Projects Father/Son 63 Chevy C10 SWB Build Thread

Thanks, but actually it is a 73-87 crossmember with all the steering linkage other than the pitman arm which is still the 63. According to where it was on the other frame and how everything levels out when all other joints are attached, it appears to want to land about here. I’ll make sure tomorrow that everything is right before I mount it.

 

Ahhh alright cool, didn't realize you had a different year crossmember....may want to check just to see if the other idler arm would still work, just to utilize the stock frame holes....may work, may not, worth the shot for cleanliness

 

Good point. Wouldn’t take much to mock it up and the one I took off is just behind the shop. I’ll check that out! Thanks!

 

And that is a bad thing? Haha
Always nice to see a younger crowd interested in the old stuff.

 

Well...I decided to follow up with Wheel Vintiques on the wheels today since we expected them to arrive. Turns out they hadn’t shipped yet based on incorrect inventory. So...praying they leave California today and make it to us by the end of next week. Otherwise, we will miss the open house and my kids opportunity to show off his progress. Not a huge deal, but I know we are both excited to see it rolling with those. I guess we will button up the front otherwise and move to the rear. I am heading to pick up the tires now and we will just mount them ourselves next week.

 

Mainly a parts gathering day today. Picked up the tires and a repo Cadillac air cleaner that now needs painted and a flying eyeball and pinstripes according to my son. Thankfully, I have a good friend Kyle Ambrose (lowheat) that does great traditional striping and likes flying eyeballs. Also got the rotors unmasked, greased the bearings, and put them all together. Found out the Mr. Gasket chrome dust caps slide right into the hole in the rotors so deciding whether to try something else or modify them to work. Anyway, little by little...



My son was at a power lifting competition all day today so is exhausted. We may call it an early night.

 

Also, when I went to pick up the tires, made a new friend that had a fuel pump go out on his clean 57 moredoor at the tire shop. He also happened to be someone that goes on our reliability runs that we put on. Always good to meet a fellow gearhead.

 

The stock 63 thru 66 idler will over center. Use the 73 up idler. no problem to drill two 3/8 holes.

 

Good to know. I haven’t had the time to look at it yet, so will just plan on the newer one.

The weekend isn’t over yet, but not sure how much more we might get done considering I have some house stuff to do. We did get the rearend cleaned up, put in new bearings and seals, and painted it. Also, painted the 2-1/2” lowering blocks we built and longer u-bolts for the rear as well. We had to order the gasket for the rearend cover, so didn’t quite get it completely sealed up yet. Now, we just need to install all the brake components and swap out the rearend either tonight or more likely tomorrow night.

 

A little more done tonight...

 

Well...got the rearend in with the lowering blocks, shocks back on, and buttoned up the steering in the front. Ended up just drilling a couple holes to mount the later model idler arm. Maybe tomorrow night, we can get all the brake parts on other than plumbing it all up. I’m getting too old to be doing this every night. Good thing we have a deadline and my kid is energetic.

 

Oh, and for anyone wondering about what may not be the best joint through the lowering blocks, there are spacer bushings welded inside the square tubing to make sure I can get a good clamp load on the joint. Hard to see that in the assembled pic. Attached pic is prior to actually welding the bushings in.

 

We got a little more done tonight. Got the front completely together and greased other than plumbing the brakes and installing some shocks. And, we got the drums and wheel cylinders painted. Thinking we should be able to put all the rear brakes together tomorrow night, slap the drums on, mount some tires, and put it on the ground.

 

It looks like it's coming along real nice. Hope you're able to make your deadline.

 

Thanks! Not looking like we will have the engine in it, but it should be rolling so he can show off his work this Saturday. I forget how long this stuff takes...

 

It’s like Christmas! Headed over to Sid’s to mount the tires on the wheels after taking my son to weight lifting. Getting exciting now that the Christmas jewelry showed up! Good day to take a vacation day from work.



Edit: Decided I better test fit the front wheels when I came to my senses enough to remember the “mount them, own them” rule. I was mainly only concerned with the change to the drop spindles since sometimes they move the wheel up enough to cause problems with lower a-frame clearance or possibly tie rod clearance especially using 15” wheels. Appears we are good to go!

 

Woohoo! He is excited now! I have to admit...I am too...just a little.

 

sick!!!the stance looks just right and the frame is nicely detailed !!!

 

Looking good! Fun to watch this father/son project come together.

 

Looking good!!!!!

Love the skinny whites!!!

 

Nice project and doing a nice job- going to be a beauty!

 

Second "like" on the just right size whitewalls. I'm 70 now but back in the day those are the size everybody was running including me.

 

Thanks for all the compliments guys! Getting to this point is definitely motivating for both of us! Now, to get started on the bodywork before too long. I used to do paint and body, so like that part too. However, my son is not a big fan of things that take patience, so this will be a good learning experience.

 

Great project and very cool truck!

 

Proud owner...headed to car wash to get it ready for Saturday.

 

Looks good in the daylight too

 

Thanks! It was definitely right at dark by the time we got to loading the pu. The rest of the story is that we had just finished unloading a bunch of fencing off the trailer so we could use it, put out a hay bale for the horses and then chased one down after she ran behind us and out the gate while we were putting the bale out , fed and watered the chickens and then finally got to what we were wanting to get done for the evening. It had been one of those evenings... But, we did get it to the car wash and then stopped for some milk on the way home. Oh, and that didn't include taking my other two kids to driver's ed for the evening that will also be 16 this year...

 

Being from Kentucky & not Texas or Oklahoma, it tickled me to see your son setting behind his engine in shorts & his cowboy boots. Kids around here only know expensive sneakers. It was a welcome change of pace to my eyes. Love watching this build, have my eye on an old 60's Chevy truck down in the country I hope to get this spring if someone doesn't see it & beat me to it.

 

Lol! Actually, this kid likes expensive sneakers too...I just make him change out of them regularly when we are working in the shop. I actually didn't even realize that is what he was wearing in that pic, but did notice it in the one I posted yesterday of him sitting on the frame on the trailer.

And, thanks for the comments. Hopefully you can get the truck you have spotted. These pu's make great drivers and are somewhat reasonable to build. I know I enjoy mine.

 

One other thing, I am envious of you on is, it appears that your son & you agree on how to do the work, and you do it together. My son & I fought all the time on how to do the work on his 1st car. He wanted to work on the sound system, while I wanted him to get all the mechanical things doubled checked first. A huge wooden box filled with a bunch of speakers that took up all of the back seat was more important to him than the car running & stopping smoothly. Subscribed.