68 LONG BED to SB Fleet

[blakeaz33]

Decided to start my own build thread - starting with a 68 C10 long bed original paint. This truck was on a peach orchard in Utah and had a topper on it for most of the time. The bed floor is in great shape since it only had peach crates loaded and unloaded so no major dents - just a few scrapes and hickies. I'm planning on fixing the extremely minimal rust and converting this truck to a short bed. Ultimately will be factory red with bags but I'm doing this one in stages. I've done other projects all at once, media blast, rotisserie, etc, and a couple of years of work. I plan on driving this and enjoying it while I work on it - the rust and short bed conversion will be all at once and the rest one at a time. My grandfather had a 68 that I started driving in high school, he didn't buy it new but he owned it since it was a year or two old - when this truck is done it will represent that truck if I was still fortunate enough to own it today.

[blakeaz33]

The rust on the hinge pillar and rocker panel on the driver side ended up worse than I thought when I first saw it. Removed the rubber mat and will start cutting.

[nuke1]

looks like a great start to a project you ahve ther, that truck is nice and straight, i agree with being able to build and drive, but that never happens to me, i jst seem to go all out or nothing, oh well, my own fault.

[blakeaz33]

Thanks Nuke it really is a pretty straight truck - original six with 3 speed radio delete with no options. The rust on the driver rocker, floor, and hinge area is the worst area. The passenger side is in much better shape and there is small area of bubbles behind the heater motor on the firewall.

[blakeaz33]

Here is the progress on the floor and rocker - cut the rust away to clean metal. The replacement floor patch didn't go back far enough on the back rocker area so I trimmed a piece to fit.

[LuckyHenriksen]

Lookin good! Thats a nice clean truck to start with. It would look cool if you left the body as it is and bagged it.

[blakeaz33]

Thanks Lucky - I actually drove it quite a while just like it is trying to decide what to do with it. I always wanted a 68 SB and always wanted to try shortening one so this truck was the perfect candidate. I got a great deal on this so I couln't pass on it - much, much less than a rough SB would have cost me.

[caja_larga]

there was a short bed box here in tucson on C-L http://tucson.craigslist.org/cto/963120479.html

I can go look at it for you. Iwas going to go get it but the long bed is growing on me.

[blakeaz33]

Originally Posted by caja_larga

there was a short bed box here in tucson on C-L http://tucson.craigslist.org/cto/963120479.html

I can go look at it for you. Iwas going to go get it but the long bed is growing on me.

Appreciate the info - I already started cutting my bed so I'm past point of return on it. Decent price if the bed is in good shape though based on what I seen others sell for.

[LuckyHenriksen]

Cool, looking forward to progress pics!

[67-72crazy]

keep up the good work.

[msgross]

subscribed....

nice looking truck to start with... interesting how it rusted like that....

[blakeaz33]

Originally Posted by msgross

subscribed....

nice looking truck to start with... interesting how it rusted like that....

The driver side hinge pillar was all full of debris like it had been parked beneath an overhang of a building with the driver side catching everything - pretty severe rust compared to the condition of the rest of the truck. Here are the finish pictures of this repair.

[blakeaz33]

Here is one before the rocker went on.

[blakeaz33]

Started cutting on the bed - I am going to shorten the long bed instead of buying a SB. No rust or major dents so I have a good part to start with. I have to give a lot of credit to Rokcrln on the thread on LFD's low buck - I'm basically doing the same thing and being able to follow that work will be a great help.

[blakeaz33]

Cutting off the back actually went pretty quick once I got the tape lined up and started cutting.

[blakeaz33]

Shot of the back matching up the body lines and tack welding and laying out the tape to cut out the section in front part of the bed.

[1LoC10]

nice...good job so far

[LuckyHenriksen]

Wow your cruizin on that bed chop. Doing a great job!

[thirdstreettito]

Man, you just mad me mad. You cut up a perfectly good longbed. That just burns my buttons! Us LWB lovers have to hunt down good beds and you cut one up. Sorry if I came off a bit strong, but I just dont get it...

Nice project though.

[LuckyHenriksen]

Dont worry about it, keep cuttin'! Your making it look easy

[blakeaz33]

Originally Posted by thirdstreettito

Man, you just mad me mad. You cut up a perfectly good longbed. That just burns my buttons! Us LWB lovers have to hunt down good beds and you cut one up. Sorry if I came off a bit strong, but I just dont get it...

Nice project though.

No worries - LB or SB 2WD or 4WD I like them all when someone cares enough to do something with one and drive it. Maybe the work will help keep it on the road another 40 years - building this one to keep.

[VA72C10]

I love LWB as well, but completely understand cutting up this one...drive what you want and use good parts when you have them.

[72BlckButy]

Great looking project! Definitely subscribing to this one...

[Rokcrln]

No fair you started with a much better truck! Your work is looking great and this way of doing body mods really is the basic step to allot more fun projects.
Here is another use for the same basic steps








Kevin
LFD Inc.