New Member from CT ('68 C20)

[markmdz]

On a knee-jerk purchase last week, I picked up a '68 C20 for what I think was a good deal.

The body is extremely clean with only very very minor bubbling on the cab just behind the jamb on the drivers side and on the front lip of the hood.

Other than that, she's rust free.

The frame is in great shape with no scaling and a fresh coat of what looks like a POR15 or some similar chassis paint.

The motor looks to be a fresh build and purrs like no other V8 I've ever owned.

Brand new dual exhaust from the manifolds back.

Here's where the project aspect of it comes in though: The interior is shot and the electrical is even worse. None of the lights work other than the taillights. The indicator switch on the column is suspect... Not even sure it would work even if the wiring was good. ...and the brakes are terrible.

As of this morning, she got doused in a fresh coat of snow. Hopefully I'll clear some room in the garage for it in the next week or so though, so I can get some work done on it and not see it sit outside all winter.

Pic:

[markmdz]

immediate plans for it:

• replace the front grille, headlight bezels and bumper with chrome or repaint them something other than white.

• replace rear bumper with chrome or repaint (to match the front)

• remove swan hood ornament

• fix brakes including parking brake (I'm debating adding a booster if I could figure out an easy way to add vacuum for it. The stock master with no booster makes for sketchy braking)

• exterminate all gremlins in the electrical system (likely just replace the light harnesses with good used parts, or I'll build a new harness)

• replace upholstery on the seat (it's torn up on the drivers side)

• fix windows (they don't roll up/down smoothly yet)

• repaint wheels, remove hubcaps (or maybe replace the wheels with something better but still a period-correct vintage look)

• maybe (and I mean maybe) add whitewalls

• remove the flag style mirros and replace with something else (then I have to figure out how to plug the hole on the door without having to repaint the whole thing.)

...and then there'll be another list of crap to do once this list is done.

Any other suggestions/recommendations on what I should do?

[Stranny64]

Welcome aboard! Looks like a nice truck. Sounds like a nice " to do" list. Remember, when you cross something off the list, something else shows up on the bottom of the list. Not sure how that really works!

[asolde]

I like your truck. Get after the rust asap. Put her inside and go to work for the winter. Congrats and welcome from Texas

[trac209]

Welcome and nice truck

[Sicklajoie]

Welcome from a fellow Nutmegger!
Sharp looking 68!
Whatever you do PLEASE don't put on whitewalls.

[markmdz]

Originally Posted by Sicklajoie

Welcome from a fellow Nutmegger!
Sharp looking 68!
Whatever you do PLEASE don't put on whitewalls.

why not?

[Sicklajoie]

Originally Posted by markmdz

why not?

C/20s look good with a nice tall black or white letter sidewall tire like a 265/75/16.
Whitewalls just don't look right on a tire that size.

[dmack91]

I rebuilt all the brakes on ours. It worked ok. I then found a factory booster and it made all the difference. Easy for anyone to drive then.

[markmdz]

That's good to know. Was a brake booster a factory option on the 68 C20?

[markmdz]

So I got it in the garage this past Monday night (with VERY little room front to back because this damn thing is huge) and started with the electrical after the kids went to bed.

It was a bit of a mess, so I unwrapped all the factory friction tape and wire wrap and went through every friggen wire with a continuity tester. Every ring terminal was replaced, both fused lines were repaired/replaced (the 18ga wire had couple areas of broken insulation and corroded wire). Fuses were removed and checked for rust or burn-out and replaced with dialectic grease for good measure.

Now I'm just waiting on the roll of friction tape and some braided wire conduit/wrap to show up before I put it all back in the truck. I know the braided wrap is not 'factory' but neither is satin black, however it should look fairly period correct and not cheap as it would if I had used the standard split loom plastic.

Anyway, next up was the fuel. It had a pretty significant fuel leak that appeared to be coming from the rubber line that went from the hardline that follows the frame rails to the fitting on the bottom of the fuel pump. I later found the rubber line had a pinhole (or a bit larger hole) in it. After nearly being knocked out by the gas fumes and almost getting a gasoline shower, the line was (temporarily for now) replaced and confirmed not to be leaking any longer.

