68 K-10 SWB build thread - project Money Pit...pics galore!

[Yukon Jack]

Dig the progress and I really like the truck. A very classic 4x4 just to my liking.

[msgross]

Now for the teardown and parts fitting....

Decided to clear out the old wood bed first. The truck came with a set of NOS wood for a chevy, still had the dealers sticker on it and appears to be pretty good shape. Also removed the bed and mocked up the poly blazer tank... Removed the heavy duty steel bumper that was welded to the bottom of the rear frame rails....

[msgross]

I thought that the bed was in pretty good shape until I started taking it apart.... Most of the bolts under the wheel wells had rusted out and you can see the damage on the bedsides. It was a very study bed until it came apart! I know have a better set of crossmembers for the bed and new wheel wells. I need to fix all the rust issues on the bedsides before it can go back together and need to purchase a new bed panel.

[msgross]

so here's what the truck looked like when I dorve it down my street and back.... Had to check out the drivetrain before I started pulling it apart... I think only one brake works! Remember that this has closed knuckle Dana 44 front with drum brakes and a 12bolt rear with drum and rotted e-brake cables.

My antifreeze jug fuel cell can be seen inside the grille...

[msgross]

Now time to assess the cab problems...

Few suprises, since this was my first truck I didn't know what to look for when I picked it up. The driver rear cab corner had been replaced, the rockers had been replaced (no inners installed??), the rear cab supports were rotted, pass floor was getting weak from the old sound deadner (they seem to promote rust!), and one huge hole under the gas tank

I also pulled out the pass seatbelt with my hands! So new floor pans, rockers, supports and cab corners will be going in. The reast of the cab is in great shape with only a small rust issue in the back window....

[70rs/ss]

Man I have a nice 67 cab I'd almost give you, but it's in AZ. It's a small window, so wouldn't really work for a 68, but I have a nice motor home cab (with the back cutout for a walk through) that would donate you a completely rust free lower half of the cab. That is sweet. I have a one of 1054 67 short fleet that'll be up and running in a few weeks that I'll post in the classifieds as soon as it's done. Gotta love a short 4X!!

[1969k10stepside]

Originally Posted by msgross

I also pulled out the pass seatbelt with my hands!

Originally Posted by 70rs/ss

Man I have a nice 67 cab I'd almost give you, but it's in AZ. That is sweet. I have a one of 1054 67 short fleet that'll be up and running in a few weeks that I'll post in the classifieds as soon as it's done. Gotta love a short 4X!!

Lucky south westerners.I might have to move there.I was bidding,on ebay, on a 72 4wd in Southern Arizona that was 95% rust free but was outbid so I was left with the rusty northern trucks.

[msgross]

The cab is salvageable it's just that EVERY piece of the floor has some kinda little problem that all add up to a lot of new sheetmetal... oh well, I need to work on my welding skills anyway! It will be covered with Dynomat and rubber floor anyway....

southwesterners can't have snowball fights though!

[RACINJASON22]

definately try and make it up to check out Denny's Beer Barrel Pub.

I would love to meet up with ya a I will give it another try myself

It's real easy just catch Rt.322 and follow it the whole way. Denny's Pub it along Rt.322

You have less rust than I do. Thats why all things that carried body color are going to be replaced EVERY last piece of sheet metal

Again, Awesome build RJ22...

[jay_shy]

Is this stock height with the 33X10.5X15 tires on 8 inch wide rims. If so could you get me a measurement from top of front wheel opening to ground and another from top of wheel opening to center of the hub. By the way the truck looks sharp. I love the SWB 4X4's.


Jason

[msgross]

yep, it's the stock height but the truck is a bare frame right now... might have to wait a year until it gets panels on it again!

It has the HD spring option so it might sit a little higher than some K-10's. I am also adding an add-a-leaf in the back...

[msgross]

So winter was getting closer and I had a grubby, rusty, unsafe truck now... So what the heck, I decided to take it down to the frame, all the way... Since mama wants to park the Tahoe in the garage and that keeps me from taking up two bays.... 4 buddies at work are renting a 4 bay, two deep garage and are working on a 59 Apache, a 65 Mustang, a 74 Cuda and a 74 bug.... For $120 a month I got in on the garage which gave me space and access to a rotisserie, welder, torch, and other items that helped. It's only 4 miles from home but the wife has now started getting on my case about spending any time away from home. SO over the last 6 months I have spent an average of 4-5 full days a month down in the garage.... Plans are to get it rolling and get it back to my garage, work on the cab (buy my own small welder) and chip away at it rent free....

