The first of 2manyprojects 65 panel

[2manyprojects]

This is my truck that will actually be finished one day. It will be a slow build because I live 100 miles away from where the truck is located. I will try and keep it updated as much as I can. I plan to cannibalize my 67 project for as many pieces as I can use and sell the rest. This truck is actually the second old vehicle I bought. I have owned 110? since I was 16. This is the one I always really wanted to finish.

I will start with some background. because I know you like stories and pics.
When I started HS my teacher had a 65 panel that was his first vehicle. I thought it was the coolest thing. Fast forward to my junior year he decided to sell the truck which we all called the Flynn mobile because it had Flynn's Azalea Garden on the side. I jumped at the opportunity and bought it for $300.00. I did a little cleaning and painting but it needed some work to pass inspection. Because of lack of funds I sold it to my manager . About a year later he ended up moving back to Pittsburgh that's the last I saw of it. I should have kept it it was in good shape other than a Flat drivers quarter where a school bus backed into it.

[2manyprojects]

Life moved on. I graduated and went away to diesel school. One day soon after I moved back to Richmond I was looking through the trading post and saw an ad for a 66 Chevy $800. This was early 1995. It was a panel in pretty decent shape showing 43,000 miles 250 3spd. The man I purchased it from had, had it about a month after buying it from the original owner. When I picked it up it was a combo of brown and grey primer I don't have any pics but here is one soon after I got it . I primed it all grey painted the bumpers and grill and put the rally's ,HEI and those ugly mirrors on for some reason. I eventually spray bombed it blue and white and put a floor shifter in it. The red Nissan in the back ground is the only vehicle Ive ever bought new and financed. After I sold the Nissan the panel became my daily driver and was my only ride for a few years.

[2manyprojects]

One day on the way home from work it died on me on the interstate. I got it running but in a hurry to get away from the pushy cop I pulled down on the hood hard one of the hinges stuck and bent the hood. While looking for a new hood I decided I was going to put a 350 in it. I pulled the motor and stuck it in a 77 pickup . The panel sat until I traded it to a friend for a 66 pickup . We stuck the 250 out of the 66 in it. He drove it for about 6 months and realized the VIN didn't match the title so we pulled the motor and traded back. This was in 99. With out a matching title I kind of lost interest and it has been sitting since. Here it is right after I got it back.

[2manyprojects]

The VIN was for a 65. Other than a 65 fender and one cowl piece it seemed original 66. It still had the spiral shocks T3 headlights etc. I decided to do some investigating. I tracked down the original owner who was pushing 100 at the time. He told me he was a contractor and bought a 66 new. At some point the truck was rolled. He replaced the body with one from a junkyard. and didn't have the 66 VIN plate or the 65 title. DMV hell prevented me from getting a title. Last year they started letting you apply online and I finally got a clear title back in March. So now I'm motivated to work on it again.

Over the years I did some work to it . I removed the body cut out the 3spd cross member and put in a automatic cross member, sanded and primed the drivers side, replaced the doors with better parts.

Here are some pics of it sitting in storage.

[2manyprojects]

Here it is as of a few weeks ago It took me 2 days to get it out and I'm still not done straightening up.

[2manyprojects]

That's it for now. Next I'm going to start taking the 67 apart.

[MikeS.]

I see why the user name, you do have a garage full of projects. I like the panel trucks. I just bought a 63 4x4 Burb.

I a ways N of you up i-81 near Winchester.

[VA72C10]

Will follow along! What all are you taking from the 67?

[2manyprojects]

Originally Posted by MikeS.

I see why the user name, you do have a garage full of projects. I like the panel trucks. I just bought a 63 4x4 Burb.

I a ways N of you up i-81 near Winchester.

Yeah it's a sickness. Actually not all of those are mine. Ive been trying to downsize. The panel ,67 ,Trans AM and parts are mine the other ones are my Dads. I get it honestly

I almost picked up a 63 4x4 Burb last year but it wasn't nearly as nice as yours.

