Project Old Blue, 1965 C10, Rebuild Version 2010

[aggie91]

Here are my short term plans for now, with notes on what I still need to get for each step.

1. Install PBFab Lower Forward Arms, modiified McGaughy's Drop spindles for C5 front brakes, 13" C5 front brakes, No Limit rack & pinion conversion, PBFab Addco 1.25" sway bar, 3/4T front springs with 2 coils removed and KYB Gas-A-Just shocks.

2. Install stock 12 bolt rear. Install 4:10 gears, C5 rear brakes with parking brake in the hat of the rotor. Use the existing 4" drop springs and 2" drop blocks and CPP C-Notch.
- Need to redrill the axles for 5 lug and machine the regioster to 2.78" for the C5 rotor.
- Need to finish my custom Panhard Bar.
- Need to design and fabricate rear shock mounts.
- Flip the Trailing Arm mounts on the cross member.
- Need new bearings and shims to install gears/rebuild axle.
- Need to clean and paint axle housing.

More to come...

[aggie91]

3. Install Power Brake booster and new Master Cylinder and Prop Valve to work with the C5 brakes.
- Possible need to fab new mount plate for booster.
- Might need to modify flex lines from MC/Prop Valve to Frame tabs.

4. Install 5.3/4L60e set up, using Spectre Performance Intake tube/filter (#9900) and Headman Muscle Rod LS swap headers (#45666). Re-work stock harness myself. Mount PCM and Fuse block under the hood. I am still working on ideas as to where to mount them.
- Need Frame/Engine mounts. Leaning toward CPP’s new Sheet Metal Frame Mounts #6372MP-SM ($159), and there sliding mounts. Not sure yet, may fab my own…
- Trans cross member…CPP, PBFab, I may fab my own…
- May need to do some fab work to mount the radiator and oil coolers to the core support.
- Need Fuel Pump for use in an ’87 sending unit/tank. I plan to mount the tank in the front of the bed with an old barn wood box built to hide it. ($100)
- Drive Shaft, have one may need to be modified for length…

5. Install Bench Seat and Seat Belts.
- Need to decide on reworking stock seat or just use one that I have from an ’82 and throw a blanket over it…

6. Make it street legal.
- Headlights, Taillights, Turn Signals, Horn, Wipers, etc…

[NEWFISHER]

You are going to be a very busy boy!

What rear gears do you have now?

[aggie91]

Originally Posted by NEWFISHER

You are going to be a very busy boy!

What rear gears do you have now?

It does not look like I will even touch the truck until the first weekend in May. We have plans for every weekend from now till then. I won't work on it everyday, but I will get things done in an order that I set. I will get specific things done each time I work on it. I will plan my time I spend on the truck to allow for getting that task complete.

The gears depend on what rear end we are talking about...
The 12 bolt I just scored has 3:73 with an open carrier. Even though I said I would put in 4:10 gears, I might still be on the fence about it. Either way, I still need to reprogram the PCM.

Thanks for checking in!

[1963c-10]

Nice progress. Reminds me to get back out on mine as well.

[Gary V]

Great work Karl! Good luck with the shop. Subscribed

[tune_1]

If we can't watch work on a vehicle then the next thing is watching work on a shop. Hope you are able to make progress on the new building.

Dwight

[aggie91]

Thanks Guys!

Well it has not rained for 6 days and it has dried out enough to continue working on the pad. My tractor guy is at the house today working on it. We plan to get about 12 yards of dirt for the first layer of the pad in the morning. We will see how it goes. There is a 40% chance of rain tonight and tomorrow...

[aggie91]

We have made some progress, but not significant. It has been raining a lot around here and keeping too wet to do any dirt work.

I took these pics yesterday evening. It rained about 2" at my house Sunday night. Looks like it drained well around the pad and only a little standing water on the pad area. Today there is a 60% chance of rain, and there is rain in the forecast (50%-80% chance) every day until the 20th. For every 3/4" of rain, I need 2 days of sunny weather to dry it out enough to work the soil for the pad. Even if it does not rain at all, it will be the 21st before I could really get any work done on the pad. At this rate, I will be well into June before they even get to start the building...

This is from the road looking down the side of the house to the back yard...


Looking from the corner of the house toward the whole pad...

