1969 K10 CST Full Restoration

[69CST4x4SWB]

Originally Posted by IronCanine

Eric elected to paint the bed floor, header and inner bedsides separately. Primarily for access and control. It meant the hardware had to be painted separately too which will make assembly difficult/tense...but that is the theme of the build. Considering reach, run potential and polishibility(is that a word?)...it's hard to argue with this approach.

If it's not a word, maybe it should be submitted to Webster eh!?

[72K5CSTDarkOlive]

Originally Posted by IronCanine

And went ahead and cut the carpet and installed what could be installed. It's as far as it can go for now. Just paint for a bit.

Carpet laid down nice! What's your trick? The hub caps came out great too. I was gonna suggest using SEM Trim Black but it looks like you nailed it.

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by 69CST4x4SWB

Those caps look awesome! You've definitely outdone the factory!

Thanks.

Originally Posted by 69CST4x4SWB

If it's not a word, maybe it should be submitted to Webster eh!?

I would think it should be a word, but spellcheck doesn't like it.

Originally Posted by 72K5CSTDarkOlive

Carpet laid down nice! What's your trick? The hub caps came out great too. I was gonna suggest using SEM Trim Black but it looks like you nailed it.

Thanks Mike. I would like to have one of those steamers I see the upholsterers on TV use, but where we live these days it's not necessary. We just put it in the truck and let it sit. 100+ degree days make everything lay down...even the carpet. Really loving the latest iteration of your build btw.

...couldn't resist popping the caps on yesterday. Love me some P03s on white steel.

[Ol Blue K20]

The hub caps came out gorgeous. Probably a lot nicer than the factory ever did.

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

The hub caps came out gorgeous. Probably a lot nicer than the factory ever did.

Thanks...but I don't know...I've seen the NOS ones. I feel like Chevrolet did a pretty good job.

[69CST4x4SWB]

Originally Posted by IronCanine

Thanks...but I don't know...I've seen the NOS ones. I feel like Chevrolet did a pretty good job.

I don't know, but those are lookin might sweet all put together there! I think GM would be jealous!!

[jaros44sr]

This truck is just amazing, the parts that you do, such as seats just blows me away. I would never tackle seats! The quality of your work speaks for it self, thanks for posting up, really enjoying this build as I did the blazer, can't wait for the book to come out lol

[1956cameo]

IronCanine, This has been an incredible thread to read. The quality of work and attention to detail is amazing. I can't believe how fast you are building it as well. I would also like to thank you for letting us know where you got a lot of the hard to find parts and components. I will definitely be hitting those vendors up. My hats off to you for installing the windshield with trim. My CST Blazer does not have windshield trim because my glass installer could not keep the trim from popping out of the bottom corners. I'm assuming the Benny you used for A/C work is the same Benny I use. He is from Ft Worth, TX. If so he does great work. Looking forward to seeing more!

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by 69CST4x4SWB

I don't know, but those are lookin might sweet all put together there! I think GM who be jealous!!

Thanks!

Originally Posted by jaros44sr

This truck is just amazing, the parts that you do, such as seats just blows me away. I would never tackle seats! The quality of your work speaks for it self, thanks for posting up, really enjoying this build as I did the blazer, can't wait for the book to come out lol

Thanks Jim. I think it's funny that we did something you wouldn't tackle. Every time I click on your thread I'm intimidated as hell. Speaking of a book, I asked Eric what we should call it if we did one...his almost too quick response was very appropriate but also NSFW...I'm not kidding when I tell you this old girl puts up a fight.

Originally Posted by 1956cameo

IronCanine, This has been an incredible thread to read. The quality of work and attention to detail is amazing. I can't believe how fast you are building it as well. I would also like to thank you for letting us know where you got a lot of the hard to find parts and components. I will definitely be hitting those vendors up. My hats off to you for installing the windshield with trim. My CST Blazer does not have windshield trim because my glass installer could not keep the trim from popping out of the bottom corners. I'm assuming the Benny you used for A/C work is the same Benny I use. He is from Ft Worth, TX. If so he does great work. Looking forward to seeing more!

You are very kind and thanks for taking the time to check in and post. But I'm stilling waiting to see your finished Blazer pics! What's the hold up?!!

[1956cameo]

IronCanine, Uh oh! So you are one of the folks I left hanging. I don't have any good excuses. I guess about the time i finished the Blazer i took a self imposed sabbatical. I tried to update the thread with pictures about a year ago, but photobucket privatized all my pictures and for the life of me I couldn't figure out how to make them public. Now I see photobucket made them public but said I need to pay $6.00 a month to add more pics. So now I am trying to find different ways to post pictures to the forum, but I'm so bad with computers I haven't figured it out yet. Don't worry I will give everyone the big finale on that thread and I'm about to start a new build thread on another truck. Looking forward to more on this one though.

[notsolo]

NSFW......could also be .... Not So Fast Whipersnapper........good things take time...Thanks to you both for sharing...Another awesome build.

[jaros44sr]

funny you say that as every time I post up I think "do these guys really care and read this stupid sh!t I post up"

Does any one really care what is inside a 3 position fuel valve?

Thanks for entertaining me with your build, every day I wake up with my coffee and read your updates

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by jaros44sr

funny you say that as every time I post up I think "do these guys really care and read this stupid sh!t I post up"

Does any one really care what is inside a 3 position fuel valve?

