Nz 69 c10

[vroom]

Hi Guy's

Have spent hours each night on this site in the last few weeks as I decided to trade my Holden Rodeo for something I would enjoy driving. Wife thinks i'm nuts but after having the 69 for 5 days now I'm not looking back.

There's definately some things that need to be worked on but most I had planed on doing anyway. The one thing that has jumped to the front of the "to do list" is brakes. The original drums are simply useless!

Traded this...


for this...




Short list so far is brakes, power steering, 6.5 diesel and auto. This is my daily driver now so to start most will have to be done over the weekends so this build is going to be a long one.

First up is the brakes, POL's Wilwood conversion kit looks to fill the need so will be getting that in the next pay.

Any advice and pointers would be much appreciated.

[whitelightnin92]

wow, props to anyone that can pull off the DD project thing. i tried it in high school and figured out fast play and DD dont go well together. best of luck to you tho. these projects are fun.

[truckster]

When I came back from Iraq my wife insisted I needed something newer than my 1970 Chevy pickup. I ended up with an Isuzu Rodeo. One of the happiest automotive days of my life was when I replaced the Rodeo with a 1972 Blazer.

Congratulations.

My advice would be to make it yours. Build it the way you want it. Take your time and be patient. Mine's still a work in progress, but I've kept it a daily driver. I'm sure at some point I'll have to take it off the street for a while for bodywork and paint, but I'm enjoying it in the meantime.

[vroom]

Thanks guy's, will be one week tomorrow and no regrets dumping the Rodeo at all. The biggest problem is resisting the urge to jump in and strip it for the full rebuild.
I have started ordering parts so the plan is to update as I go and at the end strip for paint.
Wilwood disc conversion is first so will post some more pics when they arrive.

[weircc]

did u trade straight up??????

[Stocker]

Welcome to the site! That looks like a nice straight truck, pretty much original -- a very good find. Hope the build goes well!


Is that Holden basically a rebadged Nissan Frontier?

[ChevLoRay]

Haven't looked at Wilwood for these trucks. The Early Classic Enterprises components I (and many others) have are quite satisfactory to me. If Wilwood is more expensive, as I suspect, then kudos to you for affordability.

to you from the Heart of Arkansas!!

[vroom]

Took the Rodeo up North with my 14 year old son and swapped keys and we drove the C10 home, had snow drifts, ice and the worst ferry crossing I have ever been on.
We had a ball and I wouldn't have missed it for anything.

The 69 is better than I hoped, it is straight and solid with no rust anywhere. All original and everything is in perfect condition. The only thing that doesn't work is the original radio!

The Holden is a rebadged Isuzu, 3.0 diesel auto with no soul which I am not missing it at all.

[yuccales]

That looks like a good truck. I bet it's easier to work on then the Holden!

[sanford66]

Looks like a good trade to me! I have done many head gasket jobs on those Rodeo's. Well worth the trade in my opinion. One ?...Is that the original seat in your truck, I kind of like it, never seen a seat cover in a 69 like that before. By the way welcome from Kansas, and where the heck is Christchurch! Joseph

[vroom]

Christchurch is the main city on the South Island of New Zealand.

POL have a disc conversion kit for approx $600 which I thought was a pretty good price (down here it is a very good price!) plus I was going to upgrade to the Wilwoods as the dual pots calipers were not much more.
The Wilwood Superlite kit is out of my price range though! I have just looked at the vendors on this forum so will do a google on Early Classic Enterprises, thanks.

My aim is to use it so improvements are what I will be focusing on.

[vroom]

The seat appears to be original although the fabric has been replaced and some of the vinyl around the edges has also been replaced at some stage.

[Boog]

I don't think anyone here can blame you for making that trade. Who wouldn't? And be sure to start a build thread or at least keep us updated when you start the diesel conversion. There are a few guys here who have already gone with diesels. Always interested to see another.
Christchurch. didn't ya'll have some kind of recent disaster down there?

[ChevLoRay]

Yeah, Jim....like earthquakes. Not those little tremors that Guy and surrounding area had. I was wondering the same, too.

[vroom]

Yes, earthquakes. We had several large ones that have destroyed a lot of the city especially on the west side. Hopefully all finished now.

Was one of the reasons why I decided to swap, taking time to enjoy life and my family as it all can be pretty short.

Hopefully this thread will help with advice on what I need to do and once I have finished collecting parts will start my build project.

Cheers

[vroom]

It's been a long time since I posted, work and time got in the way of chipping away at the C10 and eventually had to put her in storage.
A few frustrating problems that I wasn't going to spend on since plans were to change engine and update brakes etc. Plans changed a little along the way, found a "new" Vortec 496 sitting in Govt store unused that someone had pinched the fuel injection system off. So have been finding parts & 5 speed to convert back to no computers.
Almost finished mounting in and will start on brakes now and hopefully have it finished in the next few weeks.

[bill3rail]

Originally Posted by vroom

The only thing that doesn't work is the original radio!

That was the first thing I repaired on mine! AM radio

Originally Posted by ChevLoRay

Haven't looked at Wilwood for these trucks. The Early Classic Enterprises components I (and many others) have are quite satisfactory to me. If Wilwood is more expensive, as I suspect, then kudos to you for affordability.

I need to look into Wildwood now, I had not heard that name before.

Originally Posted by vroom

It's been a long time since I posted, work and time got in the way of chipping away at the C10 and eventually had to put her in storage.

2011 to 2015, tat was a long break. Keep us updated on the progress.

Nice truck!

Bill

[mike16]

I did not know they allowed left hand drive in New Zealand.

In australia they only allow right hand drive so everything imported must go through a modification. UGH!

I seen an early 50's pontiac with a three on the column and set up for handicap controls, and right hand drive. where you gonna get NOS parts for that?

[Aus69c20]

Originally Posted by mike16

I did not know they allowed left hand drive in New Zealand.

In australia they only allow right hand drive so everything imported must go through a modification. UGH!

I seen an early 50's pontiac with a three on the column and set up for handicap controls, and right hand drive. where you gonna get NOS parts for that?

Actually in most states of Australia lhd is ok. I'm in Victoria and have a lhd 69 c20 fully registered.
Posted via Mobile Device

[Aus69c20]

Posted via Mobile Device

[Aus69c20]

Are you still planning on using it as your daily? I'm about sell my 2005 work ute to use my c20 as the dd. like you I much prefer the character and simplicity of the older vehicles. Good luck with the project.
Posted via Mobile Device

[vroom]

If it's over 20 years old it doesn't have to be converted to right hand drive in NZ, new has to be converted unless you have owned it for 2 years in the US.

Yes will still be my daily driver, wouldn't go back to the late model Holden/Isuzu ute. Just didn't enjoy driving them!

[nzc10]

Hey man thats so cool to have another 67-72 chevy truck on the roads over here im in palmerston north my 72 is a daily driver and i love it she is no show winner but still get heaps of positive comments about her real practical work horse with a good size deck, good luck with the build mate ps good move getting rid of that poxy holden