Project "What was I Thinking" 68 SWB

[Rusbuilt]

Looking good friend!

[builtbyKane]

These trucks can definitely hide a lot of it. Great job so far. Keep it up

[mcbassin]

Good to see you back on this project. 10-4 on the rust fighting. Been there done that. Be sure to poke/probe across your whole visor area with a screw driver is awl. Mine looked solid in areas they turned out to be paper thin with rust behind there. Turned out to be easier to just weld in a new visor panel than patching it. Good luck with that.

[Bennett68C10]

Originally Posted by Rusbuilt

Looking good friend!

Thanks Rus, feels good to work on it again.

Originally Posted by builtbyKane

These trucks can definitely hide a lot of it. Great job so far. Keep it up

Yeah it was a bit depressing yesterday to see that, I thought I had got it all and to my surprise there was more.

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Good to see you back on this project. 10-4 on the rust fighting. Been there done that. Be sure to poke/probe across your whole visor area with a screw driver is awl. Mine looked solid in areas they turned out to be paper thin with rust behind there. Turned out to be easier to just weld in a new visor panel than patching it. Good luck with that.

Thanks Mike, I plan on checking the whole area cause the last thing I want or need is some rust issues to pop up after I painted it. Really wish I would have just started with a rust free truck

[Rochlow]

Wish I would have welded that seam closed on mine.

[Bennett68C10]

Originally Posted by Rochlow

Wish I would have welded that seam closed on mine.

Yeah I didn't have a choice, all 4 seems around the windshield had rot in it

[Rochlow]

Originally Posted by Bennett68C10

Yeah I didn't have a choice, all 4 seems around the windshield had rot in it

One of mine did, but I patched it. At that point I should have filled it in.

[Bennett68C10]

Originally Posted by Rochlow

One of mine did, but I patched it. At that point I should have filled it in.

Hopefully you won't have any issues. My biggest fear is to do all this work and then having something bubble up under new paint.

[Rochlow]

Originally Posted by Bennett68C10

Hopefully you won't have any issues. My biggest fear is to do all this work and then having something bubble up under new paint.

Me either. I'm hoping to get the truck together and running. Then repaint the the body as the cab doesn't match the rest of the truck.

[knomadd]

Originally Posted by Bennett68C10

Hopefully you won't have any issues. My biggest fear is to do all this work and then having something bubble up under new paint.

That's what's happening to mine. The PO didn't do the work so I'm not certain how much he know about all of this, or if it was just covered up by the guys doing the work. Either way, I'm starting to find more places rust is creeping through.

At least you're finding it and able to fix it now.

[Bennett68C10]

Originally Posted by Rochlow

Me either. I'm hoping to get the truck together and running. Then repaint the the body as the cab doesn't match the rest of the truck.

Sorry to hear that buddy, you have a beautiful truck and it is a shame that you are going have to invest in re painting it. Do you plan on doing it yourself or having a shop do it

Originally Posted by knomadd

That's what's happening to mine. The PO didn't do the work so I'm not certain how much he know about all of this, or if it was just covered up by the guys doing the work. Either way, I'm starting to find more places rust is creeping through.

At least you're finding it and able to fix it now.

Yeah finding rust sucks, it's one of the reasons I sold my 72 years ago. I started finding rust and since I didn't have time for it due to working multiple jobs, I figured sell it before it rusts away. I kick myself everyday for that decision cause no matter what, that truck didn't even come close to having the rust this truck had. The biggest key to yours is you can still go out and enjoy driving it. I can't wait to have that feeling.

[Rochlow]

I'm sure once it's all together I'm just want to drive it.. Maybe I will rep ain't down the road

[Bennett68C10]

Originally Posted by Rochlow

I'm sure once it's all together I'm just want to drive it.. Maybe I will rep ain't down the road

Sounds like a good plan, just get it together and enjoy it. You can always go back and fix it later. This my mindset for mine now. Just get it together and drive it.

