62 C10 Build

[robber grin]

I'm new to KB and though I've posted here and there for years on other sites, I never really felt like doing a build thread, but you guys make me feel at home... I'm always on here looking at the cool builds and so enjoy seeing everyone's projects come to life. Lot's of talent and vision on here.

My Dad is and always was a car-nut since I can remember; made me one too. Unfortunately he's not doing so good these days with his health and I'm hoping to get it done in time for he and I to enjoy it some before we can't.

For some time now I've lived away from my family, so I keep a journal on the build to share with him and send him updates from time to time.

This build's been going on for 3 years and it's a low-buck, home-grown version of what I've learned from my experience with previous builds and seeing what others have done.

I don't always get as much done as I'd like too, but it's finally getting there.

If all that makes any sense (?) and you guys won't mind - I'm going to dedicate this build to my Dad.

This is a pic of my Dad a couple years back with his new (then) car and this is where I started on my 1962 Chevrolet C10 short wide BBW as well as what it looks like today.

We started with a fairly solid Texas truck, originally a 235 6 cylinder, with 3 speed manual truck, but a previous owner had swapped out the 3 speed for a truck four speed at some point.

Started by tearing it down to the frame and bringing it back up with a 1964 Chevy truck 283, 1983 TH350C transmission, and 1973 K10 posi rear with 3:08 gears, aftermarket Blazer tank conversion, static drop is 5 1/2" front and 6" rear.

A 78 2WD 'burb was the front cross-member donor and we added drop spindles and coils. Coils and blocks out back with a pipe-notch.

If you guys are interested - I'll try to get it up to date as we go along.

Thanks for looking,
Bob

[Dan the Man]

Very nice build so far from the pics. That is awesome that you are dedicating the build to your Dad. I share the same friendship with my dad and cars. He taught me just about everything I know to work on cars. Keep it up and I hope you can finish it and cruise with your Dad.

[robber grin]

Thanks Dan - I'm trying!

First thing was to pull the 62's torsion bar clip in favor of a 78 burb front cross member with Bell 2 1/2" drop spindles, 3" drop coils, HD disk brakes, and McGaughy's 6 lug rotors... repositioned the front shock upper mounts, added the 78's sway bar on drop brackets, and the steering box on a a REX adapter kit sleeved and welded to the box frame section.

Got low enough for my grand kids to make a bench out of it!

stay tuned...
B

[Old_Soul]

Awesome build. Sorry to hear about your dads health.Cant wait to see the finished build. Keep up the good work.

[onebigdog]

That picture of your grandkids is adorable! Nice job on the wood in the bed. I wish my truck looked as good as yours.

[robber grin]

Awesome build. Sorry to hear about your dads health.Cant wait to see the finished build. Keep up the good work.

Thanks Old_Soul... that means a lot to me. Pressing on.
bob

[robber grin]

That picture of your grandkids is adorable! Nice job on the wood in the bed. I wish my truck looked as good as yours.

onebigdog - Thanks - they were out for the weekend, fun to watch them pick some tomatoes in the garden, kicked the ball around the yard a bit as well - lot's of fun!

The wood was a journey in itself - from rafters to "riches". I love the way it turned out and thanks again for the kind words!
bob

[robber grin]

Pulled the cab and got things down to bare frame then figured out motor and transmission mounting using 67-72 V8 stands with 1" spacers on top of frame. Made a tranny rear support out of the old bell cross member. Cleaned the Texas dirt off the frame and it still had paint in spots - gotta love it.
Four barrel intake, ram horns, fresh gaskets, pumps, and paint on the old '64 truck 283. Trans is a TH350C from an 83 1/2 ton.

Pressing on - bob

[robber grin]

Chassis was (from stem to stern) a bunch of little jobs for sure, but it came together pretty fair...

That's my rear transmission cross member - pitched the frame mounts to fit inside the X-member of the frame.

The shift linkage is from 1/2 ton GM truck too - drilled the frame for frame-side mount and works great!

