Slow Build 80 C10 SWB Stepside

[larey]

Well it has started and I have decided that I need to document it. I purchased 1980 C10 Stepside from the local salvage yard as it was the shop truck and I was looking for a project. I looked it over and it had some rust in the normal spots or what I would consider normal. This was pieced together by the salvage yard with other parts from other vehicles. So it has a 250 I6 and a TH350 transmission with floor shift, but was originally a three on the tree.

First I got it home and looked it over as well as cleaned out the bed. Safety was my number one priority as I will be driving it local in town only till I deem it reliable enough for my full time job daily trip of 70 miles a day. On initial look over the blinkers did not work(front or rear), the hood had the folding option in the middle, and the brakes where very iffy.

Well I work at the local parts store part time, and the first thing was to get the blinkers and lights all fixed. That required me to take the steering wheel apart and change the turn signal cam. More of a pain then I meant it to be as I did it in the store parking lot after work so I would not have to rent the steering wheel puller just use it. Whoever decided to put metric nuts to hold the steering column up needs to be punched. This fixed all the problems I had with the lights.

Folding hood option in North West Florida means to just buy a new one. This looked easy enough except I would have to pay freight shipping so I went all out and ordered two new fenders, a new hood, new rear brake lines, rear leafs, and a bushing kit for all the rear end.

Next was the brakes.....This had to be the biggest pain as I had looked over and over through out the forums to find a break down of what and how to change the manual brakes to power brakes. Found tidbits of information here and there and just decided to buy a booster master cylinder from CPP. CPP states it was a bolt on upgrade and would not require much, maybe they have not done this before as it included new hardware for it to mount to the firewall with. Not sure if I thought it all the way thru but had thought it was meant to use all the new hardware so I took the steering column out and the pedal assembly as I had to remove the studs off the support so I could use the hardware they provided. Next I had to oversize the hole the brake rod mounted onto. Then after mounted I had to bend the brake lines around as they are opposite from the manual.

Booster upgraded but the brakes still felt funny so I looked at the rear end and the rear brakes where shot. I figured since the bed was rusted and rotted out I would just remove it so I could work the back of the truck first. The rear of the truck was in terrible condition as the shocks where loose in the frame mount. I had to cut all the bed hardware off.

I decided that the rear leafs where also shot and ordered a new set and then decided to just remove the rear end. This is a new experience for me as I have always do the normal maintenance things but never this in-depth. Parts store discount got me a lot for $300. New drums, new shoes, new cylinders, new shocks all around, new springs and hardware, new parking brake cables, primer, axle shaft seals and bearings as well, diff fluid, and paint for it all. I sand blasted the backing plates and had to get new hardware to hold them on as some of it was corroded at the treads and I did not feel comfortable with it.

Got the rear end all back together and put back under the truck. Got the new hood on temporarily and was looking at my hinges as they had a lot of horizontal play in them. Ordered new hinges and have yet to put them on as I am currently trying to make or fab gas lifts mounts to replace the huge springs that are normally on them.

The bed is still of and I have decided that I am going to place herculiner on it for all the sides including around the rolled edge. I want to place the Mr. Gasket Anchortrax near the top but below the edge of the sides in the six foot version. Next is the bed and I am leaning towards the composite wood that Lowes offers but will have to wait till I get the angle strips and bed rails first as mine where completely shot as you can see by the pictures. I plan on priming the entire truck and this will be the first part as I will be priming the bed first along with the fenders.

I will try to keep this post updated on a weekly or bi-monthly basis as I work a lot and also go to school.

Larey