My First Chevy!

[Chewievette]

Not quite a convert yet but I'm sure you guys can help out with that. If you told me a week ago I was going to buy a 68 C-10 I would have given you a funny look and then gazed down in defeat saying, "yeah maybe..."

I recently picked up this 1968 C-10 LWB. I was told that it had been sitting for a while but after test driving and talking with the owner for a while I decided to chance it and put this truck to the test immediately after purchase. After signing the papers and handing over the cash I promtly drove the truck over an hour home, at night, over a mountain! I'm not totally crazy I assure you, but it does come and go. I am proud to say that absolutely Nothing eventful happened during the trip and we all made it back home safe and sound!


The very next morning, in the face of an impending rain storm, we squeezed the truck into the garage and set to work. While quite roadworthy to begin with we opted to fix up a few things we noticed it might be needing. Spark plugs, Plug wires (the old ones literally fell apart), valve cover gaskets, fuel filter, oil change, new master cylinder, brake bleeders, and a very tedious brake bleeding. Now all she Really needs is a drivers side mirror to replace the broken one and daily driver duty is on the schedule.




Things I've noticed so far: Its on the second paint job already, which should shine up nicely with some elbow grease. The rust is fairly minor ...so far. The Distributor has been changed to an HEI unit. The Alternator has also been updated. The fuel pump and starter look almost brand new. Aftermarket ugly radio, they probably hacked a big hole to stuff it in there. And just about everything else looks stock.

I've already bought a few crusty old parts to slap on there, including the infamous bare foot gas pedal and matching dimmer (Sorry, I just HAD to get them). I'm still shopping around for a four barrel intake and carb on the cheap, and a disc brake conversion that wont put me in the poor house. If you guys have any suggestions for either, let me know! I also want to take the ugly peeling white lettering off the tail gate, lmk if there is a good proven way to make that happen.

Now I think I'll go make friends with the search button and lurk in the shadows while scrape four decades of gunk off this truck

[Indian113]

Nice looking truck,welcome from Iowa-keep us posted with pictures

[1ATony]

welcome to the site

[oldblue1968chevy]

welcome to the site, if you ever get toward manchester (hour north of you) i gotta 4bbl factory intake you can have

[jayman68]

Welcome from NW Washington. Great score on the truck, congrats! Newer truck front crossmember will bolt up with drilling a couple holes in the side, to get your disk brakes on the front. Good luck with the project.

[Chewievette]

Thanks guys! I've been busy this summer! I swapped the fronts to disc which was an annoying Three month project. Long story short, I dont recommend the kit that I bought. I also picked up a 327 short block, an offy intake, holley four barrel, and most recently a set of long tube headers. I've got a few things left on my shopping list like a rebuild kit for the 327, hotter camshaft (leaning twards a Duntov 30-30) and decent heads (any suggestions?). I am also starting to look at getting rid of the 3spd auto trans, I need something with overdrive and lockup at the least. I'm actually looking into a manual swap, maybe a T5?

Also, does anyone know how I can keep the power steering when I put the headers on? If you look at the pic in my first post you can see the PS pump is bolted to the exhaust manifold. Is there a special bracket for this or do I need to move the pump somewhere else?

[jayman68]

I don't know of a special bracket, you would probable need to fabricate something. Sorry not much help. Good luck.
Maybe you could ask in the engine section.
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/f...splay.php?f=24