Starting my first build - 1966 C10

[entrefal]

Damn.. ship me the roof off the donor, lol..

[Scot_Douglas]

Originally Posted by entrefal

Damn.. ship me the roof off the donor, lol..

I will cut parts off of it if you're serious - owner says it has an awesome roof / windshield area. Don't know what shipping would be or how much you need, but I wouldn't want much more than shipping to send it to you - depending on how much trouble it is.

[c.brown]

nice project and progress i know what you mean by trying to keep your garage warm nice work

[entrefal]

Originally Posted by Scot_Douglas

I will cut parts off of it if you're serious - owner says it has an awesome roof / windshield area. Don't know what shipping would be or how much you need, but I wouldn't want much more than shipping to send it to you - depending on how much trouble it is.

If there is anyway you could price it for me and shoot me a PM that would be great.. would like the whole roof, dont need the pillars, so just lopped off mid to upper a pillar.. and somewhere across the rear, lol

[Scot_Douglas]

Originally Posted by entrefal

If there is anyway you could price it for me and shoot me a PM that would be great.. would like the whole roof, dont need the pillars, so just lopped off mid to upper a pillar.. and somewhere across the rear, lol

That will probably fit on a pallet - when I get the truck, I'll shoot some pics and try to see if I can find a deal on shipping. I may even be able to box it.

[CEE1NG_RED]

Nice...

[skysoldier173rd]

Good looking truck, especially for this area (I'm over in jackson) Can tell it's an out of state rig. Mine is from Missouri, just not many left native to our area.
I feel for you on that engine. I bought a 454 last summer for a 55 belair project and paid $900 for it. Very clean, good oval port heads, sitting on a garage floor so couldn't hear it run. Ended up being a boat achor. Learned my lesson, no more engine buys unless i can hear it run. Anyway, good luck, going through some of the same things you are. I'm also going to relocate the tank, don't know yet exactly where. Looking at the possibility of using a cell in the bed, boxed in with a wooden hand built box with some kind of old time lettering on it. I've already done the motor and transmission, and have very little sheet metal repair to do, got lucky here, no frame off needed. Anyway glad to see another local on here. Good luck

www.picturetrail.com/skysoldier173rd

[Scot_Douglas]

Hey! Good to see a local too!

[Scot_Douglas]

2" chop of the crossmember - just a bit more filling and grinding to go. This, plus drop spindles, should get me almost 5" of drop without losing travel (and hopefully, ride quality).

Insider trading tip: you may want to buy stock in dewalt, as I seem to be using *lots* of their grinding discs.

[glos55]

Great Build!! Glad to see you don't get discouraged and quit when the road gets bumpy!! A true michigander!!!! Isn't a warm garage in the middle of winter nice? I'm just starting a 65 C10 SB Step side myself I'll try and get pictures. Just had it shipped here from Boone NC no rust p.s. finally someone else who drinks red beers!!!!!!

[Scot_Douglas]

Originally Posted by glos55

Great Build!! Glad to see you don't get discouraged and quit when the road gets bumpy!! A true michigander!!!! Isn't a warm garage in the middle of winter nice? I'm just starting a 65 C10 SB Step side myself I'll try and get pictures. Just had it shipped here from Boone NC no rust p.s. finally someone else who drinks red beers!!!!!!

LOL, Thanks! You forgot to mention that a "warm garage" in Michigan in the winter is a temperature just high enough yer beer don't freeze.

Shoot me a pm if you need anything for your build - I've found a few sources here and there along the way.

[Stacked78]

Spending the first 18 years of my life in Ohio I understand the rust, but it looks like your makin quick work of it. I'll be keepin an eye on this one, Goodluck man

[Scot_Douglas]

Things have been a bit slow on the truck, as I got Fallout 3 for Christmas and have been busy shooting bad guise.


So, here are a few pictures:

Old & Busted:


New Hottness:


Notches cut for R&P steering & inner fish plates roughed out. These plates will be the base to tie in the top and bottom of the frame's cross-section. This is necessary because of the notches AND the added moment arm the upper A-arm will have since it is mounted higher.



All I know is this: I want a plasma cutter so bad I can taste it.


Other developments:

I am now the proud owner of a Ford 8.8 IRS out of a T-bird supercoupe; stay tuned...

[kieth]

Hey Scott, what kind of shape is the chrome GMC grill in. I noticed you keep calling it a chevrolet, if it is in good shape how much will you sell if for. If it is a chevy you will not be using the GMC headlight grill. Kieth

918-446-2245

[Scot_Douglas]

Originally Posted by kieth

Hey Scott, what kind of shape is the chrome GMC grill in. I noticed you keep calling it a chevrolet, if it is in good shape how much will you sell if for. If it is a chevy you will not be using the GMC headlight grill. Kieth

918-446-2245

It's a Chevy, for certain, with a GMC grille. The grille is actually in great shape, there's a mild dent that needs worked out of it, but no crease. Chrome seems in good shape, except for on the headlight covers/panels.

