Build- The Little Tiger 1968 C10

[scorpion1110]

Hello-

I wanted to start a build thread on the 1968 SWB I picked up. I previously posted this as my last Project and still believe it is. I had forgotten the shear scope of one of these and even though we mostly do it for fun, its still extremely taxing (mentally/physically/economically).

Background:

This 1968 SWB came from Winchester VA. It decodes as a straight six Short Step.

It was a bodyshop rescue I am told where the PO started to part it or the Body Shop did so as an abandoned customer build. Its completely apart except for front and rear suspension. A lot is there and a lot is missing. Hardware in boxes, stuff un labeled the usual abandoned project deal.

Notably missing was: Drivetrain, Bed, Front fenders, steering column, seat.

Major problem areas: Cab rust in rockers, supports and a little of the outer floor drivers side. Core support has rot. All else is nice.

The Plan:

Build a Hot Roddy truck- not too custom but not stock either. Original plan SBC Crate, Muncie M21, bucket seats, five lugs, 2 inch lower. Optioned with PS, PB, Tilt, AM/FM, auxilary gauges.

The Plan will change I am sure.

05/24: Purchased a short fleetside bed, a seat, a tilt column, PS setup, Passenger fender and 5lug rear axles and 5 lug DB front. Whew!

The Candidate:

1968 SWB untouched except the cobjob rocker overlay on both sides. Next thread will show the start of the project. Thanks to all and I look forward to sharing and learning on this. S

[scorpion1110]

Project Starts.

I ordered all of the replacement panels for the cab. I used a place called the Truck Shop in Tennessee. I spoke to them at carlisle and they were very nice so I thought I would give them a try.

Panels havent arrived but I wanted to get started so...

First I sat her on 2" blocks since the body mounts are gone. My plan is to keep her on frame to get panels in and then to get her rolled over to strip under floors.

I began some clean-up using Roloc discs and 3m stripping wheels. Began to get the crud off the work target areas. Primarily the supports and outer floors cab side.

While I was messing around I started looking at the rocker cover and decided it needed to come off anyway so tested the welds with a cold chisel. They popped all the way. EXTREMELY BAD WELD JOB. Brazed at cab corner. The rocker was off in about 10 minutes.

In the last pic you can see what was underneath. About a pound of crud dropped out of the rocker.

Some pics:

[scorpion1110]

Here are some more pics of the rocker area. You can see the brazed area in one. It looks like I will need to order lower lock post as well.

You can see how much crud fell out on the floor below the rocker.

No further work until parts arrive.

Also ordered a spotweld driller kit and a new air chisel. I will give some feedback on the spotweld driller as it could benefit you guys. I used the roloc disc lightly on the floors and since the spot welds are depressed can see every one.

i will be drilling out all of the spot welds to remove the supports and rockers.

[alsriv2]

Looks like your rust damage is minimum.
Have fun with the project.

[scorpion1110]

Spent some time on the Truck tonight.

Removed the dead metal from the left front cab support and also removed flooring that was lace rust. I bought a pretty nifty spot weld driller that made short work of the welds and then used a cutoff wheel and a sir saw to cut out the rest. And its made in the US. it needs plenty of lubricant but I bought a stick and just apply as needed.

The plan is to section a piece into the front support since it was rock solid about 3/4's of the way out. I will take a piece from the patch panel and then using a panel flanger, make a lip, slide it into the factory piece, tack around the edges, then upper spot welds and a seam weld around the support.

I think that is a bit easier and preserves solid original metal instead of removing the whole support. I want to keep repop steel at a minimum.

But that will be after the floor is fitted and installed.

First i will fix the driver kick panel. Sheet metal will need to be fabbed and its 15 gauge. I expect to make a template out of cardboard and then make a small wood buck out of 2x3. Then get the floor with attached inner rocker fitted. Rear lock post bottom, then outer rocker. Then supports. Then beer.

At least that seems to be the plan- it will probably change a million times in the next several weeks.

[scorpion1110]

Hola Folks:

Have been busy on the project.

Took forever to get all the replacement panels. i used three places and one had parts backordered and didnt tell me; then lost my order and then lost again. But now everything is here.

This is my first real sheetmetal work in about 10 years. Odds and ends but nothing major, but this is major and I would love opinions so I can assess progress and quality of progress.