The PO had also been nice enough to zip-tie that same rubber fuel line to the positive battery wire that run to the starter. Smart idea right? I'm actually guessing the hole in the rubber line came from the PO nipping the rubber line when he snipped the tail of the zip-tie off.

Next up, I found myself being really annoyed by the flat white painted headlight bezels, grille trim and bumper, so I'm in the midst of experimenting with different paints (and chrome) to see what combo I like best. I'll post some pics to get some opinions after the paint is dry.

Now I really feel like an idiot about this one, but I need help identifying exactly what motor I have, as well as a few things for the motor.

In the next post, I'll attach a few crappy pics of the motor in the truck. The VIN indicates that it's a factory V8 equipped truck, but I just don't know if this is the correct motor (not numbers matching, but correct size/vintage) that should have come with it. Yes, I'm that much of a noob with these Chevy motors that I can't yet tell the difference between a 305, 327 and a 350. Someone please enlighten me, but in the mean-time I'll keep scouring google.

If you've made it this far into my epic post, I have to ask if it's possible to get replacement grille trim clips (with the threaded post on them), as mine appears to be missing a couple of them.

Can anyone post pics of their fuel line setup? I'm curious to know how you've got your fuel lines plumbed from the fuel pump up to the carb.

Also, please post a pic of how your positive battery cable is run from the battery to the starter. The path mine was run was an imminent fire hazard due to reasons explained above.

With only about an hour per night (the nights that I don't pass out as soon as I put the kids to bed), and the fact that winter is upon us and I need to relinquish the garage to my wife very soon, my progress will be annoyingly slow on the truck, but I'm determined to get it done as quickly as safely possible.

[markmdz]

pics of the engine...

[markmdz]

a couple pics from when I bought the truck:

[markmdz]

...and a shot of the original (I'm pretty sure) interior along with some upholstery that I picked out and my wife hates me for. I got it because "it's so bad, it's great" (IMO of course). I just wrapped the seat in 30 seconds to get an idea of what it'd look like. If I decide to go with it, I'll properly reupholster the seat.

Although I have to admit that I stumbled upon what appears to be damn near identical vinyl to the OEM and I'm debating if I just do that instead of the nutty 'bad sofa' upholstery. Thoughts?

[70cst]

Hey markmdz ....


to the forums and from Ohio

on your purchase. Very nice

[Rocket3]

Originally Posted by markmdz

immediate plans for it:

• replace the front grille, headlight bezels and bumper with chrome or repaint them something other than white.

• replace rear bumper with chrome or repaint (to match the front)

• remove swan hood ornament

• fix brakes including parking brake (I'm debating adding a booster if I could figure out an easy way to add vacuum for it. The stock master with no booster makes for sketchy braking)

• exterminate all gremlins in the electrical system (likely just replace the light harnesses with good used parts, or I'll build a new harness)
For the holes left by mirror mounts...Eastwood has a patch kit with fiberglass tape and some sort of resin. Brakes,I remember mine with no booster. When in town I would have to switch legs so the right would not get bigger than left.
• replace upholstery on the seat (it's torn up on the drivers side)

• fix windows (they don't roll up/down smoothly yet)

• repaint wheels, remove hubcaps (or maybe replace the wheels with something better but still a period-correct vintage look)

• maybe (and I mean maybe) add whitewalls

• remove the flag style mirros and replace with something else (then I have to figure out how to plug the hole on the door without having to repaint the whole thing.)

...and then there'll be another list of crap to do once this list is done.

Any other suggestions/recommendations on what I should do?

For the holes left by mirrors..Eastwood has a patch kit w/fiberglass cloth and some sort of resin. Brakes,I remember mine w/o a booster. When in town I would switch legs so right would not get bigger than left.

[MARKDTN]

Originally Posted by markmdz

...Now I really feel like an idiot about this one, but I need help identifying exactly what motor I have, as well as a few things for the motor.

In the next post, I'll attach a few crappy pics of the motor in the truck. The VIN indicates that it's a factory V8 equipped truck, but I just don't know if this is the correct motor (not numbers matching, but correct size/vintage) that should have come with it. Yes, I'm that much of a noob with these Chevy motors that I can't yet tell the difference between a 305, 327 and a 350. Someone please enlighten me, but in the mean-time I'll keep scouring google...

