Out of the Ditch = The Rebuild Begins ('72 GMC)

[C10agent]

Subscribed - stay strong my brother!!

[swamp rat]

Hugger your post makes it sound like someone here said all shop owners are jerks..... were all sitting here praising the guy for going to look at the truck.. I donno maybe i missed something, i know were all trying to be supportive including you.

[GASoline71]

Well... Sorry for the late update. Getting geared up for fishing season, and a lot of stuff going on. The shop owner swung by the house and took a look ath the truck. He pointed out some pretty bad spots on the frame. It is shifted to the passenger side more than an inch, and the drivers side framerail is actually twisted. The drivers side shock is compressed all the way down, and the passenger side is pretty much in the normal position. Once he pointed out the twist, it was completly noticeable. He did say that with the equipment they have at their shop, this would be quite a challenge as this is the worst frame tweak they would try to tackle. We drank a couple of beers together and discussed it, and I told him I'd let him know what I decide to do. What a cool cat.

So one of my buddies and I took the hood of last night, and now I will start the front end tear down. I will have more pics for you guys either tonight or tomorrow. I'll take some measurements and alos try to document the bent frame. Not 100% sure on where to go from here. If I want to save this frame, I will probably have to find a no kiddin' shop that does frame work. Or... find another frame, or another truck.

My wife was in tears as I told her the news when she got home from work. She is really hoping we can save this truck. I am too... but I'm keeping all my options open. She really loves the old heap, and she loves my truck as well . So I'll post more up for you fellers later on.

Gary

[67ChevyRedneck]

Saving the truck is only a new frame away...

[BB72CHEVKT]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

Saving the truck is only a new frame away...

I agree. It would probably be cheaper as well. Good luck.

[GASoline71]

True dat... then I could also get the coil spring rear end i really wanted all along.

Gary

[swamp rat]

it will happen, stay positive!

[GASoline71]

Removed a few things today. Bumper, grille and cowl. Bumper is junk, along with the brackets. Grille and cowl are straight. Core support is a little tweaked, but can probably be coaxed back in to shape. It will probably straighten out a little more once I unbolt the fenders.

I was happy that the front marker lights didn't get jacked up too.

I took a couple shots to show the frame damage as well.

Gary

[GASoline71]

More pics...

Gary

[Hawghauler]

Hey Gary, I don't know if you've seen this one or not, but I think it should take care of your frame problem, and give you some extra parts for cheap.
http://seattle.craigslist.org/skc/pts/4409329951.html
Good luck,
Curtis

[GASoline71]

I did see that... but I think the 3/4 ton frames are thicker (heavier) than the half tons. But I could be wrong.

Got the fenders and inner fenders off yesterday. This is so reminiscent of when I started this project 8 years ago. Except everything is a lot less greasy.

Gary

[SCHRUMGMC]

Sorry to hear about your truck Gas, I know you'll get it rebuilt

[sean1969c10]

Subscribed, looking forward to seeing how you bring the truck back and make it better!

Sean

[slikside]

Gary,

I remember that thread you first posted when this happened. I can tell you have come a long way since then...I know you're going to get this thing together, one way, or another. You have a lot to work with there. I guess the $64 question is...the time/$$ of tweaking your frame back to useable, vs. time/$$ of a new frame.

Best of luck with that, but I can already tell how it's going to turn out.

Hang in there man.

[GASoline71]

Great news!!!

Some car show friends of ours saw the post about my wreck on FB, and got a hold of me the other day. He found a 1969 C10 long bed frame with trailing arms! If everything goes right, I should be headed out to pick it up this weekend! Pretty stoked about that!

I wanted to also take a sec to tell all you cats that have given me some positive reinforcement and sending good vibes. It helps... all of it. I was pretty dejected and depressed about the wreck, and my first reaction was "screw it, I'm done." Without the positive support from my wife, my best friend, my parents and ALL OF YOU CATS... I would have given up. Thanks a million for keeping the fires lit!

Gary

[67ChevyRedneck]

Awesome. You can get the frame all cleaned up and ready to go before the body even goes on it.

[2 Far Gone]

Subscribed
Looking forward to following the rebuild.

[swamp rat]

Awesome news on the frame! Are you on the Northwest FB page?

[cericd]

So nice to see this one getting rebuilt. I always thought it had such a cool character to it with that particular color blue, black roof and slots. Just plain cool. Best of luck with the rebuild and glad to hear you made it through the accident all right.

[jmorri34]

Originally Posted by GASoline71

Great news!!!

Some car show friends of ours saw the post about my wreck on FB, and got a hold of me the other day. He found a 1969 C10 long bed frame with trailing arms! If everything goes right, I should be headed out to pick it up this weekend! Pretty stoked about that!

I wanted to also take a sec to tell all you cats that have given me some positive reinforcement and sending good vibes. It helps... all of it. I was pretty dejected and depressed about the wreck, and my first reaction was "screw it, I'm done." Without the positive support from my wife, my best friend, my parents and ALL OF YOU CATS... I would have given up. Thanks a million for keeping the fires lit!

