69 Custom 30 wrecker restoration

[eldogg]

WOW! Great thread. Now I want a wrecker. lol.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

She is looking great.. Have you tried calling wes at classic heartbeat for the inner panel you need?

[RCbowtie69]

NICE!!!!! looking good,your making progress.Keep pictures coming & keep on truckin'

[onetoncrewcab]

Search ebay for wreck-master or variations of it. There were some brochures there today when I searched. Nothing for the 410 model though. I think there was something for the 444. Not sure how close that is.
Mike

[77shortstep]

awesome truck and work, glad to see you saving it

[bobs409]

It's been quite a while since I updated this build thread. I have been saving pictures and writing things down as they happened but never seem to find the extra time to post. So here goes...

The transmission is now done so that is scratched off the list. I made a plate that bolts onto the bottom to cover the big hole left by the junk yard loader forks. Almost looks like it belongs there! (pic 1) I used a red oxide primer on this which is the factory color. (pic 2)
And (pic 3) shows it completed with the PTO bolted back on. It's made by Chelsea and was painted a bright red under all the gunk so that's what it was returned to. I also used some POR Metal mask to paint areas that should be natural steel color.

Back to the cab. The last thing to get done on the cab while it was still tipped upward was to paint the ceiling. Much easier to do that now rather than overhead. This is the first look at the new paint color. It's 514 Red according to GM but it's much more orangy-red. It looks nice all fresh and new! Better than I expected. (pic 4)

I finally got the frame all done and sprayed with Chassis coat. S-o-o-o glad to be past the dreded frame work! That took forever. Here it is getting a washing a few days before painting. (pic 5)

[bobs409]

The 4 pictures below shows the painted frame with some of the components back on. The shocks and assorted brackets were reinstalled as well as new fuel lines, brake lines and hoses.

I chose to buy brake tubing and gravel guard in bulk and made my own lines. Much cheaper than buying preformed kits and they came out great! I chose regular steel over stainless steel and clear coated them with clear POR 15 so they stay nice looking.


I finally located a good used rear driveshaft section from an ebay seller so I can cross that off the list. I would have had the old one repaired however I couldn't find any place local that does this so a used one will do just fine.

Everytime I find a 1 ton in a junkyard, it's too late as they already picked the trucks up and bent the shafts. I'm thinking these places can't sell too many driveshafts. ???


I'm happy to say that I will be putting the cab back on within a few days and the engine & transmission soon after. I thought this day would never get here!

[bobs409]

Well here it is. The cab is back on. Being a one man show, I just took my time and used jacks and blocks to gradually pick the cab up high enough to roll the frame under, then lowered back down. 2-3 guys would have made this step go alot faster!

[bobs409]

I haven't found a good used crossmember for the carrier bearing yet so I fabricated one from angle iron. (Pic 1)

I used the original top brackets as they were still good. Doesn't look factory but will do the job anyway. I'll keep searching for a good original, maybe I'll find one some day... My search here in PA only turns up ones in the same condition, rotted!

This seems to be a very hard to find part. A poor design on GM's part for sure.

Only one more tough item to find and that's the long arm (flyswatter) door mirrors. They are proving to be a REAL challenge so far! The search goes on...


It's been a good first year but was certainly the hardest of this project. There is still lots of grunt work to do but the real dirty work is just about over.


-------------Last update:---------------------

Well, things have wound down now. The weather is starting to change. Since those last pics, the steering box and linkage parts were reinstalled.

I've decided to wait until spring to install the engine and transmission. Engine is all tucked in on the engine stand. (Pic 2) These parts will stay alot cleaner in my garage than in the car port although I am tarping off both sides to block the wind and snow. (ugh, that dreded "S" word!)


Over the winter I will stick with my plan of working on smaller parts inside my garage. (with heater on!) I have PLENTY to do if I want. Re-upholster the seat, prep both fenders, re-skin both doors, strip innner fender wells and hood, etc, etc, etc. Whatever I can get done over the winter will be less I have to deal with next year.

Thanks for reading, more to come in the spring of '12...

[no moa]

Wow, just amazing. What a beautiful restoration.
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[FRENCHBLUE72]

Turning out very nice and your right that trans patch looks like it belongs there.

