Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

I got my truck back in 1983, by basically taking it over from my dad. I was about 15 and liked the body style. It was a total beater. Not much has changed!:lol: Actually, a lot has changed over the decades. It started out as most of these trucks do, a basic work truck. A C-10 Custom Deluxe with a 307 and 3 on the tree. AM radio, power nothing, including the engine. It had been in the family for a while. As near as I can figure, my grandfather bought it used about 1973, maybe 74. Then my dad bought it from him around 1975 or 76. We used it as a work truck, hauling wood, hauling trash to the landfill. It was also our only vehicle for a few years when I was younger. It had one of those aluminum toppers on it. My two sisters and I mostly rode in the back. I was the oldest so I got dibs sitting on the spare tire. When it got cold, and in MN, it does that occasionally, we got to ride up front. Me and my sister sat between my parents and my youngest sister sat in moms lap. Back in the good old days when seat belt use was practically unheard of. Enough ruminating, I'll jump ahead a few years.

Pretty much drove it as it was in high school. Fixed a few things and had a fender bender. I swapped out the 307 for a 283, which I blew a few months later. It had a screw in one of the cylinders, which cracked a rod. Swapped for another 283 that I built myself, which it still has. Then I went into the navy and parked it until I had a need for it. In 1986, I was transferred to Idaho for nuclear power school. I stopped at home and blew a pile of money on a dual exhaust system and new wheels and tires. Still using those wheels BTW, and the headers and part of the exhaust also. It was my driver for a year or so, then it was parked and I got a newer driver. That is when this became a hobby for me. I ended up using the truck as regular transportation off and on over the years, but for the past 19 years, it has been my form of therapy. It helped me attract my wife of 20 years. It was my enjoyment just to wrench on and sometimes drive, do burn outs and just put a smile on my face.

My first intentions were always to hot rod it. I lowered it 3.5" back in 1986 with new dropped coils. The engine was a mild street performer. I put a floor shifter in, then went to a 4 speed, then swapped to an auto, which died quickly (junkyard tranny) and was replaced with another TH350. I've installed C-20 power brakes, power steering and rebuilt a tilt column for it. I added a front sway bar. I custom made the dash out of wood as a high school project and I'm undecided if I will stick with that or use something else. I put a 4 core radiator in last friday which solved my overheating problem. My plans have not changed all that much, but here's what I have now and where it's going. I will be installing an electric fan and maybe the headlight relays with newer style lamps. I also plan on either building a 350 I have for it, or stroking that to a 388 for later installation. I will be picking up a posi unit and probably 3.08 gears very soon. As soon as the yard gets them pulled.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_1636.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_1642.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_1643.jpg

I had some body work done back in 1987. The guy messed up my cab big time. Patches were misaligned. Rust was covered over and not cut out, etc. It was never painted, just primered after that. I could never afford to fix it properly. My skills are mechanical, not body work. The new patch panels for my cab were going to run $250-300 or so, plus installation labor. So I looked for a cab and found one from a member in Colorado. I got it saturday, stripped the parts off today and I'll be dropping it off at the sandblaster in about an hour.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_2131.jpg

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

I took some before pics of the cab. Other than some bondo on the back below the window, there wasn't any real surprises. We'll see what shows up after it's blasted. Cost of the cab was $200 plus $150 for delivery to Omaha, plus my cost to to drive the 600 mile round trip to get it with a bunch of other parts for my other project, see signature.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_2132.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_2133.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_2134.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_2135.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_2136.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_2138.jpg
This was a little surprise, the bottom of the A pillar I think it's called had part cut or torn off.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_2137.jpg

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

BTW, this build is now possible thanks to my wife. Getting my truck ready for paint was my 20th anniversary present.

There won't be any custom work on the body. It'll be a basic restoration. I'm even keeping the bed long. I have repro fenders on it now, which suck. So I have these to put on.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_1639.jpg

I'm pretty happy with the bed, but there is some rust on the floor that will need attention. And the bottom inside of the tailgate has a few small pits to repair. My hood is good and doors I think are ok. They need new seals, felts, etc. When I'm ready to swap the body, I'm going to see if the budget will allow for sandblast and paint of the frame. The local blaster is pretty cheap, we'll see.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

Here are the after sandblast pics. Cost me about $150 and I can pick it up tomorrow. There was a little more rust in the floor pans than I knew about, and 2 more spots of bondo that were found. I have floor pans I picked up for my original cab, that I see I'll be using now. Looks like I just need to buy the one cab corner. The supports and frame underneath were excellent.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_2139.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_2140.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_2141.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_2143.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_2142.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_2144.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_2145.jpg

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

I spoke with a couple body shops interested in doing the work about a month ago. Time to load up the cab and fenders and haul them around to get a hard quote for repair and primer.

