Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by bollybib

congrats on 100k, your truck looks really good

Thank you, you have a good solid truck too and I think I'll be getting myself one of those napa light warning buzzers. Good idea.

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Sounds to me like good work being appreciated. I personally like how you've gone from the usual fear of body/paint to seemingly effortlessly handling things pros would think twice about. Congrats on the 100k.

Thanks a lot. Yeah, I've learned a lot the past couple years. Some of my best work is on the jimmy project when it comes to making something from nothing.

Its amazing how much your confidence grows when you get a welder that works good too. By far the best investment I made in tools. I have a couple more ideas that I'm going to try on this project or the jimmy or both that I wouldn't have even considered 3 years ago. Now my future shop, barring any major mishaps, will be much larger, with a separate area for fab equipment/tools, a car lift and maybe a paint booth. I have a mental list of some of the bigger tools I'll be getting to fill it as well as upgrades to some of what I have now. I'm hoping that by the time I can retire I'll have a shop where I can basically do anything I want in-house. I'm kinda thinking about supplementing my retirement income by flipping cars or other mechanical equipment. Something to keep me busy doing what I like, but at my own pace.

[Low Elco]

Hmmmmm? New shop? Evil new shop plans afoot? Good luck!
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[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by Low Elco

Hmmmmm? New shop? Evil new shop plans afoot? Good luck!

Nothing soon. Niether my wife or me are from this area we live in. Once our youngest is done with high school in a few years there is nothing to tie us to this area. Our friends here are mainly through our kids activities. My job allows me some freedom on where we chose to live because I cover a territory from a home based office. So the plan for now is to see what our options are once the kid graduates.

We would prefer to be out of town. Preferably in an area that is more wooded and not quite so flat. In other words, off the prairie. We both have things we would want in our next house. For me its either got to have a fairly large building (a barn or machine shed) as a shop to start with or room to build one of my own design. The wife wants a bigger kitchen and more open floor plan among many other things.

A lot can happen in a few years though. My wife is planning to go back to school this winter. Since I have flexibility in where I live, the next location might be determined by her job. She is also from SE Idaho and her family is there. We have bounced the idea around of moving there again, but then my job might prevent it. So for now we day dream and wait for the circumstances to unfold.

I would love to live out west again. Easier climate, mountains, more open land, less rust, sand dunes, closer to the coast, desert racing, bonneville salt flats, and much more. But I'm from MN and love it here too. We keep the riff raff out by complaining about the weather.

[nuke1]

I am liking the idea of movement and change, after all Idaho is a lot closer to Saskatchewan in a round about way! I want out of the city back into the country. I totally understand what you are feeling and my wife is the same way about our house, hopefully bigger soon. You know what, just move up here, climate is close to yours, mountains are close, sand dunes..... Job structure is fantastic right now. All is good. What do you think! Hehe
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[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by nuke1

I am liking the idea of movement and change, after all Idaho is a lot closer to Saskatchewan in a round about way! I want out of the city back into the country. I totally understand what you are feeling and my wife is the same way about our house, hopefully bigger soon. You know what, just move up here, climate is close to yours, mountains are close, sand dunes..... Job structure is fantastic right now. All is good. What do you think! Hehe
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Can't do it. For my job in Canada I'd have to work for the government. I did that a couple times (once in the navy and once for the state of MN), not going to happen again. But there are some ASME code shops up there to support the oil boom that would be an option and I have some experience with that, hmmm. But when you say the climate is close to ours, what you really mean is that it is not way worse, just marginally worse. There's mountains by Saskatoon? I can get to the Black Hills in 8 hours, where's your closest mountains? Although I am a hockey fan...but I'd be at the games in my Wild gear and getting jeered. Nope, can't do it.

How about if you and me both move our families to Idaho instead. You'll love it.

I have no regrets about where we live now. Its a good place to raise the kids and its a good community. I'm 2 blocks from the parts store, 1 block from the body shop, 1/2 block from the gas station and the dairy queen (Mmmm blizzards). I grew up in a small town and/or out of town and its where my comfort zone is. We just want better scenery out the window.

[hgs_notes]

Went to an estate auction today. Ended up buying an old bedroom set for my daughter, among other things like a spear fishing gun and a scythe and a giant sledge hammer, etc. Sure is nice having a truck to haul stuff around...

[Palf70Step]

Glad to see a real nice truck still being used as a truck!

[hgs_notes]

My truck has been in storage for a few weeks now. I miss it. First time in many many years it hasn't been on my property for me to trip over, work on, ignore, pile crap on, stare at and wonder what's next, take for a drive, or just to see it sitting there waiting for me to acknowledge its existence. I really do miss it.

I even have new parts to put on once I bring it home. Like gifts for my spouse after a long trip away. Welcome home sweetheart! Do you like the new heater motor switch, tachometer and air filter nut I got you? I hope the valve cover breather fits now with the new grommet. Didn't you miss me?

Weird, I know.

[Palf70Step]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

My truck has been in storage for a few weeks now. I miss it. First time in many many years it hasn't been on my property for me to trip over, work on, ignore, pile crap on, stare at and wonder what's next, take for a drive, or just to see it sitting there waiting for me to acknowledge its existence. I really do miss it.


Weird, I know.

Mine both seem to be all of the above except the "work on" part. Kno0w what you mean about the odd feelings.

