Roushinator's 72 C10 Stepside Restore/Build

[roushinator]

I should be picking this 72 up tomorrow from a friend (if it doesn't rain).



Used to be a drug running truck until the dealer got busted. It has an older restoration. Has a crappy homemade steel gas tank in the bed (first thing to go). Has some rust but it is not too bad. Interior is 80s. Has a 383 with LT headers. It definitely needs some TLC.

Does anyone know what rims those are. Want to find some center caps.

Goal is to get turn it into a good running DD. Not a show truck but one i can use and enjoy.

Will post some better pictures when i get it an clean it up a little.

[fxdxharley]

nice truck. should be a good project. those wheels look like american racing. check there website and see if you can find them. were popular in the 90's.

[67Run]

they might even be boyds 5 stars, or american racing rims. pretty old, but very sturdy wheels. they still look good when polished up. small drummel tool can do that with some weenol. honestly, just looks lik the thing needs a wash.

looks like it is the stepside version that used to have the spare tire on the side. like the farm trucks.

anyways, he just giving it to you?

[roushinator]

I wish he gave it to me. There will be monetary exchange.

It was his uncles truck that passed away. He drove it for a while then put it up and it has been sitting for a year or so.

The interior needs some work. It has some old buckets out of some car. Needs new carpet as well.

[roushinator]

So i picked it up today. 1972 C10 Stepside.

Funny story... When i showed my other friend the picture of the truck he recognized it from way back. He said knew the same story that it was some drug dealer had the truck built and used it to run drugs. He got busted and truck was sold at a sheriff's auction. My Friend's cousin bought it. He passed away a few years back and my friend bought it. He took it an parked it at his mom's house and that is where it stayed. I asked my friend about it and he said that was the story he was told too from his cousin. It supposedly has a 383 and ran like a beast. Does anyone else recognize the truck?


At Friends House...



Unloading at my house..

[roushinator]

IT had this crappy gas tank in back and a bunch of junk...





Cleaned all that out....

[roushinator]

Interior is going next...

[notsolo]

Nice solid looking truck, you jumped right in and got the crap out of the bed. Good job.

[Mitchy916]

sick, 383's are bad ass, you wont regret it. these make bad ass muscle trucks

[Tinkermc]

bed looks greatly improved already

[roushinator]

More work today....









Floor are real solid. Some rust near door and the back corners. Will require some patch panels. So as you can see i has some crappy "NOS" floor shifter. How hard would it be to go back to a column shifter. It was one at one time but it handle was taken off and it looks like it is missing some parts.

[roushinator]

So my goal is to do a little each week day and more on the weekends. This is what i did today...

Hated this chrome on the tailgate...





With a little help from a putty knife...



1 Hour later.... Much better...

[roushinator]

So started tearing into the motor a little more. The headers are Mr. Gasket Brand. Going to toss those and get some Headman's.





Going to get a new water pump while i am at it too. I ordered some VC's, Air cleaner and a bunch of stuff to get this looking good after i paint the engine and replace the seals.

Does anyone know why a PO would have done this with the hood?

[roushinator]

Here is the suspension. It is obviously lowered but by how much?

[roushinator]

My next question was how as this lowered? Was the lowering done by a kit or backyard modifications? Please excuse the dumb questions but Chevy stuff is new to me...


Front...











Rear...

[LEEVON]

The springs were heated, causing them to collapse. They need to be replaced with lowering springs.

[roushinator]

Originally Posted by LEEVON

The springs were heated, causing them to collapse. They need to be replaced with lowering springs.

Thanks that is what i needed to know. Probaly going to order the ECE 4-6 drop kit on Friday.

This came in yesterday....

[roushinator]

Oh yeah i forgot... I am picking up a 72 bench seat Saturday....

[roushinator]

Ordered the ECE 4/6 drop today.

Fed Ex just stopped by with this...







Going to try and take out the motor this weekend or next to clean it up and repaint.

[67cheby]

looks like a great project !

[tantrumpipeline]

nice truck, you will be very happy with the ECE kit, should look nice with all the black parts under the hood

[mdeprimo271]

Originally Posted by roushinator

Does anyone know why a PO would have done this with the hood?

I've seen others do this, but they usually weld in a piece of support channel from a donor hood. I would guess it's to keep the hood from sagging/kinking. Like if there was a foot of wet snow on it, I can see it bowing because of the distance between the supports.

[roushinator]

Getting ready for engine removal...



Passenger Fender has cancer. There are a few spots on the truck but this is by far the worst case..

[VA72C10]

Nice looking truck and some really nice parts you've gathered for it!

[Xeen]

Hi Roush;
Nice find, im glad to see another one of these beauties is going to get the respect it deserves.
If you have any questions about lowering one of these trucks dont hessitate to ask.
Just a heads up on the spindles you need to clean them up and see what they are, if they are stock or aftermarket, because you cant lower a c10 more than 2" in the front on stock spindles because the geometry will be unreconcilable if you do and you wont be able to properly align it, with the spring kit you ordered you need a 2" or if you want to go lower a 2.5" drop spindle to properly reconcile the alignment.
The problem with the fact that you already ordered the 4" drop spring is that since you have to order a minimum of a 2" drop spindle to make them work this will SLAM the front end of your truck and you may have trouble without some modifications.
You also need to see if the rear suspension already has a shock relocator kit on it for proper shock angle and also make sure it has short shocks on it or the rear suspension will suck because you wont get enough piston travel and the shocks will bottom out when you hit a bump.
Good luck!