I'm not sure if I want to keep it or not - I like the look of the GMC grille, but might consider a trade even-up for a serviceable 1960 grille.

[Scot_Douglas]

Front end fabrication almost done

Comparison of the "chopped" crossmember vs. stock:



Backing plates in, notches cut out and reinforced:



Reinforcement for upper a-arms completed:




Next is to order the drop spindles and front-end crap, along with a mustang II steering rack and get it set up.

[Scot_Douglas]

I have all the suspension parts in - and ended up going with an 87 T-bird PS rack. Hindsight being 20/20, shaving your front crossmember makes your steering components crowd your engine.

Rack and engine are near their final spots - ended up having to move the engine back an inch and I need to order a smaller crank pulley and damper. The current ones are 8" in diameter and the ones I'm getting are 6". This becomes very important with respect to where the rack wants to be for the steering geometry to work out.




High-dollar spacers to match alignment with the serpentine setup - temporary, of course.



Looking at the blurry spots - you can see where the rack would benefit from more clearance from a smaller damper and pulley.



I got these headers for like $5, and with the current mounting location of the engine (and ditching the mechanical clutch linkage) - these fit and will be used. Once I cut off the air injection tubing, there is plenty of room to run the steering shaft to the rack input (blurry silver spot in the photo)


I'm hoping that the 1" I moved the engine back doesn't mess with my distributor clearance too much. I can add clearance to the cab, but I may just move the cab rearward an inch to help compensate the front wheel placement in the well. I guess we'll see...

[Scot_Douglas]

These are on the way:


Blatantly copying this:



Less than 1000 miles, $575 shipped to my door. Can't beat that price with a stick.

[Scot_Douglas]

What's that? IRS under an old pickup truck!?


****, more Ford parts on a Chevy - FWIW, this is just getting stored in a convenient place for the moment; I need to massage the frame and the cradle to make it look less like an abomination when I fit it in there.


Small damper on, rack in it's final spot, but I have to deal with tierod ends; for the best geometry, they need to mount from the underside. Looking into heavy-duty rod-ends and grade 8 hardware or drilling and reaming the steering arm from the bottom.


Air injection crap cut out and holes welded up. Plenty of room for the steering shaft.

[Scot_Douglas]

Starting on the "rebuild" of the rear half of the frame. The frame rails above the control arms are going to interfere, so they're going away.


Got the spacers in for the wheels and had to test fit at least one. This is sitting at the proposed ride height (5" drop) - basically, the equivalent of the stock rear axle sitting on the bumpstops


I really like these wheels.


Avortec AV3X Plasma/TIG/ARC. I love this thing.



This shows a better angle of where the frame rails will be cut out. I'm going to plate-in the rear subframe front and rear where it connects to the new rails I'm adding. When that is finished, the original frame rails will be cut fore and aft of the suspension and I'll blend in the coil perches and shock mounts.



Steering is done - well, close. Rack is in its final spot, the knuckles are drilled and tapered from the bottom and the rod ends just need some 1" I.D. DOM to tie the two bushings together on each side.




More boxing, one side of the rear rails replaced. Now I've got to build up the top spring perches, box that into the rear subframe and add some shock mounts.

[Scot_Douglas]

Aahhhha ha haa!!!!





Coil buckets from a Jeep TJ, and XJ front springs seem to work well. Still have a LOT of grinding to do and fit the fuel tank, but I couldn't help myself...





...and now...STANCE!

[awbrown]

You'll be driving it in no time ..... Whats up with the 377???

[Scot_Douglas]

Originally Posted by awbrown

You'll be driving it in no time ..... Whats up with the 377???

It's junk.

Well, it's a good 4-bolt 350 block with a 400 crank - but that's about it. the vortec engine I picked up should be plenty of power and might spare the transmission.

[Scot_Douglas]

Minor update:

The IRS needed some clearance for the upper arms, so I cut down the fenderwells from the stepside box and "mini-tubbed" the inside of the box. If I ever find a 2WD AX-15, this will let me run 305/45R18 tires.


The tub is 4 1/2" deep and is the same width as the outside board on the stepside box; it should make for a clean look. I'll weld it from the outside in the fenderwell and use seam sealer to blend it at the box for (hopefully) a stock look.



Rear shock mounts in, swaybar location mocked up and initial positioning of the fuel tank.

[chad64chevy]

man a very cool build i might say!! lots of custom work going on and yet i think its gonna look stock just will be lowered awesome!! what did you do to the long bed? and would you be willing to cut it??