[Bennett68C10]

A little update from today, I almost have the cab on the frame but ran into a problem with my valve covers hitting the firewall because I have the tall Chevrolet aluminum covers. I now have two choices, first one is pull the cab back off and cut the firewall to clear the valve covers, then re-weld and redo the bodywork on the firewall. My second option is to simply just replace the valve covers with stock height ones and don't touch the firewall. I'm going to choose option 2 since the stock height covers will give me the necessary room to clear the firewall. As you can see in the second pic the valve covers are really close to the firewall and this was with the transmission jacked all the way up. When I lowered the tailshaft down, the valve covers rested right on the firewall. I also don't want to move the engine forward any cause then it will be really tight between the radiator and the pulleys. I will have a hard time fitting some electric fans in there. Damn big blocks take up to much room

[Bennett68C10]

Firewall pic

[RRC]

Looking good!!! I had to modify my fire wall to clear the valve cover to....I guess thats why we mock them up and brake them down before paint.

[mcbassin]

Looks good to me. Too bad about the valve covers. I really like those covers. Good to see you back on this project.

[Bennett68C10]

Originally Posted by RRC

Looking good!!! I had to modify my fire wall to clear the valve cover to....I guess thats why we mock them up and brake them down before paint.

Yeah this is a good example as to why we need to mock things up. I'm not going to modify the firewall unless I have to. I'm going to try out the stock size valve covers first. If for some reason they still don't fit then I will modify it. I'm pretty confident they will work though.

Originally Posted by mcbassin

Looks good to me. Too bad about the valve covers. I really like those covers. Good to see you back on this project.

Thanks Mike I really like them too, but I like the dropmember more I ordered a set of Billet Specialties Short Chevrolet Script covers from Summit Racing tonight. Will try them out this weekend, if they fit then I'll have the Chevy covers up for sale, if not I'll be sending the billet specialties back and modifying my firewall

[Rusbuilt]

Progress!! There are always bumps in the road! lol

[CC69Rat]

Do you have roller rockers? Stock height valve covers might not work (?)

Take a look at mine, I notched my firewall to clear. That area is pretty easy to cut and just make a piece to tack back in there. PRetty much where it is rounded out from the factory, it just needs to be rounded more 'in' for the Big em Block.

Looking great man. Keep at it.

[Bennett68C10]

Originally Posted by Rusbuilt

Progress!! There are always bumps in the road! lol

Thanks yeah nothing is ever easy.

Originally Posted by CC69Rat

Do you have roller rockers? Stock height valve covers might not work (?)

Take a look at mine, I notched my firewall to clear. That area is pretty easy to cut and just make a piece to tack back in there. PRetty much where it is rounded out from the factory, it just needs to be rounded more 'in' for the Big em Block.

Looking great man. Keep at it.

No roller rockers or stud girdles so stock height cover will work just fine. I'm not interested in touching the firewall unless I really have too. I would need to clearance it quite a bit to fit those big ole Chevrolet covers in there, plus my brother and I are then concerned with trying to get a valve cover off with the motor installed. Just seems that the stock height covers are a better choice. I'll keep you updated.

[CC69Rat]

Maybe its the DM but yours looks like it is hitting more than mine. .. the more I look at it. Mine has fabbed mounts and the 73-87 swap so the engine is sitting a little different it looks like..

Either way buddy.. its looking awesome

[Bennett68C10]

Thanks Chad, the DM is definitely the reason as it moved the motor up a little and back but I don't know how much cause I didn't measure it before and after. I can tell you that I have about 2" more room to the radiator then I had before. In the picture of the firewall I have the trans jacked so far up that the yoke is hitting the cab floor and the covers are still that close. They are like 5" tall right in the center and that is my problem. The stock ones are only like 2.75" and slope forward at the back. If I could have done this over again I would have been better off going with that one piece firewall that Eric (superflysteiny) has used on a couple of his builds.

[mikeleeshields]

Keith, I haven't looked at your thread for a while but I am definately feeling you on the rust for sure. I'm sure you are fearing this freakin cold weather as much as I am. It sures puts a damper on things, even though I have a heated garage.

Good job so far on your build though. Keep it up.

[Bennett68C10]

Originally Posted by mikeleeshields

Keith, I haven't looked at your thread for a while but I am definately feeling you on the rust for sure. I'm sure you are fearing this freakin cold weather as much as I am. It sures puts a damper on things, even though I have a heated garage.

Good job so far on your build though. Keep it up.

Yeah not looking forward to the winter, I bought an area heater last week for my garage to keep it warm. I'll need it as I plan on a lot of long days and nights in there this winter. Need to get this truck done Of course I need to get my truck moved over to it first, but hoping to do that in the next couple of weeks