72 C10 Build

[7dee2]

Got those spark plug shields I mentioned earlier. The AC belt isn’t any longer than the factory spec, so other than maybe fiddling with belt alignment later, it’s all good for now.

[7dee2]

Our Ridetech kit has arrived!! The boxes are a little beat up, but everything is there.

[7dee2]

After hauling this stuff downstairs, here’s a little Ridetech unboxing action. With the truck/chassis at the body shop, it’s going to be a few before this gets installed.

[7dee2]

Part of our Ridetech order included a Borgeson fast-ratio box, along with the correct pitman and rag joint. That’s quite the step up from the factory manual steering our truck was born with.

[7dee2]

So, I thought I would pull back the curtain and show my basement parts storage area. Ha, that’s some organized chaos right there!

[7dee2]

We made a quick overnight trip to Las Vegas to snag a Gaylord tonneau. Once it was here, I devised this trapezoidal cherry picker arrangement to transfer it to a smaller trailer. It’ll remain crated and be transported on that little trailer when the body shop is ready for it.

I borrowed these pics from Gaylord's site to show one of these finished and installed.
https://gaylordslids.com/product/196...5-truck-cover/

[7dee2]

More stuff has arrived. A power window kit from LMC, and our air ride management system from AccuAir. I’ve got high hopes and ordered the whole enchilada AccuAir ultimate kit. Ride height sensors and all that jazz….
https://accuair.com/products/ultimat...odX4UQJIdbwErX

Perk’s requested some very large parts to deal with my cab’s issues (wonky right rear corner and some outer roof dents/major pock mark damage). More to come on this.

[7dee2]

Parts, parts, and more parts, not too excited with this bulged upper hose sent from RockAuto. It’s a love-hate relationship with those guys.

Inline Tube is my go-to for new brake lines and emergency brake cables.

I used a spare short water pump (condition unknown) for a mockup. So, I’ve had good luck with FlowKooler in the past, keeping my big blocks running cool. Ordered up another for this project, more to follow on this choice.

Again, I used a spare alternator for a mockup (condition unknown). Here’s my preferred, stock appearing, high-output unit from Powermaster. I’ve used this same alternator on the last few projects with success. Fingers crossed it’ll handle it with all the accessories planned for this truck (dual batteries will help greatly). FYI, you do have to re-clock them to be correct for a left-hand mount. Not a biggie, but they do come set up for a passenger side mount.

[7dee2]

I read in the Flowkooler BBC short water pump reviews that the castings don't fit properly. I thought, nah, no way, but oh yes, they were right! These castings do not clear a stock Mark IV timing chain cover. I’m still a fan of the previous product, and I’m surprised they don’t adjust the casting before shipping these.

Many manufacturers don’t seem to care if the parts actually fit anymore.

[7dee2]

One more round with the actual water pump and alternator I’m running. Found that the alternator was not fully tapped through.

Looks good, moving on.

[7dee2]

Body shop news, my boy and I’s earlier floor work got a pass, as did the reskinned right door repairs. So, other than the new cab corners and the right outer rocker. The rest of the earlier sheet metal work will stay with the truck.

[7dee2]

So glad they reproduce the auxiliary battery tray for our trucks. It’s how much? https://www.holley.com/products/exte.../parts/BBA72AX

A final cleanup of our 72 BB motor mount parts followed by quality time with the blast cabinet.

[7dee2]

Oh boy! A brand-spanking new Strange Engineering diff showed up for our project truck. It was all grins and smiles till I noticed the Panhard bar mount. Oops, I'd specifically requested no mount as it's not required with the Ridetech kit. That, and I'm concerned about exhaust clearance with a relocated tank and a lowered/air ride suspension.

[7dee2]

Back to the body shop. Hey, that’s our new cab corners (well, aaa...installed a few years ago) in Perk’s scrap pile.

I do feel lucky in that the previous 67-72 cab was completely scrapped and a new one built. When I heard that was the plan for the earlier truck, I asked them to hang on to it in case we needed anything. Wishful thinking on my part, we didn’t use anything from that cab.

[Lost in the 60's]

DANG !!! I need the entire rear crossmember/body mount, floor/bracing, etc. Can you have them cut it all off about 12" forward of the back wall and up 12" ??? That is, if the mount area and all is as nice as it looks inside. We are working on a trip to Arches and Salt Lake in Sept. with our Silverado and Retro trailer.

[7dee2]

I hear you, at a glance, that cab looked pretty good. But the more closely I looked at it, the more issues I found. So, that particular scrap pile is long gone, along with several others at this point.



And with the outer roof skin peeled off. I’ve seen worse rot, but we’re here now, and the decision is leaning towards more surgery. Hard to see with the body shop dust, but the visor area is thin with some rot through.

[7dee2]

And the back of the cab shots. And a few pics a week later with the dash removed. Our bed is really coming along nicely. Garrett has been dialing it in. These guys (Perk’s Customs) are going to make our old truck straight as an arrow!

[Lost in the 60's]

Perfect time to convert the cab to small back window...
LMC has the parts...

[7dee2]

That didn’t cross my mind. I’ll tell you what I really do like the small back window.




Traded a 65 El Camino straight up for this 67 C10, my 1st 67-72, 1st big block (in a C10), 1st small back window, and my earliest attempt at body work, etc. The bed from that 1st 67 was later donated to my 2nd 67 C10, also a small back window. Bought from a former boss of mine who started building a show truck. Many years ago...

[7dee2]

Here's an update on the rear cab panel fitment. So far, so good. The doors will require a tweak. And the outer right rocker will also be replaced. It’s not lining up well where it meets the new panel. If you zoom in on the last pic, you can see that it dives inward at the bottom. The right rear lower corner of the cab has always been our biggest exterior problem area. It's looking so much better already!

[7dee2]

So, after a little back and forth, Strange Engineering stepped up and will take the rear end back. While it’s on its way there, they’re building a new housing without the Panhard bar mount as I'd originally requested. They’ll disassemble this one and reassemble the newer one with the guts. Last pic is me thinking about how I might adapt this rear brake hose setup to a 9” rear with a relocated fuel tank and air ride.

[7dee2]

Trying to keep ahead of the body shop, I'd already pulled the trigger on this inner roof patch panel. At this point, it would be more effective to replace the entire inner roof for the same amount of labor. Another round of LMC parts that includes a new inner roof skin, a busted day/night mirror, a CPP tilt column, etc., etc., etc.

[7dee2]

Our C10 has been scalped! Ha, some new targa top version.

[MellowYellow70]

Wow.....this is a crazy amount of body work. Looking good though

[7dee2]

Thanks, these guys do good work.




Good, Bad & Ugly, the bed’s looking great, a-pillers??? The left-side pillar looks the same as the pictured right-side.