'66 C30 Restomod Project

[Chuck73080]

So... last week I closed the deal on a partially restored 62,000 mile LWB 10,000 GVW C30. The cab was disassembled and repainted by 4-5-6 Chevy Trucks and returned to the prior owner in 2015.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/184381...57653616824764

Tuesday Tony took a trailer up to Cameron, MO and brought the C30 back to his shop in Kansas City to pick up where he stopped 6 years ago.

The plan is to blast and paint the frame from cab back, replace the HO72 5.14 rear with a refurbished Dana 3:54 with new brakes, pull the front clip and strip the frame to blast and paint cab forward, pull the drive lines, carrier bearing, engine, trans, radiator, battery, fuel lines, brake lines and wiring to paint the entire frame with cab on. Pull the interior, remove the fuel tank and floor mat before repairing any rust in the floor.

Then go back together with a High Efficiency Tripleflow 4 Row Core US Radiator/shroud-dual electric fan combo, Blueprint Engines 396" SBC stroker, Sanderson ceramic headers, CenterForce billet flywheel with CF 12" Dual Friction clutch, SM420, PS, PDB, dual 60 gallon saddle tanks, reinsulated cab floor with new shifter boot and rubber mat, refurbished seat/new upholstery, new factory style tach (refaced and calibrated for 7000 RPM), and Vintage Air.

Most of the parts are already being shipped, except the Vintage Air (4 week delay), and the radiator (4 week delay). I still need to line out the fuel system and Tony is supplying all new power front disc brake and PS systems.

I want to lay out the fuel system with EFI fuel lines to facilitate an upgrade later, once the steel bed goes back over the new fuel tanks I don't want to have to make changes.

The engine arrived today, Tony sent me a copy of the dyno sheet. I decided on this engine because of the monster low end torque it produces (they guaranty 485HP/509TQ). Mine showed peak HP as 506@5250RPM and peak torque as 535@4100RPM. What I really like about this motor is that at 70MPH/2850RPM the dyno shows 500 torque.

https://blueprintengines.com/product...etor-bp3961ctc

So, that's the theory behind this build, I invite you to stay tuned for REALITY.

[franken]

It looks nice but one wonders why the floormat wasn't pulled and the inside floor not blasted and painted in the first link. Same with the underside of the cab and frame, etc.
It's nice to see a one ton dually no less getting some attention.

[Chuck73080]

Originally Posted by franken

It looks nice but one wonders why the floormat wasn't pulled and the inside floor not blasted and painted in the first link. Same with the underside of the cab and frame, etc.
It's nice to see a one ton dually no less getting some attention.

I'm not sure why he didn't pull the mat and do the floor, he bought the truck about a year before he had Tony paint it. There was some surface rust just above the sill plates, so I just wanted it to get taken care of now, while everything else is getting done. With 62,000 original miles I thought it was a good deal.

My wife thinks it's ugly, but I just wanted an old truck (hate the new stuff) to play with. I went way overboard with the engine, but am gonna try to talk her into a Retro style 5th wheel like this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9FnHMu2BCc

Grey and light blue would look good.

We're going to glam the truck up a bit to make her happier. I asked her tonight if she would drive the truck and she replied she "doesn't like stick shifts, trying to balance gas and clutch on a hill".

I told her "all you have to do is put it in first and let out the clutch". Let that 7.05 first gear do the work.

[franken]

Have fun. I was just looking at previous work. It looks like you're doing fine. Hopefully the wife warms up to the thing.

[Chuck73080]

Originally Posted by franken

Have fun. I was just looking at previous work. It looks like you're doing fine. Hopefully the wife warms up to the thing.

I was originally thinking of a chrome grill, bumper and mirrors with chrome beauty rings on the blue wheels, but Tony says the reproduction pieces are flimsy and suggested another option.

He suggested a powder coat color called "Near Chrome" that I am considering for the bumper, grill, mirrors and wheels.

The red and white '64 1 ton GMC panel in the opening of this YouTube video has it on the grill and bumper... I'm undecided, but it does look good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJAPiFjhXak

The chrome bumpers and grills are not very expensive and if I don't like the bumper I could always wait for my stock one to get chromed.

I have to admit the little Red '63 parked next to the panel looked really impressive with the chrome bumper and grill.

[Chuck73080]

I called US Radiator this morning and got all set up with a High Efficiency Copper/Brass 4 Core TripleFlow, plus shroud with dual 11" fans and a wiring kit. Another 4 week wait.