1986 Chevy C10 SWB Step Side

[aotte1]

Bruce,

Sound like fun, just need summer to get her soon, so I can do my first drive.
More later.

Les

[jpnh]

Hey les how's it going haven't heard from ya how's the truck coming along??-Jeff

[Keith Seymore]

Just going back and catching up on my reading: looks great!

Originally Posted by aotte1

Note: again this is a Canadian built truck, so it may of had more corrosion protection e.g. the galvanizing?

No; same as US.

Originally Posted by aotte1

Were the stepside beds painted off the frame? I think that is the only way the braces would get body color paint on them, and non on the frame.

Les

Absolutely. Cab and box were painted on a specific carrier and were completely painted and trimmed out before being set on the chassis at body drop.

Front end sheet metal was painted together (meaning hood and fenders on the same paint carrier) but in the opposite end of the building from the cab/box.

http://www.73-87.com/7387info/Assembly%20Line.htm

K

[aotte1]

Jeff and Keith,
Thanks for the inquiry, Have been under the weather lately. End of March my bone marrow stop working, just like that. Lots of testing at UK Medical Center to find out what is going on. For now pretty much resting.

Getting truck ready for the road, almost done. Just need to get all the lights working, grounds, replace bad socket. Have front lights working, need to fix rear lights. My son came by last week and helped get the front working. Hope to take for drive soon.

more soon,
Les

[jpnh]

Sorry les hope things get better for you.

[rip2174]

Sorry to hear about the health issues. Hope things turn around for you. Get some rest.

[aotte1]

My friend John is helping me clean up the interior and do some restoration on it. He is cleaning all the interior paint surfaces, then - compounding and polishing them. Installing new floor mat, with sound/heat material "Hush Mat" first.

Tach and fuel gauge combo, are replacing the fuel gauge only, along with two new gauge for oil pressure mechanical, and engine temperature. The tach /fuel gauge went in really easy and works nice.

Also doing the Hella headlights fixtures and bulbs (high performance 55/60), along with the front sway bar. For now leaving off the braces that C30s have from engine cross member to front frame horns ( this suggested upgrade for handling came from a fellow member).


I drive it for first time last Sunday over to his house. Lots of fun, just got on it just a little bit in 2nd gear, and had a big smile.

A couple of photos of it coming apart. Before starting work and parts in the bed.

Les

[Low Elco]

Hope you get to feeling better, Les.

[aotte1]

Flyin' Low

Thanks for the encouragement, I am taking it real easy.

My friend, got the new tach/gas gauge combo installed and it is all working. It is not like an Autometer, however, just responds a little slow.

Thanks,
Les

[aotte1]

Attached are a couple of photos of the tach/gas gauge being installed, with steering column removed and one with the column back installed. I purchased the tach/gas gauge from a vender in CA. referenced by another member.

You can also notice the gauge cluster, has the 4 speed black out, for the auto gear selector.

Note: After driving a few time, the tach and gas gauge are working very nice, totally happy with it.

Les

[aotte1]

Replacement tilt steering column w/ intermittent wipers

As part of restoring the interior, a tilt steering column is being installed that has intermittent wiper (IW) control on the stick. The original column did not have the intermittent wiper position on the stick ( it had Lo-Hi and pulse only). To make the IW function work, I needed to add a IW module ( I purchased a new one from my GM dealer) to the wiper wire harness on the lower part of the steering column. The other module connection is attached to the existing dash wiper wire harness. And it all works great.

The photo show the module used.$$$

Note: the module connection are really tight, go together hard!

Les

[aotte1]

Installing Rubber Floor Mat

Installing new rubber floor mat from Capt Koas, ( seat cover is also from Capt Koas too) it is thicker/heaver then the original one. Being thicker it is harder to get it to fit nicely initially. First day just let it set in truck and conform a little. Raining all the time here lately, so no sun to put it out in to make more flexible, before installation. Trimmed it a little to allow mat to slowly conform to floor. Have left all the edges untrimmed, while it is worked to fit better, over the next few weeks. Plan is to let truck out in the sun to warm, and then use weights to help conform new mat to floor shape. Photos are of the initial installation.

