Project Build Your Wife Her Truck

[Benchracer]

Several people have reached out with encouragement to create a build thread. I have read, followed many on here in the last few months. I have seen some really cool stuff, learned a lot and gotten some great inspiration. Like everything with this truck, it's all unfamiliar territory. However, I am REALLY good about compiling volumes of material on what NOT to do in many areas. So, why not here as well. If I can help 1 person with something and document the journey, it will all be worth it right?

I cannot promise the frequency or cadence to the updates so please excuse any delayed responses.

I invite you to follow along and to please provide constructive advice along the way.

From my original Introduction post:

I've been soaking up a lot of great tech and ideas on the Forum for a while now. Glad to see all the content! The time has come to dive into our truck.

1971 C-10 Custom
350
Auto
Factory A/C
92,000 miles

Backstory: This was a handed down family vehicle from a dear friend. This was her "grandad's wood truck". He would drive it to the woods every weekend. Cut wood all day and haul it back for the family to use for living, heating and cooking. It was passed down a few generations but stopped running one day. It sat in a driveway for a year before the family pushed in into the garage. We found it 25 years later still in the garage! We brought it home a few years later.

It has sat in our shop for over 5 years. My wife has claimed it so, let me be clear: This is her truck. I have been reading, learning and preparing for the day that we can dive into this. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, my Bronco was totaled. We are using the insurance settlement to get this on the road. Super Excited!!

I have lots of ideas and the search is my favorite tool here.

Plans: As minimal restoration as possible (only fix what is broken). Get it driving, work on the mechanical stuff as it breaks or needs attention. The cab corners and rockers are already scheduled for later this summer. Until then, I will be working to get it running and driving. Drive it all the time.

[Louisvillekytruck]

Great story and truck

[leddzepp]

Nice truck! You can tell it’s never been hit, frame is nice and straight with even gaps all the way around the bumpers.

[Benchracer]

Feb 2022 - Cowl Cleanout

I learned from several threads on here to look in the cowl for debris. Especially if the vehicle had been sitting. I had been preparing to power wash this so I was able to catch that under the cowl was completely packed full of leaves and debris before getting soaked. I vacuumed out the maple leaves, helicopters, cedar berries and a rodent skeleton (I know this is going to come back to me later with other issues). I sent photos to our friend who confirmed where the truck always parked was under a cedar tree. The neighbor had a maple tree. It was a small one when they planted it.

Debris out and leaving the cowling off for cleaning and new antenna.

*Unfortunately, I am encountering an error when uploading photos. Will post those when I can and probably stop the updates for now until I figure out what I am doing wrong.

[kwmech]

You'll have to go to the inside of the truck and get into the area behind the fender (foot vent) with a vacuum cleaner and suck all the debris in there also.

[leddzepp]

99% of the time your pics are too large to upload when you get an error. Try resizing them and they will probably upload.

[Alex69c10]

That’s a really nice truck and lovely story. Good luck.
Posted via Mobile Device

[LockDoc]

-
As leddzepp said, size the pictures down. I size them down to 1150 pixels wide in a photo editing program, and the board software will take care of it from there. That way your pictures will still be big enough for you to use or print out in a decent size.

LockDoc

[Steeveedee]

Also, take them into an app like MSPaint, do a little mod (like crop) and then save them under a different file name. That will help with sideways pix, if you end up with some.

[68Gold/white]

Best part, being a 71, it has factory disc brakes. You can buy replacement parts at most any parts store!!!
I’ve been helping a good friend get his 71 in better shape, on and off for last 2 years.he’s had other pickups. I kept reminding him to look for a 71 or72, just to have great brakes to start with. I’ve done a ton of work, still got a long ways to go.

My first step would be to do the front brakes, then rear, regardless of their current condition, and even if it’s not running. New pads, machine rotors if possible, new rotors if needed, re-pack front bearings, new if needed. Semi metallic pads are a he only way to go, buy the best possible, available! New frame not and rear brake hoses.
You can buy kits for the calipers, kits are cheap, not terribly difficult to install. I prefer caliper Kits. Re-man calipers are cheap, but your using know how many times They have been rebuilt quality can be questionable.

