Project: Tiki Express, '65 C10 Panel Truck Build

[chevy_mike]

Well, my vehicle ADD kicked in and I ended up buying a '65 C10 Panel truck. I have wanted something like this for a while and it makes hauling the dog, with the wife and I, to shows and cruises much easier. We found this one on Craigslist and overall it is in nice shape with fresh paint but mechanically it had some issues.

The suspension was basically all original, right down to the original ball joints. The PO cut the front coils at least a 3"+ drop and heated the rear coils for an unknown amount of drop. It also had some 22"x9.5" "bling" wheels that had the wrong offset and rubber bands for tires. This cause rubbing issues in the rear inner wheel well. In an effort to "fix" this, the PO used some 1/4" spacers on the stock drum wheel studs. Needless to say, there was not much thread holding the lug nuts on. About 3 blocks from his house the driver rear wheel came off and dropped the panel onto the rear corner, denting it fairly good. He lost interest and decided to sell it.

I am going through it and fixing the hack job stuff, putting correct wheels and hopefully will end up with a nice ride for us. I am starting with redoing the suspension and converting it to disc brakes. I am using CPP parts. I really like the modular spindles I put on my other '65 truck, as they do not space out the wheels like other spindles do. The spindles drop the front 2" and I am using springs for another 1", for 3" total. The rear I am using their 4" HD drop springs that are made for panels and suburbans. New ball joints and tie rods with their one piece adjusters. I am putting a deluxe track bar that will clear the finned diff cover I have. Topping it off, I am putting Bilstein shocks all around.

So in the tear down I found the lower control arm shafts, which are the original ones, had too much play. The upper arms actually are still tight so I am going to just clean them up and use them as is. I also found that the PO used the center steering link as a tow point. Needless to say the U shape it's in is not how it should be. Luckily I was able to pick one up from a local guy.

Okay, I am sure some people are asking about the name. I want to do a mural on the sides of the panel (likely a vinyl wrap) that will have Tikis and a Hawaiian theme to it. The inside will have a similar theme to it. My wife and I collect Tikis, hence the theme.

Alright, on to the pictures...

As it came home on the trailer


Engine as I got it


Interior


Bling wheels...


Slot mags the PO gave me


Stock front suspension


Tear down, spindles and lower arms removed, upper ball joints removed


Lower arms, all original


Lower arms cleaned up, shafts removed and new ball joints installed


New cross shafts installed


Well, that it for now. Need to paint the arms, install them and get the spindles/brakes installed. Hope you will enjoy my build.

[chevy_mike]

Wow! Almost 100 views and no comments... guess there's no love for the panel... LOL

Well, made some more progress this past weekend. Getting the front end back together, piece by piece. On to the pics!

Fresh painted arms and spindles


Springs and arms all back together. These are CPP 1" dropped coils


Original center link with a smile. This is why you DON'T pull from them...


CaptianFab's steering box mount template. Shine a light behind the frame to line up the "original" hole marks.


Test fitting the bracket before I weld it to the frame. I did mount the box and center bar up to check everything, no pic though


Box I got from another member, all mounted up


Need to finish the steering and put the brakes on. Run new lines, mount PB setup, PS pump, etc., etc. It never ends.

[protrash64]

Looks killer C/M!! I dont think that quarter will be too hard to fix either. I cant believe you have another set of vintage slots, too. Do you know what the backspacing is on them? I never see any with more than 3 5/8's''.

What else is in the plans? Hows the truck club going?

[chevy_mike]

Thanks P/T64. I don't think it will be too hard to do and my neighbor has a bumper repair business and said he can blend in the paint, no problem. It is a factory GM color.

Plans are to finsh the brakes and drop, get it running solid and do the interior up. Fix the random little things and then drive the heck out of it.

As for the slots, you are going to kill me but I picked up another set, 15x8.5 and 15x10 in six lug. Figure I'll do the same setup as my '65 truck, 15x7 front 15x8.5 rear and in the distant future, mini tub it for the 15x10's! The ones on the panel are 15x7's.

Truck club is going slow. Can't seem to get anyone to reliablily show up to meetings and events. Oh well, that's how it goes.

[Stickman]

The slots look 100% better and that wood flooring is killer.Did all those panels come with wood flooring like that? Nice ride and you have a lot of room for the wife and dog

[chevy_mike]

Originally Posted by Stickman

The slots look 100% better and that wood flooring is killer.Did all those panels come with wood flooring like that? Nice ride and you have a lot of room for the wife and dog

Thanks. Yep, the panels came with the wood floor but unlike the trucks, it's actually plywood floors with strips on top. This keeps it sealed from any exhaust fumes.

[Captainfab]

The slots look 100x better. You're making quick work of getting the brakes and suspension upgraded. Thanks for including pics of the steering box adapter

[RockTonka]

Looks good, I'm thinking of doing the same things to a burb we just picked up. Thanks for the pics!

