'69 c20 rescue kind ..... of.

[jonny..2008]

im Jonny.
43 from the west coast. (all of it)
been welding & machining since a long time ago.
fixing machines since i was a child.
worked for 5 yrs in a mid to higher end motorcycle shop building engines and bikes.
lost my way AND my tool box in 2000 a.d.
in 2005 i started working my butt off from scratch.
this year i built my box back up, kind of. (being real picky about what i put in there)

Last week I bought this for $1500:


so here i am.
Thanks to the keepers of this board, today i am off to buy new running gear from a scrapper with an exact idea of what i need. this board is aHuge resource so for.

more later regarding plans for this thing. the gist is, semi cool / ultra reliable on a change jar budget. Just to spice up my personal reality show drama did i mention this is now my/our only ride? and that all work, maintenance or mod must be done over night or on my two days off.

So thanks again for what i have taken from the board now and future.
hope i contribute something as worthwhile. im off to drive my new truck.

[jonny..2008]

nice drive yesterday.
first 120 miles on the truck with not too much bad to say.
found some 8lug 72 front disc spindles at the scrappers, rough but they will do.
i also found a compressor (generic 30gallon) with complete tool kit that should make the swap easier.
more pics tonight after work.

[jonny..2008]

these walked in to my antique store last week.
$50 and the guy threw in a snap-on 1/4 drive torque wrench.

[jonny..2008]

big day between me and my truck today.
not the first thing i fixed, BUT the first parts i selected AND installed.

drum roll........headlights.

[jonny..2008]

the semi sealed NAPA fish tanks go bye bye in favor of some $40 ebay jobs, came with 2 sets of bulbs, blue & yellow. yellow for now,
some before and after pics.

b4


15 min later:

[jonny..2008]

Originally Posted by jonny..2008

nice drive yesterday.
first 120 miles on the truck with not too much bad to say.
found some 8lug 72 front disc spindles at the scrappers, rough but they will do.
i also found a compressor (generic 30gallon) with complete tool kit that should make the swap easier.
more pics tonight after work.

CORRECTION.

vin number of donor puts it @ 1977 gmc 3/4 camper special..parts on the way.

[jonny..2008]

funny story.
the first time i put fuel in i hit the road and all was well.
the second time, this morning on the way to work, i filled it again, till the pump clicked.
got to work lalalala..... the go to show off my new truck that is parked at the curb and guess what my friends first impression is of my new truck?






$8 bucks worth of my fuel on the ground and still flowing out from the filler neck.
moved the truck to the other side of the street, drama over.

so any simple fuel cell suggestions?
new shocks going out back in a few weeks so might as well pull the bed por the frame do the bushings. and install a fuel tank solution.

[jonny..2008]

well probably on two dollars worth of gas but i was a little embarrassed so it felt like more..............and the driver didnt come with my new front end either like i was expecting......

[jonny..2008]

[jonny..2008]

wonder what i did wrong for my av & sig?

[jonny..2008]

spindles came today. in time for some weekend scrubbing.

guess im going to go with the cheap fuel cell. 15 gallon alum generic. too nice to tuck under the bed but.......

[jonny..2008]

big parts day for me today.

got new rotors, calipers, wheel bearings, (forgot seals), and most of a hazard tool kit that can live in the truck so my good stuff can come home.
while there the relay played its last game, and had to replace it in the lot of napa.
put a spare in the glove box too.

from junk yard:
HYDRO BOOST & m/c
also grabbed a tie rod end of the 77 gmc (spindle donor)
and the pretty beefy sway bar.

[jonny..2008]

[jonny..2008]

[jonny..2008]

[jonny..2008]

new coil over shocks order today too.
last big spree for this thing.

[jonny..2008]

made some decisions today.
as tempting as it is to rip the truck apart and throw all these new parts at it i decided to break it down in to two separate projects in two sessions.

first ill do the spindle swap and get the front end running gear up to spec.
going to use a m/c from the same year as the donor truck BUT keep the vac booster for now.
that should eat a weekend up by itself without tossing in hydro boost drama.

i feel like that limits the amount of things that can POP UP and have me walking to work on tuesday.

then i can bench build the hydro boost set up including the push rod and plumbing, get a new style pump. ect.......

new lower ball joints came today. 80% of parts in hand to do the front corners.

[jonny..2008]

new upper ball joint came today.
upper lower control arms and new m/c are also due by monday.

looks like all i need now are the brake lines and a sunny two days off.

i have a five day drywall project then i can focus 100% on the truck.

[ScottG]

Lookin' good!! I feel you on the daily driver thing. 3 day weekends help out a ton when you have to fix, or fix up something. Keep at it.
Scott

[nuke1]

Congrats on the nice truck, that would be hard as it is your only dd. but things will work out. It would be hard to start again from scratch, I am sure that you will make things right, I can tell that you must have determination. Looking forward to watch you through on this build!
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[jonny..2008]

budget allows for new tie rod ends. $55 inner and outer delivered.
order with coffee this morning and i have live tracking numbers.
was able to do an exploded sketch of the new parts along with a list for the task.
so thats all new joints and rotating parts for this truck hub to hub!!

also got a delivery from my closest pnp (30miles away) of a gas tank and neck from a 81 blazer that my measuring stick says will fit. came with nice shop built skid plate that should bolt right through my frame. and tuck well enough for my taste. 25 extra pounds out there aint so bad either. $40 pulled and delivered to me. thanks george.
that project is up after the front end but before hydro boost.


thanks for the kind words guys im really excited to get to work on this one.
My own for a change.........

[jonny..2008]

still waiting for the last bits of my parts pile to get here.
got tracking numbers for everything, and stuff will be landing all week. :-)

in the mean time its just drywall and antique store taking all my time.
i did make this:

it is a parts/ maint. log. helps me and the next owner figure out whats what on this truck.

[ScottG]

Originally Posted by jonny..2008

still waiting for the last bits of my parts pile to get here.
got tracking numbers for everything, and stuff will be landing all week. :-)

in the mean time its just drywall and antique store taking all my time.
i did make this:

it is a parts/ maint. log. helps me and the next owner figure out whats what on this truck.

That's a great idea. I've had a number of issues trying to figure out what's on my truck. Took ordering parts 3 times to figure out the front end came from an 83-87 truck.

[jonny..2008]

Picked that up in a past life.
Building custom motors and bikes.
Comes in handy months and years later.
My boss then used to be an aircraft guy.
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[nuke1]

I agree on the book idea, I have a binder with every part ever installed on my truck, good and bad! how did you do the picture on the cover, kinda interests me.