Our 1965 C10 Project

[CDNchevydude]

Nice truck and nice father and son project! It's probably going to be amongst the best memories you two will ever share. Keep it up guys!
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[JWheeler331]

Thanks guys. We have been having fun with it so far. Was planning on driving it while we work on it but I seem to be going backwards. I'm sure many here know that feeling.
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[jayoldschool]

Long bed, but it should help.

[JWheeler331]

Thanks.
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[JWheeler331]

I have looked through several threads and could not find it so I have a question about the bed and bed wood if someone can help me out......

When putting the bed and bed wood back on the truck; Do you bolt the bed to the frame and then put the wood in or do you put the wood in and then bolt all of that to the cross sills and the frame at that time?

[JWheeler331]

Well I have not had much going on here the last couple of months due to my son having football practice nearly every day and then games on the weekend. Also, my daughter has cheer practice and games also. Did I mention that I also have a 7 month old? lol. After football season I may have some more time.

I did sit the "new to me" fleetside bed onto the frame to get it out of the shop for a while. Here is a picture I snapped of it this past weekend.

[Ta2Don]

New Bed...

[JWheeler331]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

New Bed...

Yeah. While the stepside did grow on me..... I realized that I still liked the fleet sides a little more.

[LostMy65]

You could make a cool trailor out of the stepside bed.

[JWheeler331]

Originally Posted by LostMy65

You could make a cool trailor out of the stepside bed.

Gave it to my father in law for his 64 since his was rusted.

[earl84]

Don't know if you have got the bed wood done yet or not, but I just did mine not too long ago. Bottom line, if you have help with lifting it onto the frame, I would definitely put the wood and bed strips in while it is OFF the truck. Don't fully tighten everything until you get it on the frame, so you can square everything up first, then tighten.
I almost always work alone, and had to take advantage of some guests at the house to lift the bed onto the frame, and then I installed the wood and bed strips myself. Getting all those washers and nuts onto the bolts from underneath, while working around the frame and suspension was a real *****. Some were easy, but a lot were not. Probably took me a total of 4 hours to get them all started, lots of dropped washers and nuts, and a few swear words, but it's finally done.

[JWheeler331]

Originally Posted by earl84

Don't know if you have got the bed wood done yet or not, but I just did mine not too long ago. Bottom line, if you have help with lifting it onto the frame, I would definitely put the wood and bed strips in while it is OFF the truck. Don't fully tighten everything until you get it on the frame, so you can square everything up first, then tighten.
I almost always work alone, and had to take advantage of some guests at the house to lift the bed onto the frame, and then I installed the wood and bed strips myself. Getting all those washers and nuts onto the bolts from underneath, while working around the frame and suspension was a real *****. Some were easy, but a lot were not. Probably took me a total of 4 hours to get them all started, lots of dropped washers and nuts, and a few swear words, but it's finally done.

Thanks for the pointers. I do have use of a couple people to help lift it and we also have a lift.


Did you have a short bed fleet?

[earl84]

No, mine is a longbed fleet, so it was heavier than yours will be.

[JWheeler331]

Well since my kids football season is over I finally had some free time to pull the LT1350 out of the Trans Am.

Don't look like a motor with all the emissions crap on the motor but once I get it cleaned up it should start to look like a motor.

[Modges'66]

Originally Posted by JWheeler331

Don't look like a motor with all the emissions crap on the motor but once I get it cleaned up it should start to look like a motor.

WOW!
You are right!
That thing has a bit of garbage on it compared to mine!
Forge ahead!

[NEWFISHER]

When I did my bed I loosened and removed all bolts, pulled the wood. Reinstalled the wood and strips loose. Some of the strips are through bolted through the cross braces, I also left them loose. I squared the bed with a tape measure and snugged the main 8 large frame bolts down then installed the outer perimeter wood panels. I then worked my way from those to the main board that hold the 8 larger frame bolts and finally the 2 thinner center boards last. Resting long 2x4s on top of the strips after installing all of the bolts through the wood helps when you are underneath and fitting the washers and nuts by yourself. Having an extra person up top would be a ton of help.

I have also seen guys lay the box upright resting on the front panel and installing all of the wood and cross bars then lifting the whole assembly onto the truck and installing the 8 frame bolts.

[Ta2Don]

Wow! Is there really a motor under all that?