On with the build, we towed it to the shop and started the tear down...

[msgross]

found that a few critters had lived in the cab, two mice nests in the vents and one behind the seat.... Also think that the wire to the heater had caught fire (still worked) at one point because a fire extinguisher had been emptied into the dash.... Circuit panel was rusty so a new wiring harnass was in order. Southdisto (board member) hooked me up with a free one that he didn't need....

[msgross]

figured i'd use the rotisserie for the frame, as you can see it has a lot of rust and undercoating. I took many hours with the torch and putty knife to clean the frame up.

[special-K]

How are you going to clean the frame,prep for coating,and what will you coat it with?Oh...and can you have all that done by the time I check back?I hate to wait.

[msgross]

Originally Posted by special-K

How are you going to clean the frame,prep for coating,and what will you coat it with?Oh...and can you have all that done by the time I check back?I hate to wait.

Tim's throwing me underhand softballs on this one since he knows the answer.... patients, patients... I haven't caught up to that yet....

www.nomorerust.com has some great products that Tim and I found at a car show. Frame, crossmembers, springs, axles and other parts will be sandblasted and prepped with PM Insdutries Chassis coating... My frame pics are on their website after I talked to them on the phone about my the system. He sent me a bottle of Hot Het coating for my manifolds if I would send him some pics....

[msgross]

So I checked out the compression on each cylinder and it averaged about 130 and that was with my battery dying. So the engine is going to get a bath, a new oil pan gasket (maybe rear main) and a spin-on oil filter adapter then paint and go for now. Tranny is getting a bath new lube and paint... Budget can't handle rebuilds right now.

[special-K]

"If it ain`t broke...."Did you find the other exhaust manifold?If not,I have an odd one here with your name on it.

[M_R_Q]

Its good to see another 68 k10 swb fleet. Ive only a few of them and Ive been looking. Mine is alot like your, but its a 292, though. I dont know if we have the same tranny and rear ends in ours, but I know mine wont do much over 50 MPH, so you may want to change the ratios if you plan on driving it much on the highway. My grandfather had the truck for pulling people out of snowbanks when he owned a garage. Its just a tractor with a pickup box attatched.

Your truck looks like a good project. I havent seen many 67-72s with a factory tac.

[msgross]

Thanks MRQ, I just watched another like mine with a 292 go for $1200 on Ebay and it was in my state (PA) so there are a few out there, only 1500 or so from 68 though. My truck has a 12 bolt rear and 3.73 gears stock so hopefully it will go over 50!

[msgross]

So we have a few rust issues, the crossmember just behind the cab needs replaced. Picked a nice one from AZ off a board member for $55 to my door. The frame was placed onto the rotisserie so that it would be easier to scrape and blast it. My rear cab mounts are toast as you can see by the enlarged holes...

[msgross]

time to start cutting rivets now! I bet I took out 75+ rivets in this frame. I left the front and rear crossmembers in but most other items came off. Rust was growing in between the brackets and the only way to clean it up was to remove most of them. Only pieces of frame that needed replaced were under that crossmember and the crossmember that holds the TC skid plate. THIS RUST WAS HUNGRY!

[msgross]

I decided to attempt the sandblasting myself...

picked up a $75 Harbor Freight pressure blaster and 500lbs of Coal slag ($50) from a local blasting shop. After I pick it up he tells me that he would have done my frame for $150-200 SHoulda went that way... Oh well, it's all about learning new skills and acquiring new tools, right? I repaired the pieces of frame and I have to say that I was impressed with my novice welding skills....

[msgross]

so after fighting with a mediocre blaster and air compressor for two days I was done blasting. Decided to take the rest of my items to Bradley's Specialties in Schartlesville, PA to get Blasted. two axles, rad support, rear leafs, hitch, all crossmembers, many other small brackets for $225 cash and it was done in a day

Be sure that you have an air compressor that pumps 10+ cfm if you want to blast. Mine could only handle 30 psi continuous and it was a two stage Craftsman rated at 6-7 cfm.

[RACINJASON22]

Man I wish I was close to this point but, I'm not.

Lookin GR8!!

Alomost time to start reassembly

Keep Up The Awesome Work.

RJ22...