Help me feel better!

[72kool]

So as life happens, we don't get to do what we want to with our trucks. I would like to have my engine redone and rust repaired by now. But unfortunately aside from full tune up, brakes and a lot of suspension replacement, I haven't gotten to build my truck much for years.

Watching everybody's builds and seeing everybody's trucks is fun and educational, but depressing sometimes.

So let's see the working class every day drivers! Everything looks better in pictures so tell us what your working on and show us the issues, the upgrades the good and ugly that just havnt gotten the love they deserve yet. We see the outsides but let's hear and see the full story!

[Already Gone]

Should be a great thread..

[Rufas]

72kool,

I feel your pain. I've been working on my Dad's 70 truck for almost 20 years. Your right, life just seems to get in the way at times. But finally things are coming together and I should get it all back together by this time next year. When done it will be one of my daily drivers.

Just have patience it will all work out.

[Ken B]

This is my almost every day driver, an original paint 70 Longhorn I bought from the original owner. I put it away in October till spring as has been done with it since day one. I live in CT. and it has never seen salt! The good is that it is 100% reliable, (I wouldn't hesitate to drive it anywhere) and that it has ZERO rust. The bad is that it is about time to replace the fuel tank... No Ugly to report. LONG LIVE THE LONG BED.

[Fraud]

On the general "life gets in the way" theme...

I took delivery of my truck in January. It traveled from TN to WA on an open carrier and was covered in road grime. "no problem, I'll give it a good wash this weekend"

and then my wife went into labor. Now its July.

[truckster]

A truck on the road is worth two in the shop...

I bought my Blazer back in 2007. It didn't have an engine, but the body was solid. I had great plans - fuel injected engine, 700R4 transmission, ground-up restoration... My wife said, "Just put an engine in it and get it running." I said, "But... but... but..." In the end, she won. I bought a truck locally for $500, pulled the engine, and sold the rest for $400. My wife was right; I enjoyed driving my Blazer with the $100 engine every day for almost six years.

Then it threw a rod. I bought a replacement engine, but then I got ambitious. "While I've got the engine out, I can just touch up the inner fenders." But the frame rails were rusty, and the firewall was a little beat up, and the radiator core support needed paint... you get the idea. So pretty soon I was looking at a bare firewall. And then I retired from the Army and started teaching high school, and life got really busy. Now here I am, over four years later, and I'm just getting back to trying to get the Blazer back on the road. Oh, and that ground-up restoration? It's probably going to have to wait until I retire from teaching.

Moral of the story - you're enjoying your truck now. There's a lot to be said for that.

[1968aj]

I know how you feel. I trailered mine home two years ago . I now have it driveable but not street legal yet. I have stopped and started working on it several times. I almost gave up and sold it a couple of times. this forum is what revives my interest as I feel I know some of you guys through your posts. anyway I am still plugging along.

[Oscar the grouch]

My 70 k10 is my DD I have dreams of restoring her one day but for now I fixed the safety items and keep up with the maintenance and enjoy the hell out of her rust dents scratches and all

[Dieselwrencher]

Here is my daily driver. I purchased it with the intentions of converting it to 4x4. I think I'll leave it alone for now. The AC works.

Here is my 1940 Ford that I wanted to have done to drive last month...... I'm going to try to drive it around the block before the white stuff flies. We'll see how that goes.

[special-K]

I will restore my '72 one day... I think. I got it in '01 and have just been doing what it needs to drive and other cool stuff as I go. Some things have had to wait quite a while for the money and/or time. New things pop up that take priority on it. I just keep trying and the whole time I'm happiest because I can use the truck. It was down 5/15-7/16 and I really missed driving it that year. It needs rockers and one corner, but not even thinking about that till winter... unless I found myself with a few days to start and finish it. It has always worn wheels and tires off other trucks of mine since I've owned it. I got new 8" steel wheels on sale last August and just got a set of tires in May. I just do what I can when I can. well.Cosmetically it's gone downhill and mechanically it keeps getting better, or at least kept up. I just do little things to perk it up rather than treat it like a restoration. Many things I've done will get done over in the restoration.

[toolboxchev]

I definitely feel your pain, so lets not worry about it too much. I wish my interior was as nice as some of these in this thread.

I do feel better after getting some work done on it. It has been wwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

too long.

[anew4961]

I feel the pain!!!! been working on mine for 14 year about to finish with front half bed left to do hope it doesn't take another 14 years ill be dead by then

[toolboxchev]

Originally Posted by special-K

I will restore my '72 one day... I think. I got it in '01 and have just been doing what it needs to drive and other cool stuff as I go. Some things have had to wait quite a while for the money and/or time. New things pop up that take priority on it. I just keep trying and the whole time I'm happiest because I can use the truck. It was down 5/15-7/16 and I really missed driving it that year. It needs rockers and one corner, but not even thinking about that till winter... unless I found myself with a few days to start and finish it. It has always worn wheels and tires off other trucks of mine since I've owned it. I got new 8" steel wheels on sale last August and just got a set of tires in May. I just do what I can when I can. well.Cosmetically it's gone downhill and mechanically it keeps getting better, or at least kept up. I just do little things to perk it up rather than treat it like a restoration. Many things I've done will get done over in the restoration.

