Martin's mi-STRESS, 1965 Long Fleetside C10 "Rebuild in ENGLAND"

[mjh1965]

On our trip to Daytona we saw the same truck as last year as a prize in the raffle . The winner last year took the Corvett instead of the truck





This is the other option for the prize





This is me and the very tolerant Amanda at Daytona beech

[mjh1965]

While on holiday we went to the NSRA show and I managed to get away with two days there . As I've said before Amanda is very tolerant so the first day we walked around the swop meet and all the stalls . Here are some of the pictures

This was up for $3800 with a non running 305





This was up for the same price a rare factory 3 door

[Ta2Don]

Cool Pics!

[mjh1965]

Here are some of the pictures of the cars and trucks at the NSRA in Tampa

[mjh1965]

Here are the rest of the pictures

[Ta2Don]

Thanx for sharing the pics...

[mjh1965]

Well the strip down has started . Before I went on my holiday I spent a couple of weekends sorting out the electrics in the car port . The reason is when I get home from work it's now dark as the clocks have gone back . So when I got home tonight I spent a couple of hours and stripped out the front suspension . The plan is to strip the front and rear suspension and axel so I can stand the chassis on its side in the garage . Then I can put the cab on its own in the car port and start the rust repairs . Once the cab is repaired with the panels I've acquired over the last few months and brought back from the states on my holiday .



The wish bones ready to be refurbished

[Ta2Don]

Lookin Good Mate!!!

[Grizz1963]

I have decided to do a dual update, running over two days this weekend.

Started by going over to mate Martins place at 07.00 on Saturday with another mate, Ian in tow to help him with the final stripdown of his chassis and then to get it into the garage and then to move other bits about, including the cab into the carport so that he can start the welding marathon he has ahead of him.

I will let the pics do most of the taking.......

Needless to say, there is a lot of rust and we managed to strip off a few bolt heads. Fortunately Martin has purchased many new parts for his build.

This is the lever bar we used on quite a lot of the bolts n nuts.



Because I was there to take photos of the progress, I ended up working for a change.



it was not a sunny day......



Pooping my pants or farting ?



Unfortunately we did not have any smaller tools.



U Bolts cut as there are new parts in store.



Getting the rear spring off nearly gave Martin a hernia.





Between fetching cups of tea and biccies, we did allow Ian to pack the tools away.



DONE !!!!!




Next up we moved the cab in under the carport and then all pilled into cars and went back to my place.

££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££££ ££££££££££££££££££££


So back at my place I pulled the truck out and got all the bits ready.

But not before I had pre-cooked 20 Peri Peri chicken wings and got some sausage ready for Ian to do us a BBQ later.

He was also on kettle duties.....

Just starting to take the front wheel off.



Old vs New shocks. New shocks were ordered at -2"



Martin and I getting our heads together.



And then it got spicy...... Martin was all over me like a cheap suit.

There was a lot of huffing and puffing to get old nuts and bolts loosened.

Thank goodness these trucks are built in Man Size.

In the mean time Ian kept us tanked up with tea and coffee as well as passing, collecting spanners and taking some photos.



At some point, after much bashing, we got the spring removed.

It seems the original spring was cut down by 2 inches and refitted, and over time it, along with the shock absorber had become very saggy.



Once done with the drivers side we reassembled and put it back on the floor.........

Using my special measuring stick expectantly, to see where the 2 inch lower than standard shocks n spring had taken us, I was shattered to find the front stood 2.5" higher than before. AAAAARRRRGGGHH !!!

At this point it was getting to be dark, and Ian had cooked us all the spicy wings, which we ate directly off the fire/grid along with the sausage in hotdog rolls so we pushed the truck back into the garage till this morning, when Martin was back at my place by 07.45 (It is truly great to work with someone who gets up at a sensible time) My appologies to Martin's Amanda and my Nicola for having tosit around while we got down and dirty.

After Martin left I posted up threads on the Chevy C10 board and Garage Journal and Rods n Sods looking for advice. Much was offered.

