Newbie with a few questions

[shortymac83]

Ok, I'm looking at buying a 68 C-10. This thing is totally base model, white trim, 3 on the tree tranny, 250 six with a 1 BBL carb, 2WD, and a wood bed. Alright, this is going to be my daily driver for a year or so, but then I'd like to pull it in and give it a total restoration, including the wimpy 250.

My questions are -

1. Is there any place to get a full doghouse for this truck? I'm leaving the gas tank where it is, though I've heard that a popular thing to do is to put it under the bed. It's got a decent sized hole behind the seat, and the rockers and rear lower corners of the cab is gone. If it was just the rockers and corners, I'd patch it, but I don't know the condition of the floor, and I don't want to half-ass this job.

2. Is there a diagram for putting a new bed in it? I've got oak wood for it, but the trim (the brass between the wood slats) is really beat up, and the bed is rotted very bad (half of it is gone). I'm pretty good with woodworking and I have all the tools that I'd need, but I don't know how to make the joints between the wood.

3. For daily driving, I'd like to put a 4BBL carb and header on the motor and keep the original equipment for when (if) if I sell it. Is there anyone that still makes this stuff?

4. Can you get repro parts for the dash?

5. Are there any bench seats that will interchange with it? I'm not too sure on the condition of the whole thing, and if it isn't too bad, I'll just get it reupholstered, but if it is, this is kinda a rare truck around here.

6. Maaaybe, eventually I'll put in a 350 (I'd rather not, everything has one) or a 400, or maybe I'll be different and put in a 403 Olds. I'd like to keep the 3 on the tree shifting, but how strong is this transmission? I'm sorry that I can't provide any numbers, but the truck is 2 hours away from me and I don't have anyone to go check on it for me.

umm...I think that's it, but I'm sure that if I get it, I'll be a more regular member here because there's a lot that I haven't the faintest idea about with these things. I'm an Oldsmobile guy, but I'd like a truck and this thing is reeaaaly cheap (think under $400 bucks) and running, and I like these Chevy trucks, so that's that.

[70ChevyLongbed]

Aloha from Tennessee! Don't have any answers... but I know you will get them here

One thing you should try is the 'search' function... it's a great resource for past posts.

J

[shortymac83]

Thanks and aloha to you too! I'm nuts, I've decided, I've already started making a notebook about this truck, I've got 2 80 page notebooks full on my oldsmobile, I can just imagine what's going to happen with this one lol!

[rage'nrat638]

welcome....
1 make a post on the parts board
2 i got a chassie manual....18.00 shipped
3 don't sell it
4 yes
5 yes many options

6 don't do that

[smokekiki]

Check the parts board,Quite often there are guys selling.#2 GMCpauls has a bed diagram on there website.#4yes all the vendors on the board has repro parts for the dash.#5 do a search on this board.A lot of guys have pics of different seats in there cabs.Late eights early ninties fit.#6 How about a caddy.check out board member Longhornman,he has info on his site for doing a caddy swap.Welcome to the board!

[smokekiki]

Just saw you are from indy. www.gmcpauls.com is in Indy somewhere.

[Canadian694x4]

Welcome To The Board From The Great White North!!!

[Paul72]

Welcome to the board from Minnesota!

All of your answers (and then some) can be found on this board. There is a lot of knowledge here.

Good luck in your plans for the truck!

Paul

[dtlilly]

Welcome to the board from W. Tennessee. Your lucky to like in indy, there are many board members up your way, and the annual board members meet will be held there this year!

[shortymac83]

Thanks guys. Like I said, it's not mine yet, and I don't even know if it IS going to be mine. About the motor, I really like straight sixes (own 3 of them, an 83 AMC 258, 86 AMC 258 in our 83 CJ-7 and a 4.0L in a Cherokee) and I really like them all. The only reason that I said I might even possibly consider it is that a 120 HP six in a full size truck seems a bit anemic. Thanks to smokekiki for the link and info, and if I get the truck (and his permission, lol) I'm sure that I'll be dropping by paul's place a lot with a bunch of dumb newbie questions.

[Palf70Step]

Welcome from south Mississippi. Lots of options to your questions.
On the engine. If your are looking at redoing the 250 and spending money on speed parts, you might find it cheaper right now going with a basic V8 Speed parts are much cheaper and rebuilding or getting a different engine (crate) is about same cost, if not cheaper and it'll bolt to your 3 speed.

Seat Options are endless with these trucks. probably most common and easy is using one from a 88-98 full size GM truck.

Parts options are very good...lots of vendors on the board and all are great to deal with and EXTREMELY helpful.

Have fun!!

[shortymac83]

OK, the engine is in good shape, no knocks or rattles or burning anything, and the oil pressure doesn't go below 20 PSI (can't say that about my 307! lol!), so, besides a tune up and a starter and battery, it'll be fine. I read though that it only puts out 120 HP. The Delta is a dog with 30 more HP than that, and this is a fullsize truck that will probably be doing some work (wood loads, possibly hunting expeditions, pulling a boat around the property, etc) at least until I get it all restored and ready to go. This is why I want to just add a 4BBL carb and header, it'll increase HP and torque a bit, and is very reversible. On one of the Oldsmobile forums I'm on, a guy that posts there used to own UltraDyne cams and now makes custom grinds for Lunati, so I might go with that as well. Aside from that, I want it to stay stock. The seat probably just needs reupholstered, but I'm just making sure that there are different options out there for it. Thanks guys!

[shortymac83]

Correction: I just talked to my dad, and it's a 67. Cool.

[Gordo]

Welcome from Connecticut! Drive it the way it is with the stock six and save up some $ for the V-8 swap.

[Blue Beard]

Welcome from SW Washington State.....