Here We Go - 65 C10 LWB - For the Kid

[ctandc]

Well we got it home.

Here’s my first thread HERE

Truck was a gift from a friend who works with my wife. It was his Great Uncle’s truck, which he bought new. Never been out of the family, until now.

He seemed thrilled that my son and I wanted to take on fixing it up.
Went over this morning, got the title went to DMV and got the tags. It took longer to get the DMV stuff done than it did to get the truck running. When I met the current owner he handed me a plastic envelope and said

“This is all the paperwork I have on the truck.”

How about the original protecto plate, warranty paperwork, license application, owner’s manual etc??















Truck was last inspected and on the road in ’09. The owner had paid to have some work done do it to get it roadworthy, and he used it to go to the dump and run some errands. He truly wanted to keep it, but eventually it sat beside his house.

So I raided my tool box, threw a bunch of stuff in a bucket, grabbed some starting fluid, carb cleaner and other essentials so I could get it home (only 6 miles or so). Also went by Autozone to pick up a battery. Since when did “cheap” batteries start costing almost $80? The last battery I bought was for my truck about 4 years ago. Decided to hit up O’Reillys (we just had one open a few months ago) and it was about the same price. Told the manager what I was looking for and he offered to sell me a reconditioned battery they’d taken on trade. It had been tested and charged, but we checked it and charged to make sure. Thanks for saving me $40, I’ll be giving you as much business as I can.

Got to the truck. Bolted the battery in. The original battery hold down was still installed. Newer terminals etc, and the wiring looks original (thank God – I hate undoing PO’s attempts at wiring). Pulled the air cleaner, hosed the carb down. Then yanked the coil wire and it turned over without any issue. Turned it over a bit, plugged the coil wire in, shot some starting fluid and she fired up. The original choke even works LOL. After some finagling, got it running, just like a 230 six should, like a sewing machine. Then I attempted to move it. Success. Next up testing brakes. It’s got great brakes (for a drum braked ’65, but solid nonetheless). Went back to the house, my wife took me back over there and my son and I drove it to the house.
Brakes lights, headlights, turn signals, emergency brake all work. Truck rides and tracks STRAIGHT. Actually rides pretty darn good (it is a ’65 truck).

On to the pictures:

In the driveway



I was PLEASANTLY surprise to see the rot isn’t as bad as I would have expected. The worst is the front leading edge of the hood, the fender rear bottoms, and a couple of small spots here and there on the bed. (I’ve already located nicer fenders and possibly hood)

The hood







The fenders:





The bed:



Nice dent in the bed – I wonder what house was totaled when this happened?



The doors look solid, a thin spot on each with a small bit of rust through but the rest look like just surface:









Rockers don’t look bad at all – I’m sure there’s some more to find underneath, but I’m really encouraged:





Tailgate is SOLID with almost no damage and what looks to be original chains and latches:



Cab:



Interior: (Came with a new glovebox)





Engine Compartment:









We’ll be digging in to see what lies ahead of us and I’ll hope to document everything along the way.

Project Total So Far:
DMV fees $90.00
Misc supplies and battery $62

[ctandc]

So the kid has been looking at pictures of 60-66 trucks and he REALLY likes the flat / primer black look. That’s great, since I’m majorly partial to the rat rod look as well, so I’m kind of stoked about that as well.

I’m hitting a local junkyard in the morning that’s supposed to have a couple of 60-66 trucks in the yard. They also have a few later model trucks I’m going to check out so I can hopefully rob the front suspension / brakes / steering etc.

On another note we grabbed some cheapo dollar store version of CLR at the local dollar store and some $1 scouring pads. Both the kid and I were blown away how easy the surface rust just came off with a little bit of scrubbing. We’re going to try and get the truck scrubbed down tomorrow.

Initial plan is see where we are with rust and what panels / patches we need. Strip the interior down, check out the floor pan etc.
We’re shooting for a year time frame for the initial teardown and redo.

So the list reads:
- Power steering and brakes
- Later model front suspension update, thinking I might use the entire front cross member setup from a newer model truck
- Adapt a later model tilt steering column (automatic)
- Swap in a Turbo 350 or possibly a 200R4 / 700R4 if I can run across a good deal on one
- Drop or cut springs front and rear
- Wheels and tires
- Find a later model bench seat and install some seat belts
- Finally some flat black on the outside and paint detail the interior

[Modges'66]

Nice score!
Hopefully you can find some good parts cheap!
I may be interested in your frt crossmember if you replace it...
I'm thinkin bout building a jig to fabricate dropmembers.
My dad painted his rat-rod with some semi-flat paint that he purchased at Tractor Supply.
I'll get you some info some more info tomorrow when I go to work on mine. The paint was super-cheap & looks fine if that is the look that you like...I'll also try to find some pics, I know that I have some somewhere!

