Early 60's C10 gurus

Anybody got any cool pics?

How hard will it be to round up some 6 lug stock wheels?

How would you lower the rear? ...short of bags?

How tight is the orig. rear end?...Can you drive it down the hiway?

Thanks

 

Aftermarket has 'stock' type wheel's and custom off-set's. up to 6" drop coil's in the rear are available. That will dictate an adjustable panhard bar. Plenty of short gas shock's too. Drop spindle's for the guy who wishe's to retain the stock brake system too. Rear gear will be up to you as far as how deep you and your motor can stand (RPM). There is a thread loaded w/ pix. Do a search.

 

i drove my 63 daily for a looong time
no problems at all
i got my lowering stuff from classic chevy performance

 

If you're looking for pics of these trucks go here:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=108866

 

here's our "66" C-10 1/2 ton long bed with a 4/4 drop and upgraded suspention (72) e-mail me for more information.......

 

60-62 is a very different chassis from 63 and newer.

Normally 1/2 ton rear gears were 3.90 in the early 60s, then 3.73, some trucks had 4.10s and 3/4 tons had even steeper ratios. Overdrive is a big help if you're planning on spending time going faster than about 65.

 

I had a 62 shortbed fleetside, lowered springs in rear and cranked down torsions in front. Heres how it sat. It had a 327 with a 3sp auto and 4.11's. Wasn't much of a highway cruiser, but I used it daily for a while for my handyman business.

And up to 63 had torsion bar front ends...in 63 or 64 they switched to springs. All years have swing arm rears that ride great.

 

60-62 were torsion bar, 63 up were coil.

 

Those T-bars are cool, just twist to lower. Even some of the big trucks had them. Is the rear coil or leaf?

 

my 62 is T-bars up front and springs in back...

 

Most Chevy's were coil front and rear from '63 to '72. Most GMC's were leaf spring rear. Exceptions to both rules.
Is the rearend a drop out chunk rearend like a '55 to '64 Chevy car? Or a 12 bolt.
I lowered my '65 pickup by cutting on coil off the front, and cobbled up some buckets for the rear suspension to hold some modified 69 Camaro front coils. I converted mine to 5 lug disc brake on the front and 5 lug rear using a combination of parts, 250,000 miles ago.
Try to find ball joints for the torsion bar front, expensive and hard to find.
I want to say you can unbolt a torsion bar front end and replace it with a complete crossmember from up to a '86 2wd truck to get coils and possibly disc brakes--which leads to drop spindles in a hurry. Minor reworking steering box mount area for power steering--if I was to redo, make a pocket in the frame like a '75 pickup has instead of spacing box out.

 

I appreciate the help. I am closing on a construction loan for a new home tomorrow...if that works out right I am pondering buying a 63 C10 for a couple grand.

As if I won't have enuff going building a house, the move is a good enuff excuse to buy a truck ...right???

Anyway, thanks again for the help!

 

I got a 65 with a straight 6 that the whole drive train is still stock and its lowered with heated springs in front a with 6 inch drop springs in the rear and I can drive it daily if I want and it also has not real probs on the highway I do 70-80 in it.

 

If it runs and drives, you refer to it as the "work" truck until the house is finished and then you "decide" to fix it up when the house is finished.

In this area it would have to be a pretty decent runner to be worth 2k as guys still use those as field trucks around here.

 

My 65 came from the factory with 283, three on the tree, 3.23 gear in a 12 bolt.
Now it has a 350, TH350, 1970 12 bolt with 3.08 gears. Rolling with traffic on the interstate at 75 mph make you wish for overdrive.
With having lowered my truck, adding a front sway bar, p/s, p/b, 255/60's, the truck corners like a scared cat. I basically put '75 ball joints in the 65 control arms, then the spindles, tie rod ends, center link, idler arm and bracket from a '75. Then added the master cylinder, porportioning valve and proper plumbing to operate the disc brakes. Then I made a bracket to mount a '89 c1500 single diaphragm brake booster, custom pedal rod, '75 disc type master cylinder---stops great. The rear brakes are '79 11 5/32 x 2 3/4 rears, 79 2wd axles in the 70 housing.
Now the cab is about to give in, the frame is cracked from Saginaw power steering box torque just like the trucks those boxes are from, the TH350 needs to be built again.
If I was to to change over to disc brake again, I'd just transplant a complete front crossmember assembly. I'd look harder for a 1 1/4 sway bar from a one ton. And I would've put the Grand National 9" rear under it back in 1989 when Turdytoo talked about it.

 

My Fleetside shortbed, big window 63 had 3.73's and a Corvette 4-speed behind a stock 327 with 4 bbl and headers.
Rear tires were probably 29" tall.

Neat truck.
Had it for quite a while.

It ended up with a set of slot mags and Porsche Red paint.

Coil springs in the back.

I see slot mags for the Chevy 6 lug bolt pattern all the time.
Pretty cheap as well.
The slots aren't real popular, but I really like em.
Getting a good collection as well, but no 6 lugs.

Last ones I bought were $12.50 each.
Ones before that were $5. each, but that was one of those 'deals' with a pal who was clearing out his garage.
He wants some Torque Thrusts, but is stuck with Centerlines for now.

Garage sale prices are usually $10. each.

Not sure, but you may be able to lower the rear with some home-made lowering blocks.
2" would make a noticeable difference and the pickup would still be usable.

Lowering is all about stance and not about dragging the rockers on the pavement.