Project Christine V2.0

[Mjminino]

Well, I finally found out the issue on the rockers that I need to accomplish. Basically i need to slice them in half (length wise) and widen them to match the door. Need to acquire some lower fender brackets and bolts. Does anyone know what are the correct bolts that go to it? should be 3 for the kick panel then one from the brace to the fender?

[Grizz1963]

Started my day filled with hope that I would be doing loads of truck stuff today, even did the "Jazz Hands" in my Tuba Trucks T-Shirt, because it was going to be a great day.



OOOOOPPPPPPSSS......?

A friends Jack Russell terrier died last weekend, she was devastated, so Nicola brought a small cross home, and despite us not knowing what religion the dog was, she asked me to make a little stand for the cross, as it may be comforting to her friend.

So I thought I would spend an hour or two turning it, as well as an ashtray ordered by Mike Minino in Omaha, Nebraska, then TRUCK TIME !!.

Famous last words.......

Never cane close to the truck, except to have a lovely long visit from mate Woodsie who brought around some prezzies and a card for Nicola's birthday, managed to show him some of the jobs the truck is awaiting etc. he really gets this whole resto thing.

Then back to the woodwork shed.

A pile of blanks waiting their turn...





Half way there...



Suddenly the day was done, and though I had done a lot of non truck stuff, including filling up the various wood and coal stores I had a few bits to show, including some bowls which Nicola promptly claimed.

Includes Mike's ashtray, soon off to Nebraska.

Once we know which one you want buddy.
Will send the number plates too.

[Mjminino]

Oh I can NOT wait to put that to use!!!!! I will gladly take the right square one!

[Mjminino]

Well with income taxes here I decided to go "window" shopping and I got a bug up my a$$ and decided to go look for either 4.8L or 5.3L. Among other things I could do with it.

1. I found a 4.8L Vortec for $604.55 including wiring harness and computer from a 2003 Sierra

I also found a 5.3L Vortec for $1059.30 including wiring harness and computer from a 2004 Suburban.

Now, I am no where near where I can just put a motor in and go, but that $604.55 for that 4.8L is looking mighty appealing.

2. I got a lead from craigslist for some lowering parts for the suspension.

"5" rear drop springs 110.00 1" front drop springs 90.00 2" front drop springs 90.00 63-72 trailing arm cross member 180.00 60-72 1 1/2" lowering blocks with Ubolts 80.00 C notch kit 95.00 cpp transmisson cross member cpp 60.00 POL 27"adjustable track bar 55.00 64-66 lower control arm U bolts 25.00 63-72 rear coil spring retainers 25.00"

I would be acquiring the 5" Rear Springs, C Notch Kit, Transmission Cross Member, and Adjustable Track Bar. I could get those for 270.00. All I would need to get is the 2.5" drop spindles and I already have the 1" front springs.

It would look similar to this



after all said and done. If I went this route, all new suspension pieces I have already put on there would go to Grandpa Leroy so they wouldn't go to waste and I wouldn't have to dick around with selling them.

3. I could buy my fenders, inner fenders and grill support. Going this route would finish my missing body panels, not including work to the bed.

4. I could send my truck down to Kansas City and have them finish the rockers, cab corners, and lower doors. Working damn near 7 days a week and not knowing if and when I'll get my next day off, it is too big of a metal work project for me currently and I would rather pay someone who specializes in our year trucks to finish that part for me. It is only roughly 350 miles there.


So many options! In your guys' opinion what would y'all do?

[Mjminino]

Well some updates I guess. I got in touch with the guy who sold me Grandpa Leroy and he said he had some parts that he would sell. I ended getting a tailgate, brake pedal and associated hardware/brackets, gas pedal assembly (minus actual pedal), grill support, fender brackets (the one that goes down by the rocker) and a steering wheel/column. Also included in this deal is some more steering pieces: the three bolt bracket that attaches to the outside of the firewall, a steering shaft, and all cross sills and bed parts. I'll be doing that when it isn't -10! I did all of this with the company of my lovely co pilot! She is a trooper and since we hardly have the same days off she tends to spend most of her time with me in the garage.

[Mjminino]

Some other good news. As some of you know I am going to be putting a 4.8L Vortec with a 4L60E transmission into the old girl. I found a guy on one of the 60-66's Facebook pages selling quite a bit of stuff.

This seller actually went above and beyond what sellers actually end up doing, at least in my bad luck scenarios.

I ended up getting the complete CPP's 1963-66 C10 Tubular LS Conversion Kit



2.5" Western drop spindles, loaded calipers with rubber brake hoses (which I will be replacing, but at least I have part numbers and or can match them up), rotors, idler arm, pitman arm, center link/drag link (cant remember the technical name) and tie rods. I also got 4 drop shocks, with their shock relocation brackets, upper ball joints, brand new in the box CPP's adjustable trac arm. Only thing I need to get now is the 5" drop springs for the rear. It took him 7 boxes to load all of that up and shipping was NOT cheap!