Gary

Great to hear about the frame and cant wait to see you rebuild, I hope you stay with this color, This is one of my favorite trucks on here man!!

[GASoline71]

Originally Posted by 67ChevyRedneck

Awesome. You can get the frame all cleaned up and ready to go before the body even goes on it.

Turns out... the guy that has the frame has a body shop he runs with his dad and uncle. So for a few more bucks he's going to degrease/prep the frame and shoot it with a primer, and then with an automotive chassis paint! It will be so nice to take stuff from my clean truck to a clean frame!

Originally Posted by swamp rat

Awesome news on the frame! Are you on the Northwest FB page?

I don't think I am... I'll have to go double check. Thanks!

Originally Posted by cericd

So nice to see this one getting rebuilt. I always thought it had such a cool character to it with that particular color blue, black roof and slots. Just plain cool. Best of luck with the rebuild and glad to hear you made it through the accident all right.

Originally Posted by jmorri34

Great to hear about the frame and cant wait to see you rebuild, I hope you stay with this color, This is one of my favorite trucks on here man!!

Thanks you'se guys.. I am going to stay with the original "Medium Green" color and keeping the black top as well. It was originally White top/Medium Green body from the factory. But the Previous Owner painted the top black. It was one of the things that made me want this truck.

Oh... and here's an old guy tip for you younger cats... when tearing a rig down, get a couple boxes of Ziploc bags. I use sandwich size and quart size. Plus a Sharpie... to label EVERYTHING! Because after a project sit for weeks, months or years... you'll forget where things go. Also get some masking tape and mark all your electrical lines and vacuum hoses. You'll thank me later!

Gary

[GASoline71]

Some more progress...

Now that the front clip is off, I can get to some areas on the frame with the camera. Also, now that the twisted sheet metal is off, some of the parts like the rad support are back in shape. I'll be able to reuse it, along with the mounts as well. I had replaced the rad support mounts back when I first rebuilt the truck 8 years ago.

Anyhoo... Here goes:

Pic #1 you can see the big tweak on the top of the frame rail with the paint peeling away.

Pic #2 you can see the paint came off where the frame tweaked right behind the power steering box.

Pic #3 you can see how the frame rail "rolled" and how the linkage for the TH350 is tweaked because of it.

Pic #4 is the young'un ('06 K2500HD) lookin' in on the old man...

The engine stands are moved (and I hope they are not bent), and the passenger side motor mount is broke. The battery tray is tweaked, I think because of the force of the heavy battery slammin' around. So it will need some re-tweaking and a few new welds to hold it all back together.

Progress is slow... but hey... it's progress.

Gary

[swamp rat]

Hang in there! it will come together! When will the frame beer delivered?

[Ozzy2013]

[QUOTE=hugger6933;6575855]Shop owners aren't all jerks I ride all over the country looking at truck/cars parts whatever. I have driven a bunch a miles one way to write a free estimate I don't even write them as a normal course of my business. I usually don't do outside work, unless it is someone i have sold a truck to or someone that came to me on a recommendation. Lately though the wrecks have gone up so much [wrecked] and what I can get for them [done] is down] I'm doing more of the outside work,and part of my service in that is if somebody needs me to look at a dent or a wreck that they have had and the truck is 40-50 -60 miles away I'll take a ride. I don't know if it is so much customer courtesy with me or I'm just a nice guy almost to a fault.
Case in point I sold some friends a 07 Colorado Crew cab in 08 with about 7500 miles, it had been rebuilt by me. Right after Christmas, The lady called and said her husband had wrecked it and she was sending it to me for me to have. they had put tires on it in November and maybe I could use them or something off of it. She had given me the truck if I just would pay the flatbed ride to my place. well I did and the truck only needed a left 3/4 front on it,it was the mans only ride his wife had given it to me but I could not take it. Could you? I spent the next while chasing down some parts on the computer and fighting some of the coldest weather we have seen in a long time but I got all back together and spent long nights in front of this computer trying real hard to save every penny I could because the wreck was deemed his fault and his insurance didn't pay. So I got all done and delivered it to him 30 miles from my shop and gave him the bill and it was about $500 to $1500 short of what they were expecting to pay. I could have charged more but it ended up as shop filler any way so why. Ramble off I have to go to bed now. Sorry For long post.. Jim[/Quote You know they appreciate it. I try to help everyone i can most people don't but that's their loss.It is our duty in life to try and help i feel its a privilege my self.Awesome move on your part!

[darush01]

Good to see it coming together I did the same thing on 1/2/14 but I jumped an embankment backwards and luckily my 3/4 ton frame wasn't bent that I can tell I dented my bedside and bumper but seeing you fixing yours that was damaged worse is very reassuring about mine keep it going I can't wait to see it back to roadworthy condition