The Super Duper Haggis Hauler

[MacQuigley]

Thanks Ian,

Top speed were going to be my first port of call as Ive been getting odds and sods from them but I didn't know if they sold screens.

I have no idea what caused this. I fitted it about 6 weeks ago and it was fine.

[MacQuigley]

Been a while since I updated this mostly due to other household issues taking over like a new kitchen being installed. Didn't install the new one myself but I did rip out the old. Wish I had put the new one in though!!!!

Anyway just a few pics to show progress to date.

Eventually had to make spacers for the new engine mounts:



And just some updates;









I was out tonight trial fitting the headers. Despite earlier thoughts that they would fit I discovered tonight that one fowls the starter and the other the clutch slave cylinder. So back to the drawing board there. But that was always likely to happen. It would just have been nice if they had fit first time - would have made a nice change!

[mjh1965]

Looking really good Bill . I like the colour combo . Like you , I plan on painting my inner fenders in body colour , as I think it looks so much better than satin black .

[MacQuigley]

But its nerve racking putting them on without scratching the paint!

[Grizz1963]

Simply put....

Awesome Bill.

You have done some, well all of it, incredible work here.

[MacQuigley]

Cheers Rian. Still a long way to go but it is starting to take shape. Dying to fire it up for the first time but I'm a LONG way from that yet.

[66-PMD-GMC]

For a guy living where there are no parts, to speak of, I'm amazed at the progress.
I've only owned a few dozen of these trucks, but I'll say, keeping things simple is best from a maintenance standpoint. The inner fenders semi gloss black is easier to keep clean and looks better/more correct imho.

[ibrown50]

Bill, your truck looks better with every post. I did my inner fenders body colour but must admit the red truck with Black inner fenders looks great too. I have been seriously considering changing the colour of the outside of my truck to pale blue, leaving the interior fawn, but I decided it would be too much work ( on top of everything else I have to do). Looking at your truck I'm undecided again

[mjh1965]

Originally Posted by ibrown50

Bill, your truck looks better with every post. I did my inner fenders body colour but must admit the red truck with Black inner fenders looks great too. I have been seriously considering changing the colour of the outside of my truck to pale blue, leaving the interior fawn, but I decided it would be too much work ( on top of everything else I have to do). Looking at your truck I'm undecided again

I couldn't agree more . I was going to paint mine orange and white but when I look at yours I am tempted to go blue and white too

[MacQuigley]

I cant say I don't agree Ian. The orange and black does look good but just not the look I'm after.

One thing Martin, it was hell going two tone inside cab and outside. Took ages to paint. Would be easier with the inner fenders though.

[MacQuigley]

And Chris, your absolutely right as I found out when I went to fit the clutch pedal bushed tonight only to find Classic Parts had sent ne break pedal bushes and they are both different sizes.

However, the Vette should be here tomorrow (Yip F&*King Yehaw!) and in it should be another set. I just hope they got it right with those ones!

[66-PMD-GMC]

Actually, I found a little cup today with spacers and fastners that I pulled for you. They were supposed to go in a bag and in your box.
Send me an email with your address so I can send them to you.

Originally Posted by MacQuigley

And Chris, your absolutely right as I found out when I went to fit the clutch pedal bushed tonight only to find Classic Parts had sent ne break pedal bushes and they are both different sizes.

However, the Vette should be here tomorrow (Yip F&*King Yehaw!) and in it should be another set. I just hope they got it right with those ones!

[Bears63]

That is a very sharp color on your truck. That is going to be a real beauty!

[MacQuigley]

Thanks Mike.

Its starting to come together and I'm starting to like what I see. Still a long ways to go though.

[MacQuigley]

Well my mini US road trip starts tomorrow. Nothing on the scale of Martins and/or Rian's though.

We fly into san Antonio on Sunday. Spend 6 days in Bandera then back to san Antonio for 3 nights. Then up to Dripping Springs before heading to Houston.

So if in the next 2 weeks of so any of you is out in your truck in these areas, and see what could only be a half mad Scotsman waiving madly at you out an SUV, don't worry its only going to be me :-)

[MacQuigley]

Well my holiday is now nothing more than a distant memory - a very good distant memory though.

So its been a while since I made any progress on the truck. Before I went on holiday I was busy getting the Morris Minor ready for its MOT, which took more work than Id been expecting. And then 2 weeks before we flew out the Corvette arrived so those 2 weeks and the last 2 weeks were spent getting it UK road legal in readiness for its MOT (this Friday) which I need to have before I can register it with the DVLA, our equivalent of the DMV (this may be a problem anyway as the fecking shipping company have lost the title/registration and I'm having now joy in getting them to source a replacement! The Vette could end up a very expensive piece of yard art!).