Drive line set up was fun since I had the front old style engine mount originally - worked everything off the factory spot based on 3 speed bell mounts.

Power steering is 70's GM 1/2 ton on a R3Z kit - ideal for the 63 to 66 frame but you can do the older frames with some tweaking and sleeving.

Motor in the house - booster master from same square body 1/2 ton donor on a 1/4" adapter plate.

peace - bob

[robber grin]

Out back I had to figure out how to mount the aftermarket Blazer tank with the wider frame, so I went fore and aft with the straps, moved the rear brace back enough to create space, and made some top braces from strap, then insulated them with some BIG shrink tubing. Had to shorten the straps and recreate the ends to make it work... a process but it's in there. A full 7" from the floor - so I have my fingers crossed.

Got a scrap of thick wall tubing from my favorite fab shop and notched the frame for added clearance from 6" drop on 2" blocks and 4" coils. Hard to see them, but I put some 1" snubbers up in the notch for a comfortable place to bottom out.

That's the old 62 rear end but that has since been replaced with a 73 K10 3:08 12 bolt posi with HD brakes.

Saddles and adjustable pan-hard bar from CPP I think.

Just thought how weird it seems to summarize all of this into a few posts to get up to date.

Appreciate you looking - bob

[robber grin]

TANKS Y'all

Tank is in, rear is in, cab went back on with the help of my best bro Keith (like Bubba and Forest - not sure which one I am - probably Bubba) and our sons help.

Brakes got rebuilt, everything got splashed with Rustoleum and I'm loving the new stance at this point!

Tires had to go since they rubbed the bed sides but more on that later.

Back to "reality".

Peace y'all - bob

[ChristCrusader13]

Wow... thanks for sharing!

the sway bar you installed is from a suburban? I have been looking everywhere for something to put on my 54 C-10 , it rolls really heavy in the corners... Thanks for posting... prayer lifted for your dad!

[robber grin]

Swayed

Wow... thanks for sharing!

the sway bar you installed is from a suburban? I have been looking everywhere for something to put on my 54 C-10 , it rolls really heavy in the corners... Thanks for posting... prayer lifted for your dad!

78 Suburban 1/2 ton 2wd sway bar and brackets - frame side brackets are the drop bracket you see sold by most aftermarket folks - I used Truck and Car Shop for mine. There are a couple of sizes out there like 1" or 1 1/8" so be sure what size you have before you buy your bushings.

If you can find a 64/5/6 bar I've got a new set of bushings for the smaller OEM sway bar that you can have (for free)... If you go with the newer stuff any parts place will hook you up on fresh bushings. I got mine at N@P@. Let me know.

Where the frame is boxed you have to get creative with the mounting like an extra hole for wrench access to the bolt.

Thanks for the prayers brother. We can use them.
bob

[robber grin]

RE-Tired

On my third wheel & tire combo - first set of chrome reverse were too wide and rubbed the bed sides, then I had a nice set of AD wheels in red but they didn't clear the calipers. So I found a clean set of take offs from a 70's 4x4 at a garage sale and had them powder-coated white and my son-in-law, Lou, ground me down some poverty www's.

Mocked up the filler panel and rebuilt original radiator, stuck a trans cooler on the core support X-brace by welding some fender washers to the appropriate points and used gator clips to hold it in place.

Settled on a 61 grill with 60 center section to skip running with the letters out front on the grill.

Starting to look like something again.

Thanks for looking - bob

[robber grin]

Plenty of tire clearance now! Bullet lugnuts and trim rings finished it off.

Fabbed some 1/4" plate into a booster adapter mounting plate for the firewall that will allow me to mount the 78 burb's booster and cover the second port for the old clutch master. Made a pushrod out of the 78 and 62 rods so we can marry the pedal assembly and maintain adjustability too.

Auto Tilt column is mid-70's GM van (key on dash) and the pedal assembly is the 62's with the 78 pedal welded to the arm.

bob