Does anyone else drive their classic in the winter slop?

[72 tigger]

Probably not too many knuckleheads like me that drive their 67-72 in the brine during the winter. Before the lynch mob saddles up to come string me up, l need to point out that this isn’t a original K20. I built it 14 years ago by setting a Chevy body on a 02 dodge (Cummins) chassis- l have driven it year around ever since. Fighting rust is a obvious battle (oiling the backside of the sheet metal really helps) that this truck will someday lose. I just love the style of our trucks and enjoy driving it even though l know it’s a “sacrificial lamb”.

[72 tigger]

Always feels good to give it a bath

[harpo231]

If I had that ,, how could I not !!!

[AD&Sons]

Unfortunately we actually got snow in Eastern NC this year, I've been driving my 68 the whole time.

[Coley]

Ok....if you are going to drive this in tough winter conditions, including salt.... we have to talk....lol.
As a Canadian....I am aware of winter and the crap it brings to the road.
So to protect your truck from this you have to 'dig a little deeper''.
By that I mean get under the truck and find the (2) small drain slots in the bottom of each rocker.
Then, you have to get some rust check or equivalent 'sprayed' up into those chambers from below.
Getting that product 'inside' will keep those rockers from rusting from the inside out...which is a lot more common than the other way around.
oh.......I could go on because there are some other serious targets in this process....but consider that one.

Be warned tho'....you need to get on your back and get ready to get dirty in order to keep rust free.....and note, most guys don't or won't.

All good
Coley

[bill3rail]

That was the worlds fastest truck wash in history!
8:57 Salty
9:00 Shiny

I do want to see more of that diesel frame swap.

[dell72]

Great looking truck, I would also like more details on the Cummins swap.

[FRCvette]

I don't drive mine when it is sloppy but if the roads are somewhat dry I am driving it. Don't really worry about the salt.

[flashed]

I drive my 72 K10 daily but we dont get as much snow as ya'll do .We got a foot a while back and mine did just fine in it .

[HO455]

I've been meaning to ask about this stuff. It seems sort of appropriate for this thread but if you think I'm hijacking the thread just say so. It is a salt neutralizer I saw at a trucking supply store. Kinda spendy but rust repair ain't cheap either.
Anyone know about this kind of product?

http://www.saltawayproducts.com/CarWashPage.htm


The product page has small kits just in case you don't own your own truck wash.

Oh and I do drive all winter long, except for right now as my loss of one or more main bearings has made driving somewhat difficult.

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

Two experiences come to mind.

Big winter in 92, and my 71 was my only source of transportation. One day I made it as far as the curb, and spun the tires for too long. A month later I spun a bearing and busted the oil pump. Coincidence?

I bought the 72 last year, which had bad brakes. I didn't realize how bad until it hit ice and wouldn't stop. It have been a bad day if not for the E-brake, because I was heading into a busy highway. Absolutely no brake on ice & snow. I inched home, carefully planned. Took 45 minutes to travel 3-4 miles. Don't do that.........

[special-K]

I'd drive a not so special 67-72 all winter if I had a heated wash bay. I only drove these trucks for 25-30 years before taking them off the road for winter. And I would hit the car wash a couple times a week...mostly concerned with washing out up and under throughout the body. Ice coating the car wash floor and a shell of ice would form all over it.

But there is nothing to do to prevent the rust. I would never run one that had not rusted out before, obviously. I have run them after repairs and they rot out exactly where it was fixed ASAP. I opened up and made drain holes, too. But winter is a moist environment (when not freezing) and everything can't wash out. It's the fine stuff that packs into corners/nooks that eats it up. You get that stuff even when driving on dry salted roads.

Years ago I went with one for winter and one for summer. I'd get the one back in shape while the other was in use. But eventually the winter truck got to far gone to restore.

I don't drive my truck splashing along the beach and I don't drive on salty roads.