[northern 85]

Nice! Keep us posted with pics

[losthope]

Cant wait to see how the CLR rub down turns out!

[ctandc]

Originally Posted by losthope

Cant wait to see how the CLR rub down turns out!

We worked on it for a short while yesterday evening and we couldn’t believe the difference with just a little bit of effort. I’ll post pics later today after I’ve made some progress on it.

[ctandc]

Originally Posted by northern 85

Nice! Keep us posted with pics

I’m going to do my best to update each stage of this project with picture, to keep myself motivated and also document disassembly and of course putting it all back together.

[ctandc]

Originally Posted by Modges'66

Nice score!
Hopefully you can find some good parts cheap!
I may be interested in your frt crossmember if you replace it...
I'm thinkin bout building a jig to fabricate dropmembers.
My dad painted his rat-rod with some semi-flat paint that he purchased at Tractor Supply.
I'll get you some info some more info tomorrow when I go to work on mine. The paint was super-cheap & looks fine if that is the look that you like...I'll also try to find some pics, I know that I have some somewhere!

I’ll let you know on the cross member, it may be a while before I get that far.

Pics would be great. I’m searching and digging on flat / matte black paint options now. I’m looking for something durable and something I could paint with on different panels at different times and not have to worry about it matching.

[losthope]

Originally Posted by ctandc

We worked on it for a short while yesterday evening and we couldn’t believe the difference with just a little bit of effort. I’ll post pics later today after I’ve made some progress on it.

Right on ! just noticed you quoted the last three responses one at a time, theres a multi quote button next to the regular quote button at the bottom right of each post .....it looks like a letter with a plus sign and has parenthesis next to it......hold your mouse pointer over it for a few seconds and it youll see a label tag saying "multi-quote this message"......
the way it works is on each post you want to reply to click that button on each post and it will highlight and turn orange on each one that will be quoted....then when your ready to reply to all the post go to the bottom of the page and click the "post reply" button on the left and then you can reply to all the posts other members made at once!
took me awhile to figure out how to do it! hope that made sense....

[ctandc]

Thanks for tip -


Here’s what the dollar store version of spray on CLR and some cheap scrubby pads will do to surface rust.
Took about 30 minutes if that.

[C@rnut001]

Looks like a great truck to start with. The CLR really makes a difference. My dad gave me one of these old trucks when I was 14, but I did not fix it up much and just abused the ol' girl. Got it running several years later (after I had blown the engine and left it to sit for a while) and sold it....wish I still had it...Thanks for the updates and pics, keep them coming.

[McMurphy]

Another father-son build! That is awesome, and looks like you have a great base to start with as well. to the site and do please keep us in pics.

I am always handing out the url to my build here for people to come here and take a look, I know your son will do the same.

Congrats on the addition to your garage, hope you build a great relationship with your child as you build this rig up!

Good Luck!

[ctandc]

Well I scored a better hood and two more fenders. Looks like one of the fenders is better than the ones on the truck, and the other is definitely workable. Much less rust through on the hood. I hope to be able to pick them up next weekend













Next up is mapping out the front end replacement for power disc brakes, power steering etc

[ctandc]

Ordered some stuff this morning - I forgot how addictive and expensive a project vehicle can be..................

Scored a 63 shop manual on Ebay for $20
65 shop supplement $26
Assembly manual $30

Project total right now $231

[losthope]

Originally Posted by ctandc

Here’s what the dollar store version of spray on CLR and some cheap scrubby pads will do to surface rust.
Took about 30 minutes if that.

looks like it worked pretty good!! I use dollar store oven cleaner to degrease parts works really good to degrease engine blocks..... keep up the good work.

[ctandc]

Well I potentially received some REALLY Good news today. I had totally forgotten that a co-worker’s husband has a huge shop and does auto body paint / restoration. He’s “retired” but he simply works for himself now. He replaced door skins on a co-worker’s 72 K10.

He also has a fully equipped blasting booth and paint booth. I talked to my co-worker, and she’s going to ask him what he would charge me to use his blasting booth. She didn’t think it would be much, especially if I provided material.

This would save me a TON of time. My buddy just told me he’s finished up his trailer this week, and I’m welcome to use it when I need it. That means I could get tear the front end and bed off the ’65 and blast it and get some epoxy primer on it, until I’m ready to start body work. That also means I could take my frame and blast it there as well and that would save me a TON of time and work.

She’s going to talk to him tonight and get back with me. This REALLY speed up my project. Blasting would sure beat sitting in the garage with a DA or a wire wheel grinding away.

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by ctandc

Blasting would sure beat sitting in the garage with a DA or a wire wheel grinding away.

Yeah, because that would be MY build..... LOL
Hope the best for you, if I were home with my own shop, I would just make a blast cabinet/room and call it a day!

