68 K-10 SWB build thread - project Money Pit...pics galore!

[msgross]

$$PROJECT MONEY PIT$$

ok, I've been on here nearly a year and have been working on the K-10. I have a ton of pics saved up and decided to finally put something into a build thread. The wife named the project, figures She figured since it's green and takes all the extra money in the house that it fits....

So about the truck, it was a 1 owner Upsate New York truck that was owned by a mechanic. When I bought it off Ebay ($1600) it had a monster custom front steel push bumper welded onto the front and a matching rear bumper with a welded hook on it. They were both attached right and did zero damage over it's 30 years of service. The gentlemen use to push or pull cars home to his garage that were stranded.

This thread will be a quick recap of the past year and a weekly update after that. It will go on hold in Oct 07 when I leave for Alabama for 6 months to attend a military school. As a daily job I am a Captain in the US Army instructing pilots in the UH-60 Blackhawk Helicopter.

Here's some specs, numbers matching truck with glove box sticker intact
1968 K-10 SWB fleetside truck (1 owner) only 1449 built like it
327 cid, 4bbl, Rockwell T-221 TC, 4 speed saginaw tranny (granny gear)
Wood Bed (came with NOS wood)
tach dash
tow hooks
HD front springs
HD cooling
70K on the odometer (flipped? or used hard)
west coast JR mirrors
manual throttle
manual steering
manual brakes

Goals:
1. Get it running
2. learn more about the truck and it's components while finding a new hobby
3. avoid truck payments!
4. Have a good reliable classic truck and will get a thumbs up every now and then
5. Keep food on the table throughout build
6. add power disc front brakes, rear gas tank, tilt wheel, A/C (future upgrade), reese hitch all while keeping a fairly stock appearance and pay respect to the truck...(no hoopty ghetto crap!)

Enjoy the pics and feel free to leave comments

[jeffspower]

Cool! It looks pretty solid to me. Are those rockers still the originals? If so, I'm jealous!

Have fun & keep the pics coming as you dive into it

[jeffspower]

"3. avoid truck payments!" Do you mean get out of truck payments?

[msgross]

rockers had been replaced, they didn't do inners though...?? here are some under cab pics of what I found...

Major rust issues are under the cab, driver rear support missing, pass rotted as well. Some floor areas have been repaired in the past but will all need redone. The entire frame had been undercoated which protected a majority of it from the salt and sand of the New York winters.

[msgross]

Originally Posted by jeffspower

"3. avoid truck payments!" Do you mean get out of truck payments?

YEP

I tackled #3 shortly after that pic. Sold the HEMI Ram for what I owed and got out from under a $400 payment. Did the wife give me that money....NOPE

now I drive a free Camry to work that her parents gave us... 175K and still running. Once our Tahoe is paid off then i'll get another new vehicle though!

[1969k10stepside]

Mike,you forgot to mention the truck is one of 1449.

[msgross]

Originally Posted by 1969k10stepside

Mike,you forgot to mention the truck is one of 1449.

oh yeah... I just watched a twin of my truck sell for $1200 on Ebay and it was in PA. 292 with no tach and a bad tranny... More pics and updates to follow..

[msgross]

More pics from the beginning of the build. Some of these were from the Ebay auction when I got the truck....

[msgross]

more pics... truck had been sitting behind the shop for 7 years. It started with a little gas dumped into the carb and drove itself onto the trailer....

[msgross]

First plan, get it running....

started with an oil change and new fuel pump....no good

then the carb and intake (Ebay for $100 as a combo)...fired but didn't idle well

then HEI dizzy and another Holley carb.... ran like a beast

IT'S ALIVE! great oil pressure, no knocks, 130'ish psi in all cylinders....

[msgross]

It's Alive... the video linky

http://picasaweb.google.com/hawkdriv...80332332331298

[c-mack]

very nice truck, even if it is a "money pit"

[msgross]

Decided to try a few wheels to get a feel for the Pit....

picked up a set of 33"x10.5x15's BFG's AT for $150 (for all 4!) with 1,000 miles on them from Ebay.... I wanted 12.5 width but couldn't pass the deal up. Also got a set of 15x10 wagon wheels for $30 local and tried one out. Decided that 10" is to wide for the tire so I kept searching. Then I found a set of 15 x 8 MT Classic II's on Ebay for $280 local (used three days) and liked them better...