First, I wont touch my welder until I have the parts fit, adjusted and fit again. I dont want to weld, cut them out and re-weld. I also want welds clean and hidden. The idea being that while I am not a pro, at least you will be able to see the attention to the work.

So here is what I have got so far:

Front and rear lower lock post while riddled with rot are still solid enough to give me reference points. I have taken measurements from every angle and have removed any sheetmetal carefully by drilling spot welds and being gentle with the air chisel. I want everything to fit right.

Here are the lock posts:

[scorpion1110]

When it came to the inner rocker, there were two choices; the flat one with the step and the factory correct one with the outer floor. I ordered both for comparison purposes. I chose the flat one because: 1) I didnt like the stamping on the factory correct one, and I liked how the flat one looked when I fit it with the rocker cover.

Here is the flat inner with the rocker mocked up after:

[scorpion1110]

Then I mocked up the outer rocker. Heres how it looks:

[scorpion1110]

For the front support i decided to sleeve about an inch. I will weld inside and out, grind, lightly seam seal and then undercoat. I thought about butt welding this, but gussetting it gives me a bit of adjustment for when I hang the door and possibly will need to move some stuff around.

Still not read to weld.

My sheetmetal fittment sequence:

Remove inner rocker carefully.
Fit new inner rocker
Fit outer rocker
Fit front support
Fit rear support
Fit new lower lock post
Hang door and align gaps

Then I will look at the welder.

Happy Fathers Day Dads!

Final pics for today:

[72 tigger]

You're doing a good job- looks great!

[ole dollor]

looks like you are on the right track. done a lot of work so far....hope every thing goes smooth...for you .. good luck on your truck...Don

[LSUMurse]

Subscribed. You're doing everything I've been too afraid to do for two years.

[scorpion1110]

So I got a second wind last nite between world cup games.

I decided to see how the door fit- the suspense was killing me

First i unloaded the door. A hassle but necessary as I need to fix a speaker hole.

So I removed the glass and regulators and then attempted to hang it. Took me a minute to realize the bolts to the door are 24 pitch 3/8th fine thread. Had to get six of them at the hardware. Then I hung the door.

It generally fit. i started the hinge adjustment and set tape to reference body lines. I figured I was good at the bottom rocker and I am- really didnt want to adjust there. After playing with it a while, I put a ratchet strap on the opposite side of the cab and finally pulled it into position. Tightened bolts and.......

Gaps look ok, but tight at front top. Pointing to it in one pic.

I think when I remove the door, I will slightly enlarge hinge holes at the 2:00 position if it was clocked. That should relieve the tightness at the front and use some of the upper gap at the rear.

When this door comes off it will only be unbolted at the lock post as I have the in and out of the door ok. Pointing in a pic.

Also I noted last night that the general inner rocker is about 4" short at the rear. I will make a piece to extend it and will post up that process. I also need to show the lower rear lockpost fix as well as the small area at bottom of lock post.

A little more fitting and then its time to weld!

[67ctener]

I wish I had a answer to your door problem but I don't. If it makes you feel any better I'm having the exact same issues. When we take these part and put them back together were trying to put them together better then the factory. They never fit that we'll from the get go so I've come to the conclusion get it the best/close as you can. Also great job so far I just recently did all my rust repair so I understand what your going through.

[scorpion1110]

Well Folks welcome to the hades Body shop, where all He!! broke loose tonight

I decided to look at the rear cab support (dont do it the little voice said) so I did it. A few jabs with my trusty awl and the support was in a little dirty pile on the floor.

And this is a problem.

In the first pic you will see a dandy looking cab corner- on the outside. behind it the cab support is toast as is the floor extension and the rear part of the inner rocker is just a rumor.

The next pic shows a nice little hole that I just added to the floor and the bigger hole that was the support. I am pointing to the area that is nothing, and it should be something.

As I was lying in filth (I am going to need at least 5 tetanus shots) I decided I have two choices:

A) remove the rather nice cab corner, cut out the cab support, sleeve it like the front. make a floor patch. weld it up and then close it with the repop Tabco cab corner.

or

B) try and save the factory steel. This requires extending the inner rocker (which needs done anyway) until it is against the rear of the cab corner. Then sleeving the support. I can get to the front and bottom with my welder but likely will have to get to the back side from inside the support. Tie the support to the rocker and then make a floor patch.

