Project Family Values: 1971 C10 SWB

[CMars45000]

This truck was purchased by my grandparents for my mother in 1971 as her first vehicle. She was into horses and needed to haul stuff, so a sedan was out of the question. My mother really wanted an El Camino, but my grandfather over-rode that desire. so a C10 it was. It was owned and driven by my mother for about 10 year until she "sold" it to my uncle, who drive it for another 15 years, then it was "sold" back to my grandfather for use on the family ranch in Colorado. All told, it was about 269,000 miles on it, has endured on overhaul of the 307 and a half-assed rusted floor pan repair using fiberglass (Thanks, Uncle Don!) and outer rocker covers.

I "bought" it in 2005 to save it from rotting in a field at the ranch. I was a college student, broke as hell and live in an apartment- I had neither the means or facilities to give it the attention that it needed. So I just started gathering parts. I worked at Napa at the time and started with brake, chassis and steering components. When funds allowed, I bought some aftermarket parts for the suspension, namely an Early Classic Static Drop.

The direction of the build has changed over the years. Originally it was going to be a GenI SBC with a turbo. Now, it has evolved into a Gen3 LS-based swap.

Here are some pics, collected over the years to kick off this build thread.

[CMars45000]

Pics from 2006 when I "thought" I was going to make some headway on the project. I got as far as installing rear drop springs, and and taking the truck for its final drive before I made it immobile. That final drive included doing a burnout until the tires were shredded. The things we do when we're younger!

[CMars45000]

I had the truck sat at my family's ranch in Colorado until 2016 at which time I had it shipped to Pennsylvania where I've lived since 2011. In 2019 I moved the truck to its current resting spot where I would have the space to work on it as time permitted.

Time has been the biggest issue. Over the course of 13 years or so, I was able to gather quite a few parts, but I find myself working on it in 1-2 hour chunks as I have time between kids and work.

[CMars45000]

Here the cab and bed removal is in full swing to strip the frame for painting. I tried to do all frame mods before I painted it, including installing the Boyd fuel tank, removing the original manual trans crossmember, z-link bracket and things of that nature.

[CMars45000]

More pics

[CMars45000]

The pics are right side up on my computer. Why do the rotate 90* when I upload them?

[CMars45000]

Frame stripped, wire brushed, pressure washed and painted.

Three is something interesting about this point in a project. You know most of the road is ahead of you, but you can't help but feel a huge amount has been accomplished. It is all "back together", for the most part, from this point forward. I have a lot of sheetmetal work and rust repair ahead of me, but as least I won't be making my parts pile larger than it already is.

[May70]

I edit in paint and trim the bottom of the pictures. I found a sweet spot that it posts them in the correct orientation. I never could figure out why.

[TexasLS1]

Just saw your thread, looking forward to updates!

[1971Stepside]

Great story and very cool it has been in one family its whole life. Having a bunch of parts before you get started will make it more enjoyable and make it move faster. Looking forward to seeing it come together. I took mine apart in 91. Hoping to drive it next weekend for the first time in 29 years!!

[CMars45000]

Here are a few pics of there rear end rebuild that took place some time ago when I still lived in Colorado.

The original rear end had 3.07 gears and a factory Posi.

Since I've been planning an overdrive transmission from the beginning, I settled oil 3.73s. Because of the ratio split on the case, I had to go to a 4-series carrier which was just as well because the factory Posi had spun a bearing on the carrier.

The replacement Posi is just a Eaton with the carbon fiber clutches. I like the drivability of these and they have plenty of grip for my purposes.

[CMars45000]

Here are some pictures of the chassis and suspension as it came together this past fall.

[CMars45000]

The rolling chassis includes the following upgrades:

-Early Classic 2.5" Drop Spindles
-Early Classic 1" Drop Springs
-Early Classic Front Sway Bar
-Power steering swap from Manual gear box
-Drilled and Slotted rotors with Wilwood D52 Front Calipers

-Early Classic 5" Drop Rear springs
-Early Classic Panhard bar kit
-Early Classic rear shock relocation kit
-Eaton Posi with 3.73s
-Wilwood 12" D154 rear disc brake kit

[CMars45000]

Installing the 5.3. Used Dirt Dingo Mounts with factory-style V8 urethane mounts.