My '67 Fleetside C10 renew

[VA72C10]

Looking great! Love the wide wheels!!!

And yes, there are studs for that molding if it came that way from the factory.

[jlsanborn]

Got my second pair of wheels today!!! Another friggen set of 10's!!! I'm super bummed, as I ordered two 10's and two 8's. It's been six weeks an I'm scared to death that its going to take another six and a bunch of hassle to get this corrected. The distributor has been stellar and I sent them an "nice" email explaining the situation and am hopeful that they'll be able to get it resolved quickly. Either way, I'm plucking the motor and clip so I can get busy again. Guess I'll have to wait until assembly to establish ride height.

Another thing to note is "backspace". I understood that to be referenced from the centerline. In other words, a 10" wheel with 5" backspace would be centered, or the center of the tire would line up with the face of the drum. That's not the case with these dudes. The "nominal" 10" wheel is actually 11" wide overall. The 4-1/2" advertised backspace is measured from the actual outside edge of the wheel. This means that there is 6-1/2" from the drum to the outside edge of the wheel, or a 2" offset! This is a bunch "wider" than the 1/2" per side I was expecting. My expected width wouldn't tuck anyways and I suppose they'll "calculate" backspace the same stupid way on the fronts too, so I'll end up about where I wanted, just friggen 3" wider overall. This is a cluster man!

[jlsanborn]

I just read a post by our friend FrankieD which contained a couple images. There is a difference between "offset" and "backspace". My bad! and thanks FrankieD!

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...heel+backspace

[FrankieD]

Wheel spacing is pretty confusing but then they say measure the bulge in the tire because that is wider than the rim. I aam sure you will figure it out.
See if these confuse a little more

[jlsanborn]

Well I finally have four wheels. Problem is, I was tired of waiting so I went ahead and pulled the front clip and the engine. I've got most of the interior stripped. I've got a few little holes to weld up and the driver's rocker to install, but that's really it. One fender needs a little work and I'm hoping to get some primer on this stuff soon! I took today off to clean up a bit and get back on it (it's been spring yard work, mowers and landscaping stuff here for the last month or so). I'll get some pics up this afternoon.

[jlsanborn]

I've finally got the re-spray, baby crap brown stripped from the cab interior. Also got that crusty rocker panel off. A PO was a pretty crafty electrician. There were lots of "extra" circuits poked through little holes here and there. Once I got all that pulled out I was pleased to find that all the factory harnesses are in overall excellent shape. I've got a little metal work on the passenger door before I pull it from the cab, then it's firewall time.

[67cheby]

nice work !

[jlsanborn]

Thanks Cheby!
I know mine is way less intensive than a lot of rides on here, but my situation is way different. Originally, I picked this thing up thinking re-spray and small block. Can you say "scope creep". I've done pretty well balancing funds and time to keep the project rolling. Every screw I pull leads to more crust and grease and I just can't draw the line. There's not many screws left!
Today I folded and agreed with the knuckle-head that it makes no sense to paint all the tin and put that nasty old 292 and three speed back in. I've already made an offer on a M-21 and am going to put the ol' tugger on cragislist this week. I'll move ahead with the power steering mod and hydro-boost brake booster now. I'll be looking for a standard column too.

I've looked at the aftermarket shops for Muncie cross-members and came up dry. Any links to M-20, 21, 22 swaps??? I'm hopeful that my next picture post is one of me cuddled up with a Rock Crusher!

[FrankieD]

You might want to think about a 5spd that way you get the overdrive and they should easy to come by, but you would have to do the slave cylinder.You could probably pick up an early 90's V-8 truck for what you will pay for a M-22 and you would have all the parts to do the swap plus a tbi engine. Just something to think about.

[67cheby]

its gonna be cool, keep up the good work !

[Krooked Kustoms]

Yeah it hard to stop pulling apart and replace things, I call em the "might as wells", while that's off might as well redo that haha that's why my cabs of the rails. Keep it up and I hope your wheels get back sooner than 6 weeks.
Posted via Mobile Device

[jlsanborn]

Well here it is... 1969 M-20 four speed!
One of my worst Craigslist encounters yet, but after some dickering and FINALLY convincing the dude that it was NOT the close ratio box, snagged it for $460. The wife is on the coast so we cracked it open in the kitchen. Gotta get the sulpher stank outta here before she gets home today! It's gonna need gone through, but I think a basic kit will get it there.

What gears do you suppose with them 295s??? I've got a 3.08 one-tire-fire in there now. I believe the Camaros that came with M-20 were usually 3.30??? I had been planning the close ratio and 3.73, but I think that rear may be a bit low for this span. Not even sure yet what ratios are available for the 12 bolt.

[Tinkermc]

I like what I've seen so far. work looks good and ideas are strong. Good luck.

[jlsanborn]

Thanks for the words of encouragement! I'll tell ya, it's getting rough. Each day I open the shop and this thing is nothing but a tin can, yet its taking up the whole place. I've got crap stashed in there from hell to breakfast. Friends come by and say "holy sheet man! That's gonna take you forever to get back together!". I think we're on track though. There's a fuzzy vision of what its going to be and right now I can't think of anything that I'd rather be building. Well, a '69 L88 Stingray would be cool, but maybe we'll do that next!