So when we pulled the truck out this morning and jacked it up, I crawled underneath to inspect yesterdays fittings.

YUP..... The spring had not been located so after some grunting and adjusting, we dropped it down again and found the new height was 10mm taller than the old parts. PERFECT !!!



On to the passenger side, which took a lot less time to do.

By 11.00 Martin had left to go shopping, and I shut shop to get out and spend some time with Nicola who was waiting patiently for us to finish.

Next job will be getting the rear suspension sorted, possibly also replacing the lowering blocks.

A couple of other observations on this job included non matching nuts and bolts keeping the suspension together, some very worn fittings and also front brake lines that need replacing sooner than later.

Shock absorber top mount bolt.



And lastly, the parts that came out.

Original springs cut down by a coil, giving 2" lowering.



That's all folks.

[Grizz1963]

Well, went to sleep at about 00.45 and woke at 05.10 so not a good night, but woke with a big grin after yesterdays progress.

Martin had slept over on the couch and had similarly little sleep, but I suspect he missed Bow his giant Rottweiler being on top of him in bed......

So by 06.00 we were sitting planning our day.

Return Darren's Rattle Gun and visit him for a bit, then to Halfords Motor spares to get a new battery for Nicola's MX5 as it was beginning to fail.

Sorry to say, but the guys there, 3 of them behind the counter, are dicks. Asked the car's registration number, punched it into the computer.... "Ahhhh, it's an import, sorry, you will have to wait at least 10 minutes so that someone can go out to the car to look and see what battery it takes"

Martin and I both laughed and walked out...... idiots. No wonder these sorts of businesses are dying out.

From there we went to his house, found Amanda had woken from her slumber, and got the hubs from his truck to rob his brake lines from.

Then came home via a spares shop where we got a litre of fresh brake fluid. At least the owner of the shop knew what we wanted and did not need to consult a computer or a winsdscreen wiper fitter.

Coffee, cookies and chat with Ian who had a late wake up start and had thought we had been abducted by aliens as both our cars were still here and the garage locked and alarmed (as we had used Nicola's MX5 to run the errands)



Removed the pipes and remains of Martins truck's brake lines that he had cut off when stripping his truck.

While we had the wheels off, I replaced the nuts and bolts fitted last week with new high tensile nuts and bolts.





The brake pipes that came off looked like this........





Replaced they looked like this.




After bleeding out the muddy coloured brake fluid, we driveway tested the brakes, as I did not want to clear the cars from the drive to go test the truck, but next weekend it will get a decent road test and drive, after which the brakes will be re-bled if needed.

Lastly, a pic of the Motley Crew.



Once again I can say a huge thank you to Martin for the extra hands and brain power, as well as to Ian for coffee, brake fluid topping up duties and general piss-taking and teasing.

Next up will be getting the new exhaust system built and the cutouts ordered from the USA if I can get a courier organised.

Looking forward to that antisocial part of the trucks evolution.

[mjh1965]

Well Rian and his friend Ian came over the main objective was to strip my chassis down so it could be stored in the garage . Therefore freeing up the carport to enable me to work on the cab and the doors and related panels in the dry over the winter.

Ian gets very excited very easily we only gave him a ratchet and a spanner



Rian doing some work instead of taking the pictures


Note his hands are dirty

Cutting the rear u bolts on the rear axial as I got new ones with the lowering blocks . It was quicker and easer





Chassis all stored in the garage



Cab in the carport ready for the panel work to start just need to get the wooden frame underneath it tomorrow to get it at a good working height

[Ta2Don]

[ad_coupe]

Good work lads!

[bj383ss]

Good work Martin. Look forward to seeing your results on the cab.

Bret

[Grizz1963]

Between fetching cups of tea and biccies, it was a real highlight for Ian, being offered the tools, even if it was just to pack them away



It was a pleasure to get your bits sorted in the end Martin.

Just wish my skateboard was not stuck under the front cross member

[mjh1965]

Originally Posted by Grizz1963

Between fetching cups of tea and biccies, it was a real highlight for Ian, being offered the tools, even if it was just to pack them away



It was a pleasure to get your bits sorted in the end Martin.

