Projects Father/Son 63 Chevy C10 SWB Build Thread

My brother had a '64 GMC one-ton, ran like a scalded dog, always liked the grille and hood on those.

 

Well...made the deal on the GMC, so just need to go pick it up. There is just something about chasing vehicles even if they are only for parts that is still an adrenaline rush. I was recently up at a buddies shop in the Springfield, MO area and saw a 63 panel truck he had sitting outside. It is WAY rusty, but I had to ask about it... The price he quoted me was cheap and I can't quit thinking about it too. Maybe Nostrebor should go buy it from him instead since he knows him too...

 

*Nostrebor puts an incredibly high value on his marriage, and elects to take a hard pass!

 

Stay focused. From the king of adhd.

 

LOL! Actually, I haven't been thinking about that panel truck much after starting on the rust repair on this project. I remember how much I don't like doing that kind of work. Plus, I just need to get my own junk reliable after finishing the two pu projects in front of me this year.

 

So...last night that I thought we might spend spreading recycled asphalt under the lean-to turned into plumbing night. Seems 25 tons of material plus truck weight is hard on pvc. On the upside, it was fresh water and not sewer and now I know where a sprinkler valve is that was buried before. And, I found another use for all the crap I seem to keep when I had just enough fittings and cement to get it fixed and water back on when all the stores were closed.

But, more distractions from truck progress.

 

Sounds like we are related.

 

Got the asphalt spread and got back to work on the pu a little last night and today. These old valve covers are pretty pitted up, but they look decent and old like they are...

 

Looking good. Spray that asphalt down with diesel when it gets up to 95 and it will melt together.

 

Funny how it works, you buy a project car and others come out of the woodwork. Parts as well. You run into strangers that know where these gems are.

 

No kidding. I don’t know how many times I have been pulling home a project or parts car on a trailer and either stopped at a gas station or maybe to eat when someone walks up and points me toward another one. I have considered just pulling something around town with me any time I am looking for something like it.

 

Tired of fixing rust...so we are taking a diversion to do something more fun. Not sure I would lose the door handles, but he is set on it. Pretty sure he is part hot rodder and part kustom guy. I was sure to let Mick Bryan know he is a bad influence on an impressionable teenager. These doors weren’t the best to start with anyway...so good ones to ruin.

 

I think it will work. Just use good components.

 

I told him if all else fails...he can leave the wing windows unlocked...the traditional poor boy way.

 

Remote battery terminals are a plus...

 

Finished welding up the first door including multiple mirror mounting holes other than pulling the area in the front where all these doors get creased when the stop breaks. A previous repair made for lots of drilled holes and some creative bondo spreading and then the door broke through a few of the holes. We will pull it all out and weld up all the mess. Pretty sure this is much more motivating to my son than rust repair. He is doing all the welding on this second door.

Oh, and with some of the actual talent when it comes to metalworking here on the HAMB, we won’t be posting bare metal pics.

 

And, if anyone was curious about the previous “fix” on the door crease, this is what it looked like under the bondo that had also partly cracked and fell off. Seems either someone never fixed what caused the crease in the first place, or it broke a second time. We are borrowing a good friends spot welder this evening to pull it all out and then we will weld the holes and crack and get it solid. There are a couple small spots of rust popping up in the lower corners of the doors too that we will likely cut out and fix while we are in the middle of this. Better to deal with now than after we have nice paint some day...

 

Like the shaved handles, be careful with those aftermarket solenoids in those kits, they dont last very long under heavy use. Try and find a pair of 55 Chevy starter solenoids. They hit hard to actually open the door once the door seal is on.

Saw this truck on a local C10 facebook page. If he starts thinking more custom, here is a simple tube grille a guy built. Its a slippery a slope once you start customizing, lol.

 

Thanks! And, the slippery slope is no lie... Back when I was somewhat of a full time custom painter years ago, I did lots of custom Harley's and pickups. Once you get started, it can be hard to stop at times. I have always wanted to build a kustom for myself, but just never have. I love your 56 and how you preserved the look!

 

After reading all of the replies on shaved handle threads, I opted for electric locks and Lincoln Push buttons on the 55. I figure as many folks have electric locks these days, surely they have that technology figured out.

 

This is a great thread, following along with your progress. I have a 19-month-old, and when I'm in the shop, it's time away from her. With your son helping, it's time spent together. Awesome.

 

Thanks! Yea, this has been a dream come true for me. I have sort of put building cars on hold for a few years just trying to keep limping my junk along while the kids were small, but being able to do this stuff with the kids is the best. This year has been a blast and brings back lots of memories whether it be when I did this stuff more regularly or of the time I spent with my dad doing the same. Being able to pass on this hobby to the next generation is too cool.

 

I think some of the modern trunk poppers on some of the newer cars could be reworked into good kick and pull setups for shaved handles. Like on my new Camaro, the button for the trunk is well insulated for weather as its always in the spray & grime from the road and pops the surprisingly heavy trunk lid with ease. It could work on a shaved handle set up and probably be lighter than a old solenoid system.

 

I found a local 59 Ford parts car from a guy I met in the parking lot of Harbor Fright.

 

Or hook up a hidden pull cable under the rocker or in the fender well.

 

Had nice 454 SS with no door handle. Tried to drag race failed inspection because no door handles. Plan ahead

 

Customizing might be a slippery slope but it's a location we've all got to walk once in our lives.

 

Really? I have never heard that. But, I guess I have also never tried to race anything with shaved door handles either. Hmm...

I suppose from a Dad perspective this could be a good thing.

 

Yeah, almost all tracks won’t let you run. Emergency egress for the driver if someone needs to pull them from the car.

 

Thanks for all the information on door poppers, etc. I will start researching some of that including the 55 Chevy starter solenoids. I may even have those already.

Otherwise...didn't get squat done last night other than picking up the spot welder from an old car buddy and standing around reminiscing on old car stories from 30 or more years ago. Silas drove us over there in my pu to get some more practice with the 3-on-the-tree and made the comment on the way over that driving these old pu's is definitely one of the most fun things he does. My buddy was one of my crazy friends back in high school that did lots of street racing, etc. Sometimes I wish my kid didn't hear some of those stories...and even more so...I sometimes wish my part in those stories didn't come up.

Anyway, I guess Silas did try to do some welding yesterday while I was at work. However, I think he only got in a few tack welds before that little bitty spool of wire that comes with a mig welder gave out. So, we got a reasonable size spool and some sandpaper at the parts store to continue down this body work trail on the doors tonight.