I'll get a quote for paint as a separate thing. I'm not sure I'll be able to afford that until spring when I get my next bonus, but who knows, money situation is not as tight as it was not so long ago.

I would like to get the frame sandblasted and painted black. Just depends on cost for the body work and timing.

Parting shots...
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_2147.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_2146.jpg

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

It's a labor of love...and as the progress furthers the smile gets bigger and bigger!!! Good luck with your build!!!

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

Sweet congrats on finnally getting to build it..

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

That's it exactly, just like so many others I've seen here.

Thanks, for the positive feedback.

I just ordered a gas filler neck patch panel and bed stake pocket patches from infanti72 on ebay. He's a member here also. I bought a blazer tank to use on my junkyard jimmy, because I'm not sure the condition of what's on it now. Easier to swap it there. I'll then check out the old tank to see if it's usable. If not, I'll buy another for my C-10. That cab tank must go! Besides, I think that's where some speakers belong.:metal: It doesn't show it in the manual, but it should have been an option.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

Nice project, and awesome story to go with it.

I am looking forward to seeing how it turns out. Good luck with your build.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

Good luck with the build, this will be one sweet project!

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

Looking good... Keep up the work.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

Looks like your off to a good start,Mike.Parts shipped out Friday.
Thanks, Gerry

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

I took the truck with the new cab and fenders in the back over to the first body shop. He estimated the cost to repair the cab and get it painted inside and out around $1500. At first he said $2000. Sounds like a big chunk of money, but I can understand the time involved. He estimated the work for the whole truck around $5000, painted. It was too late in the day, especially friday of a holiday weekend to haul it to the other two shops I have in mind. Really makes me wish I had a knack for body work.

On a lark, I pulled a rusty fender off the wall of the garage and tried my hand at welding. A little history, I was a nuclear certified welder back in the navy, and also passed a test pipe in the 6G position for an ASME code shop. Top of my class and I can do TIG on pipe like buttering bread. Sheetmetal with a little Craftsman 120 volt wire feed with flux core wire is not anything like that. It's like learning to weld all over again. Any kind of gap and it wanted to burn through. The welder was not set up properly, wire feed tension was way too high, speed is hard to figure. This is just a hi/lo setting for power and then adjustable wire speed. I've got it close though. I tried to get a gas bottle, but the local guy that leases them had left early also. I have a regulator set up for it.

I looked at my floor patches and they will cover all the floor rust easily. I can trim some off to use on the bottoms of the kick panels. I think I'm going to practice some more on my crappy fender, get the gas bottle hooked up and see if I can get enough confidence to try my hand at the floor repair. It will be hidden by carpet, so if it gets a little ugly in spots, it's not really a big deal. The more I can do myself, the better I'll feel about the whole project. That is unless I screw it up completely, that would be very bad.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

I'd like to use my doors, but will need to get the bottoms blasted clean to see how much damage there is. I don't think there is much of anything, but want to be sure. I do have a very good passenger side door extra. I have 2 driver side doors to choose from.

My plan is to get the cab ready to go, then doors and fenders. My hood is in good shape. The bed and tailgate will be last. I'll be installing the blazer tank, so I'll mod the bed for a fuel fill. This is one of the styles I'm considering...
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=211579

Or I might put a bed side filler in from a newer car.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

I got the old body filler off the cab today and sprayed a little primer over the bare metal. No major surprises there. Couple small holes to close up is all. Then try to pull the dents out a bit.

I also pulled the trim and embloms off the fenders. The driver side is about as good as you can get, just need to have the holes filled. The passenger side has 3 small dents, otherwise very good.

That's probably about it for a while. I need to buy a few parts. I need to work on some dents. And wait patiently for the body guy to get started. It's been 25 years, a little more time won't kill me. Besides, I have a Jimmy to play on too.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

Not really a progress update exactly, but meaningful anyway. I have the color picked out and the wife approves.
Pic in the sun:
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3177.jpg

Pic in the shade:
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3178.jpg

I've been searching high and low for years for a color like this, when I came across one in the junkyard. It was a GMC only color, used for a few of the production years. I was able to get pretty much the whole interior from the truck so I don't have to re-color other stuff. A good dash pad, seat belts, ashtray, radio delete, etc. and the radio delete cowl also.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

thanks for taking pics of your build. What did your blaster use on the cab? sand?

