1969 K10 CST Full Restoration

[Ol Blue K20]

Wow!! I go away a few days and come back and drool while I'm catching up. Absolutely awesome.

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by Ol Blue K20

Wow!! I go away a few days and come back and drool while I'm catching up. Absolutely awesome.

Thanks Dale...There have been times lately I wish I could go away or at least fast forward a bit.

[IronCanine]

Eric stripped and painted the window track and joined it to the glass last night. He was up and had the vent windows and door glass in before I got there today. Thanks to Roger Koop for the vent windows..perfect per usual. We got the door kit from Precision that included all the weatherstrip and sweeps. Because neither of these doors needed a full skin (unlike the Blazer)our fitment on these pieces was better/easier.

[IronCanine]

Like the Blazer however, over time our doors had lost the square nuts that attach the bottom of the door card. I liked the clean look of no screws on the Blazer and elected to attach it with velcro. As we are striving for a factory appearance on this truck, we needed those four door panel screws. These rubber expansion nuts fit the holes in our door exactly. I put a bit of weatherstrip adhesive on the expansion nuts to hold them in place, but they engaged quickly and worked well as an easy substitute for the capture nuts. I procured a set of ferules from Woody (southern parts). The openings at the door and window handles needed a little enlargement for the escutcheons to pop on. With the weatherstripping and door sills in, the interior is officially done. And boy do those doors jump open. On the bummer side, it looks like I've got a leak on the front output seal on the transfer case. I'll have some time to ponder that as she got moved back out and the shop cleaned up so Eric can focus on painting the hood, cowl and the final few odds and ends (like inner fenders, headlight buckets, and jack tool hold down bits) this week.

[regan wilson]

That thing is awesome! I've been following since the start. I like the wood grain too.

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by regan wilson

That thing is awesome! I've been following since the start. I like the wood grain too.

Thanks!...and thanks for following along. If I'm honest, I probably prefer the black lower molding and think it would look very good on this truck. But this is a Z84 not a Z62, so she's a woodgrain truck!

[regan wilson]

I wasn't sure how many 69's actually came with it. My truck was bare bones 6 cyl 3 on the tree with a heater and black trim. It's had wood grain on it since 84 when we first painted it blue. The painter talked me into it.

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by regan wilson

I wasn't sure how many 69's actually came with it. My truck was bare bones 6 cyl 3 on the tree with a heater and black trim. It's had wood grain on it since 84 when we first painted it blue. The painter talked me into it.

It was a weight sacrifice for us as you know. I was hoping to be in the high 24s, but I think this may push us into the 25s. But I'm just looking for consistency. She's going to be a bracket monster.

[4burbon]

Originally Posted by IronCanine

Thanks! We will!



Well we've got to finish this one first Jim, but... immediately following my brother's truck, Eric has a really nice '72 K5 owned by a local gentleman to do that I'll be an interested bystander on...then I've got a '70 K20 of my own I'm hoping to pull in...but then...I do have a friend with a super sweet '72 K10 burb that my be fun to have a go at if I could talk Eric (and my wife) into it...but who knows. Again one thing at a time. We gotta crank this one first...but thanks for the kind words and encouragement.

Bring it

[regan wilson]

Originally Posted by IronCanine

It was a weight sacrifice for us as you know. I was hoping to be in the high 24s, but I think this may push us into the 25s. But I'm just looking for consistency. She's going to be a bracket monster.

Just put it in low lock. It will be a beast for 60 ft

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by 4burbon

Bring it

It's brought.