[smbrouss70]

I'm further South and East of you, but I feel your pain. I put a deposit on my shop in January, and they still can't start the dirt work yet, because of the water in my yard.

[aggie91]

Had more dirt delivered yesterday. He got over today and moved it to the back and started spreading it out. Once I get home, I'll look it over and get a few pictures for you guys. I will see if we need more dirt before moving forward...

[aggie91]

Well after a very long wait, I got the call that they are ready to start my shop last week. Unfortunately, I was on vacation...

Last night I called him, set up a time to meet him this morning. Last night I marked the one side wall of where I wanted the shop on the pad and pulled a string line for reference. Here is what it looked like last night before I went to bed:

[aggie91]

Met the Framing Crew this morning about 9am. Spent a few minutes discussing with them where I wanted the shop and showed them the string line to use as a reference.

By 9:30am here is where they were at:



They have a crew of 6, the guy in the white T shirt and straw hat is Matt, he is the lead for the crew, its him, his son and 4 other guys. He use to frame houses and now only does these pole barns for Ark-La-Tex builders. He said I should be surprised when I get home today. By the time I left at 9:45am today, they were setting the second corner post. They are not messing around.

[C@rnut001]

It is great to see you finally getting your shop! Please keep updating on how it is going. Looks like they will be putting it up quickly.

[aggie91]

At 2:30, my son sent me this pic...



I'm heading home in about 45 minutes, can't wait to see what it looks like!

[C@rnut001]

Wow, they are not wasting time. That is so awesome. Keep the updates coming.

[aggie91]

Got home last night and the framing was complete. Only one or two issues with the framing, mostly the lower skirt board that will be used as a form for the concrete. Some are bowed out a good bit, but not bad. They could be moved back in place with some stakes along the outside and pinned to the concrete when it is poured.

Here is a pic of the finished framing:


My two youngest kids thinks its a jungle gym to climb on...


I did start on locating the extra footings for the future install of the lift. I marked out areas with string and will use the string as a reference for the depth. It got late and dark, so no pictures today. I will take a few tonight when I did them out...

[McMurphy]

I am jealous !
Am talking with contractors now to build me a 30 by 60 three bay, with a half loft office up stairs.
I swear I will lose my mind if I have to search in the dirt one more time for a dropped bolt or screw....

[aggie91]

Thanks for checking in McMurphy. I really enjoyed reading about your travels from Alaska to you new home. What an adventure!

Well this project (like all of my projects...lol) has stalled. The concrete is next, but I am about 3-4 weeks down the list. So in the mean time, I plan on getting my footings lined out and then maybe concentrate on what I want to do with the driveway back to the shop. I have a bunch of options, but my budget is tight for that this year. I am leaning towards laying down some crushed concrete and rolling that smooth.

Stay tuned!

[smbrouss70]

I am jealous of your progress on the shop. My yard has finally dried up, but I still have to bury some conduit for power and put down some big rock for a driveway before I can have the trucks start hauling in dirt.

[aggie91]

I am waiting on the shop to be completed by the contractor before doing my electrical. I have about a 60-75' run I will have to make from the panel for the house to the shop.

I started looking at lighting and how bright I want it to be. Man, there is a lot of info on the web for how much light to use for a given task. I will be shooting for about 60-75 foot candles of light in the shop once it is all said and done. My plan is to start with 4, 8 foot fixtures that use 4 32-watt T8 bulbs. Most likely I will use the 6500K color bulbs.

[dantimdad]

I would definitely use daylight bulbs. Have you considered LED? I am going to DIY my own LED setup when I get a new shop. It's cheap, bright and doesn't use nearly as much electricity as other types of lighting.

Steven

[barnold]

Take a look at the new lights that Big Ass Fans have they are really impressive.

[aggie91]

Originally Posted by barnold

Take a look at the new lights that Big Ass Fans have they are really impressive.

We have one of the new 4' LED lights from them at work. They are nice, but VERY pricey for the one we have. Nearly $700 for the one unit.

[aggie91]

Quick update on the shop.

They came out this week to work on the finish grade of the dirt before pouring concrete. I am not sure if the guy finished or not, some of the grade is not down enough from the forms to be a 4" slab and other areas are down to far. He did not even work on the aprons for the doors. I guess I have to call the bid boss at the company again...