[aotte1]

A few more photos of the floor mat, that is still being fitted. The mat after three days has settled a little more to conform to the floor. Still planning to do the sun treatment, once it shines again. Also getting help from Keith on how he did his new floor mat.

The last photos show the original shifter ( in Reverse), boot and knob, and photo above, they cleaned up pretty nice. The knob has some of the graining worn off in places.

Also install Autometer temperature and oil pressure gauges, to get more accurate information vs the dash gauges . I wanted more accurate information, since this engine is a little more high performance then stock. For me the temperature information in much better. Driving it stays right at 180 degrees. Goes up a little once it is turned off.

The interior paint is original, cleaned it up with 3M product.

Les

[aotte1]

Photo of the radio, shifter, and new gauges, cleaned up.
Les

[jpnh]

Wow looks good/ clean/ jeff

[Low Elco]

Looks nice! All stock lookin'.

[aotte1]

Jeff and Flying' Low,

Thanks for the complements, yes I am going for the
stock look, except in the engine bay. The stock look their is not good!

The heavy duty factory sway bar was installed, as lots of members here have said, "it really makes a big difference". A few photos of it are below. Used new Moog bushings. The new cad bolts will get blacked out with ceramic coating.

Still have three other GM handling parts to install later, 1). the two cross braces for the core support that go across the radiator area, making an X; 2). the engine cross member to front frame horn braces from a C30; and 3). the rear sway bar ( will need to get the truck fully finished and see how it handles with out rear bar before installing).

[aotte1]

Caster Modification of 3/4 Inch- Report Back on Drivability

I did the caster modification of 3/4 inch as described earlier, and my initial drivability with wide tires is that it drives really nice. Have not driven the truck a lot, so will drive it a bunch more under different road conditions, and give more detail report later. So far really drives great on some very uneven roads. Will need to check, but think it gave me about 7.5 degrees of caster.

Les

[rip2174]

Looking very nice and clean.

[Low Elco]

Thanks for the report- been wondering!

[aotte1]

Rip2174, thanks for the complement, and Flying Low' - do like the caster mod so far.
LMC Door Panels

Next project is to install new LMC door panels, still looking at how to get the chrome door handle opener bezels to fit, on my initial assessment. They fit on the rear corner away from the door opener handle, however, up by the opener handle they stick out about 3/8". So if I cut away the needed panel material by the opener, (how much needs to be cut out?) - will their still be material needed to attach them to the door panel with the factory screws? Looks like a trial cut of a little, to see how much needs removed.

Les

[aotte1]

Sound and Heat Material added

As part of redoing the interior, installed Hush Mat on the floor and in the doors. Floor was mostly continuous, and just some in the doors. No real way to say how much it reduced noise and heat. I am happy with how quite it is, can have an easy conversation while driving, and the doors sound solid when closed, big difference then with out. Heat is hard to say, because it has new engine that puts out a lot of HEAT , ( coolent temp is a constant 180 degrees in summer temps - very happy with that). I would think it helps with heat too, because getting out of cab and standing next to front end you can feel the heat coming off engine. Photo is of material used, along with door installation.

Les

[aotte1]

Hope the sun is out tomorrow without rain, and will put truck out in it. Hoping it will help new floor mat settle down some more. Using three John Deere tractor front end weights to push it down in areas where it is still up some. If sun and JD weights don't do it, will live with it.

Les

[aotte1]

LMC truck panel update

I looked deeper in the shipping box after removing both panels and found instructions on how make a cut-out for the chrome door handle bezels. Will let you know how it works.

Note: the recessed area n the door panel for the chrome bezel edge seems a little bigger

Photos of bezels are below and instructions. The bezel sticking up is before cut-out.

Les

[aotte1]

A couple more photos.

The photo of the back shows a small line of where to cut to.

Another note: the window weather strip on these is full length, and looks pretty good.

Les