Good luck!

[ctandc]

Originally Posted by McMurphy

Yeah, because that would be MY build..... LOL
Hope the best for you, if I were home with my own shop, I would just make a blast cabinet/room and call it a day!

Good luck!

I’ll be doing all the work to this truck in my 1.5/2 car garage which already holds quite a big of crap. It’s an attached garage as well.

If I can blast everything, then bring it back to my place, it would save me a TON of time and effort.

Right now the plan is:

- Get the front clip off
- Get the bed apart and off
- Get the cab off
- Wheel the roller frame / drivetrain into my garage
- Yank the engine / tranny and get it on stand
- Blast / strip frame and do the power steering / disc brake swap
- Paint frame
- Get suspension done
- Clean / strip engine
- New gasket, check condition, paint and detail

After that I’d use the cab to mock up body repairs, as well as the 700R4/200R4 I want to install. Once the drive train is done and bolted back in, then I’ll store / cover the frame / drivetrain and start working on the body.

[Chad215]

looks great!

[ctandc]

Well not much to report. I’ve been checking out the body on the truck more closely. Cab still looks really good. The bed has seen better days. I scored a patch panel (thanks to a member here) and it might end up being two patch panels for the driver’s side. It would replace the rusted part at the wheelwell and keep me from having to pull that monster dent. I’m going to have to cut and weld anyway, might as well try to save some time and money.

Discovered the front part of my fenders are rotted as well, where they sit behind the front bumper. I’m waiting on pictures of the possible replacements and I have a lead on another set of fenders as well.

Looks like I might keep my hood, since the only bad spot is the front lower, which seems VERY common. Since most hoods that aren’t rotted here go for $250 or more, seems like a the lower patch panel would be cost efficient.

But right now the focus is on getting the garage arranged so we can start stripping down the truck. After that I’m going to focus on the frame, and the power brakes / steering / suspension update. I’m taking this one phase at a time. I know how it is, if you look at everything that needs done you’ll get overwhelmed and depressed at the same time.

I’m waiting on a poster of a Craigslist ad to email / call me. They are selling a 8x10 metal shed kit, new in the box, for SUPER CHEAP and I already have a 13x13 concrete pad. A simple shed to keep my mowers, lawn stuff and other junk would free up enough room in the garage for the entire truck broken down.

[ctandc]

Well I didn't score the shed. But I did finally put a working lock on my storage area outside of the garage so I could make some room for parts and starting to take the truck apart.

Also scored a power steering pump and bracket setup. Donor was a mid - late 70's Camaro with a straight 6. I'll make it work if need be. Also grabbed the kick down bracket and some linkage, I'll need to rig something up when I start mocking up for the 700R4 swap.

This weekend was mainly yard work and honey do's so I can really dig into the truck later this week.

[ctandc]

So I’ve been doing a lot of research, and for the time / effort / cash outlay, the 700R4 is out for now, at least behind the 6 cylinder. I’m sure it can be adapted, I would just have to engineer a TV cable bracket setup for the factory Rochester 1bbl. Issue is cost effectiveness at this point. The mileage gains just don’t seem like they would be worth the initial investment.

Odds are once the chassis and suspension is done, then the body work is done, I’ll likely go back and want to update the drivetrain, AFTER he’s been driving the truck a while. I’m thinking 4.8 or 5.3 from a later model truck.

Right now I’m thinking the smartest route of attack is to find a later model 3.08 rear end (open or posi doesn’t matter) and install it.

This would help me across the board:

- I could install a Turbo 350 instead of an Overdrive for now
- I wouldn’t have to swap axles or redrill mine for the 5 lug setup

So I’m on the hunt for 71-72 3.08 rear.

[ctandc]

Well picked up some parts today and officially started tear down!!!
I'll take some pics in the next day or so.

The aluminum (custom cab option) grille and bezels on my '65 is in GREAT shape. Can't even find any dents or dings. Brackets are even in good shape. And since we're planning on blacking everything out, the grille and bezels will up be sale or trade for other parts shortly, as I snagged a steel painted grille in good shape. I'd hate to paint a perfectly good alum grille when someone might be looking for one.

Also picked up a couple of fenders, one is much better shape than mine, the other a bit better.

- Front grille support panel will need some patching it looks like, add it to the list

My Dad and Stepmom are in town until Tuesday, so full blown tear down won't start until next weekend.

I did drive the truck some this past week. Loaded up and went to the dump, the old girl ran better and better as I drove it. Then cleared off my concrete pad (future home of shed) and took another trip in the truck.

So it's the official last trip for the truck.

[Captainfab]

I agree that a TH350 and a 3.08 rear should do just fine. Good score on the PS pump and brackets.

[LostMy65]

Wow! It's really neat they still had all that documentation.