62 Frame off Resto

[83burban]

Hey everybody, been on the board for a little while now and have learned tons about these old trucks. I figured that I would share my project with everybody and while I am at it get some questions answered. I am doing a frame off, nut and bolt restoration of a 62 C20.

The truck was originally a 62 C20 that I gutted and stripped only to find a bent frame, tons of shody fab-work, some rust in the roof and the pillar, and lots of body work needed.

I started to look for a donor truck to replace the torsion bars and frame. I found a 64 C10 with tons of factory options and for only 250 it seemed like a hell of a deal. It came with factory power steering, power brakes, and auto trans cross-member. The frame is in great shape and from what I have read some pretty rare factory options.

The plans for the build are this:
1) 4.5 inch drop front, 5 in the rear
2) Disc brakes front, Drum rear...keep it six lug to keep stock wheels
3) Keep power assist steering and power brakes
4) Keep the interior looking stock, but fixed up with custom cab options
6) Lava Orange, Creme accents and roof, Artillery style rims and white-wall tires
7) 454 (eventually 496) backed by a th400 and a 12 bolt

Questions:
1) I have read (and measured) all the cab mount locations and they are different between the two frames. I know that my body will not bolt up, so can I just cut the old body mounts off of the 62 frame and put them on the 64 frame, or will they still be off? The rear lines up if memory serves right. The bed is taken care of, since I will use the cross-supports from the 64 instead of the 62.

I attached a couple pictures of the donor truck frame. I hope to have this done in 4 months - and will update the thread as I go along. Thanks for all the help guys.

[62 short step]

Welcome! Sounds like you have a good solid plan on your truck. Good luck with it!!

[joe231]

welcome!

[Captainfab]

Welcome to the board from Idaho!

Questions:
1) I have read (and measured) all the cab mount locations and they are different between the two frames. I know that my body will not bolt up, so can I just cut the old body mounts off of the 62 frame and put them on the 64 frame, or will they still be off? The rear lines up if memory serves right. The bed is taken care of, since I will use the cross-supports from the 64 instead of the 62.

I would just drill holes in the cab floor to line up with the brackets on the '64 frame. The front body mount on the bottom of the cab is the same from '60 to '66. The rear mounts will line up.

2) Can I use a stock style master cylinder with the disc brakes (single outlet) and just tee it off - 1 to the front and 1 (adjustable prop valve) to the rear?

I wouldn't recommend it. The later model dual resevior masters should work with the original booster. I haven't actually done it, but it should be doable.

[83burban]

Thanks for all the welcomes guys.

Captainfab:
1) I have heard about drilling holes in the floor to line the front up, but aren't the factory holes in the cab recessed? Wouldn't that make the mounting place stronger? I am concerned that if I just drill two holes that it might stress the floor, maybe I can just use some large washers or something to distribute load.

2) I do plan on power brakes, just liked the looks of the original master cylinder. If I were to put a corvette, disc/disc master in would it bolt up? I want to use the stock booster so that I don't have to purchase the CPP one. I do not like how the later model stock ones look in these old trucks.

Thanks for the help, I ask a lot of questions to start because I purchase all my parts before I start to work on bolting anything on, that way I can hit the project hard for a couple days and gets tons done rather than having to stop and wait for that one damn part

[Captainfab]

Originally Posted by 62c20

Thanks for all the welcomes guys.

Captainfab:
1) I have heard about drilling holes in the floor to line the front up, but aren't the factory holes in the cab recessed? Wouldn't that make the mounting place stronger? I am concerned that if I just drill two holes that it might stress the floor, maybe I can just use some large washers or something to distribute load.

Why not just transfer the recessed reinforcing plates from the '64 cab to the '62 cab in the new location.....or even just move the ones in the '62 cab and then patch the original holes.

2) I do plan on power brakes, just liked the looks of the original master cylinder. If I were to put a corvette, disc/disc master in would it bolt up? I want to use the stock booster so that I don't have to purchase the CPP one. I do not like how the later model stock ones look in these old trucks.

I haven't installed a corvette master on an original booster, but I do know that the corvette master uses a short pushrod between the booster and the master. You might look on your original to see if it is setup that way.....I just can't remember if it is. The mounting stud spacing will be the same. Hopefully someone who has done this will chime in

Thanks for the help, I ask a lot of questions to start because I purchase all my parts before I start to work on bolting anything on, that way I can hit the project hard for a couple days and gets tons done rather than having to stop and wait for that one damn part

[72BlckButy]

Welcome to the board from Mid-MO!!! Great looking project, good luck!

