Projects Father/Son 63 Chevy C10 SWB Build Thread

That smile says it all.
Engines looking good guys. Keep up the good work. Thanks for sharing the process with all of us.

 

This is a very cool thread. I love the fact that you and your son are working on it together. It seems like old C-10’s are popular father son projects. I just picked up an old C-10 as well for a father son project. We have a little more time than you guys, my son just turned 10. He’s already making plans for it. Ours needs a lot of body work, but I’m not real good at it, but we will learn together. I’ll certainly be watching your progress.


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I have built a couple of the early C10's over the years, my first was a '62 short bed stepside that my Dad and I did. We swapped out the drive train (350/4 spd) from a wrecked Nova SS. That was back in the mid 70's. Second was a '63 short wide bed that I did a few years ago. I also did the crossmember swap with 2" drop spindles and 2" drop springs, I used 90 something Jeep Wrangler springs in back. I put a 250 inline with a S10 T5 transmission in it. It was a fun little truck!

Have fun with the Father/Son project. I'll be looking for it at the SK500!

 

Very cool! I used those same Jeep springs on the back of my 66 that you mention. I have those and 2-1/2” blocks and like the way it sits. But, it sure is soft back there. I think I need to go to an actual dropped spring to get some load carrying capacity back.

Anyway, we sure hope to be there at the SK500 in this truck and look forward to meeting you!

 

I guess we actually did one more thing this weekend. The previous owner had put dropped front springs in the truck, so we figured we might as well salvage them to go with the drop spindles we still need to get. So, we pulled them out and then hauled the old crossmember outside. I’ll save it in case I need any replacement parts for my 66. Planning to take the other crossmember to a buddy to get it sandblasted this week so we can start putting it all back together.

 

Well, not much has happened over the past month apparently since I posted last. That week I mentioned in the last post turned into a month somehow. Not sure why other than life I suppose, but we did load up the front crossmember and rearend yesterday to take them to get them blasted and ready for paint and rebuild. We should have them back later today. Oh, also scored a set of 2-1/2" dropped spindles off Craigslist up in St. Louis and my buddy Clay Vance (cvstl) picked them up for me. Then, another buddy Bret Chrismer (bchrismer) got them from St. Louis to Springfield a couple weeks ago and my wife should get them from Bret tomorrow. The current plan is to try to get it back together and rolling with a new set of chrome OE wheels and tires and the engine and transmission stabbed before Nostalgia Sid's open house March 14th. Not sure about you guys, but we seem to work best under pressure of deadlines along the way to keep the progress up. Otherwise, a month disappears without even knowing where it went...

Also, I was just up in Indianapolis this week for work and was talking to a co-worker. As we were talking about this project, he mentioned he had several SBC parts my son could have for the build, so we will go check that stuff out next weekend. Gotta love it when folks want to help a young guy get started in this hobby.

 

I ran the CPP rear coils on my 1961, actually got them brand new off ebay for a real good price as the seller had lost the box and wasn't able to return them to wherever he'd originally bought them. Front end was easy on account of the torsion set up but it sure was bouncy haha.

 

Great thread. My son's first vehicle was a father, son project that we started when he was 15 too. It was a 71 GMC. One of the most enjoyable things I've ever done.
I owned a 62 GMC short and wide, but every panel was either or both dented and badly rusted. I ended up selling it.

 

Easier than sanding and using a wire brush, etc. After getting it all cleaned up, looks like someone has completely rebuilt this front end at some point. After seeing that, I think we will just put in new ball joints and whatever is needed in the steering and brakes and call it good. The a-frame bushings all appear nice and there are even signs of the ball joints being new. But, after sandblasting, I would feel better about swapping the ball joints anyway.

We will also pull the rearend all apart and put in new bearings, seals, etc.

 

That s great that you’re building it together,I did that with my son also.i gave him a 62 c10 when he turned 16 he paid for all the parts and I helped him build it,after 6 years he has a cool truck

 

Very cool! You all built a great pu!

 

Well...just got home from the parts store with new ball joints, bearings, seals, rotors, calipers, brake pads, etc. Just need to finish cleaning up the crossmember, get it painted and bolted in, and then start putting things back together. We also ordered the Wheel Vintiques chrome OE wheels which hurt a little. Hope to have it rolling again soon. Now, out to the shop for a night of work.

 

Got a little done tonight, but never as much as planned.

 

Got the crossmember back in and cleaned up the springs and spindles getting them ready for paint. Just like I have read, we had to drill one hole in each side through the frame and also had to oversize one hole for the later crossmember to bolt in. Hopefully, we can get the balljoints in and install the springs and spindles tomorrow. The clock is ticking to have this thing far enough along to show what has been done at Nostalgia Sid’s open house in less than 2 weeks now. He also wants to have the motor together, painted and sitting in the frame if possible. I guess we better order some tires to put on those fancy chrome wheels or it won’t roll very easy. He has decided on skinny whitewalls for that 60’s vibe.

 

Sounds like he’s really itching to get it to a rolling chassis.


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Yea, I think he is mainly itching to see the new chrome wheels on it.

 

I've had that same itch for fifty years, satisfied it many times but it always comes back!

 

Trying to get something done every day now. Got the spindles and springs cleaned up and painted this evening. No more blue spindles. Taking the intake for this motor and my other sons motor to work tomorrow to get them cleaned up some with the blast cabinet.

 

Tulsa County plate!

 

Cool! I actually hadn’t looked that up yet. Thanks Duncan!

 

Mostly homework tonight...but did manage to install lower ball joints, springs and spindles. He got behind some yesterday on school work helping Sid do some work. Not enough hours in the day...

 

Looks like some good progress! Go Silas!

 

You guys are making good progress. Keep him motivated. Be careful letting him hang out with Sid too much. Before you know it, he'll have 37 cars in your yard.

 

Because he hates being in pictures. But...I told him we need proof he did the work or everyone would just assume I did it. Making more progress tonight, but not ever as much as I plan on.

 

Figured we better test fit all these parts before we paint them and then can’t take them back if we were wrong on the year guess on the crossmember swap. I learned there are 1” rotors and 1-1/4” rotors and they take different spindles. The crossmember came with 1” parts, but we needed to mainly verify that the Craigslist-find dropped spindles were 1” as advertised as well. Looks like it will all work together, so we are good to paint and final assemble tomorrow evening. Also got all the steering linkage parts cleaned up and painted tonight. We can put them on tomorrow too. We will be rolling soon! Wheels and tires may arrive in the next couple days too.

 

I really like the C10's. I have been wanting one. I'll watch this thread closely.

 

Questioning whether all this detail work is worth it for a vehicle for a 16 year old?!?? But, almost done painting and installing parts on the front now. Tires came in today and hoping wheels show up tomorrow.



Appears we need to locate the idler arm and drill some holes. None in the place where it needs to mount on this frame.

 

You already get this or you wouldn't be doing what you're doing.........you are setting an (excellent) example and laying the groundwork for a future car guy, plain and simple.
How can that be a bad thing?
It is something to be proud of and if he doesn't continue on this path it is still giving him valuable life skills, something not seen very often anymore.

 

Yea, I know you are right and that it is the right thing to do. Just moves slow when compared to how they build whole cars in an hour on tv. But, that is a whole other subject.

Thanks for the kind words! As mentioned previously, I am the fortunate one to be able to do this with my kids.

 

Looks like you have a 67-72 idler arm. Your years should be straight up and down almost and bolt to the two wholes about 1 oclock

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