[JWheeler331]

Originally Posted by NEWFISHER

When I did my bed I loosened and removed all bolts, pulled the wood. Reinstalled the wood and strips loose. Some of the strips are through bolted through the cross braces, I also left them loose. I squared the bed with a tape measure and snugged the main 8 large frame bolts down then installed the outer perimeter wood panels. I then worked my way from those to the main board that hold the 8 larger frame bolts and finally the 2 thinner center boards last. Resting long 2x4s on top of the strips after installing all of the bolts through the wood helps when you are underneath and fitting the washers and nuts by yourself. Having an extra person up top would be a ton of help.

I have also seen guys lay the box upright resting on the front panel and installing all of the wood and cross bars then lifting the whole assembly onto the truck and installing the 8 frame bolts.

We are going to be doing my father in laws step side bed before we get to my fleet bed. Thanks for the pointers. I will be sure to post how it turns out.

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Wow! Is there really a motor under all that?

Somewhere.

[JWheeler331]

I have not had much do update in a while with a new baby and the wife being laid off and all.

The last few weeks I have finally been able to get some work done. My original goal was a really nice truck but as some things happened over the last year I have decided to learn as I go with this truck along with my son. I have learned a lot of new things working on this and have also learned a lot of what not to do.

I have struggled at times with the direction of this build often changing directions only to find out I wish I had not. In the end we are just wanting to make this thing a daily driver and enjoy it as we go.

This weekend we got some new color on our 65 this week and weekend. I was tired of it being so many different colors. Still has plenty of work yet to do on it but I can at least start to see some progress.

I am by no means a painter and this is not a show truck but rather a driver that I can get out there and have fun with. I am happy with the direction it is going now. Was thinking about a Faux-Tina paint job to start with but nothing overdone.

[hotrod66]

like the blue what is it also is that rattle can or gun?

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by JWheeler331

I have not had much do update in a while with a new baby and the wife being laid off and all.

The last few weeks I have finally been able to get some work done. My original goal was a really nice truck but as some things happened over the last year I have decided to learn as I go with this truck along with my son. I have learned a lot of new things working on this and have also learned a lot of what not to do.

I have struggled at times with the direction of this build often changing directions only to find out I wish I had not. In the end we are just wanting to make this thing a daily driver and enjoy it as we go.

This weekend we got some new color on our 65 this week and weekend. I was tired of it being so many different colors. Still has plenty of work yet to do on it but I can at least start to see some progress.

I am by no means a painter and this is not a show truck but rather a driver that I can get out there and have fun with. I am happy with the direction it is going now. Was thinking about a Faux-Tina paint job to start with but nothing overdone.

For a family man, with many family responsibilities, tinkering as you go, rather than tearing it apart and making it a huge project is wise.
If you stripped it down to the frame and then some big life issue came up, it could stay that way for many years.
.
Use it. Tinker on it. Keep it simple. Keep it fun.

[JWheeler331]

Thanks guys. It is called Satin Lagoon. It was rewarding to let my 12 year old work on the paint and not really have to worry about it too much. Yes it's rattle can. We are at least trying to do as good of a job as we can.... For rattle can.

[jmack91z28]

Nothing wrong with that. Paint is looking good. Sometimes its just more fun to do it the way you are. That's how I plan to do mine as well.

Expensive paint jobs mean you have to wash them all the time.

[hotrod66]

Originally Posted by jmack91z28

Nothing wrong with that. Paint is looking good. Sometimes its just more fun to do it the way you are. That's how I plan to do mine as well.

Expensive paint jobs mean you have to wash them all the time.

what's a pl ..pla.. plan ,there i said it

[JWheeler331]

I thought that since the top was white I would be able to get away with not painting it but it looked bad to me after the bottom was painted so sanded it and put a fresh coat of Flat White paint on the roof. The hardest part to me was getting the line from white to blue good and straight.

Here is the photos from yesterdays work. My daughter even got in on the help.....my son was too busy riding four wheelers with his friend. I had fun working with her though.











Ahhh.....that fresh white sure does look better to me.








I have to say...... I know that I am not a painter and someone could walk up to this truck and nit pick its paint job to death but it has been a great learning experience for me and I get great satisfaction in knowing that the kids have been getting in on it and the fact that we are doing it ourselves.

It has been fun spending some time with the kids on this project and also the father in law. Oh yeah.......and I don't have a ton of money tied up in the paint. Just a lot of time and fun.