1963 C-10 in NC

[Eric15chevys]

That looks great. I am going to have to stop by. I am selling my car this week then I am going to get my 62. I will drop the motor mounts off with you.

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by Eric15chevys

That looks great. I am going to have to stop by. I am selling my car this week then I am going to get my 62. I will drop the motor mounts off with you.

I'm home most nights Eric. Just call 1st to make sure I'm at the house, but your welcome anytime.

[Sharps40]

Got yer text and photos while at the beach. Lookin high and tight!

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by Sharps40

Got yer text and photos while at the beach. Lookin high and tight!

Thanks Rich. A lot of blood, sweat, tears and $. And a few beers afterwards!!!

[1963c-10]

More pics. Dust shields in place and rotors on

[1963c-10]

Sway bar install and shocks in.

[1963c-10]

Next up was factory tow hook mock up. I used the hole closest to the radiator support and had to trim the radiator supports just a hair to get the placement I wanted. Hole drilled out to 9/16" and lower hole added. All grade 8 hardware used

[1963c-10]

Few more

[1963c-10]

Last of tow hook install and starting tie rods and main drag link. I did the pitman and idler arms before sway bar install.

[1963c-10]

And there we have the completed front end. All new components, grade 8 bolts and a lot of prep and finish time.

[1963c-10]

Last two pics for the day are of the driver side white wall installed. The 73 4x4 gm rims cleared the calipers just fine. Will get it down off the jacks tonight and get the lug nuts torqued down so I can get the caps on.

I can tell you for experience.....installing a new front end with all new painted parts alone is a challenge, but can be done.

Now time for phase 2.....engine & trans

[aggie91]

That front looks great! Really like the contrast between the flat undercoating on the frame and the gloss black and blue on the suspension parts.

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by aggie91

That front looks great! Really like the contrast between the flat undercoating on the frame and the gloss black and blue on the suspension parts.

Thanks a bunch for the kind words. Was what I was going for, wasn't sure how it'd come out, but I'm thrilled with the results. I used gloss chasis paint on the crossmember, my undercoating in the can on the frame after prep, and the silver on the drag link and spindles is caliper paint. Went with a matte black on the calipers which you can't see once the rims are on. I taped off the backs of all the front suspension where the zerks go and all the threads. I'm glad I didn't go with my initial plan of a blue sway bar....I think it'd been too much. Just got lucky that Monroe sent blue shocks as they were advertised in black and the moog sway bar bushings were advertised in red, but luckily the blues match and make a nice touch on the front end.

Calling for rain the next 5 days....so engine/trans may have to hold off until the storms pass.

I also installed all new grade 8 hardware anywhere I could get a new bolt/nut on.

The crossmember install was probably the hardest part doing it solo....followed by the sway bar. I used wood clamps to hold the top of the sway bar to the frame which allowed me to get the a-arms measured up. Once bolted to the a-arms, the rest went fairly easy....just drilling holes.

[TJ's Chevy]

Looks good bud! Looking forward to seeing that engine sit perrty in that bay.

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by T.J. MCCAULEY

Looks good bud! Looking forward to seeing that engine sit perrty in that bay.

Thanks TJ....me too!!

[Ta2Don]

Very Nice!!!

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by Ta2Don

Very Nice!!!

Thanks Don.

[markeb01]

Man I like how that front chassis looks. Nicely detailed for sure!

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by markeb01

Man I like how that front chassis looks. Nicely detailed for sure!

Thanks Mark for the kind words. I'm slowly learning patience as assembly on a freshly painted front end isn't easy. I'm normally like a bull in a china shop and I had to slow myself down for this phase of the build. Lots of tape, padding and cardboard were used. Did have some minor touch up, that's why all the cans are in the background of the pics. Tried to touch up as I went.

[1963c-10]

Pimpston65......heres the pics you requested. I tried to get some good pics of the mounting locations also for the bolts. Let me know if you need more.

[pimpston65]

Originally Posted by 1963c-10

Pimpston65......heres the pics you requested. I tried to get some good pics of the mounting locations also for the bolts. Let me know if you need more.

thks a bunch either my box is wrong or i need new holes, cuz my box is way to close to the bumper and the draglink is too off. darn PO. it was working when i did drive the truck the 3 time a total of 20miles before i blew it apart. oh well i have a hammer drill,thks for the pics

[bj383ss]

If your steering box is just leaking from the seal and has no slack in it, it is real easy to replace the 3 seals and put new grease in it. I just did mine. I ordered the pitman and steering shaft seals from truckshop.com. I made my own gasket for the top plate from some Felpro gasket sheet. I packed it with non synthetic grease.

After reading I should have used gear oil due to channeling of the grease. I put a lot of grease in there I packed it in before putting the pitman shaft and gear back in.

Cost me about $25 total to rebuild it. My worm gear had no slack and the top and bottom bearings where in good shape.

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by bj383ss

If your steering box is just leaking from the seal and has no slack in it, it is real easy to replace the 3 seals and put new grease in it. I just did mine. I ordered the pitman and steering shaft seals from truckshop.com. I made my own gasket for the top plate from some Felpro gasket sheet. I packed it with non synthetic grease.

After reading I should have used gear oil due to channeling of the grease. I put a lot of grease in there I packed it in before putting the pitman shaft and gear back in.

Cost me about $25 total to rebuild it. My worm gear had no slack and the top and bottom bearings where in good shape.

Yeah, its just the pitman arm shaft seal that's leaking. Wasn't leaking prior to disassembly on the front end, so most likely occurred when removing the pitman arm. I think I'm going to order the parts from truckshop.....I've used them before for quite a few parts.

[1963c-10]

Originally Posted by pimpston65

thks a bunch either my box is wrong or i need new holes, cuz my box is way to close to the bumper and the draglink is too off. darn PO. it was working when i did drive the truck the 3 time a total of 20miles before i blew it apart. oh well i have a hammer drill,thks for the pics

You could always shorten the shaft and just mount the box forward of where it is now.....

[1963c-10]

Few of the driver side set on the ground and the factory cap on. Will get pass side done tonight.....just had entirely too much going on last night.

I can't wait to see this color on the truck.

Too bad my 1st set of trim rings were too loose on these rims.....I really liked the blue line between the white wall and the rim, but I went to a 2" trim ring and they are super tight....these will not come off easily. I think they still look good.