[tutone]

I would not hesitate to drive mine more in the mess if it were a 4wd. I don't worry about rust on the shop truck. I drive it in the rain and years ago, when that was all I had, I drove my 68 everywhere, anytime. Yes it had rust as I remember, but that wasn't what finished the truck off. It was worn completely out after the guy I sold it to drove it another 150K miles. I saw it years after I sold it, and it wasn't much worse than it was the day he bought it. We had a local fellow that ran a snow plow in the town I work in, in front of a 3/4 ton 71 Chevy 4x4. The rockers and cab corners were always solid and he ran the skinny co-op tires on it year round. I have not seen it in action for about the last 10 years, but he used it for at least 25 years. Solid white, no side trim, chrome bumper and grill, white steelies and poverty caps. I would love to have it.

[joeydurango]

Not me. I don't mind getting it dusty, rock-chipped, or a little mud, as I so often find on the mining roads around here. But it lives in the garage when it's snowy out. This year, that means not at all... while you guys have been freezing in the Midwest and East Coast, here in Colorado we're just sitting dry and dusty through the winter, waiting for one hell of a fire season next summer. Send some snow this way, huh?

[7071lwb]

Right now my K20 is the only drive able vehicle I have so I've been driving through the snow and salt for about a month. Actually almost got stuck on Friday when it slid off the road and buried both axles in the snow. I just wash it regularly and know that in a few years I will be doing some body work.

[Greg58]

Mine is put away for the winter, way too much salt used in eastern NE.
Greg

[72_K10_Vegas]

Rain, Snow, Salt. What are these things you Guys speak of?

[71CHEVYSHORTBED402]

The 2WD aren't worth a &*(* in snow. Put weight in the bed and a LWB is equal a classic Cadillac, only sits higher.

I'm old enough to have driven in the snow with old Cadillacs, Caprice, Gran Torino, 2wd trucks, etc. We received a lot more snow then too.

In 83 I drove a front wheel drive for the first time. It was a 4-door Datsun B310 on a stick, and what a surprise that was. I never looked back, but that Datsun remains by far the best front wheel car I've driven in snow, and it probably put a lot of 4WDs to shame.

[72 tigger]

Don’t have many pics of the build- did it in 03. The Dodge was a rolled 02 that had a straight frame. Used a Z cut and fish plate to shorten the wheelbase to 127”. I leveled the 1/2 ton Chevy frame and measured how much the body mounts dropped down compared to the bed mounts and then replicated those mounts on the Dodge frame using C channel to make new body mounts. The rad support is a combo of both Chevy and Dodge. Have driven it over 100K miles without any major issues

[HO455]

First off let me say, Great truck!

Now in my opinion no one can be slighted for "sacrificing" their truck by driving it. There have been plenty of trucks sacrificed to build highly customized vehicles that no one wants once the trend of the month has past. (Photo A has been for sale for more than two years now. Before I bought my 67 I actually looked it buying this one as it is really solid but the price was twice what it is now then and the fact that I didn't fit with the chopped top killed the deal. At the current price one could afford to tame the looks down and have a good truck to drive) So enjoy your awesome truck and count the rust as just part of living. Just most folks do in regards to the depreciation of their brand new rig.
Just my opinion your results my vary.

[palallin]

If I won't drive it, I won't own it. No room, no resources, no need, and no desire to own a trophy.

[B. W.]

I'm building mine to be my DD but I'm having some reservations about driving it all winter. But, I'm usually driving my plow truck anyway. I think I'll try not driving it, we'll see.

I wonder what the active ingredient is in that salt away product?

[1972RedNeck]

Mine has been driven year round since new. Never had any rust patched, and the cab corners and rockers just have a couple dime sized holes. The worst rust is the drivers floor board from the cow manure over the years.

[B. W.]

Yeah, my truck was a farm/ranch truck from Deer Lodge, it was worked hard by the looks of it. The rockers really are not that bad but, like yours, the driver's floor has some problems!

[HO455]

I never thought about using manure on the floorboards as a theft deterrent. I bet it works well. It should keep the old lady from wanting to use the Burban to haul her friends around town too.