Originally Posted by regan wilson

Just put it in low lock. It will be a beast for 60 ft

[IronCanine]

I had hoped that we'd be done in time to take the truck to Maggie Valley at the end of September. My next goal was the AACA Southeastern Fall Nationals in Mobile. Our last target date was the big end of year cruise in here in Athens (which was today)....we knew by the middle of last week that we were going to miss that too. And I must say the disappointment transitioned pretty quick to something approaching relief. We had been hitting it pretty hard for a while and she was hitting back. So I took a break and went trick or treating...then I ordered a few parts to correct some issues, and Eric worked on painting the remaining bits as it suited him. Today was the first time I spent any time of consequence on the truck in a few days. I worked on cleaning up our jacking tools and the jack itself. Thanks to Woody for the jack handle and wrench. And thanks to Kevin (AASmedic) for the bag. Eric has gotten the remaining blue bits sprayed, including the hood. As soon as it's cut and buffed we'll be back at it. High hopes for the week ahead. (A real sign that we're almost done is that I found my ping pong table again...been buried with parts for a year).

[IronCanine]

Eric finished up the paint on our remaining panels last week and got the blue bits buffed out.

[IronCanine]

Another little side project was a '69 USA-1 tag. As you may know they are very expensive (even in super crummy shape), but a decent '71 version is not too bad. They are the same tag with different graphics. So I picked up a '71 and got my decal friends to make some stencils to make it model year correct. Stripped the front while preserving the original green back, and then repainted it.

[IronCanine]

We hung the hood and grille assembly yesterday. Eric bolted up the bumper and worked on shut lines today. T3s were an eBay pick up.

Edit: I should note that in general this reproduction outer grille assembly was much better than what we dealt with on the Blazer five years ago. We went through three on that build. All three had scratches from the factory in the same general area and were an above average fitment chore. This one looked good and generally seemed inclined to go on the truck.

[IronCanine]

I'm test driving a new position on the dealer decal...I may like it better.

She looks good and we are very proud. Really fun to see it whole.

Still plenty left to do this week. Inner fenders, wiper transmission, transfer case seal and brake line (as previously mentioned), cargo light, washer bottle, yada yada...gotta get the new tower clamps on, bleed the brakes, put some gas in....and then...maybe this weekend...turn her over.

[regan wilson]

Now that's a work of art.

[1971Stepside]

I'm patting you both on the back! Great job. I love the all original build...although she is screaming for bigger tires and wheels

[chewychevy67]

That is simply beautiful. I like the magnet dealer emblem. Keeps the vintage feel.

[Kronald_70GMC]

Very nice truck! Loving the attention to detail. Your almost driving it now.

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by regan wilson

Now that's a work of art.

Thanks! I don't know if it's art, but it's definitely a work of heart. (DAD PUN! wah wah wah...)

Originally Posted by 1971Stepside

I'm patting you both on the back! Great job. I love the all original build...although she is screaming for bigger tires and wheels

Thanks, we appreciate it. My brother definitely agrees with you about the wheel tire combo...in fact it's all I hear from him. So thanks for that too. I like how these trucks look in the brochures and the ads of the time. Of course wheels and tires are an easy swap...but original never goes out of style IMO. I would probably be more agreeable to a set of 15x8 steelies over anything else.

Originally Posted by chewychevy67

That is simply beautiful. I like the magnet dealer emblem. Keeps the vintage feel.

Thanks! Can't compete with your period bedazzlement though.

Originally Posted by Kronald_70GMC

Very nice truck! Loving the attention to detail. Your almost driving it now.

Gracias...that's the real milestone. She looks like a real truck...but the post I want most is a pic of her in a different location that she's reached under her own power.

[cornerstone]

Serious craftsmanship.... Right here.

[jaros44sr]

OK, now I have to start looking for a front license plate, any ideas?

Truck is simply amazing, great work

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by cornerstone

Serious craftsmanship.... Right here.

Thanks...too kind.

[IronCanine]

Originally Posted by jaros44sr

OK, now I have to start looking for a front license plate, any ideas?

Truck is simply amazing, great work

Well...you've got some serious meat under your hood....How about a BEEF tag. A serious plate for a serious truck!

I ran one on maybe my favorite truck ever (unbelievably two decades ago). It was a '98 K2500. I'd give anything to have that one back (the truck, not the plate).