Option B is harder but it saves the cab corner. Thoughts?

I knew the rear supports would be a pain. Passenger side wont matter as it needs a cab corner anyway.

So save the steel or cut and replace with repop?

[hugger6933]

You may have had a good candidate for a one piece floor. You have made good progress though, just remember it is like eating an elephant one bite at a time. When I saw you had ordered a spot weld cutter I thought maybe you were getting one like the one I have [Snap-On ]type it is like a drill with a 2 speed motor and it is depth adjustable. It also has a guard on it that is removable that goes behind the workpiece and it will only drill through the outer skin of the panel once set right. That tool is pricey though at a little under $500 but is you have a lot of spot welds to drill it can do it rather quickly. I can drill out ten spots in 30 seconds with it or have. I have three of these truck to do in my shop and I am doing body work on different body panels in between jobs and other things coming and going in the shop. I just about have enough body stuff in prime to do the trucks with the exception of the cabs one bed floor and one bedside. I am just about finished with the other things and hope to put one of my cabs on the rotissere soon and get going your cab work may have motivated me to get that cab on the flipper so I can get busy. Keep up the good work. Jim

[scorpion1110]

So been awhile since I posted.

I have been chipping away at the 68. I was able to fit the rear support, sleeved like the front. Then I made a piece to extend the inner rocker- check the pic. It now goes to the end of the cab corner.

I sectioned the lower lock post. welded a seem at the lower rocker for support in addition to the bolts. Watched the cheap Taiwanese steel warp as soon as I hit the on switch of my welder.

The inner rocker is in. Lower lockpost in. Both supports need welding. Lower side kick needs patch welded. Floor patches need welding and the Outer rocker needs welded at lower seem and spot welds.

About a weekend worth of welding.

Here are some pics:

Rocker extension

[scorpion1110]

Lockpost welded and then ground smooth. (I did add the bolts and weld nuts after I ground the welds.):

[scorpion1110]

Heres the floor patch I made with the panel clamps holding it in place. I will weld that in at the end when I close everything up on the driver side.

Welding rockers now. More pics shortly.

[ECU PIRATE]

Seems like you are making some progress buddy. I just cut my cab up do to rust. I was able to save everything else though.

[scorpion1110]

Thanks for the post. I havent forgotten my thread- just was swamped working on the rockers driver side.

So I was able to save the driver cab corner, fabbed a patch. installed the rocker about 7 times, patched the floor, lined up my door and it was time to weld. Here are some pics:

[scorpion1110]

Now the passenger side which looked pretty good was trashed when I started probing around. Fortunately having been through the driver side I knew what to do, I used an airchisel more on the passenger side.

The rocker fell out, the rear lock post is bad. The prior owner did a horrible patch on the rear support and the cab corner is toast. front hinge post lacey too.

So, first step was to get inner and outer rockers out, and trim cab supports, so I can locate my inner rocker. Thats my baseline and what I will start from.

Sequence:

Inner rocker
Front cab support
Rear lockpost
rear cab support
cab corner
outer rocker
floor patches

Here is what the passenger side looks like and a shot with the front fender installed driver side:

[scorpion1110]

So on another post I mentioned that I was thinking about a 455 olds as a motor-vator, then a pontiac sprint six. While I was thinking about that I found this locally:

Crate SBC 350, complete with PS and carb and all accessories
TH350 fresh
Coated headers
Radiator

Its beautiful. Seller going to a 454. Great guy and gave me a great deal.

Cost VERY reasonable.

Wont go in for a while but soon.

And after the cab is done- we are going to put in some 67 strato buckets

[scorpion1110]

Soooooooo

The rear cab support was patched with what looks like tin, and sheet metal screws and caulk. Nice job - NOT.

Rear support is going to be a problem, but not impossible.

Spent time tonight cleaning up front hinge post, removing remainder of inner rocker and removing about a 2"x4" section of the front floor above the front cab support.

So after some clean up I decided to give myself an idea of where I will be in a couple of weeks-

This is what I want to see (only clamped in and not really fit at all).

Dave