'70 C/10 The Needy Beast

[70STOVEBOLT]

Bought the truck back in 2001, it was my sole daily driver from then until my mom got really sick (lung cancer) in July of 2013. Since then it's been a part-time driver. I got tired of the 3-speed column shifter hanging up so I bought a TH400 from ebay for $100 that came with everything I needed to make the swap, including an automatic steering column, crossmember, shift linkage, etc. Pulled the pan and replaced the filter and fluid and it's been in there since. That was about 7 years ago. Recently I removed the 250 and installed a freshened up 402 out of a '71 motorhome that I bought on the board a couple years ago. I had purchased a rust-free cab from a board member back in 2011 and my son and I did the cab swap in September of this year. Since that time, it's been a fair-weather driver, as the drip rail sealer was removed when I got the cab and I have not replaced it yet.
The core support, right fender, right inner fender are NOS items. The right door is a rust-free original (not to this truck). I still need to get a left door and SWB bed (good luck finding an original, right?). Will probably go with a Woodall aftermarket bed, but would like to find an original driver's door, as I have heard that the repop doors do not fit right. I will post some pics of the cab swap shortly. Plans for the truck are a medium blue with white top and white on the metal interior with blue trim. I was going to go blue on the inside as well, but I like the look of the white/blue interiors that I have seen.

[sduckworth13]

Looking forward to your pictures of progress.

[68Gold/white]

Sounds Cool!
I hope you can give up your membership in the drum brake club soon!
Good driver side doors are very difficult to find. I've found a couple through the years, have not installed them yet, would never sell them...good pass side doors can be had, easily...

[70STOVEBOLT]

Guys I will post some pics on Monday. Thanks for the comments. Have a great weekend!

[70STOVEBOLT]

I don't have a lot of pics, but I will post what I have. Here is the old sixer before it was removed. Notice the "high performance" P/S pulley

[70STOVEBOLT]

This is the "good side" of the old cab before it was removed. The driver's side floor, rocker panel, and kick panel were rotted. Also, above the windshield, the passenger floor and kick panel had holes, and the cab supports were gone on both sides.

[70STOVEBOLT]

As I mentioned before, had a rust-free cab waiting in the wings for a while.

[70STOVEBOLT]

Out with the old. Look ma, no cab!! Sorry so blurry, crappy cell phone pic.

[70STOVEBOLT]

Next, it was time for a little more power! ...and a lot less fuel economy...

[70STOVEBOLT]

Last pic I have of the cab change. I have since put the front clip back on, I will take some pics of that and post them later.

[slowcpe]

Cool build. Very jealous of the rust free cab! Especially in Indiana.

[70STOVEBOLT]

It had work done before I bought it, but it is rust-free now. Guy I bought it from was in Newark, IL, but said the truck it was on came from WI.

[70STOVEBOLT]

Have not made a lot of progress on the truck over the last 6 months, been busy with HS band activities almost every weekend. My oldest daughter is graduating next month so those activities will be over. Then it will be more truck time! Here is a couple pics of what the truck looks like currently. I have driven it a handful of times since completing the cab and engine swap. Boy does it like the gasoline! Oh well, such is the plight of the big block owner...

[70STOVEBOLT]

Removed the old rusty bed on Saturday and began cleaning up the frame for paint. Cut up the old bed, went through 6 sawzall blades. This old metal is tough. Check out the pile of rust that came out of the bed!

[70STOVEBOLT]

Not a lot of progress, but got one coat of paint on the rear half of the frame/suspension after a LOT of wire brushing and scraping. I used Rustoleum low gloss black farm implement paint, and brushed it on. I am going to put a second coat on as soon as I get a dry day. Next up after painting will be to get the exhaust system and tubular transmission crossmember installed. Stay tuned...

[70STOVEBOLT]

Not really related to progress, but my son, who is a senior in HS made this killer key ring for me.

[70STOVEBOLT]

It's been a while since I posted, but I have made progress on the truck. Got the full exhaust system installed with electric cutouts with exits in stock location behind rear tires. I did get the tubular trans crossmember installed, you can see it in the pic of the exhaust cutouts. Removed drums and spindles to make way for disc brake swap. Removed upper control arms to replace the cross shaft bushings. Will be cleaning up the front third of the frame as well for paint.
Sorry for the small pics.

[70STOVEBOLT]

Got the front third of the frame painted. I ended up removing the entire front suspension and replaced all wear parts. Found NOS upper and lower ball joints, used US made Moog lower control arm cross shafts and Dorman upper control arm cross shafts. The steering components were good, as I had replaced them previously with all US made Moog parts a few years ago. Removed the steering box and painted it as well.

[70STOVEBOLT]

Also painted the frame under the cab, but I don't have any pics of that, because I didn't remove the cab from the frame. I unbolted the front mounts and used a high-lift 3-ton floor jack to lift the cab off the mounts, removed the mounts and painted that area and after it dried, I bolted it back down and did the same with the rear mounts. It was a long process, using mostly an assortment of wire brushes to clean the frame prior to painting. It's been a busy spring and summer and when I'm not busy it's been too dang hot to do anything.

[Ol Blue K20]

It's looking good so far. Keep on it

[70STOVEBOLT]

Thanks Dale.

[70STOVEBOLT]

Got the upper and lower control arms on, and got the right spindle and rotor assembly on and all fasteners torqued to spec. Progress is progress, but I don’t know if I will be able to take it for a drive before the snow flies or not. Still have to finish the front suspension and put the engine and trans back in, but first I need to get the trans rebuilt and get the heads fixed and back on. The engine developed a miss, so I pulled the heads off thinking I would find a burnt valve. Turns out number 8 exhaust valve seat had sunk. So I took them to work but it’s so busy in the machine shop they have not had a chance to get to them.

[70STOVEBOLT]

Here are a couple pics. I’m not the best photographer but this is the angle I could get without moving a bunch of stuff.

[70STOVEBOLT]

She's a roller again! Got the front suspension and disc brakes installed. Still need to install the sway bar, then the front suspension will be done! Next will be changing the master cylinder and installing a prop valve, then flushing the brake system, filling with fresh fluid, and bleeding the entire system. I don't have much space to work in, sorry for the bad pic.

[70STOVEBOLT]

Replaced the drum/drum master and distribution block with a new disc/drum master and a used prop valve I purchased from the parts board. It was a PITA to reposition the lines, especially the one for the rear brakes. Part of the problem is the garage was hot and muggy because it had just rained, but I got it done. I used the existing drum brake lines. I also got the sway bar installed with NOS bushings and all stainless hardware, but I did not take a pic of that. Here is a pic of the master/prop valve installed. I clear coated the master and cover, hope it holds up. You can see in my previous pics the old one was pretty rusty.