1968 C10 Stepside Restoration Project

[68 C10 Driver]

Air conditioner is now mounted. This is just temporary as I need to see how much room this unit takes up so I can modify the interior heater box.

I had room for the CB Radio. I am going to install an E-Stop electric parking brake, so the old parking brake handle will not be going in for now.

[68 C10 Driver]

Well, today I was able to get the ashtray and glove box door painted and installed. It is starting to actually look like a truck now.

[zicc1835]

lots of progress to say the least since I last checked in 2021 love the medium green pick

[68 C10 Driver]

Originally Posted by zicc1835

lots of progress to say the least since I last checked in 2021 love the medium green pick

Thanks, trying to keep pressing on, a little each day if I can.

[68 C10 Driver]

So which steering wheel, the gray one, or red one? I will restore and repaint them to match the interior.

[A1971Blazer]

Shaun....I vote for the gray....

[Kronald_70GMC]

I'd have to say red one.

[68 C10 Driver]

Thanks for the inputs, it's a tough pick...

[68 C10 Driver]

Well, this evening I decided to start on the last big job with the cab interiot...modifying the interior heater box. Because the underdash A/C unit takes up so much under dash space, the heater box needs to be modified. Of the three sections one will remain unchanged the part that mounts to the inside of the firewall. The middle section will be cut down and will be the part the heater hoses for the defroster will attach. The end piece that was the connection for the defroster will be used for parts.

[68 C10 Driver]

Today's progress consists of getting the middle part of the interior heater box modified. I welded an end plate on it, then cut two holes. I then welded the hose fittings onto the end plate. There was quite a bit of surface rust, but a wire wheel on a drill made quick work of that. Any rust inside the box that I can't get I used hand brushes the best I could, then sprayed Rust Mort to take care of things. I was fortunate that my son took an interest and wanted to get into the wire wheel action.

[zicc1835]

outstanding.......

[68 C10 Driver]

Thanks! I appreciate it.

[68 C10 Driver]

Here are two photos showing how much the base of the steering wheel had to be enlarged so it would mate correctly to the steering column. I was unaware at the time I acquired the steering wheel that the Chevy car steering wheels were smaller than the truck steering wheels.

[68 C10 Driver]

I was curious how the carpet would look in the cab...just a few tweaks...

Not the best photos, I'll try again tomorrow when it is light out.

[68 C10 Driver]

Daylight photos...the carpet needs some time to 'relax' a bit.

[zicc1835]

nice work keep the updates coming

[68 C10 Driver]

Originally Posted by zicc1835

nice work keep the updates coming

I try, things around the house have been busy and my daughter is starting the Fall Softball season here. My goal is at least one or two updates a week.

[68 C10 Driver]

I have been down in Florida on business this past week and unable to do any work on the truck. But now that I am back home, it's time to tear into the front end and start the disassembly. As I am tearing things apart, it has become obvious that everything on the truck's front end is original. Ball joints are still riveted on, upper and lower A-arm shaft assemblies are all original. The end pieces that screw onto the shaft and through the A-arms are impossible to get off. I was only able to get one off.

The A-arms are really beat-up, probably best I replace them anyway. I had to get the saws-all and cut upper ball joint to get the spindle free. Tomorrow I will clean everything up and remove the cross member and motor mounts.

[68 C10 Driver]

Today was productive. I finished taking the passenger side of the front suspension off. I am going to clean all of the parts later to see what is worth saving. The inner and outer tie rod ends are of course shot. The adjuster bar for them is also toast. Since I am going to install disc brakes in the front, the drums will go as will the spindles. I will clean up the center link and the engine cross member and motor mount brackets too.

But before I get to all of that cleaning, I will start disassembling the rear half of the frame and remove the trailing arms, rear coils, rear bumper, and rear end.

[68 C10 Driver]

I have been busy with work and family life this past couple of weeks, so not a whole lot to report. I have been going out each day to wet down all of the remaining bolts, nuts, and anything threaded (brake line junctions) with PB Blaster to aid in removal when that happens this weekend. We have been dry over the past week, and it looks as if that trend will continue through next week as well. Good for me, not so much for the water bill; the grass still needs the water here in the South.

[67C10Step]

Great work and as much as sometimes it doesn't seem like it, any progress is great. I've found that soaking with PB Blaster days ahead of time seems to remove some of the frustrations.

Also, I got a can a few years ago that had product but no propellant. I reached out to them and they replaced the can with a bonus.

[mr.mud1]

i had 3 cans of PB that wouldn't spray,i called and they sent 3 new cans to replace them.i thought that was very helpful but now another can i bought recently suffering the same problem?i love the product but the spray cans suck.i bought a gallon can at the Charlotte Autofair years ago and used a dollar store spray bottle.that worked fine til i used it all up.i think there will be another gallon can on my shopping list for Charlotte in April.all the best.Great truck.

[68 C10 Driver]

Well I was sweating that I had lost the accelerator control for the truck. Being that this is a 68 C10, it uses the throttle rod and gas peddle that attaches at the floor unlike the 71-72 C10s. No one makes those 67 -70 accelerator controls so I was afraid I would have to spring for the $245.00 Lokar unit and switch to a cable set-up.

But the truck gods were smiling upon me and I found the parts and decided to go ahead and clean them up and get that on the truck. I am going to use cold bluing on the metal parts and see how that looks as opposed to spray painting them black.

[68 C10 Driver]

This weekend was pretty productive. I was able to get the rear end out from under the frame. I had to cut the Trailing arm U-bolts and I had to cut the rear springs to do it. The end caps that hold the springs in place were rusted solid. I have been spraying them with PB Blaster every day for a month. No go on them breaking free. Same story on the U-bolts as well. Once free, I was able to strap the rear end to my hydraulic jack and move it to another place away from the frame.

Now the fun part comes. stripping the frame of rust and treating the frame with Rust Mort. Once that is done, I will paint it with the Eastwood rust encapsulator, then the 2k semi-gloss black frame paint. I do still need to remove the top part of the spring and spring retaining cap.

[nicklear36]

Following along, great work!