Have fun, a great score!!!

[TALLone71]

congratulations!.. a very nice find, with a great story, looking good

[special-K]

That's a great truck to take on, and it being your wife's fancy makes it more special. I'm curious what options it came with. Could you show a picture of the SPID?

Your picture problem could be that you choose all 5 photos, then hit upload. If you upload each one as you choose then you can get all 5 per post. I have never had to resize a picture before

[Benchracer]

Thanks for the info on the photos.

Also, I realized I posted this in the general section instead of the Projects and Builds section. Can an Admin move this?

[Benchracer]

I'll come back to this shortly....

Originally Posted by 68Gold/white

Best part, being a 71, it has factory disc brakes. You can buy replacement parts at most any parts store!!!
I’ve been helping a good friend get his 71 in better shape, on and off for last 2 years.he’s had other pickups. I kept reminding him to look for a 71 or72, just to have great brakes to start with. I’ve done a ton of work, still got a long ways to go.

My first step would be to do the front brakes, then rear, regardless of their current condition, and even if it’s not running. New pads, machine rotors if possible, new rotors if needed, re-pack front bearings, new if needed. Semi metallic pads are a he only way to go, buy the best possible, available! New frame not and rear brake hoses.
You can buy kits for the calipers, kits are cheap, not terribly difficult to install. I prefer caliper Kits. Re-man calipers are cheap, but your using know how many times They have been rebuilt quality can be questionable.

Have fun, a great score!!!

[Benchracer]

Cowl Photos

[Ol Blue K20]

Good looking truck. I'm in to watch!

[rustytruck50]

Great looking truck! Sub'd!

[Benchracer]

Feb 8 2022 - It Rolls!

A great local shop set us up with 5 new tires mounted and balanced. The truck can now roll without a jack or skates.

Went with light duty truck tires to stay with the farm truck look.
Laufenn X FIT AT
235/75/15

I do plan to mount the spare in the bed. I may take some inspiration from Metaldoc on that.

[Benchracer]

Feb 19 2022 - Power Wash

Now that the truck can roll, it's time to roll it out and give it a power wash.

Note: I have now climbed all over this truck. Everything I touch releases dust, grim, flakes...Just rolling around under it checking some things out, I look like a coal miner when I come back in the house.

Thanks to numerous posts on here and some other groups, I learned NOT to wash it by hand at this time. Just power wash to get the dust, flakes and debris blown off. I was worried about accelerating the rust, but some tips came in that just made sense: Use leaf blowers to blow off as much water as possible. And, since it's going back inside, I would be fine. Thanks for all the confidence.

I waited for a sunny day. A good buddy of mine came over. We pushed it outside, sprayed the underside with Simple Green concentrate. Then the engine bay after covering key components. Next we used the power washer to siphon the Simple Green to spray down the body. I spent a lot of time rinsing with the pressure to everywhere that I could reach.

[Benchracer]

After I was thoroughly soaked from laying under it to power wash, we fired up the leaf blowers and blew off every nook and cranny we could find. That was the time the sun really came out too. Sat in the sun for the first time in 30+.

This was a dirt road truck. As the now ruddy brown ground can attest to. The water off the underside was running off ruddy brown for several rinses. (no photo)

[Benchracer]

Feb 23 2022 - Project Area

Updated the project area with a white board and a killer banner from Rob Martin High Performance Design!

The truck is hiding the growing mountain of parts. More on those later...

[Benchracer]

What is the SPID?

Originally Posted by special-K

That's a great truck to take on, and it being your wife's fancy makes it more special. I'm curious what options it came with. Could you show a picture of the SPID?

[68Gold/white]

Originally Posted by Benchracer

What is the SPID?

Decal inside the glove box lid.

[Benchracer]

Special-k and 68Gold/white....

SPID

[68Gold/white]

Wow, my 67 has similar amount of options, although with a 283/glide