Lost My 65

[Captainfab]

I agree that, that is a good and wise plan.

That frame has a strange looking trans crossmember. It isn't like anything I have seen in a truck before.

[likaroc13]

Glad you're getting to enjoy the truck. Like the others have said, the frame swap sounds like a nice idea as well.

[1981_c10]

Really enjoyed reading through this thread! I am "recreating" my dad's 62 c10 from high school. He sold it to a junker when he was younger in his first marriage. He regrets it all the time. I would love to find it....but he thinks it is long gone.

Also, dig the blue/black patina.

[LostMy65]

Thanks guys.

Yes, Captain. I was going to ask you about that Trans member. I used the Google search this site has and searched images but didn't find one that looked like this one. If it gives me any issues, I have one from a 67-72 I can use.

Originally Posted by Captainfab

I agree that, that is a good and wise plan.

That frame has a strange looking trans crossmember. It isn't like anything I have seen in a truck before.

[LostMy65]

This time of the year is the most beautiful.
Everything is lush and green.
Although the blackberries just love it too. :-(
I guess I need to get out there with a machete.

[LostMy65]

Relocated my new frame.
Putting it under a covered area where I can start working on it.

[LostMy65]

Before I went to power steering, I had a lot of play in my old manual steering box. So I chalked up my steering instability to the old worn steering box. For my upgrade to power steering, I went with redhead because wanted to have nice tight steering with no play. After I upgraded to power steering, I noticed a huge improvement in steering stability, but it still didn't have what I was wanting. So I went through all the linkage and arm connections again to make sure there weren't any warn components.
Well, I went to searching and reading the forums for some more learnin. I learned about caster, camber and toe - enough to give me the confidence to do my own alignment.
Camber and Toe weren't the issue. It was caster.
My truck had almost zero caster. I've learned that more positive caster will give more straight driving stability.
So, I started with taking two shims off the back posts on the upper arms. A definite improvement.
Going to give a it little more caster

[Low Elco]

You can move your lower a-arms forward up to 3/4" of an inch for better caster, and highway stability. There are several threads on here detailing how. Enjoy watching your continuing saga.

[LostMy65]

Thanks,
Rocknrod posted a link to that thread in another thread.

Originally Posted by The Rocknrod

You want to talk about Castor? - http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=501241

[LostMy65]

Because the ol' fella who had my 65, bought the rims for the truck as part of his vision, I pretty much decided to keep them since getting her back. That way as I send him progress pics, he can see I still have them. It doesn't hurt that I also happen to like them.
They are 10" wide with 295/50-R15 all the way around.
When I mocked up the Drop Spindles with Discs, I noticed it was going to move my wheels out almost 1/2 per side. So I've been keeping my eyes out for the same wheel at 8" wide. I'll do the 8"s in the front and the 10"s in the rear.
Set them up so I can keep this look.

.
After watching the ads for over a year, I finally found the same wheels in 8".
They came with 31x10.5-R15's so I thought I'd mount them up just for kicks. Not my taste.



.

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

So it appears that the trans crossmember should have more of a drop in it? That crossmember has the same amount of drop as a factory crossmember that I measured. Although the engine mounts have an effect on the engine and trans angle as well. The truck I measured had the '60-'62 factory V8/auto trans engine mounts. They may be a little higher than your engine mounts. Don't know for sure.

I was browsing my thread and noticed that I may have never answered your question here. I think your Automatic Crossmember you built me is correct, it's probably just a combination of the tail rubber mount being thicker than what may have been on stock and my using the 65 V8 motor mount perches on the shallower 62 Frame that my 65 is on. If I raised the perches and dropped the tail, the angle to the pinion would probably be right on. For now I tilted the pinion down to match the yoke. Between that and my backyard driveshaft balancing using hose clamps, I have gotten rid of the vibration.

[gulfcoast66]

This was a Excellent read Great Story from beginning to end, I spent all Day Reading it.. When you Posted the last set of Google Earth pics from the different angles, I know it was your truck I could see a dot on the Passenger rear side (65 fleetside tail light) Anyways You Got Running and Looking Good... Congrats on Finding Your 65... Chris....

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by gulfcoast66

This was a Excellent read Great Story from beginning to end, I spent all Day Reading it.. When you Posted the last set of Google Earth pics from the different angles, I know it was your truck I could see a dot on the Passenger rear side (65 fleetside tail light) Anyways You Got Running and Looking Good... Congrats on Finding Your 65... Chris....

Thank you.

[LostMy65]

I bought my 65 when she was around 18.
It's hard to believe she's around 55 years old now.

[LostMy65]

One of my fitech injectors quit working.
I was struggling to figure out which new ones I needed to order. I found out watching this video:
https://youtu.be/TDx7MPVDzAY

[66-PMD-GMC]

Originally Posted by LostMy65

I bought my 65 when she was around 18.
It's hard to believe she's around 55 years old now.

I remember before you found her.

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by 66-PMD-GMC

I remember before you found her.

Yep, and it was ones like you that motivated me to keep looking.

[LostMy65]

If any of you have been following this thread and my 66 thread, you'll know that I change directions a lot.
I found my 65 I had when I was a teenager and bought her back about 10 years ago now and I still haven't got all the upgrades I wanted to do to her done. So, my latest direction is to move my 65 cab and front clip over to the 66 frame with the long fleetside bed. The 66 already has power steering, power disc brakes, a 14 bolt, and a low mileage 350.
The whole downside to the 66 was how bad of shape the cab was in.
That is my goal for this weekend.
.
So far I've made it to setting my 65 cab onto the 66 frame.
Going to bolt it down and start hooking things back up tomorrow.

[LostMy65]

This will be close to the look I'll be shooting for.

[Palf70Step]

Really liked your short stepside version, but since I am a long bed owner now, I can definitely see the goodness coming from you going this way.

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Really liked your short stepside version, but since I am a long bed owner now, I can definitely see the goodness coming from you going this way.

Thanks, and;
Oh yes, the stepside is definately a great look - even my wife would have preferred me to keep the lowered hotrod wide wheels stepside, and I can always go back to it - I'm not getting rid of it. But I want to go long fleet for a time.

[LostMy65]

All I got left to do is hook up the brakes and I can take it for a spin.
Again, I'm doing this because the 66 has all the upgrades.
Now I'll use the frame I posted here a few pages up and do all the upgrades to it while I keep my 65 rolling on the 66 frame.
I'm going to sell my 62 Shortbed frame or make a trailer out of it.

[LostMy65]

Yes, it's not as cool looking, but it'll do for awhile.

[cwcarpenter98]

I think it looks great! You're still going to be able to keep it on the road, and those upgrades already on that frame is a big plus. Long live long beds

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by cwcarpenter98

I think it looks great! You're still going to be able to keep it on the road, and those upgrades already on that frame is a big plus. Long live long beds

Thanks for the encouragement, that helps.