Just wish my skateboard was not stuck under the front cross member

Thanks for your help ,we had quite a productive weekend. First doing my truck . Then over to yours Saturday and again on Sunday morning to get your front springs and shocks done . All In all I would call that a good weekend

[Palf70Step]

[Ta2Don]

Lots of progress on both trucks...

[mjh1965]

Well I've just come off the phone to Rian it looks like I won't get much done on my truck this weekend . After work on Friday I am going to go over to his and start fitting the front brake pipes. Then stay at his for beer and BBQ then early start on Saturday on the rear suspension on his truck

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by mjh1965

Well I've just come off the phone to Rian it looks like I won't get much done on my truck this weekend . After work on Friday I am going to go over to his and start fitting the front brake pipes. Then stay at his for beer and BBQ then early start on Saturday on the rear suspension on his truck

Hmmmmmm,mm...????

With just Ian and I in the house, you may want to opt for the caravan in the garage or the shed.


Just been to the garage to do a second application of penetrating fluid on all the nuts that need attention.

Looking forward to Ian doing all the cooking though.

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by Grizz1963

Hmmmmmm,mm...????

With just Ian and I in the house, you may want to opt for the caravan in the garage or the shed.


Just been to the garage to do a second application of penetrating fluid on all the nuts that need attention.

Looking forward to Ian doing all the cooking though.

[Grizz1963]

Thanks to Martin for coming over and staying the night...... (Nicola is off to see her daughter, so will be back tomorrow afternoon)

It has been great for both of us having the same trucks, being able to help each other with various tasks.

I have been losing sleep the last few days about getting the the rear springs and shocks off the truck and the new ones fitted after our battle with Martins last weekend.

This week I used SAS20 penetrating fluid three times to get the nuts and bolts all oiled up.



Today I contacted Darren from Unit Engineering to offer him a 4 post, 3000kg lift for £200.00 but interestingly he had also bought one last week.

One thing led to another in our text chat and I mentioned tonight's projected job and anticipated pain.......

"I have a battery powered Rattle Gun you can use." he offered, so after work I went down to his industrial unit (large engineering shop) had a coffee, chat and guided tour of some of his toys. Then asked if I could buy some solid ally from him to remake my lowering blocks....... come with me he said and back into the engineering shop we went.......

"Here, have these"



So with Rattle gun in hand I came home.



After Martin and Ian got in we had a coffee, then I started the fire and handed over to Ian while Martin and I went to the garage.

Back end went up and Rattle gun came out........ EFFORTLESS !!!








OLD vs NEW



Springs and shocks removed



The shocks come with a variety of steel sleeves, and I needed to cut two down to make them fit. Then grind down the sides of the bushes a bit for a tight fit.



New parts fitted and locked down.



OOOOOHHHHH YESSSS !!!!

1.5" drop........ now that had my face hurting from all the grinning.





Not bad for 90 minutes worth of effort.



Checked the level with a spirit level and the load bed is flat straight.

Now I want 2.5" dropped spindles on the front to go with the drums......... Can you get dropped spindles to go on drums??






Next up, tomorrow morning we need to drive back to Martins place 15 miles from here to fetch the new front brake hoses from his truck as he is going Disc brakes next, and to get some fresh brake fluid, then redo the trucks front shock lower bolts as I bought new high tensile bolts this week, as the originals were badly rusted and one was too short.

Last thing will be a decent road test, and some daylight photos of the truck to show the current stance.

[Ta2Don]

[mjh1965]

Well I got home from work and went straight into the carport . I put the cab on axel stands and got out the grinder . It looks like at sometime in my trucks life they decided to repair the rocker panels with patches and filler (bondo) lots of it . Why don't people do it right first time





As you can see it was a little rotten luckily I have inner and outer rockers

[Grizz1963]

I am amazed !!

At this point I would not be walking away, but rather running like the wind.

That does look terrible mate, but I know you will get it all sorted and rebuilt in no time.