[Chad215]

thats a clean looking truck. Since joinig this forum, I'm starting to get a soft spot for the panels. They look so cool, I think.

I really dig that wood in the back.

[jimmydean]

That looks awesome.

[hopped up]

how are you doing the rear drop? hd springs from cpp? i assume heavy duty? do those fit trucks also? great panel!
Posted via Mobile Device

[hopped up]

how are you doing the rear drop? hd springs from cpp? i assume heavy duty? do those fit trucks also? never heard of the hd springs esp dropped hd springs. great panel!
Posted via Mobile Device

[chevy_mike]

Thanks guys!

hopped up - yes, I got the HD 4" springs from CPP. I would imagine they fit the trucks as they all use the same mounting setup. I think in a truck, since it's lighter in the back, would not net you the same 4" drop due to the higher spring rate.

[McMurphy]

Good looking rig, that rear quarter panel just makes you cringe to look at, what a shame that some people have more money than sense.
Too bad you are going to have to spend time and money fixing things that stupidity broke, or bent as the case may be.

Looking great as a start, good luck on this!

[k1rodeoboater]

How hard is it to rebuild the lower a arms? Did you just need some big wrenches? I need to do mine because the grease boots rotted off. Need to do the uppers too.
Posted via Mobile Device

[chevy_mike]

Originally Posted by k1rodeoboater

How hard is it to rebuild the lower a arms? Did you just need some big wrenches? I need to do mine because the grease boots rotted off. Need to do the uppers too.
Posted via Mobile Device

It's not hard... if you have the right tools. The "nut" size on the lower bushings is 1 5/8". I had a socket and breaker bar and couldn't budge them. I bought a large size impact socket set (1"-2") and used that and my Snap On 600 ft. lbs rated impact gun and it was working hard to get them off. Once off, everything else was easy to do.

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by chevy_mike

It's not hard... if you have the right tools. The "nut" size on the lower bushings is 1 5/8". I had a socket and breaker bar and couldn't budge them.

that is me with my cab mounting bolts... Next for me is going to try heating them up with the torch...

[lolife99]

Just found this thread.
You are definitely changing things for the better!

[protrash64]

Originally Posted by chevy_mike

It's not hard... if you have the right tools. The "nut" size on the lower bushings is 1 5/8". I had a socket and breaker bar and couldn't budge them. I bought a large size impact socket set (1"-2") and used that and my Snap On 600 ft. lbs rated impact gun and it was working hard to get them off. Once off, everything else was easy to do.

I've mentioned this on the board a few times, but my buddy and I took them off by using two 3/4'' drive ratchets and standing on them. We were rocking back and forth and bouncing on them; stupid funny!!

[chevy_mike]

Originally Posted by protrash64

Looks killer C/M!! I dont think that quarter will be too hard to fix either. I cant believe you have another set of vintage slots, too. Do you know what the backspacing is on them? I never see any with more than 3 5/8's''.

Hey PT64, I finally measured the wheels BS. The 15x7 are 3 3/8", the 15x8.5 are 3 1/2" and the 15x10 are 3 3/8".

[northern 85]

Nice job! I like where your going with this build! We are going to be starting a 65 panel build soon, cant wait

[protrash64]

Originally Posted by chevy_mike

Hey PT64, I finally measured the wheels BS. The 15x7 are 3 3/8", the 15x8.5 are 3 1/2" and the 15x10 are 3 3/8".

Thanx C/M!!! Why are they so shallow?? The spindles that you use must help quite a bit. I guess the bs on the 6-lug Rallys is similar from what lolife99 has posted in another thread. Never measured my Rallys but they are tight in the front.

[C@rnut001]

Have to say that I like your truck...keep us updated as you fix up the mechanicals and get it all running well. Also, I agree that the quarter panel might not be too bad to fix and repair. Hopefully the PO did not slab a bunch of bondo filler in the quarter. Anyway, nice truck and I like the theme you plan to use on the sides of it.

[gofastnut]

Congrats on the new addition to your family! My wife calls mine "the Other Woman". I think you're making really good progress already and can't wait to see what you do with her. Keep up the great work and keep us posted!

[chevy_mike]

Well no new pics (will get some this weekend) but I finally had a little time without it raining. Been a wet week for San Diego.

Still working on finishing up the front end. Got the tie rods and steering finished up. Greased up all the new joints. Packed the bearing and got the rotors installed.

I also finally decoded the engine off the stamped block numbers (on the pass. front pad). Not surprising, the "400ci engine" is NOT a 400. It's a '83 engine built in Canada, April 22. It is actually a 305ci engine. Would have been nice to been a 350 but definitely happy it's not a 400. They are just a little to quirky for me. At least I can get a balancer ordered up as I have figured the timing ring has slipped on mine.

I'm still shooting to have it on the road for the March 17th CPP cruise. Fingers crossed...