It's an addiction.....! My '67 story

[95gATL]

So the story starts as last spring...I acquire a clean 2000 GMC 3500 single cab, long bed work truck from an auto auction hoping to resell for a profit. (I own an office building that I lease out to several used car auto dealers and one was kind enough to give me Manheim auction access).

What I didn't realize was that not many people wanted a 3500 truck...so I offered it for trade on craigslist for a classic vehicle. After countless nonsense, bullcrap, and utter stupidity with trade offers, a local man offers his running and essentially rustfree 1967 Chevy truck with a v8. Hmmm, that sounds interesting. I take the drive about 30 mins north with my toddler. We walk around the truck, climb underneath it, and get bit by countless Georgia mosquitos. The truck is a factory 327 v8 and 4 spd. Figure the engine was probably swapped to a 350 at some point. Can't tell unless you decode the numbers. Looks to be a solid truck, but the battery was dead. Uh oh, is this a sign of something wrong? Maybe, but the truck obviously has been sitting for a long, long time with the numerous wasp nests I found under the truck.

We go back the next day after the battery is charged. The truck starts but has a noticable skip in the engine. I perform the dollar bill test on the exhaust and find the dollar getting sucked back in the exhaust. Hmm, burnt/bad valves. Drive the truck around, it stops and steers great. So maybe I swap in another engine. OK. I make the even trade for my 2000 GMC.

Fast Forward to present day: Found out the engine is the original 327. Wow, matching numbers....cool. Replaced the heads with 461 casting camel humps. Runs like a champ.

Paint back to original factory color and here we are:





----Paint turned out OK --- it's a 10 footer for sure. Metalic single stage and crappy cold weather wasn't too friendly. I hope I can clay bar the paint and get it smooth, have some light overspray which makes the finish a little rough.

Ordered the interior from LMC Truck which included dash pad, original reproduction seat cover, vinyl floor pad, and a couple odds and ends.
The windshield has a couple little stars in it and is discolored around the edges, so I plan to get a new windshield from a local window installer and have them put it in. Hoping to be less than 200.

major factory options included are:
327
4 speed
power steering
camper nameplate

Driving the truck is pretty fun. I found out that 1st and 2nd gear are pretty useless, unless you are in a parking lot or pulling down a house. So i've been using it as a two speed....yup, 3rd gear to 4th. In fact, fourth gear can easily pull from 10 mph up a hill. Can you say 4:57 Eaton rear end. Oh, 2nd gear can be used for doing a burnout i suppose.

Still a couple minor things to work out....think the voltage regulator is bad, it ain't charging the battery, so I can't drive the truck very far with any confidence. And for some reason the Fuel, Temp, and Volt gauges are not working anymore....maybe voltage regulator as well?

.....and why is it an addiction???? Because shortly after I got the 67, i found an original 1966 c10 that lived its entire life in Atlanta. 56,325 original miles on it now. Was owned by a judge and passed to his children, then a neighbor of his bought it and now I have it. It drives wonderfully. Very original, was factory green and white top, and someone painted it a dark blue - UGLY. So my next project is getting it back to original colors.

Stay tuned....

[flashed]

Great story and nice truck ,how about pics of the 66 .But you are right about the addiction part and this site just adds to that addiction .I started with one 72 shortbed which has been in the bodyshop for almost 3 years now and bought 2 more to replace that one.

[95gATL]

Originally Posted by flashed

Great story and nice truck ,how about pics of the 66 .But you are right about the addiction part and this site just adds to that addiction .I started with one 72 shortbed which has been in the bodyshop for almost 3 years now and bought 2 more to replace that one.

LOL ---- the 1966 is tucked away at the moment. The 69 nova transmission decided to take a poop and I only have reverse. Once I get that moved, I can pull out the '66 and get some "before" pics for y'all. I believe the light green and white top combination is awesome. Can't wait to paint 'er. Damn wicked Georgia weather lately. Record cold, 1.5 inches of snow, but amazing hitting almost 70 today before rain for the next few days. Sure do miss SoCal weather now...haha.

[Dean'smeanmachine]

nice truck!

[chaff]

This is the first time I have heard of the dollar bill test, please enlighten me.
Sorry should have searched. I am just bidding my time till SB kickoff.
Picture's worth 100 words, but not as good as being there.

[95gATL]

Originally Posted by chaff

This is the first time I have heard of the dollar bill test, please enlighten me.
Sorry should have searched. I am just bidding my time till SB kickoff.
Picture's worth 100 words, but not as good as being there.

http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/doll...re-170360.html

Doing the "Dollar Bill" test on a...

[95gATL]

Cosmetically: Just have the interior left to do. LMC Truck has everything for about $500, which will get it back to original. Going to order the stuff today and start on it next week (weather permitting).

Probably going to rhino line the bottom of the bed only (not sides). Being nearly 50 years old, it was used as a truck for part of its life. Little dents and scratches, but the rhino lining should make it look presentable again.

Mechanically, have to change the alternator belt....she is adjusted as far as possible and still squeels under full throttle in higher rpm's. and has lots of cracks. Probably a good idea to do that soon.

.....and for some strange reason, the temp, fuel, and amp gauges do NOT work any longer. They worked prior. I replaced the voltage regulator up by the driver side headlight. Is there another voltage regulator for gauges??? thoughts???