Originally Posted by VA72C10

Will follow along! What all are you taking from the 67?

I'm keeping the suspension , 5 lug rear, wheels etc. Probably will put the seat in the wrecker unless someone wants it bad enough. I need to figure out what else I can use.

[2manyprojects]

I haven't had much time to mess with the panel. My daily driver Jeep has been taking up all my wrenching time. That's what I get for buying a Chrysler product. I think I finally have most of the issues taken care of.
I bolted a LT1 and 4L60 in the panel but mostly to get it out of the way for now. It does look good in there. That's probably what I'm going to use unless I find a good deal on a LS engine.

[2manyprojects]

I didn't realize it has been this long. It took me a lot longer than I expected to part out the 67, and life happened. The good news is I no longer own a money pit jeep, and I moved back and work where my projects are stored.
We are supposed to get racking put up in the building where the truck is kept so I need to get what I can drivable so it's easier to move.

My Dad finally decided to let me steal a good 327 that's been sitting in the corner and I already have all new brake parts and a reman 700r4.

I spent all day trying to organize and dig it out again I hope to be able to get to two of them next weekend.this is what it looked like minus the 67 my 2 are in the back corner, see why I get nothing done

Stay tuned I will hopefully update regularly but I'm working on 3 different projects at the same time. I might have to slowdown when my wallet starts smoking.

[VA72C10]

Glad to hear youre getting to work on it again. Have fun!
Posted via Mobile Device

[2manyprojects]

Originally Posted by VA72C10

Glad to hear youre getting to work on it again. Have fun!
Posted via Mobile Device

Thanks, I'm excited to drive it again. I got it on the road the first time exactly 20 years ago give or take a week. If I don't get carried away it should be moving again fairly quick. Everything suspension and brakes was new or in good shape when I parked it ,and I have plenty of parts laying around .

[2manyprojects]

I finally managed to get to the motor. It was running great and pulled hard when I took it out of a 69 Camaro SS 12 years ago to swap in a correct 300hp 350.

I knew it was a 65 fullsize 327. I got a pleasant surprise today I looked up the heads they are 71-72 LT1.

[Jeff La]

Did I see a 67 chevelle back in there??? LOL

[2manyprojects]

Originally Posted by Jeff La

Did I see a 67 chevelle back in there??? LOL

It's entirely possible I will find a 67 Chevelle before I get done, but not that I know of.

Currently there is a
65 panel
89 GTA
50 GMC
55 Chevy 210 2dr
74 Nova
69 Impala, that's for sale by the way if anyone is interested
66 912 Porsche


I'm making progress slowly hopefully I will have uncovered the panel in a week or 2 It's ridiculous

[2manyprojects]

I soaked the cylinders on the engine and got it mounted on a stand. I also started gathering the parts I need. flexplate , carb, headers, gaskets etc. One plus of having so much stuff is I haven't spent a dime yet.

Hopefully I will get it cleaned up and resealed next week.

[VA72C10]

Looking forward to seeing this on the road

[2manyprojects]

I picked up some factory seats. I had to leave the floor brackets for the passenger side so If I cant find some it should be fairly easy to make a set.
The seats are nasty dirty but are good enough to use for now with some cleaning.

I also found a 65 parts pickup with a decent front clip I will probably end up with. I'm going to try and order a body mount kit this week so I can start putting it together.

[2manyprojects]

I got tires that hold air on it, pulled the motor that was being stored in it ,and cleaned some junk out the back. Not much progress but it's a start.

[Palf70Step]

Good to see ya get started on it. I don't think I could get anywhere with all the "toys/projects" you got sitting in that building! I'd be like the dogs in the movie Up....."squirrel"....and he's off somewhere else

[2manyprojects]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Good to see ya get started on it. I don't think I could get anywhere with all the "toys/projects" you got sitting in that building! I'd be like the dogs in the movie Up....."squirrel"....and he's off somewhere else

I definitely don't seem to get anywhere . Ive sold off a bunch of stuff and am trying not to buy more. unless I need it or can drive it with minimal work.