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

Yep, just sand.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

I bought some of the filler patches from infiniti a few weeks back and they fit PERFECT. I installed the fuel filler patch last week, it was my first body work attempt, came out perfect.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

Cool, good to know.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

With some help from ClassicAutoRest on the paint and body board, I've got 2 paint codes. Went to the local paint supplier and ordered up small samples of each.

The first is for a 1969 GMC Turqoise Poly 511 or dupont 5056. The second is 1972 GMC terrace blue 503 or dupont 5335. This came up as 509 in in another mfr code. Anyway, I'll have samples to try out.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

Turns out the 1969 Turquoise Poly is the one. The terrace blue from 1972 is like the chevy medium greem, but slightly darker. The poly has a bit of metal flake in it and is the color I've been looking for for years. Aqua with some brightness. Time to do some body work.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

By all means, keep those turbine wheels when you get it all done, those are classic. Cool story, can't wait to see the truck painted.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

Love the history of you and your truck. Can't wait to see it progress.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

It's good to see a truck stay in the family for that long. Good progress.
Kerry

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

You know, I see people knock'em routinely, but I've always liked them for a street truck. They kinda go with anything, like a good old 5 spoke.

Thanks, I think back to all the times when money was tight and the truck was sitting, not being used, thinking about selling. You think to yourself, I can get another one, or something cooler or in better shape to start with, etc. I'm glad I kept it. There's history there and it means something to me and my family that another car just doesn't have. I need to make it nice again.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

Just ordered some of what I'll need once work starts getting done. New door seals, window seals/felts, windshield and rear window gaskets, door sill plates & a cab corner. Just need to wait for the brown truck.

I need to get out to the junkyard to get a dash wiring harness also. Mine works, but I've converted from manual to auto, idiot lights to gages, plus my own wiring disasters, so I need the correct harness. I'm pretty sure I know where to get it locally.

It's going to be great to get rolling on this. It will look fantastic and even my daughter will be willing to be seen in it, but I'm really hesitant to start tearing it apart. You know what I mean? It drives. It looks ok, I lived with it this long like it is. What if I tear it apart and end up like so many here and it sits for years? God, I can't stand the idea of that happening. Just shoot me now if it goes that way. But now that the parts are ordered or piling up. Exciting and scary at the same time.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

Good luck with your truck. I know what you mean about not wanting to tear a complete truck apart. It is so much work getting them back together if you don't have a big area or a lot of time or all of the above.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

Thanks.

I got part of my ordered parts today. Still waiting for the cab corner. Went to the local junkyard the other day, and no luck with the harness. I got another couple yards I can check yet. Might have found a good drivers side door though.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

I decided to get the cab unloaded into my garage, and see what I could do. I was a little surprised how light it was. We used an engine hoist or a tractor dump bucket loading it, but I unloaded by myself manually. It slid out of the bed, set one side down, then tipped it up and had the truck roll forward a bit and set the other side down. No problem.

I have the cab corner and all the new rubber on hand, working on getting a tunnel hump patch so I can have a low hump in it. I think I found an underdash harness for an automatic and gages truck. I will need new heater vent hoses yet. And I'll probably order a new gage bezel that's nice and shiny.

It was a manual tranny cab, I have an auto, so I got the clutch pedal out. I found one more spot of putty and got that cleaned out. Started wire wheeling the gutter grout stuff out, it's all dried out and cracked. There were a couple body mount rubbers on it that I needed a sledge to pound the bolts through, no damage underneath. I cleaned those up with the wire wheel and primered. I got the kick panel vents cleaned out, yucky stuff, but the metal is good.

Then there was the sand from the blasting. It was everywhere. I concentrated on the kick panel area and the cab floor supports, rockers, etc. The cab is laying on it's back side for now, so I'll blow out the area below the rear window when it's upright again.

After really looking this thing over close, I'm fairly certain it is all original. There are no weld repair joints, looks like original spot welds on everything. Other than the rusty floor board and one cab corner it's in very nice shape. I looked down through the inside of the rockers and there is just a start of surface rust on one side. Definitely a good foundation to start with. I think I can get a small wire brush down there on a rod and clean it up some, then spray some rust preventer or wax in it.

