1968 C10 Stepside Restoration Project

[Kronald_70GMC]

Originally Posted by 68 C10 Driver

Getting rid of the seams in the door opening of the cab. This way I do not have to worry about seam sealing them or moisture getting into them. Besides, it is a very subtle difference that only a 67 - 72 C10 owner would notice...it's just a cleaner look.

I have been working on the same thing with my cab. It looks so much nicer IMO. Keep it up, looks great!

[68 C10 Driver]

Originally Posted by Kronald_70GMC

I have been working on the same thing with my cab. It looks so much nicer IMO. Keep it up, looks great!

Thanks, I appreciate the kind words. I am all for slight improvements without going all out resto-mod. I like the charm and simplicity of vintage vehicles. I have seen some really great updates in older trucks, but if I wanted a new truck, I would have bought one and saved the time doing a restoration. I do plan on installing A/C, but it will be a period correct under dash unit. I even have an old (working) 23 channel CB to put in this truck!

[68 C10 Driver]

I think the floor is done, except for the epoxy primer and Lizard Skin.

[68 C10 Driver]

Just about done with the driver's side of the cab. Actually turned out nicely, but there is just a little fine tweaking to do when I do the block sanding.

[Kronald_70GMC]

Looks excellent

[68 C10 Driver]

Originally Posted by Kronald_70GMC

Looks excellent

Thanks! There are still flaws, but I will work on them. Most folks probably wouldn't notice, except those well versed in these trucks.

[68 C10 Driver]

More progress made. O cleaned up the body work around the passenger side kick panel/inner cowl. I also finished the rockers and did the block sanding around the cab corners and back panel of the cab addition, I started the refinement of the seams in the passenger side door jamb.

[68 C10 Driver]

There is still a dent along the lower portion of the cab near the left passenger cab corner. I will straighten out this area and a small depression I discovered while block sanding.. I will also do more work on smoothing out the door jamb seams on the passenger side.

In addition to that I applied more Rust Mort through the cabin light opening and sun visor holes. I will use the spray gun with the flexible hoze/nozzle to get further into the cavity above the roof headliner.

[68 C10 Driver]

I also picked up a little accessory for the truck, a vintage Fyr Fyter extinguisher to mount in the cab.

[68 C10 Driver]

After a bit, maybe more than a bit, of cleaning, here is the fire extinguisher now. Cool thing is, you can recharge this at home by refilling and repressurizing this particular model. Not bad for a $13 purchase.

I also picked up this Ray-O-vac flashlight for the truck as well.

[Kronald_70GMC]

Cool finds! Those will be awesome to have in there.

[68 C10 Driver]

So this week I have been on Jury Duty, so I have not been working on the truck as much during the week in the evenings. I have been sanding and trying to work out some minor dings and dents. Seems I keep finding more as I block sand the cab, but all-in-all it is looking good.

[68 C10 Driver]

Forgot the pics...

[Kronald_70GMC]

Looking excellent!

[Trucknut57]

It really is turning out nice and smooth, wish I had the patients to do any type of body work.

[RCbowtie69]

Great build, keep up the hard work. Keep on truckin''

[68 C10 Driver]

Thanks Trucknut57 and RCbowtie69!

In all seriousness, I attribute my body work abilities to all those hours in my youth building model airplanes. With models, you have to use putty to hide seams and then you have to sand everything to get a good surface to paint. This truck is just a bit on a larger scale, but the same principle.

[88Stanger]

Originally Posted by 68 C10 Driver

So this week I have been on Jury Duty, so I have not been working on the truck as much during the week in the evenings. I have been sanding and trying to work out some minor dings and dents. Seems I keep finding more as I block sand the cab, but all-in-all it is looking good.

Looking GREAT! Nice job!
I am in about the same place as you with my "66.... I have the major body rust and dents fixed so far and now it is in Epoxy sealer and now I am doing the minor dents and guide coats. long long process but when it is done, you will be very happy!!

[68 C10 Driver]

Originally Posted by 88Stanger

Looking GREAT! Nice job!
I am in about the same place as you with my "66.... I have the major body rust and dents fixed so far and now it is in Epoxy sealer and now I am doing the minor dents and guide coats. long long process but when it is done, you will be very happy!!

I have one little bit of work to do before I epoxy prime the interior of the cab. This is that area inside the cab that is opposite of the cowl drainage area. For some reason that side rusted badly, the passenger side not at all.

Not sure why the photo is upside down, but you can see that this will be a challenge being where it is.

[68 C10 Driver]

So today was a good day, did a little welding to patch a hole below the vent on the driver's side and got the dents out on the cab just below the gas filler opening on the corner of the cab.

[88Stanger]

Originally Posted by 68 C10 Driver

I have one little bit of work to do before I epoxy prime the interior of the cab. This is that area inside the cab that is opposite of the cowl drainage area. For some reason that side rusted badly, the passenger side not at all.

Not sure why the photo is upside down, but you can see that this will be a challenge being where it is.

That is really a weird place for rust if you ask me. I have seen it in alot of other places, places I just fixed, but not sure i have ever seen it here. At least it is fixable and not really visible to everyone.
I plan to coat the entire inside of the cab floor, dash wall and behind the dash and such with Por 15. I bought 3 quarts some time ago from Summit, it showed up with one having a slight puking episode and got all over the other 2. I called summit and they just sent me 3 more, so now i have 5+ quarts so i will do all the inside in it, cowl area, and such for protection.
It is great to watch someone build their ride at about the same place i am. I am not doing much right now to mine due to our heat being well over 100 here for the next 5 days or so, with Monday being over 110! ya, i have AC in shop but not enough to correct that heat... so i am watching others build theirs for a week or so ... lol

[68 C10 Driver]

I saw where Portland is expecting 112 degrees today, I do not envy you being up there in that extreme of heat. Stay cool, stay inside!

I think there was debris in the cowl area that retained moisture over the 15 or so years this truck sat outside idle. I believe I vacuumed all that out trying to make sure I got all the mouse nests out when I did the initial cleaning before I tore everything apart.

I will be using one of the old inner fenders to make patch panels - the inner fender has the curved shape needed to somewhat closely rebuild that area of the truck.

I will be coating the inside of the cowl with Raptor Liner to prevent any repeat of rust.

[68 C10 Driver]

So the welding repair of the kick panel is complete and I have ground down the welds. A little skim coat of filler and primer to see how it is turning out.

Just need to clean-up around the vent opening.

[88Stanger]

Originally Posted by 68 C10 Driver

So the welding repair of the kick panel is complete and I have ground down the welds. A little skim coat of filler and primer to see how it is turning out.

Just need to clean-up around the vent opening.

Looks great sir!
I had to repair the exact same area in my "66. I got it looking good and then I built Speaker Pods that will cover this area and use the old Fresh air intake as a sound chamber. I also bought a flat Cowl cover (no vents) as i also have Vintage Air kit.

The heat really sucks. We are used to it being warm, but this is just nuts. Even with the AC in the shop, it is still just too hot to paint. I will be trying to install my "paint booth" this 4th of July and be ready to start painting later in July when it calms down a bit. May be painting at 4am but oh well... I guess it will be like have a heat box to dry the paint... LOL

[68 C10 Driver]

Some BEFORE and AFTER shots.