70 GMC step minor repair?

[OL SKOOL]

Hi guys kind of a long story. I have owned this truck 11 years and have never driven it. I have owned several c10's in the past and when this one came up i bought it sight unseen for $65.00 from a storage locker. The goal was to get it drivable and repair as i went along. I had it towed to my sons auto body shop and i knew when i saw it that wasn't in the cards. The front clip was just sitting loose on there and a lot of parts in the bed. 350, 350 trans engine turned by hand put a battery in it got it to run on 6 cylinders really rough. It had pulled 2 studs in one head, bent pushrods while it did run i put it in gear no body home. Did a little research the 350 was a 305.Time to look for engine and trans or if i was smart should have parted it out. Sat at my sons body shop for a couple years. The deal was he was going to do all the body work and paint i would do the mechanical my retirement truck. My son Tim passed in his sleep and my whole world changed. He was only 39 years old 7 ft tall and was the most amazing man i have ever met. He knew every one and every one knew him. If you went to a store i would have to go sit in the truck soo many people he would talk to. The truck now got pulled to my house and sat a couple more years outside in the driveway. Never took any pics of the before but i will take lots of pics of the might as well build. I came across a 400 sb with 60,000 original miles and neighbor rolled his 85 impala with 200r so i bought that also. That will be the drivetrain kind of lots of stock with a few upgrades.

[OL SKOOL]

This will take a while to catch up to where i'm at now. Last year of work and i get layed off in the winter so i have more time. The front end that was laying on there loose along with the 2 different fenders and the dent from the box in the back of the cab should have clued me in. The frame was bent also so we got a frame for $200 but i think it is a 68. As soon as i can find the pic of the frame maybe some one can decipher what it is for me.

[OL SKOOL]

The cab needed 2 rockers, 2 inners, A and B pillar,2 cab corners, inside roof patch panel. All the roof and window seams are like new no repairs needed. Came with 2 sets of doors in the box one is fixable. I think this was a county or municipal truck originally. Had a couple holes for in the roof for extra antennae's and bright yellow paint.

[OL SKOOL]

I had a guy come out with the dustless blasting charged $500. Shot the frame with a few coats of Kirker epoxy paint. The front crossmember for the engine looked like swiss cheese. The guy i bought the frame from said it was outside no tires on in the dirt for the last 8 years. Didn't really see anything until it was blasted. All the nuts and bolts holding the crossmember to the frame were just furry round things. There is a guy by me that has a barn full of stock parts and usually will have most everything. i bought the crossmember he said it was off a c20 but it looked brand new and it worked fine with all my c10 front end pieces. He had a sway bar and all the brackets total another $300.I'm just throwing out some of these numbers so when some one see's a $30,000 price on some of these truck and goes whoa is he out of his mind! I told myself 10,000 max lets see where i end up and thats with no labor.

[OL SKOOL]

I put the bare frame on my first cab stand. I made it xtra long so i could just roll the cab onto the firewall and back down onto its floor when i was welding in the patch panels. Oh i forgot i also replaced all 4 cab mounts. So i used that stand for the frame figured i would build the front and then lift it off and finish the rear suspension. The 1st 2 pics are the original crossmember and then the new 2 me one.

[OL SKOOL]

The spid was brought up to like new with all the high options! The board member out in the shop did the great job on that. The cowl had the antennae on the left side factory will be changing that over 2 the right.

[OL SKOOL]

The dash had a hole in it the size of a small microwave i bought a patch panel off the parts board all fitted still needs to be welded in. The gas tank had the gas cap off for i don't know how long. I bought a new tank Key part from J.C. Whitney came damaged around the neck they sent a new one out right away. T he tank fits like a factory tank real happy with the fit. I want to say $160 to the door. I went with a 72 tank so it would have a return line for future ideals.

[OL SKOOL]

I had a chance to run the fuel and brake lines. Inline tube everything fit good i did have to get a new junction block for the front brakes. Put my 4 nub 15x8 steelies they fit fine no a frame rub. The truck had drums upgraded to disc brakes on the front. I upgraded the engine mounts to the 73-87 clam style engine mounts. They bolt in fine had to drill 2 holes. I installed some pass throughs in the crossmember for the exhaust. If somebody can decipher that frame # i would appreciate that.

[OL SKOOL]

The front suspension is all Moog from Rock auto. I picked up a factory frt. sway bar had to remove 2 rivets on the frame but the a frames were already drilled. I cut 1 coil off the frt springs and it has 2 1/2 lowering spindles. The springs won't seat yet till i get it on the ground with a little weight on the frt end.

[OL SKOOL]

The power steering box is from a square body from Rock auto. It is the 3 1/2 turns lock to lock. I wasn't going to replace mine but it came with the new rag joint so it was a win win deal for the price. I put the Capt. Fab booster bracket on the cab for testing. Going to make sure my steering column shifter linkage will clear everything ok.

[BigBird05]

Should be 1968, Flint.

[OL SKOOL]

Thank you Big Bird. I purchased from a guy he bought it in a package deal and he had no clue.

[Kronald_70GMC]

Looks good! Keep up the good work.

[OL SKOOL]

Originally Posted by Kronald_70GMC

Looks good! Keep up the good work.

Thanks Kyle my metal work isn't close to yours. You gave me a good upgrade i like how you fixed those seams up by the windshield. I might try to tackle this i never liked how they looked from the factory.