Dad's 83 C-10

[Runner76]

My Dad bought this truck used in March 1984, shortly after he retired. He drove it regularly until two years ago, when he quit driving. I live out of state, but drove it occasionally on the farm when I came in to visit. When I was home in March, I decided it needed freshening up.

This truck was a real basic truck, just like Dad liked them. It didn't even come with a cigarette lighter. The only original options were the auto, chrome strip on the side and power steering. The brakes are manual.

The engine is the 250 six with 96000 miles and was untouched. The brakes were reworked and new exhaust. That was it for mechanical work. The interior got a new dash pad, the radio was repaired and we added auxiliary plugs for charging cell phone, gps etc.

As you can see from the "before" photos, the truck was in rough shape externally. The truck was stripped of all trim, repainted in its original carmine red, both bumpers and the grill replaced, new trim added, and missing hubcaps replaced.

The truck is sound mechanically, and runs and drives great. The only problem is now I don't want to take it out in the fields!

The after photos shows my 98 year old Dad with his "new" truck. I presented it to him on Fathers Day.

[Runner76]

For some reason I can only post one picture per post, if someone can tell me what I am doing wrong, please do so.

Here is one "after" photo with my Dad, inspecting his new truck.

[79Betty]

Very nice pick-up. Less options means less to go wrong lol.
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[MusicMan70]

Great truck and great genes!

[Axle]

Looks great! Did your dad take it for a spin around the fields so you could get over that 1st ding phobia? =-)

Alex.

[Joesjunk]

Looks good!

[AntiGov]

the truck and your pops.....that photo is priceless...

[Gordonr1973]

Great truck & great story!

[McSwine]

That is awesome. Your Dad looks damn good for 98 yrs/old (truck looks good, too).

[Runner76]

Originally Posted by McSwine

That is awesome. Your Dad looks damn good for 98 yrs/old (truck looks good, too).

Dad is one tough guy, he lost part of his right hand, left leg, and still has shrapnel in him as a result of his WWll service in Europe. He raised four kids, worked multiple jobs and I have never heard him complain. Only in the last two years has he relented and let someone else mow his yard.

On Fathers Day when he saw the truck he said "he might go get his license renewed".

Like most of his generation, Dad is a very modest guy and would probably have a fit if he knew I had posted his picture, but I am very proud of him.

Thanks for the kind remarks of all who have posted, seeing Dad's face light up when he saw the truck was certainly worth the time and money invested.

[Hoods69BadBowTie]

Wow nice looking truck turned out great! Awesome pics and story it don't get much better then that. The pic with the new truck and your dad is priceless

[78 Big10 454]

Originally Posted by AntiGov

the truck and your pops.....that photo is priceless...

You took the words right out of my mouth. You're a lucky man, indeed!

[81ShrtBox]

Originally Posted by AntiGov

the truck and your pops.....that photo is priceless...

yes it is
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[Desert1957]

Thanks for sharing, Great story.

[terryj]

That is just awesome, it doesn't get much better than that.

[Blackpony]

that's awsome man!! very cool of you to restore this truck for your dad. cherish the moments you get with him!

[Runner76]

Resurrecting a really old thread with some updates. I am sorry to say I lost my Dad about 1 1/2 years ago. Just a few weeks shy of his 102 birthday.

The truck in the thread is officially mine now. (He had changed the title to a "Transfer upon death to me). The truck set in my barn in Indiana until last month. It had been driven about 100 miles in the last three years. All his affairs are settled now, and I drove the truck back to my home in Virginia from Indiana, 650 miles one way. Before heading out, I changed the fluids, new headlight, new wipers and had a power booster added to the brakes. The truck was manual brakes with front discs, only one I ever say like that and it took a lot of leg to operate those front discs. All was well until crossing the mountains in West Virginia, at night, in the fog, when it was raining, all the lights went out except the parking lights. Fortunately was near a rest stop and got it there safely. Turned out the floor mounted dimmer switch had went bad.

Since having it home, I have changed out the radiator, (slow leak)and hoses, complete tuneup, new master cylinder, (the one that had just been installed failed). Have been driving it nearly every day and it runs better every time.

The exterior still looks good, but the interior needs some work. Couple of small floorboard holes will need to be patched, bench seat need to be recovered, radio replaced, etc. I have found a new rubber floor covering on LMC truck, (the truck did not come with carpet) and most other small parts I need. The one think I cannot locate is the plastic air intake that mounts behind the grill and the flexible hose that runs from that to the snorkel on the air filter assembly. LMC does not seem to have these. Can any body point me to a source for those parts?

When I get the truck cleaned up, I will post some comparison pictures to how it looked just after being repainted in 2013.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[pontgta]

Sorry, to hear about your dad. Looks very sharp. I love hearing these stories of trucks being passed down from generations to generations. Would love to see updated pics.

[Mathew21]

Sorry to hear about your Dad. But what a great story. Thanks for sharing and updating this thread.

[Axle]

Sorry to hear about your dad, but really impressive he made it to almost 102! And got to enjoy the truck some more at that.

[LT7A]

Thanks for updating the thread. A great gift you gave your dad and he stuck around a few more years to enjoy it and you. Hard to get much past 100 years of age these days so I'm glad that you got it when he passed but I'm sorry you had to let him go. It'll be cool to see the work you do on it and I look forward to updates.

[Jeepwm69]

I'm sorry to hear about your father. The greatest generation is almost gone. I helped work a party last weekend for a man's 100th birthday party this past Saturday. He served in the Army Air Corp training B17 gunners for the first year of the war, then went to OTS and went to Europe, eventually fighting in the Battle of the Bulge. Without the influence of that generation, I fear for what our country will become in the coming years.

As far as the truck, the exterior looks awesome. I'd love to see what you do with the interior as you go.

I have my Dad's 83 GMC. It's a basic truck with few options as well. A/C, PS, and a 305, but that's it. SM465 transmission. Only shows 38K miles on it (speedometer reducer broke and was removed for a few years, so the speedometer read about 10% slower than actual speed, so mileage isn't 100% accurate, but shouldn't be too far off).

Dad just didn't really go anywhere it, so low miles for a 35 year old truck, but it needs cosmetic work in a bad way.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=322246

[PAWS 72]

Sorry to hear about your Dad. Atleast he's still with you when you go for a ride. Truck looks good.

[KShortell]

My condolences on your loss. Enjoy the ride and the memories.

[VWNate1]

Obviously your Dad was a fine man : he raised you up properly, a nice story and thanx for sharing it .