Are you kidding me? We all spend more than a little bit of time on this site reading and posting about trucks that have been out of production for more than half a century (apologies to the square body guys who cross over). I have seen C50s turned into cowboy Cadillacs, 100pt restorations, cool survivors, hot rods and cruisers, 1/4 milers, patina shop trucks and all manner of bagged c-notched tubbed in the weeds sleds...Highlanders, Custom Campers, 50th anniversaries and Cheyenne Supers. I have drooled over all manner of NOS gold...tow hooks, CST rear panel trim, consoles, bucket seats, anything Hickey and Spicer hubs. I have seen members reproduce parts themselves and parts trucks disappear like a corn field to a swarm of locust. I have seen step by step how-tos on everything from transfer case rebuild to ceramic coating in your garage....so to answer your question Jim--Hell Yes we want to see inside that fuel valve. In fact what took you so long to post the darn pics!?!

...also you've got 400k views.

[69CST4x4SWB]

Originally Posted by IronCanine

Are you kidding me? To answer your question Jim--Hell Yes... we want to see inside that fuel valve!! In fact what took you so long to post the darn pics!?!

...also you've got 400k views.

I second that!!! Bring it on no matter how small you think it is... And the more pics the better!!!

[jaros44sr]

Sorry Brad, just having a bad day, came on to delete my post, didn't want to add negativeity(is that a word?) to your great build, but you lifted my spirits.

And all I can say is THANK YOU

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by jaros44sr

Sorry Brad, just having a bad day, came on to delete my post, didn't want to add negativeity(is that a word?) to your great build, but you lifted my spirits.

And all I can say is THANK YOU

No apology necessary. In fact I was coming on to PM you. My brother texted and said my post was harsh. That of course was not my intent. Glad you took it as intended--tongue in cheek encouragement to keep doing what we all appreciate. PO has me PO'd is a HOF thread. Thank you for that!

[jaros44sr]

Just needed your post to knock me out of my doldrums, maybe because my truck is not at my shop and it is not finished as the installer quoted 4-8 weeks and I dropped it off 7/8

What is HOF

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by jaros44sr

Just needed your post to knock me out of my doldrums, maybe because my truck is not at my shop and it is not finished as the installer quoted 4-8 weeks and I dropped it off 7/8

What is HOF

Hall of Fame

[IronCanine]

It took three tries to get a console that was in good enough condition to restore. After disassembly I did a rough clean of the three console pieces. Then I stripped them with lacquer thinner. My method was to put them in a large plastic container, cover them liberally with thinner and scrub them with a soft bathroom scrub brush and shop rags. I used chem gloves, respirator and safety glasses (can't imagine doing it without). Once I had them bare I followed these steps to color:

1) Thorough wash with mild dish soap and water
2) Thorough clean with SEM prep soap and water
3) SEM plastic adhesion promoter
4) SEM satin black

I did the inside surfaces of the console one night and the outside surfaces the next morning. I tried to follow the SEM instructions exactly. It took a couple of coats and I used just about a can and a half of color.

[IronCanine]

I would have loved to have found an NOS emblem like we had on the Blazer (thanks again DaHos), but we didn't. So I took our best emblem and did a nice clean and then dry polish. I used sail blue on the caps, but this seemed like the right color for this bowtie.

[IronCanine]

Speaking of DaHos, he recommended this Corvette door strap as a close replacement for ours. It is very nearly the same length, but you have to put the 90 on one end. They have the advantage of being readily available. However our third console had a very nice strap that cleaned up...so we didn't have to use the Corvette one. I didn't have the luxury of having a full compliment of console hardware to send to Kaehr for refinishing at the time. I did have the latch, so I sent that for replating. The hinge and trim ring went to the chromer in El Paso. The seat belt plate is a reproduction version. All the original nuts that I have seen have captured washers (I believe this is called a Keps nut). I have elected to use stainless hardware replacements that match the original profiles until I've got cause to send in another batch of parts for plating. Here's what's in this console:

1) #8 x 1/2 sheet metal phillips pan (7 total-hinge, latch, strap)
2) #10 x 1/2 sheet metal phillips pan (3 total-top to hinge)
3) #8 x 1/2 machine screw phillips pan(3 total-hinge to bottom)
4) #10 x 1/2 machine truss head phillips (6 total-top to bottom)

Last three pics are what I believe to be original hardware for this console and what I tried to match with the replacements.

[IronCanine]

As much as I've fussed over these decals...it's kind of hard to throw this repro jacking instructions decal in there...but I've made peace with it...or I'm tired, hard to say.

The console turned out nice. The main reason I stripped it as opposed to blasting it was that I wanted the best, freshest grain I could get and I'm happy with our results. Not a job I've been looking forward to...glad it's done. List getting shorter.

[smbrouss70]

Looks fantastic as usual, Brad! Where did you get the bumpers for the console? I haven't found anybody that has those. I guess I'm not looking in the right place.

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by smbrouss70

Looks fantastic as usual, Brad! Where did you get the bumpers for the console? I haven't found anybody that has those. I guess I'm not looking in the right place.

Steven...thanks for the kind words. I deleted the previous response post, because tonight as I was cleaning up and re-organizing I began to doubt my answer. I vaguely remember ordering what I thought were NOS bumpers off eBay. As I was going through my remnant 'console parts' box I found literally a stash (six to be exact) of console bumpers from LMC part #30-1842. I don't remember ordering them...but clearly I did. I only order what I must from LMC and this feels like an afterthought throw-in on an order where a different part was the priority (likely a decal ). In any event...these look just like what I put on this console. Moreover, if you can't get a set from them...drop me a line and I'll send you two. Sorry to answer the same post 3 times. Hopefully this is the definitive post on the matter.

[smbrouss70]

Thanks Brad! I'll get some ordered for when I re-do my console this winter. It may have taken 3 tries, but I knew you would come through.