I like the way you keep a vehicle. To me a clean one is the same as a Rolling Stone.

[dmjlambert]

72kool, I feel a lack of progress on my truck as well. I read in another post something about just go out to the truck and do 15 minutes worth of work a day, and it will make a difference. I don't manage to do that every day, but I think of that thread often and I do something at least every week.

Even if it is simple as removing something the previous owner had that I don't want on the truck right now, such as a speaker power booster that may or may not work, and my radio that may or may not work as well, and I can't tell until I finally get around to bench testing. The speakers and wiring were completely shot, and the way the previous owner had them installed was funny. He just cut an X in the doors and bent the sheet metal in to create a hole. So, one of my "15" minute jobs was to bend that stout sheetmetal back out so I could get a jigsaw in there and cut a nice round circle for new speakers. I've got the passenger side done last week, and looking forward to doing the driver's side next week.

My truck is a field find, so cosmetically it is in very bad shape and I'll probably just keep it that way at least for a few years, and just drive it. I think it is kind of funny to see the threads about trucks that people are parting out that are 10 times better shape than mine. I do have the engine and transmission rebuilt and all the safety inspection items fixed. I'm going to work on one thing at a time and keep on plugging away at it until I get the cab comfortable inside, complete with upholstery, air conditioner, seat belts, etc.

[72kool]

Love hearing and seeing what everybody else has. Good to see I'm not the only one.

Here is mine. I've had her for 6 years now. All things new
- All new coolant lines (except one but it just blew so it will be new soon)
-rotors, drums, calipers, master , shoes and pads
-shocks
-axle seal
-external voltage regulator
-valve cover gaskets
-replaced a trailing arm and have new springs
- hei distributor
-plugs and wires
- radiator
-heater core
-heater ducts and vents
-retro sound stereo
-heater control head unit

And I'm sure I could keep adding to this list. Unfortunately it doesn't look like I've done anything to it. But the insides are.newer. I need to pull my engine and reseal everything next.

[72kool]

Here is the ugly

Well I was going to show the rust, but now I'm missing a security token when uploading pictures.


Hey pictures uploaded now. Here is some rust for everybody

But anyways, that's my trucks story. I would love to start fixing rusty panels but I don't have a welder and never have time. Unsure of an answer there for me but I'll keep working on what I can and driving it

[72kool]

Another question for everybody, It will be awhile before rust gets fixed, and my cab corners, rockers, cab supports , kick panel and bottom of doors are rusty or rusted out, am I crazy to clean up everything inside and lay down insulation and new carpet to make the interior as nice as possible until rust repair can happen?I want to make the interior nice but feel kind of crazy since it has rust through it

[dmjlambert]

Originally Posted by 72kool

Another question for everybody, It will be awhile before rust gets fixed, and my cab corners, rockers, cab supports , kick panel and bottom of doors are rusty or rusted out, am I crazy to clean up everything inside and lay down insulation and new carpet to make the interior as nice as possible until rust repair can happen?I want to make the interior nice but feel kind of crazy since it has rust through it

That is funny, you just described exactly my crazy plan for my truck.

[72kool]

Originally Posted by dmjlambert

That is funny, you just described exactly my crazy plan for my truck.

Glad to hear I'm not alone in my crazy ideas! I want to find a comfy seat, install insulation and add carpet and reseal both windows

[macdaddy70]

HelloThis was my first vehicle. My Grandfather found this truck and Dad bought it for me in 88 while I was at Mississippi State. Fast forward to today. After sitting up for a few years, I started to work on it about 6 months ago. I sold a jon boat to free up some cash. Rebuilt carb, replaced fuel tank, sending unit and blew out/replaced all fuel lines...47 years of crud, it needed it. Then radiator sprung a leak and I replaced it with a champion (great choice). Replaced heater core and the last of my boat money is being spent on new tires and refurbishing the original rims. This will look like lipstick on a pig but very much needed.
OTHER NEEDS - rockers, floor pans, cab corner and other cosmetic issues, but it is running good and when the new tires are on it...watch out.
I haven't posted before, but thanks to a great bunch of folks and great website for some good info. No pics now but will post at a later date. Actually, mine looks just like 72KOOL truck except mine is a 70 1/2 ton.

[dmjlambert]

Great, welcome to the forum. I'm glad this thread prompted you to post.

[Oscar the grouch]

You 2 are not crazy I just put some peel and stick hvac insulation and some discounted house carpet in even though I still need inner and outer rockers on the driver's side plus some floor patch on the the driver's side under the brake pedal I covered with an old license plate and rtv cost about 80 bucks no more hot feet

[72kool]

Macdaddy70- welcome to the board! I would love to see pictures of your truck. I'm hoping to repaint the wheels, bumpers and mirrors on mine soon. Should help looks a lot.

Oscar the grump- that looks great!! Any more installation pictures?? Really nice to see it turned out great. I will definitely be doing this now

[Dieselwrencher]

I wouldn't be afraid to spruce up the inside of your truck. It looks more intact than ones I used to daily drive.

In case you haven't seen my build thread, this is my 72 that I've had for the last 10 years or so. It still isn't done. By the time I do get it done, it will be time to repaint it.

[Oscar the grouch]

I can grab some more in the morning now that it's back together