ve wanted an old truck since I saw my first fat fendered hot rod when I was seven-teen. I try to be practical though, and justifying getting one was difficult to do for myself. I don’t have the knowledge, or cash flow to do a nice restoration or hot rod. Not to mention the standard problems associated with older vehicles, like breaking down and costly repairs in depth repairs. Oh and the horrible gas mileage in these hot rod trucks. Hence my aforementioned ride, the price was right for it, only 2 years old when purchased, low miles, and only cost me $90 to drive from my last duty station in Norfolk, VA to visit my wife and family in Nebraska when I took leave (vacation). As opposed to an outrageously expensive plane ticket or a gas guzzling (but badass!) truck. It was the most logical choice of vehicle for me at the time. And it really was a decent car, even at 6’3 I fit in it comfortably.

But when the hail storm destroyed my car, and everything else in the area, I was no longer in the Navy. I didn’t have to drive across half the U.S. to visit family, or drive to base every morning in heavy traffic taking at least an 1hr and half to 2hrs just to get to work 11 miles away. So the 45 minutes to work every day, with no traffic, when I got back to Nebraska was nothing to me. So I slowly began keeping an eye out for decent old truck. I was still looking at newer cars though simply for the reliability and fuel economy factors. Which would be the adult version of me taking charge of my pride and wants and replacing them with needs and long term costs. The adult side logic eventually won out again. That is until I was visiting a friend after shopping some of the dealerships in his city, and we decided to go to an old car show to go drool at the hot rods while showing off his mint IH Scout II. Saw a for sale sign on an old 50s ford in rough shape, priced too high and didn’t have a garage to work in at the time. But then my buddy points to another truck with a for sale sign just playing around. I recognized it as a Chevy, but couldn’t place the year, I was certain it was pre 70’s but I was primarily a fan of those big fenders and curves on the 48-58 trucks. I hadn’t really looked at the 60s models yet.

Turned out to be a Jet Black, 1967 C10 Fleetside, with a slightly staggered stance, a SPOTLESS 383 stroker engine, and 4spd floor shifter. An old man with slick backed hair standing by the bed talking to some admirers of his truck swapping stories, and his wife happily sitting and watching the people look at the truck in amusement. Had a “for sale” sign on the window, with a reasonable price and phone number, so I wrote it down. There was no way I could get it at that moment I was only in the area for a short stop to look at cars and visit a friend before I had to drive 5 hours the other way to set things up for the wedding, get married, and go on our honeymoon. Not a chance that truck would still be around by the time I came back this way in a month…but the argument for buying an old truck was starting to blossom, especially if I could find a similar condition one for around the same price. Decided I would think about it, and if after the honeymoon I was able to justify it to both myself and soon to be wife I would call, stats weren’t in the trucks favor though. Long term thinking adult side of me usually takes over before the wife ever has to, the fact that she has no interest in any car other than her 05 Hyundai she’s had since undergrad was a guarantee it wasn’t going to happen.

During our honeymoon in Cozumel, MX we stopped to get gas for the moped we rented and head back to the resort for dinner. Old trucks being the furthest thing from my mind at that moment and what pulls up at the pump next to me? Another 1967 Chevy C10 Fleet side, brown and tan in color and very well kept, I got super excited about it and realized I hadn’t even told my wife about the cool truck I saw before our wedding. Told her the story, which she found pretty cool to my surprise, and we agreed to take it as a sign that I was meant to go after that truck in the states. Got back home (month after initial sighting) and decided to give the owner a call. It was still available and at the same more than reasonable price. However, as a young man just getting out of the Navy, married, trying to buy a house, and getting ready to start school and quit a full time job in a switch yard, money was tight! So worked it out with the bank, pre-approved 20k loan thought I was golden! The trucks cost wasn't even a 1/4 of the price of my pre-approval loan!

Made the deal with the owner and called the bank to set up the paper work. DENIED! 20k is for a new car or used car through a dealer not private seller the lady said! Soo my dreams got flushed down the drain...Heart broken, I began my web search for dealers in my area and came across a 1969 C10 with a step side bed from a 90 something Chevy truck. Looked a little funky but was still pretty sweet! Hopped in and took her for a spin. Automatic, 350, rusty, rattled, smelled of gas, no gas pedal (the rubber pad part), no stereo or glove box and all for the price of SIX GRAND! Crawled underneath it to get a look, and I'm no car expert, didn't grow up working on or around cars, but I was a jet mechanic on an aircraft carrier and if there is one thing I know very well its corrosion! I had never seen rust that bad before and I have almost 4 years of sea time under my belt working in one of the most corrosive environments in the world! And I ain't no slimy Pollywog! (sailor term)

Not many dealerships sell these though so told the salesman $2,500 and I'll take it. He counter offered, directing my attention to the 68' and 72' step sides fully restored priced at 18-19 a piece. Trying to indicate that 5,500 was a steal! Not so much for a falling apart truck that didn't even have the original bed in it. Especially when the first truck I saw was still cheaper than that, in much better shape, with no rust!