[scotts62]

from OKC!! Good looking project keep us posted on the progress!!

[83burban]

Well, its finally time to bring this thread back to life. I have gotten alot of parts back from the powder-coater and blaster. Haven't had much time to work on it, but over the past week or so I have been slowly piecing the frame and suspension back together. Next phase will be completing the steering, and the rear axle assembly, making this a true roller followed by dropping in the engine and trans.

Anyways, enough talking here are the pictures. Comments welcome.

[83burban]

More Pictures - WE all love pictures.

[83burban]

And finally a few of the cab itself. Just a hint...U-haul 6X12 trailers are 1" too narrow the bring the cab out We ended up having to lift it out and over the rail and I managed to damage the cab a little bit. Oh well, nothing I can do about it now.

[83burban]

Also...It seems that for some odd reason the previous owner removed the radiator mount cross-member completely and kept it for himself. Can somebody please send me a picture of how it mounts up exactly? I am also looking for that particular part if anyone has one from a truck they are parting out. Thanks

[63sbssbbw]

Looking awesome 62
Any shots of the roof and pillar repair(before and after)
Did you fab the pieces or cut good pieces from a donar truck?
I'm in the same boat with my '61 and have considered a few different paths to take,from individual donar pieces to lopping off the whole roof !?
I have a thread in P & B("Roof swap") but no replies (pics are there too)
Hope I'm not jackin' your thread ,but I really need an opinion about this.
Thanks,Trent

[62 short step]

Originally Posted by 62c20

Also...It seems that for some odd reason the previous owner removed the radiator mount cross-member completely and kept it for himself. Can somebody please send me a picture of how it mounts up exactly? I am also looking for that particular part if anyone has one from a truck they are parting out. Thanks

60-62 trucks the radiator bolts to the radiator support, but they do have a crossmember up front to keep the frame together. Since you don't have one, you can get the crossmember from a 63-66 truck and bolt it in. Sorry I don't have any pics, someone else will have some though.

[joe231]

looking very nice!!!

[Captainfab]

Originally Posted by 62c20

Also...It seems that for some odd reason the previous owner removed the radiator mount cross-member completely and kept it for himself. Can somebody please send me a picture of how it mounts up exactly? I am also looking for that particular part if anyone has one from a truck they are parting out. Thanks

Looking real nice

PM sent....

[protrash64]

I dont know if this will help or not, but on my 64 I remove the single ms/cylinder and bolted a 'vette ms/cylinder in its place w/ no problem. Both systems were manual; re-ran ALL the lines...

Your frame is looking very nice, clean parts are fun!

[83burban]

63sbssbbw: This actually isn't the original cab. I got this one off of another board member about a month ago...thanks poorboy (Jason)...and was very surprised at how good of shape it was in. I still have the other cab if anyone needs a 62 cab in LA (free if you pick it up). I am not a fan of cutting up a good cab to fix a bad one, however, piecing together a good one from two bad is fine by me. I would look for another cab and just get the pieces you need. I imagine that good stuff would be hard to find that far north, so if no one takes this cab then maybe I can cut off some of the smaller stuff and mail it to you. Send me a PM if your interested.

Captainfab: Thanks for the PM, I sent you one back.

Protrash: I am using an original power brake booster off of a 64, and I got a master/prop from CPP. I have changed plans a little bit as a result of my budget, so I am only running disc up front.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

[83burban]

A couple of you have asked for details about the powder coating and blasting, so I figured I would just post it up to all those who are curious. The shop is just outside of Los Angeles. The bill totalled 1025:

575 for frame, cross-members, control arms, trailing arms, axle housing
450 for blasting and primering the cab

Here is the information for the shop:
Lee
Blasting Specialties and Powder-Coating
1-323-721-5020
http://www.blastingspecialtiesandpow...g.com/home.htm

Great guy to work with.

[63sbssbbw]

Thanks 62
I'm not a fan of cutting up good stuff either
The '63s floors and rockers are absolutely shot
but for $250 for the whole truck it had everything I needed and not much that I didn't I wasn't gonna say no.
Aside from the ws and dogleg issue all my '61 needs is a pass side floor pan and front cab supports.
Looks like a great deal you got on pc and primer, it's looking awesome!
I'll try to get some pics of the x-member your looking for.
It's been rainy here lately though
Thanks again,T