[Krooked Kustoms]

In the Kitchen!! I like your style!!! yeah i hate the days ya open the shed and think, is it ever gonna be done! then i just think how Sick its gonna be rolling down the main drag in it!! Keep it up. Cheers

[jlsanborn]

Still chugging along here. We went through the gearbox with a basic kit. It could probably use another $1000 in parts to be perfect, but I think it'll do for now. Also picked up a Hurst shifter and learned a thing or two. These boxes changed in 1969 to use a screw to attach the shift arms, where the older units had a stud and nut arrangement. Of course the smokin deal I got on the shifter was for a 1968 model. I thought the shift arms would still fit, just having to use a screw instead of a nut...............wrong! The slot is longer and there needs to be clearance added for the 3/8-16 screw. No problem, those cant be too much................try $20 each! No problem, I can just file them to fit................those things are harder than the hubs of hell! I ended up using my little 12v chainsaw grinder and about four of them little over priced stones, but fits like a glove now and easily rows through all four gears! We'll put this thing to bed for a while.
Also have the front end torn down and are starting to clean up the fire wall. Got the driver's rocker installed and now just have a little more body work to do then HOPEFULLY some primer here soon!

[Tinkermc]

keep up the good work

[jlsanborn]

Back to my least favorite part.....BODY WORK!. It's a necassary evil and I'm back to it. I don't mind the metal work, but the filler and SANDING sucks! I've done lots of sheetrock and hate the finish part of that too. Maybe I should texture this thing!? I'm going to be scared to death to paint this, fearing that my body work sucks. I know it does to some standards, but to mine???, we'll see. Single stage urethane or base / clear??? I'm getting close and am nervous!
The LMC rocker fit pretty well, but needed work at the hard-corners where the door rubber lays. After I fit and welded it in, it needed cut in those corners and zap welded home. It turned out sweet. The passenger door had a tiny bit of rot in the back/bottom corner, which I cut out and patched. Its solid now. We welded up all the PO holes in the dash and throughout the cab and the interior is looking smooth now. Still a few touches and I'm done inside. There's still a few dings left in the lid, yay! I'm staring at the oil-soaked, nasty, grimy firewall next, then the pile of doors, hood, grille, inners, etc... Gawd I wanna be done with this part and get to paint and assembly! The rest of you are kickin' arse and I'm proud to be a member! Oh ya, BUTTERNUT YELLOW with a white top!!! Gonna be sick with that Muncie!!!

[VA72C10]

Looking good!

[jlsanborn]

Still chugging along. Have I mentioned I hate bodywork? I've working on the back of the cab, roof and doors and had to take a break. The drip rail above the passenger door had a little rot. I've all along thought I would buy a replacement, but the boy convinced me to patch it. He's probably right in that the replacement would be cheesey and there was only a couple little spots that needed work. I made a little strip and got it fitting nice. I'll weld it in tomorrow. I had my Makita cordless drill AND my Milwaukee grinder crap out on me today

[Tinkermc]

lookin good

[jlsanborn]

More progress! The Wifey has been sick as a dog the last few days, so I took Tues and today off to keep an eye on her. Well, she's pretty much just sleeping, so I may as well hang in the shop! Got the passenger door hanging just right and finally pulled it from the cab. I have that door jamb detailed out and started on the firewall. I'm nearly there! Today the boy and I went shopping at Pull-n-Save. Found a '70 with nice rear cab molding and outside heater box - SNAG! Also plucked a hydro-boost brake assist from a '94 Astro and a power steering box from an '82 C10.

Props to the Boy!!! We got home and I had to get busy fixing chow, so I told him to just make the steering box fit. He's picked up the welding bit with very little instruction and a few "art" projects. I'd say he came up with a great plan and executed extremely well! Thanks dude, looks nice!

I've got more pics to put up and will soon.

Thanks to those that chime in! I appreciate you looking.

[jlsanborn]

That's my boy!!

[jlsanborn]

So, he's pissed that I put them pictures up of his welds. I'd have to say that the only gripe is the little glob on the lower right, but that's where he was adjusting the wire speed when he just got started. I think it's stellar! Just so you all know, he smoothed that little booger off! There, happy dude!?
Thanks again! MAYBE I'll let you drive it!

[jlsanborn]

More done this weekend! I've been reading Robnolimit's "Make it handle" thread. I'm a week in and only about half way through. That is one of the best threads I've read here yet. If you haven't DO IT. Lot's of awesome suspension info there. Having gotten half way through, we've learned a bunch and will incorporate some of that. We pulled the trailing arms back off and stitch welded them up. The boy is welding pretty awesome, so I put one of those pics up. We cut the trailing arm mounts off the cross-member and will flip them over to help correct pinion angle. This will also increase anti-squat. I think I'm going to start with a 5" spring out back, then build a lowering block for around another inch, but "wedge" it as needed to perfect that pinion angle. We will be doing a c-notch here soon and fabbing our own shock re-locate stuff as well as panhard rod mounts. I'm still hung between the 1" or 2" spring for the front (3-1/2" or 4-1/2" total).
I also got that hydro-boost installed. Thanks to Captain fab for the information he's put up and also to Oneoffstroker and his hyrdro-boost install thread. It was easy and looks clean!
I've also been cleaning and sanding that firewall and cowl. That part sucks!