But with all that behind me I finally got back to the C10 yesterday.

So where was I last? Well about the last thing I done to it was fit the headers. All looked well until I tried t o put the starter motor and clutch slave cylinder on. Unfortunately both fouled with the headers. So first thing was to try and solve this.

Now I did have a selection of manifold bends and I was thinking Id cut the headers up and weld in some new bends but the fouling was so little I decided to try and "persuade" them to fit with a 2lb hammer. And what would you know, they now fit just fine.

OK, I know that with disturb the gas flow and could result in a loss of power, but with 454ci on tap and as I'm not building a high performance vehicle I'm sure these changes will not have any big impact on mu use of the truck, but it allows me to finish the exhaust and ultimately the truck after which I can take it to a specialist and have them build me a set of custom headers - if I want to do that.

So after the header issues were sorted it was time to reassemble the front end. Despite refitting the inner fenders, core and grill support panels I had the devils own job to get them all back together but eventually they were all made to fit.





With these panels all fitting I decided to try a front fender. This was not "so easy" to fit.



This was not such an "easy" fit and will require an amount of fetteling - just don't know how much yet!

Anyway its coming together. Almost starting to look like a truck again!

[ibrown50]

Definitely looking like a truck again Bill and a very nice one at that.

I'll be watching your bed re-assembly (when you get that far) with interest, I stripped mine properly this weekend (more for sorage than anythging else) and the front and one of the sides are definitely not worth fixing so may well and up buying a full bed

You'll need to post up some pictures of the 'vette once you get it sorted

[MacQuigley]

Hi Ian,

I'm a bit away from the bed going back in. Trying to work from the front back but I will get there in time. It wasn't cheap buying an all new bed but I figured what it cost would save in hours to fix up the old one.

Anyway here is a pic of the C3. Going for its MOT Friday so fingers crossed.

[ibrown50]

Very nice Bill 1977, the last year they had the vertical back window and the only year they had an emblem on the nose and the petrol flap ( I know I need to get out more )

[MacQuigley]

You do! I didn't even know that!

What I like is the 383 under the hood - photo to come - sounds wonderful!

[Captainfab]

The truck is coming along nicely Bill

Regarding the Vette title and registration. If you still have contact info for the seller here in the states, you can contact them and ask them to file for a lost title and then send that to you once they receive the copy.

[MacQuigley]

Actually I wrote top the seller last night to ask if they still had the documentation, but I don't hold out much hope especially as I read on the internet they are going into liquidation! Its all a very long story but in both cases i.e. the company selling the Vette and the shipping agent, the service I received while considering buying the car and when considering using the shipper was 2nd to none. As soon as they had my money the service I received turned to crap!

It may not be and issue as I have got a letter from the Corvette Club UK who are recognised by the DVLA as an expert body who can confirm the details of an Corvette, so that should be enough. However, I would prefer a title to make sure it goes through with no problems.

Anyway, enough about the Vette got some more done to the truck last night.

I very carefully hung the passenger door and started to trial fit the front fender.





The door went on easier than I anticipated but the fender is going to need fitting and as it turns out the leading edge of the door may require work.



Hard to tell from the picture but the door overlaps the fender at the top. This is likely to be as a result of the poor fitting door skin and me not thinking things through fully when I fitted it. I may need to alter that front edge a bit.

A question for you guy's, I intend fitting stainless sill finishers ie the finisher that goes over the lower join between the floor and rocker. Normally the weather strip would run along here as well as the rest of the inside of the door frame. Can anyone tell me if you still fit the rubber under this finisher? I don't think its needed but I just wanted to check before I start cutting the rubber seals.

[ibrown50]

Bill on my truck the seal was all the way around on my door. I can't put my hands on them just now but the ones on my truck look like these.



They sit behind the rubber so that the door can still close against it to form a seal. They also stop you dragging the seal off when you are getting out of the truck

[MacQuigley]

Ideal Ian, thanks for that. Now I know how to fit them and I can go ahead and fit the rubbers which will make it less likely I damage the paint when trial fitting the doors.

[MacQuigley]

Made a wee start on the hood last night. The idea is to get it cleaned up and painted, them onto the truck thus protecting the engine from the effects of a Scottish summer - much like a Scottish winter just wetter but slightly warner!



So far it looks like its in OK condition but I have found a couple of small holes in that rear left corner. Nothing a little plug welding wont fix.