Project: Mistress

[502ms]

Beautiful! Hope it sold!
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[gcburdic]

Thanks for the compliments....it still sits in my garage

[Hewfil1]

Almost an exact clone of what my dad had except his had the 383 stroker. PM me about your lowest possible willing offer you'd take. I think it'd make a nice gift for my father, he misses his C10.

[NewType72]

Absolutely love the color of your truck, she sounds as stubborn with engine demons as mine has ever been. (Three different swaps in four years)

[gcburdic]

It's been over 7 years since I have made any posts to my build thread, but I'm back and excited to share updates I've made to the Mistress over the last 6 months. After child 1, then child 2, life and priorities changed (as they always do!) and I didn't end up driving her much.

I began to make a list of things I really would like to see modified after spending time looking at other trucks here on this board, car shows, etc. Then, I had to save the money!!!

My List included these items:
-Starter issue repair
-brakes bleeding and replace cylinder in rear drum
-Shorty headers
-Exhaust update to tuck into frame rails
-Lower rear end more
-Motor timing
-Get fuel gauge/fuel sending units working
-tighten shift linkage

Made some optional lists too:
-Revise center dash panel area??
-new steering wheel??

I had purchased some lowering parts, new starter, etc so I could make these things happen...

BUT as always, when family happens, our truck hobbies take a back seat.

Luckily, my wife's friend has a brother that is a God send for guys like me. He's married, no kids (not because they don't want them, but they can't have them) works in the classic car industry, and helps guys like me finish those check lists because he has the time and his saying is 'this is my golf game'!

So, enjoy this past 6 month (October 2019 to April 2020) journey of pictures and updates! I'll post pictures etc soon

[gcburdic]

Mid October 2019, I had the truck taken to my buddies house to begin the transformation. He took about a week to go through the truck and make sure he understood what we had done and also offer some small modifications he would like to do.

[gcburdic]

Now time for the altitude adjust in the rear. BUT while there, noticed a small leak in the passenger side axle seal....welp...the thought of changing over to 5 lug now has become real!! So, while there, remove 6 lug axles and replace with Moser 5 lug!! We also added super track bar kit from ECE and shock relocators because we are going low.

[gcburdic]

Once I decided on wheels, went ahead and added disc brakes on the rear too. Went with Master Power Brakes (MPB) rear kit, The Legend Series HP Rear Disc Brake Conversion kit. MPB is located about 20 minutes from me and have excellent customer support: https://www.mpbrakes.com/rear-brake-...DE240A2708F990

[gcburdic]

While back there working, wanted to tuck exhaust along the frame rail, so cut these holes in the trailing arm cross member and reinforced them for through exhaust access!

[gcburdic]

Moving up front under the hood: First up, added 72 style gas pedal and cable connection to the carb. Definitely much more responsive when mashing the gas!
Also, changed out the brake booster/MC set up, re-plumb the brake lines down off new prop valve, cleaned up the wiring harness off the firewall (will add wire loom too), made a new plug wire harness to move plug wires off valve covers, added stainless shorty Hedman Headers and added Lokar shifter and kickdown.

[Kronald_70GMC]

Looking good!

[gcburdic]

Since we are moving over to 5 lug, a quick change of rotors for these nice drilled and slotted ones and add the drop spring and new shocks to get her nice and low up front too.

[gcburdic]

Originally Posted by Kronald_70GMC

Looking good!

Thank you!

[gcburdic]

Let's add the new wheels/tires! Ridler 695 Gray centers wrapped with Nitto 555s: front are 18x8 wheel is 245/40/18 and rear is 18x9.5 wheel is 275/40/18. The 2 bottom pictures are before we brought the front down another 1.5"

We did have to add 1.5" spacer in the rear. The 3rd picture shows the clearance it gave off the fender well.

[gcburdic]

I have been wishing I had done this when I originally did the build. It's one of those might as wells that I didn't do. The center dash panel area was cut out by the PO. He replaced with wooden dash, bezel and glovebox. First couple pictures are what we did during the initial build. After combing through several hundreds of dash pictures, we concluded to take it back to stock look. I'm happy we did...it turned out great!

[gcburdic]

More center dash bezel prep and paint...then the reveal! Put a DIN radio in with bluetooth and added a Dakota Dash Cluster VHX.

[jeffg1010]

Dude! When I got the notification that "Project Mistress" had been updated I thought "He either sold it or resurrected it" Glad to hear this thing has received some updates. Everything is looking awesome! Anxious to see it again in person. Plan on coming to the Piedmont Traction show in June.

[gcburdic]

Originally Posted by jeffg1010

Dude! When I got the notification that "Project Mistress" had been updated I thought "He either sold it or resurrected it" Glad to hear this thing has received some updates. Everything is looking awesome! Anxious to see it again in person. Plan on coming to the Piedmont Traction show in June.

Jeff!!! Thanks buddy! An 8 year hiatus from this board and truck because of life will do that. When and where for the show in June? I'm anxious to get her out and about more!

[gcburdic]

Couple more tweaks like adding this new Holley Street Warrior carb and a power master mini-starter....then Wa-La...engine bay revised! Looks really good in there now!

[Racer2172]

wow nice work from the beginning and now the rebirth. What did you do with the old disc brake stuff

[gcburdic]

Originally Posted by Racer2172

wow nice work from the beginning and now the rebirth. What did you do with the old disc brake stuff

Thank you! I've sold the disc brake stuff on this board recently.

[gcburdic]

Few more shots of the finished dash area with new steering wheel on, and finally down on all 4s. Then loaded her up and off to alignment shop and exhaust shop.

[gcburdic]

I got the truck back in early April, and of course my little guy wanted to ride! Here's the picture I took of her about 9 years ago, the early April 2020 and another of me and the kiddos stopping for some shakes! Love how she rides, rolls, and drives! Can't wait to see y'all out and about!

[Hart_Rod]

Looks awesome! The only other thing I would add would be the lower CST trim...

[gcburdic]

Originally Posted by Hart_Rod

Looks awesome! The only other thing I would add would be the lower CST trim...

Thanks Rod! I have seriously considered it. Heard there was a stick on trim. Any reviews about that or is push-on the way to go?

I have one final update, but haven't completed. A little interior change out is coming in due time