[bollybib]

I was wonderin' where you disappeared to!

Really a great job, Bob. Nice work on everything. Your hand made brake lines came out good. Keep posting on your work over the winter. Your one man show is one of my favorites.

[coops714x4]

about time you update this LOL nice work, glad to see the cab back in one piece, did you have ANY issues with realigning everything ???
Oh I was at another members today and guess what I found.... Huh huh can ya guess ??? tune in tomorrow to find out. LOL I couldn't do that to ya. I deserve a BIG pat on the back for this.. I found ANOTHER pair of your "flyswatter" mirror brackets and maybe the arms too... (waiting for standing ovation) the "arms" are adjustable tho, that might be better . I told him that you were looking for some,he said he would contact you. if you dont hear from him let me know and Ill remind him about it. Keep up the good work I wanna see this done by spring (kind of a tall order huh) Coop

[bobs409]

Originally Posted by coops714x4

about time you update this LOL nice work, glad to see the cab back in one piece, did you have ANY issues with realigning everything ???
Oh I was at another members today and guess what I found.... Huh huh can ya guess ??? tune in tomorrow to find out. LOL I couldn't do that to ya. I deserve a BIG pat on the back for this.. I found ANOTHER pair of your "flyswatter" mirror brackets and maybe the arms too... (waiting for standing ovation) the "arms" are adjustable tho, that might be better . I told him that you were looking for some,he said he would contact you. if you dont hear from him let me know and Ill remind him about it. Keep up the good work I wanna see this done by spring (kind of a tall order huh) Coop

Cab went on like a dream! The new floor pan had all the brackets already installed and they got everything in the right place. Just set it down on the new cushions and drop the bolts in.

So... how come you find all the fly swatter mirrors and I don't? Although this shortage of mirror heads is disturbing.

Not sure if these came with adjustables but they may have. ?? I think the older ones like 48's etc did. Would love to see them but haven't heard from anyone yet.

So I have to get this done by spring? NO problem. Spring '13 it is!

[nbrfd007]

Originally Posted by bobs409

Cab went on like a dream! The new floor pan had all the brackets already installed and they got everything in the right place. Just set it down on the new cushions and drop the bolts in.

So... how come you find all the fly swatter mirrors and I don't? Although this shortage of mirror heads is disturbing.

Not sure if these came with adjustables but they may have. ?? I think the older ones like 48's etc did. Would love to see them but haven't heard from anyone yet.

So I have to get this done by spring? NO problem. Spring '13 it is!

Man, you do fine work, Great detail!! Can wait to check your progress.
Tim

[coops714x4]

Ok Bob this is ALL your fault.... did a little "horse trading" and this is what I got. think I am going to put it on the '72 I was telling you about (still haven't got it bought tho) Coop

[nbrfd007]

Originally Posted by coops714x4

Ok Bob this is ALL your fault.... did a little "horse trading" and this is what I got. think I am going to put it on the '72 I was telling you about (still haven't got it bought tho) Coop

Nice find, looks in great shape!!
Tim

[bobs409]

Originally Posted by coops714x4

Ok Bob this is ALL your fault.... did a little "horse trading" and this is what I got. think I am going to put it on the '72 I was telling you about (still haven't got it bought tho) Coop

Do I see a future wrecker build thread coming??

[coops714x4]

Yep its looking that way and its all your fault got to get a 1 ton first but I THINK I've got one bought

[RCbowtie69]

Looking good on this build,you've come a long ways.Hope to see more pictures soon & keep on truckin'

[bobs409]

Thanks.

Feels wierd to not be working on it.

I'm doing floor pans on my 63 Impala among 99 other things so taking a break from it for now.

If I ever hit the lotto, I'm hiring a personal assistant. Maybe 2.

[Petie724x4]

Just read start to finish, awesome job, love it. A little motivation for me to start mine, love these 1tons.

[bobs409]

Thanks, it must have taken some time to do so. This turned into a novel.

Lots more to come...

[no moa]

Updates?

[bobs409]

Nothing right now, been taking care of some of the other cars/trucks in my "fleet".

I'll be back at it in the spring time...