1968 C10 Stepside Restoration Project

[67C10Step]

Great work and as much as sometimes it doesn't seem like it, any progress is great. I've found that soaking with PB Blaster days ahead of time seems to remove some of the frustrations.

Also, I got a can a few years ago that had product but no propellant. I reached out to them and they replaced the can with a bonus.

[mr.mud1]

i had 3 cans of PB that wouldn't spray,i called and they sent 3 new cans to replace them.i thought that was very helpful but now another can i bought recently suffering the same problem?i love the product but the spray cans suck.i bought a gallon can at the Charlotte Autofair years ago and used a dollar store spray bottle.that worked fine til i used it all up.i think there will be another gallon can on my shopping list for Charlotte in April.all the best.Great truck.

[68 C10 Driver]

Well I was sweating that I had lost the accelerator control for the truck. Being that this is a 68 C10, it uses the throttle rod and gas peddle that attaches at the floor unlike the 71-72 C10s. No one makes those 67 -70 accelerator controls so I was afraid I would have to spring for the $245.00 Lokar unit and switch to a cable set-up.

But the truck gods were smiling upon me and I found the parts and decided to go ahead and clean them up and get that on the truck. I am going to use cold bluing on the metal parts and see how that looks as opposed to spray painting them black.

[68 C10 Driver]

This weekend was pretty productive. I was able to get the rear end out from under the frame. I had to cut the Trailing arm U-bolts and I had to cut the rear springs to do it. The end caps that hold the springs in place were rusted solid. I have been spraying them with PB Blaster every day for a month. No go on them breaking free. Same story on the U-bolts as well. Once free, I was able to strap the rear end to my hydraulic jack and move it to another place away from the frame.

Now the fun part comes. stripping the frame of rust and treating the frame with Rust Mort. Once that is done, I will paint it with the Eastwood rust encapsulator, then the 2k semi-gloss black frame paint. I do still need to remove the top part of the spring and spring retaining cap.

[nicklear36]

Following along, great work!

[68 C10 Driver]

Originally Posted by nicklear36

Following along, great work!

Thanks, I appreciate it. I keep looking at some of the other builds going on and I am constantly impressed with the level of talent and attention to detail I see (and sometimes plagiarize into my build) on these build blogs here. Just trying to keep up with everyone else.

[68 C10 Driver]

So a little bit of an update. I took the accelerator control back off and removed the metal rod and did the cold bluing. I think it turned out pretty good. First photo is the 'before and the subsequent are 'after' photos.

[68 C10 Driver]

So not much to report this weekend other than getting the accelerator control installed on the firewall. Much better than before. I'll install the washer and cotter pins when it is connected to the carb.

[KyleSeal]

Great work. Really like how thorough you were with the interior. Looks great

[68 C10 Driver]

Originally Posted by KyleSeal

Great work. Really like how thorough you were with the interior. Looks great

Thanks. I was hoping to get the frame done over the last few weeks, but life keeps getting in the way. Kid's activities, rain, and then we all passed some crud around and finally got that licked. Seems like there is always something to distract you from doing what you want to do. It'll all come together one day, main thing is to not rush it. Rushing only leads to doing something half-assed or worse. I definitely want to do everything right the first time.

[68 C10 Driver]

So this past weekend I was able to get out and tinker with the truck. The new addition to the cab was a set of NOS San Angelo gun racks. I picked these up on eBay a couple years ago and thought it would make a nice addition to my ranch truck. I know my Uncle's trucks all had gun racks in them...come to think about everyone who had a truck in high school had a gun rack in it with rifles on them. Boy, times have changed. I sure miss the good 'Ole days.

[Shifty One]

I've been looking for a decent set as well.

[wpsharpshooter]

My dad had an old 66 stepside with a set of these in it.. Cant remember the rifles he had hanging from them though... I do remember always wondering if they were going to fall down and hit me in the head.

[68 C10 Driver]

I used riv-nuts as a way to get them attached, I just don't like to rely on sheet metal screws as a way to secure something that holds firearms. Besides, if I do remove the gun rack, the riv-nuts look better than simple holes that will be somewhat pulled out due to the sheet metal screws...just a more finished and secured way to attach.

[raggedjim]

Just read thru your complete build, great job on it. I am fighting a Pontiac steering wheel now, I hope it turns out as nice as yours. I also converted my 3 on the tree column to floor shift.

Good luck, Rg

[68 C10 Driver]

Well, the brake master cylinder started getting surface rust on it. I don't want to battle with wire brushing rust off of this for the rest of my life either. I do not want to paint it, the brake fluid will just eat it and I will have to repaint the master cylinder every few years either. Then it came to me...gun bluing!

I wire brushed the surface rust off and applied the 44/40 bluing solution I used on the throttle rod set-up. I applied it, allowed it to dry, buffed it, then oiled the master cylinder. Now incidental fluid splash won't matter.

[zicc1835]

Originally Posted by 68 C10 Driver

Well, the brake master cylinder started getting surface rust on it. I don't want to battle with wire brushing rust off of this for the rest of my life either. I do not want to paint it, the brake fluid will just eat it and I will have to repaint the master cylinder every few years either. Then it came to me...gun bluing!

I wire brushed the surface rust off and applied the 44/40 bluing solution I used on the throttle rod set-up. I applied it, allowed it to dry, buffed it, then oiled the master cylinder. Now incidental fluid splash won't matter.

nice.... real nice

[yj4000]

Thats a good idea. Looks great.

[clay68c10]

That’s genius. I never thought of using blue like that.

[68 C10 Driver]

Thanks for the kind words all, I hope I start a new trend.

The bluing will not totally remove the potential for rust, but my hope is that with weekly oiling of the blued metal, the rust will be held at bay. As stated earlier, my rationale for using the cold bluing is to provide a protective finish that the brake fluid will not destroy if it comes in contact with the master cylinder.

[68 C10 Driver]

Originally Posted by raggedjim

Just read thru your complete build, great job on it. I am fighting a Pontiac steering wheel now, I hope it turns out as nice as yours. I also converted my 3 on the tree column to floor shift.

Good luck, Rg

Best of luck on your Pontiac steering wheel restoration. I would love to see some photos of it! Is the steering wheel for your C10?

Cheers-

[raggedjim]

Originally Posted by 68 C10 Driver

Best of luck on your Pontiac steering wheel restoration. I would love to see some photos of it! Is the steering wheel for your C10?

Cheers-

Yeap, I posted this in my thread https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...&postcount=177 Still working at it.

It is more oval than round, I think that was part of their wide track image.

[zicc1835]

I want to see the Pontiac

[raggedjim]

Originally Posted by zicc1835

I want to see the Pontiac

The wheel is for my 68 truck, only Pontiacs I have are f-bodies.

[68 C10 Driver]

@ Raggedjim, nice steering wheel!