All of the new stuff I had acquired earlier, I will just end up putting on Grandpa Leroy or selling them. I think I got a pretty damn good deal, $1300 shipped for all of that. I added up all the individual parts/kits and it was somewhere in the $1900 dollar range.

I am also going to be going with CPP's rear axle 6 lug to 5 lug conversion kit



Along side that purchase I will be getting 3.73 gears with an Eaton posi rear end, and master builders kit.



This is a nice little kit as it is all offered in one set up http://www.ebay.com/itm/391059120417...witem=&vxp=mtr

Upon doing all of that I will be ordering Captianfab's Impala rear disc brake brackets. Man oh man are 1994-1996 Impala SS calipers expensive (for what they are) if you don't have a core!!!

[Mjminino]

I'm not going to lie, I was so depressed and pissed about the whole rocker situation with them being so far #$%%^& that I didn't even want to work on it. Well, as good friends do, my friend came over and kicked my a$$ into gear and we decided to work on the rockers. The guy down south of me in KC, obviously didn't want my money.

We started by turning around Christine so I had more room to work/move around in the garage. (thank ya sweet baby Jesus that these truck are semi light to roll)

What we did was cut the side of the rocker off. We cut a 42" x 2" piece of sheet metal. Basically what we had to do was widen the rocker so it would extend out to the door. I used my NOS fender bracket so I could see where the bottom of the rocker had to be, put the door back on scribed the 2" piece of metal so I could get a feel for roughly where it needed to be cut. Worked like a charm.

[Mjminino]

Some more pictures of the progress. Overall I am happy, now all I need to do is finished spot welding everything in. (I only had my friends company for so long)

[bj383ss]

Looks good man. Great score on the parts you have coming. You will be busy for awhile.

[Grizz1963]

Suddenly your bank account is empty and the garage is full of joy.

Perfect life.

[mud.man.rj]

Nice score on the parts and lucky man to have your sweety tag along and be happy about it, truck is looking great.

[Mjminino]

Well, needless to say, my friend Matt and I have been on a roll!!! He wanted to grind all the paint off, I said "Sure, why not!?!?!?!" He was using a 120 grit flap disc on an electric grinder. While he was doing that I got busy on the cab corner. All of that work, grinding dust, and kerosene heater fumes sure does make you look goofy... I swear! I have to deliver Amazon packages tomorrow at 10:30 am, so I'll be out in the garage at 5 am finishing up the cab corner and cleaning the garage. If it is anything like last Sunday it'll be somewhere around 85 stops and probably around 100 packages total. After work tomorrow it'll be time for the passenger side. I wonder if I should do it the same way as I did the drivers side??? What I mean by that is, do I do the door patch panels then the rocker in case it is as messed up again or do I do the rocker then the door patch panels??? I always see people doing the rocker before the door panels, but I have HORRIBLE luck.

[Alan's Classic]

Nice too see forward progress. Glad y'all headed in the right direction.

[yossarian19]

Hah!
Glad you got a few hours to play.

[mud.man.rj]

Rock star hair man...

[Mjminino]

Originally Posted by mud.man.rj

Rock star hair man...

Thanks bro! Best part is not caring what other people think, going to the grocery store and seeing people's reactions is so much fun!

[mud.man.rj]

Haha, I know what you mean, I work with propane 5 days a week and somedays just reek like it and I go in a store and someone (like the bank one day) says I smell propane is there a leak, they all look worried then I speak up, ya it's just me, funny but that's life.

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by Mjminino

Thanks bro! Best part is not caring what other people think, going to the grocery store and seeing people's reactions is so much fun!

Good to have extra hands.

Because my day job is in a suit, I love shopping in my garage clothes, sometimes the reaction when people see me in both outfits, is priceless.

Great progress buddy.

[bj383ss]

Looking good man. Just a word of caution. When using that grinder be careful not to dig in to much or you will have lots of little marks to fill with primer and block out. I used a 40 grit on the back of the cab and regret it. It took the paint off fast but all the little marks are a pain the a$$ to fill and block out.

[Mjminino]

Originally Posted by bj383ss

Looking good man. Just a word of caution. When using that grinder be careful not to dig in to much or you will have lots of little marks to fill with primer and block out. I used a 40 grit on the back of the cab and regret it. It took the paint off fast but all the little marks are a pain the a$$ to fill and block out.

Oh man, thanks for that knowledge!!! I'll definitely relay it to him! Question, if you had to do it again... What would you change/do different???

[Strodder]

Glad you're Ok after putting your finger in the light socket..

[Mjminino]

Originally Posted by Strodder

Glad you're Ok after putting your finger in the light socket..

Reminds me of some of the pictures in your build thread.

[Strodder]

Hey I resemble that remark!!

[Mjminino]

[bj383ss]

Originally Posted by Mjminino

Oh man, thanks for that knowledge!!! I'll definitely relay it to him! Question, if you had to do it again... What would you change/do different???

Use a cup brush on the grinder and then finish with 80 grit on orbital sander and then 220. Its what i do now. Also get a right angle die grinder and some roloc discs. 36 grit and 80 grit for hard to get to places and stubborn rust