Eventually after driving a couple POS jeeps, we made a deal at $4,000. Handed the dealer the banks information for "dealer instructions" to get the check for it, and DENIED again! This time though the dealer got better information than I was given the first time this happened. Turns out it had nothing to do with dealers or private parties...It was the age of the vehicle, and due to its age they wouldn't approve it.........Unless......They get a copy of a third party appraisal showing its worth the amount (or more) loaned for the vehicle. So I walked away from the 69' and set my sights back on the 67'!

Gave the old couple that owned it a call again, and it was still available! Told them what had to be done for me to get the truck, they said they'd have it appraised for me within a couple days and fax all the required info to the bank....DENIED! Not certain why, I never saw that appraisal myself, but the bank said they wouldn't accept the appraiser they went to and they were zero help in finding an appraiser that would work for them...Ready to give up at this point.

I apologized to the sweet old couple that spent their own time and money to get it appraised so that I could buy that truck. It just wasn't going to workout. I was working 90+ hours a WEEK (98 hrs personal record) at the switch yard at this point having moved up to Crew Leader after 3 months on the job. We were short handed and railroad work doesn't stop for anything. It was an easy field of work to transition into coming out of the military but it felt like I was deployed again and never saw my Wife as I worked 2nd shift.

I couldn't quit however, because we were still waiting to close on a 100k house and I needed to look consistent for the VA home loan to be approved (different bank). Of course they were taking their time ensuring I was good for it. I wasn't making near what I was in the Navy, starting at 13.50 hr, so I had to fight for my raises to ensure the bank would fully approve. The wife as a full time Pharmacy student working one day a week as an intern, became a dependent I had to provide for on top of myself and a mortgage etc,etc,etc in the banks eyes. Oh and the lease on our apartment was about to end.http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/i...ilies/waah.gif

Too many stressors, from too many angles, and lack of sleep for a couple kids just hitched after 8 years together. After a day of thinking on it, I was Fed up and come Hell or high-water I was gonna get that truck!http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/i.../firedevil.gif found an appraiser, worked it out for the old couple to meet him an hour from their farm in the city and since I couldn't leave work, I had to get my wife to drive down there an hour from our apartment to pay the guy his $110 fee.

Took his appraisal to the bank in person, gave It the loan officer, she called whoever the final authority is, told them the asking price...then the appraisal price...and APPROVED!!!!! fireworks, whole nine yards and stuff. The banker couldn't understand how something "so old" could be worth that much..

Called in sick to work, so I could meet the guy and get the truck. They drove 1:45 min to meet me at my bank to make the deal. Success!

Finally I became a proud owner of a 1967 Chevy C10 Fleetside, 383 stroker engine, 4 speed car mechanical linkage transmission (thought all were hyd until this one lol) on the floor, dual exhaust, tonneau cover, jet black exterior, purple interior, bucket seats. NO RUST.

Same week capped out with my last raise at work $18.00 hr
One week later closed on our first house (2 car garage baby!)
One more week later finally quit that awful hell hole job.
Two weeks later started school for the first time 6 years. (wake up call)

2014 Summarized:
March: Out of the Navy, start railroad as operator, found house "preapprvd"
April: (Insert wedding planning to each month from June 2013 - June 2014)
May: Totaled car, Spotted truck! Promoted to Crew Leader $15.00 hr
June: Married/Honeymoon
July: Got Truck! Capped out hourly pay at work for under 18 yr exp. ($18.00)
August: Closed on house! Quit Job! Started School! Turned 24!


House = 100k, Split level, 2 Car attached Garage. Appraised by VA 120k

Truck= 1967 Chevy C10, Purchased $4,800, Appraised $12,500. (Paid Off!)

Writing a six month autobiography to strangers about buying my truck.......PRICELESS

Hopefully you just scrolled down and checked out the photos lol

C10 is currently a daily driver depending on weather, mechanically sound and fun as hell, although i take it pretty easy on her especially in this cold Midwest weather. about 14k on the 383 now had around 10k when I got it apparently.

Thanks for checkin it out!

Jason