[msgross]

I like this look better...

[jeffspower]

Originally Posted by msgross

I like this look better...

AbSoFRiggN LuteLy!

[1969k10stepside]

I prefer the M/Ts to the wagon wheels any day.But...I like the 15x8 stock rims too.

[msgross]

Originally Posted by 1969k10stepside

I prefer the M/Ts to the wagon wheels any day.But...I like the 15x8 stock rims too.

If I had four nice one's like my original pics rear rims then that would be cool. Add original hubcaps with new age tread and size!

I want the truck to look original at first glance except the rims, then you notice small improvements over stock (i.e. nicer paint, tilt, A/C?, rear poly tank, power front disc brakes, LED taillights, Reese hitch, Rancho 9000's with hidden in-cab controls, hidden stereo, etc...)

thanks c-mac for the compliments, the truck was pretty nasty underneath though! inches of gunk on all crossmembers, surface rust and old undercoating on everything else. You can look at my pics on the sig if you want a newer look. I'll get more posted as I go....

[1969k10stepside]

Pretty much the same way mine is.All stock looking but the lift,tires,and the motor looks fairly stock.The interior looks original and the body does too.But,there is the added original a/c,tilt,etc.
I plan to one day get some 15x8 rims and stock hub caps and have the current set and the 15X8s with a less agressive tread.

[msgross]

Noticeable difference will be the shadow that yours cast with a 6" lift! Don't know if this will ever make the 600 mile trip, unless I get my own trailer and come to a show in the future! I'd like to find a nice set of buddy buckets someday too...

[GREASEMONKEY72]

not a bad looking truck, in that start up vid is it open exhaust?

i had a bunch of crap on my crossmembers and in the nooks and crannies to, nothin a pressure washer couldnt take care of though

[brak]

Lookin good

[1969k10stepside]

Originally Posted by msgross

Noticeable difference will be the shadow that yours cast with a 6" lift! Don't know if this will ever make the 600 mile trip, unless I get my own trailer and come to a show in the future! I'd like to find a nice set of buddy buckets someday too...

Noticeable difference will be the shadow that yours cast with a 6" lift!

If you dont want to go with the 68 style buckets I might have a line on 2 sets of buckets from a blazer.I'm gonna use one set in my truck but if you want I can get the other set for your truck.I'm in luck cause they are like what my truck had but they are different than the 67-68 style.I suppose you could go back to originals someday when you find them though...Oh,and Super Chevy at Indy...That would be the show to go to.

It don't cast that much of a shadow..

[special-K]

Hey Mike,did you find a passenger exhaust manifold?I have one for you that I turned up (odd one).Let me know if you still need it.That truck will come out nice,the way you`re going at it.

[RACINJASON22]

I'm subscribing to this build thread.

I love the truck and not to mention it's from a fellow Pa member.

Very nice write-up and GR8 progress in your yr with it.

Hope to meet you someday soon. Since Spring Carlisle didn't work out for me

You may be a little bit south for me but, don't forget if you ever get in a pinch and need a hand with something truck related or not Don't hesitate to ask.

Keep Up the GR8 Work!!

RJ22...

[msgross]

thanks guys...

Jason, I might plan a flight and check out that Denny's Pub with the big burgers this summer... I'll let you know if we head up that way.

Tim, local board member hooked me up with a pass ramhorn, thanks... Are we doing Carlisle truck show?

GreaseMonkey, yep, I hacked off the exhaust about a foot from the manifolds so it would catch fire. The original style muffler was still installed and pretty rusted. I drove it through my sub-division like that...and with the bed off! woohoo....

Dustin, no biggy on the seats, My bench is useable and I plan on covering it until I find the Buddy's in the future... nice shadow!