Grandpa's 70 C-10 Farm Truck

[matthamby]

OK guys, I am new to the forum! So far I have learned a lot from reading posts.

My grandpa bought this truck in January of 1970, new, according to the original title he paid $1200 for it. It was used and worked hard! in the late 80's early 90's the "blown" engine was swapped for a 305 out of a car my uncle had. My grandpa replaced the front bumper with one he made after bending the original pushing down a tree that didn't fall and pinched the saw blade. Anyway, there is barely a straight piece of metal on it, just from use and making it do things it was obviously not intended to do.

When my grandma died, grandpa parked the truck and it didn't move for about 3 years. I asked him for it, he sold it to me for $100. I put a new battery and 5 gallons of gas, we primed the carb & it cranked and ran, despite the mud dobber nests all over the carb. That was about 10 years ago. I unfortunately have not had funds to work on it until lately. I have a friend who has been accumulating parts for me when he came across them. So far a 350, turbo 400 & power steering. Over the past few months I have gotten some rims and tires (2 of the old rims couldn't hold air) took me forever to find some that would fit without costing me a fortune. I also found a set of seats to use.

OK, so now to the pictures, in no particular order!

[Jonlopes]

Looks like a great start to me! Keep us posted on how you restore it.

[yuccales]

I'm sure each one of those dents had a funny story behind it, like the saw story. Glad you are keeping it running and keeping it in the family!

[webfoot]

Cool truck and story. I like that seat, what is it out of?

[matthamby]

Sorry it has taken so long to get back on here - not long after I posted this thread originally I had a lot of health issues - hopefully all of that is behind me! I have made some progress in the last few months on the truck! I'll give a list of everything I have gotten done, sorry no pictures yet, try to get some on here this week! FYI - I'm not the one doing all of the work, I have a good friend who is doing most of the mechanical work.

The seats come from a 2006 Silverado.

Got the engine running - basically just a rebuild of the carb.

Bought and put used rims and tires on (from Craig's List) (the old ones were too rusted to hold air)

Purchased a new brake light lens from LMC

Purchased new headlights, new studs for the wheels (the old ones were too short for the new wheels), new high/ low beam switch

Purchased good gas tank - and is installed!

Purchased new gas cap (new old stock) waiting on delivery (the new gas tank was from a 71-72, so the old one wouldn't work)

Traded my old Aveo (totaled in December of 2014 - engine & tranny all that's good) for a 5.7ltr out of a 2003 work van, and a rebuilt turbo 400 tranny - friend had a same year model Aveo that the engine and tranny were shot - doesn't get any better than that!

Found a nice bed on Craig's List Thursday ($200) only rust was in the floor of the bed - very small places and along the inside bottom of the tailgate - far superior to anything else I found - the lens I purchased is still required so not a loss there - 2 dents is all I could find, one in cab end rail and one in the tailgate - very small I don't know if those are really worth taking out!

Tomorrow I plan on grinding the steel plating my grandpa welded into the old bed and putting the new bed on!

Next is the exhaust and completing the brake repairs and she is road worthy!

[matthamby]

Here it is having brakes checked

[old Chevy guy]

Cool thread. Keep posting your progress,looks like your off to a good start. Nice to have something with a back story . All of these trucks I ever get have been passed around so much there's no telling where they came from. Really nice being the second owner behind your grandfather to. Good luck.

[old Chevy guy]

Oh! Meant to ask is that mileage origanal or rolled over?

[matthamby]

Well, it's an old farm truck, I don't believe it has rolled over, but, the original 307 was replaced with a 305 out of a Monte Carlo in the late 80's, my uncle had the car that someone hit and totaled it, and in stead of repairing the original engine, in went the 305. I know where the original 307 is, but it's buried in the back of the farm, no rescueing it, oh well, not like it's going to have a lot of original parts on it anyway, so much has to be replaced.

[matthamby]

Well, plans just got dashed, no work on the truck tomorrow, wife wants me to finish her laundry room, I told her she was a buzz-kill, she didn't think it was funny! That's OK, I'll get a few more things done next week!

[projectking]

I have the same seats, I used them without the headrests.

[matthamby]

Photo didn't come through

[projectking]

Not sure it's good on my end

[matthamby]

Here are the pics for the "new" bed;

















And here is a part I had to get because of the gas tank swap (I found a tank out of a 72 that was in great shape, but different opening in the mouth!

[matthamby]

I was wondering if you still have the gas tank in the cab, if so, how did the seats fit, what did you have to do to get them in? I have not done any measuring, but I had a guy say that because the tank was still in the cab that the seats would end up sitting more vertical than most people are comfortable with.

[projectking]

[projectking]

Gas tank is in for now, seats hit under the window before they touch the tank. I sit a bit straighter than I want too but it will be a crew cab in the near future.

[matthamby]

That's what I was wondering, I think moving the seats forward (using the sliding rail) may allow them to lean enough to be more comfortable, will see how that works, thanks for the photos!

[projectking]

Depending on your height you might get by with moving them up, I'm 5'10" and have to put them all the way back. Damn that big steering wheel!

[matthamby]

yeah, I'm 6', my buddy has a power steering set-up out of an 86 truck that we are supposed to be putting in soon, so that large steering wheel is gone soon! Feel like a little kid sitting behind that thing.

[GR8-68]

Very nice to drive family heritage Need to get together sometime, there is a number of us right here in this area

[matthamby]

Absolutely! I've been wanting to go to some of the local cruise-ins. I know at least 2 other guys close by

[thedudeabides86]

Love the truck! I've got a 72' C20 3/4ton farm truck from my grandpa and his brother in law that was out in Western ND for quite sometime that I'm working to get started soon. I just pulled a bad 305 out and dropped a strong 350 in it. Can't wait for it to run! I'll keep an eye out for your progress. Love hearing about these old trucks coming back to life!

[matthamby]

Hey guys, thanks for looking at my thread

I hope to update this thing with all that I have done since my last post here - nothing major but I want to keep track of everything that I have done and some questions and fishing for opinions about some things.

Until then here is a link to my Photobucket C-10 folder. This has at least all of the photos that I have done to it and somethings I am looking at doing to it (some of these may just be temporary fixes until funds can be allotted to a final fix).

[coreyjhen]

So, are you keeping Grandpa's front bumper? That's family heritage!