[Steve-W]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

My truck has been in storage for a few weeks now. I miss it. First time in many many years it hasn't been on my property for me to trip over, work on, ignore, pile crap on, stare at and wonder what's next, take for a drive, or just to see it sitting there waiting for me to acknowledge its existence. I really do miss it.

I even have new parts to put on once I bring it home. Like gifts for my spouse after a long trip away. Welcome home sweetheart! Do you like the new heater motor switch, tachometer and air filter nut I got you? I hope the valve cover breather fits now with the new grommet. Didn't you miss me?

Weird, I know.

Well I know what you're talking about..I got in heaps of trouble the other day when my wife asked me:"It seems you love your truck more than me" and I didn't come up with a satisfying response inmediatly...

[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

Mine both seem to be all of the above except the "work on" part. Kno0w what you mean about the odd feelings.

I hear ya.

Originally Posted by Steve-W

Well I know what you're talking about..I got in heaps of trouble the other day when my wife asked me:"It seems you love your truck more than me" and I didn't come up with a satisfying response inmediatly...

LOL, I almost snorted pop out my nose when I read that. Dude, you have got to work on your communication skilz. That would mean the look of death in my house.

Here are some handy lines...
"It's a different kind of love, it can't compete with you."
"No matter how much time I spend with it, it is not a replacement for you."
"I just love having something to work on. If it wasn't this, it would be something else."
"Don't worry, it doesn't love me back like you do."

I'm sure there are many others that have their favorite lines to appease the spouse. Go ahead and share them here if you like.

[Steve-W]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

Here are some handy lines...
"It's a different kind of love, it can't compete with you."
"No matter how much time I spend with it, it is not a replacement for you."
"I just love having something to work on. If it wasn't this, it would be something else."
"Don't worry, it doesn't love me back like you do."

ok..how about these:

"Honey, as soon as it's finished, I'll take you somewhere special" (NOT telling her it's a car show...)
"No matter how much time I spend on the truck, I always come back home to you"
"sweetcheaks..perhaps you should get a hobby aswell" (hmmm..as long as it is poledancing)
"Love my car more than you? right! like you love shopping more than me"

[~Whitey~]

WOW. Just went through this whole thread and you have done some amazing work. I was wore out after going through the body work and what not, but had to keep reading. You did a fantastic job on everything. I hope I can get all the body lines and gap as nice as you have done. Great looking truck!!

[hgs_notes]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=d9l1xE8PqDY

[hgs_notes]

Good ones. Those will warm her cockles. Whatever cockles are.
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[67ctener]

That thing turned out great I love the color! Almost like the med blue poly
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[hgs_notes]

Originally Posted by 67ctener

That thing turned out great I love the color! Almost like the med blue poly
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Thank you. Kinda like that but with a touch of green. I wish I could take it for a ride right now, but it's 2 F outside, and icy. Gonna be a long 4 months.

[Steve-W]

2 weeks without an update..i'm going cold Turkey here

[sduckworth13]

Your truck looks great, nice work.

[gdavis]

I know why you are thinking about Black and Blue is. The color of your hands and knees and bruses you get doing this build.

[hgs_notes]

Thanks for the props guys. I really appreciate the feedback. Yesterday I went to the storage place and pulled the cover off it. I got a sample swatch for interior turquoise vinyl from SMS and needed to see if I had a match. It was a damn good one, so now I have a supplier for the material. SMS also said they can supply embossed scroll design, which is awesome.


And while I was there, I could not resist firing it up and polluting the air with a little engine revving sound and fumes. Probably another 2 months at least before I can really pull it out and keep it out. But if I can get the scratch together to buy materials and get someone to recover it, I'll try and pull the parts while it's parked there so I don't have it laid up when I want to be driving it.

[hgs_notes]

I've lost so much this past month it is hard to describe how good it felt to fire this up and drive it out of storage. Its back where it belongs now.
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[Palf70Step]

Originally Posted by hgs_notes

...... Its back where it belongs now.
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Absolutely!

[hgs_notes]

Last night I ordered more exhaust tubing, 2 new stainless dynomax mufflers, some clamps and hangers. I have a plan for the time being of where I'll route the exhaust. I'm going to go from the X-pipe and then outboard the frame rails, back to the area under the front of the bed where the mufflers will mount, then back and over the axle with the outlet behind each tire. I might have to fab up some mount brackets to put on the frame for the hangers. It seems to be the simplest route back without having to go through the rear suspension, shocks, track bar and around the fuel tank, which fills the space behind the track bar from rail to rail on the frame. I've seen pics of a few chassis that have gone similar routes.

Also stopped by the upholstory shop yesterday and got my name on the list. Might have to wait until june or july and the cost will be around $700 plus materials. I found that SMS has the material I need available. I'll bring the truck to her next week for measuring so I know how much to order. The plan is to use a french seam cover over the dash pad, recover the visors and arm rests like you will see in this thread...
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=524985

crsweet91 does some fantastic work, but the shipping costs make it a better choice for me to have someone local do it. If I can get the OEM style door panels at the same time I will to ensure a good color match. And the seat plan is to make my 60/40 split bench look like the same style as the OEM bench. I will use the cloth inserts in the side seat positions, except I want her to shape the bolsters a bit more like a modern bucket seat for side to side stability, then use the OEM scrolled embossed material down the middle of the center section. The passenger seat will just be a mirror of the driver side and match up with the center section. Will be a cross of old school look with newer style comfort. I'm pretty excited about the idea.

[mcbassin]

Glad to see you back at it on this one.