Of course there are pics:
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3629.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3630.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3632.jpg

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

Man starting to look good just take your time and she will be good for another 25 years. Just wanted to say thanks for both your builds with the time details and pics that go along with them. I have been addicted to your junkyard build not I have to add another to my list. Keep up the great work.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

Thanks a lot. The junkyard jimmy is on hold while I work on my first true love.

I started cutting out the passenger side floor pan tonight.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

Heres the status of the apparatus:

Floor pans out. Just need to clean up the supports a bit and get some rust preventer in those hard to reach places. I'm going to open up the inner rockers for better drainage, cleaning and rust preventer also. Next step is to tip it up so I can cut out the rusted cab corner. Might do that later today.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3646.jpg

Acouple more of what I'm starting out with.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3638.jpg
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3639.jpg

The worst part of the bed is the steel floor. Needs some sand blasting and some patches. It'll get coated with some kind of liner later.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3637.jpg

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

I also have a section of the cab floor coming from jc in New Jersey. I'm going to trim it down to the same dimensions as the high hump cover so it will bolt in, but have the low floor configuration I want.

Edit: received the part today and got it cut to fit.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3647.jpg

What do ya think? I'll cut the firewall piece from my cab later.

Got the rust cab corner cut, was able to see the inside part that will need a patch also. Overall I thinks it's pretty dam good. I have to do a little more grinding and cleaning before I seal up the hidden spaces, then it'll be time to do some welding. Hopefully we can get that going in a couple weeks.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3648.jpg

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

I've determined that there are very few people who will actually do restoration work. I had to bring the wifes truck in for re-glueing the driver door trim on. I talked him about this cab and he said I should just glue the floor pans in. I had thought about that before, but the kits can be pretty spendy. He said I could borrow their gun, I just had to buy the glue. He said they hardly weld anything anymore, they glue on whole bedsides and have never had a problem. After doing some research, I'm comfortable with it. A lot of manufacturers are going this way also. For those purist restorers and all weld body guys, lets just wait and see how this goes.

So I am going this route on the floor pans. I started with the driver side today. I got the patch panel cut to fit in place the way I want it. I'm using self drilling screws to hold it in place. I will run a bead of glue along the support rails and around the outer edge, then set it in place for curing with the screws around the edge, and some good sized rivits on the supports. I predrilled the holes in the pan for the rivits. Once I glue it and get it set where I want it, I just need to drill the holes through the support rails for the rivits and lock it down. I'll probably remove the screws after it sets, but maybe not.

I can say this though. I'm a happier person today knowing it's one more thing I'll be doing myself, and that I made some good progress today. Driver side is completely fitted, passenger side is about half way there. I also got the low hump patch bolted in, except the rear bolts. Those are kind of hard to get to right now. Once the floor patches are all fit up, I just need to pull them out and clean the parts to clean bare metal where the glue will be then put them back in.

Wish me luck, should be done with these in a week or 2.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

Here is where it's at today.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n...k/IMG_3815.jpg

I picked up some cutting wheels today to finish fitting the pass side pan. Here are a couple links for those interested in the non-weld method of installing patch panels.

3M video: http://shows.implex.tv/3MTV/Root/AAD...oginComplete=1

SEM Products: http://semproducts.com/images/Users/...FLYER-2006.pdf

I'm not sure which product I'll use yet. The 3M is about $50 a set. the SEM is just over $30. I think the same gun will work for either one and both products are available at the local auto part store. The biggest regret I have is that I could have/should have done this months ago. The adhesive needs temps above 70 F to cure and well, I'm in MN and its about 28 outside right now and my garage is not heated. I have a portable heater and I'll probably use that with some kind of tent over the cab to contain the heat. Redneck curing oven.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

Lookin' good keep it up. i am in indiana and i also have a garage with no heat so it is hard for me to primer my 1991 chevy truck.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

good luck with the floor, pretty nice starting point compared to mine.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

Thanks

It is a good starter, aint it? Way better than the my out of square, poorly patched original.

I got the pass side floor pan fit in. I figured it would be easier because I just did the other side and had the experience. It wasn't. The pan just did not fit in as well. Took a lot of beating and a few extra screws to get it pulled in tight.

So next I need to get me some glue and the applicator, clean some steel to bare metal, set up a heater and see what happens.

Re: Over 25 Years Later, Finally My 71 C-10 Truck Build
 

i have a cab f/s that would shave off ALOT of time fixing that cab,it needs inner/outer rockers and its a ac cab 300 bucks