There is a pad on top of the engine block between the alternator and valve cover. Get the numbers off the pad and you may be able to ID it. Also on the back of the block, drivers side, below the distributor is a casting number. With 1 of those 2 things you should be able to ID the block.

http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/w...asting_numbers

[markmdz]

Originally Posted by MARKDTN

There is a pad on top of the engine block between the alternator and valve cover. Get the numbers off the pad and you may be able to ID it. Also on the back of the block, drivers side, below the distributor is a casting number. With 1 of those 2 things you should be able to ID the block.

http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/w...asting_numbers

So it really is that difficult to just look at the motor and know which of the small blocks it is huh? I did print out the motor designations and found both areas you mention. The pad between the alt and block is a pita to see because of how the fuel line is run (hard line right smack in the way). The cast numbers in the back are much easier to get to. I'll check that out tonight.

[markmdz]

update: So the motor is a 350 from 77-79 based on the cast ID on the back of the block. I still haven't pulled the hard fuel line to get to the front pad, but knowing the size and approximate year is good enough for me at the moment.

The headlight (etc) harness is done and back in the truck with a nice fresh friction tape wrap and I ran it behind the fender instead of how it had been (just run along the top of the inner fender) to clean up the look a bit. Now it looks great, and most importantly, it works.

Front bumper, grille hoops, and headlight bezels have been pulled, sanded, and are in primer right now.

Door panels are off and I'll be making new upholstered panels to match the new seat. The bench seat has also been pulled and is stripped down to the bare frame. I'll repair the minor damage to the foam, replace the couple broken springs, then sand/wire-brush frames and throw a quick coat of gloss black on it to freshen it up. It'll get a new top layer of foam and batting on the seat base, then a new foam for the seat back, followed by all new upholstery. Pending the new/replacement springs, this seat should go fast.

More bad news/good news though. Good: I found out the floors are new and were cut/welded rather than just skinned over crap metal. Bad: They were welded in too high, so installing carpeting will be a challenge. As soon as possible, the truck will make a trip to the welder to have the floors cut and re-welded in the proper position. (At least I think they're in a little high, but I'd love to catch up with another CT member with a 67-68 to make sure they're not in the right position.)

[markmdz]

here's a couple pics of the work in progress...

Floors you can see look to sit slightly above the rubber door seals, but they're 100% rust free. I'll have to do a little more digging to see if the section behind the pedals in the kick area were done as well, but on a preliminary look, they're solid as well. It looks like the previous owner used some of that brush/roll on thick bedliner crap on the floor, which looks terrible, but serves a great function to protect the floors from rust. I scraped off some of it, as well as drilled a few test holes in the floor to confirm it's a single layer and good/rust-free steel under that black.

Spring carnage. The busted perimeter and perimeter support springs that I'll be replacing. All other springs are in great shape.

Upholstery: There's the really "so bad it's good" upholstery just wrapped over the seat, which I really like, but the wife thinks I'm out of my mind.

Then there's a shot of the black/grey/silver material with chrome piping and black fau-leather. If I go this route, the fancy material will be the seat base and go 3/4 up the back. The black vinyl will be the top 1/4 of the back as well as the full perimeter of the back and base. The chrome piping will follow the edges of the base and back. Yes, it's a bit mid-50's style, but I think it'll work well with the truck.

Please bear in mind, if I go with the second upholstery option, the interior will be finished with a gloss black dash, black dashpad and black carpeting to tie everything together.

Which upholstery do you guys prefer?

[EARNHARDT#3]

Nice truck! I live in PA but about a year and a half ago I bought my '67 C10 in Connecticut. Same state we found my dads '64 Bonneville Convertible. You can see in my avatar what it looks like now but it originally had the ugly white trim as well. I guess I shouldn't say that...some guys like it and I respect their opinion because it was how many of our trucks came out of the factory. I also got rid of the big goofy mirrors.

[EARNHARDT#3]

Here it was...

[EARNHARDT#3]

Here are the mirrors I went with. Still need to put one on the other side.

[markmdz]

Originally Posted by EARNHARDT#3

Here are the mirrors I went with. Still need to put one on the other side.

Very nice. What did you do with the holes on the doors left behind when you took the mirrors off?

[Sicklajoie]

That's cool you're making some good progress!
And you're not out of your mind... that upholstery rocks!!