Family Truck Build

[Treybizttu]

Ended up with a 65 C10 a few months ago and figured I needed to get on here and document/do plenty of research....

History (that I know anyways) is that my wife's uncle picked up 3 of them in the last 5-6 years. One was a nice driver, One was a little rougher but drivable, and the other one was occasionally drivable. It was ugly and had a later model 350/350 swapped in. Rust wasn't bad but it needs some things. He just didn't have the drive to work on all 3 anymore so I ended up with the rowdy one.

I've got two sons 2/7 that love to work on anything with me so I figured this would be a good project for us together.

It did not run the day I picked it up from him and he said it quit going into gear a few weeks ago. I've since gotten it started (just a loose connection) and was starting it every few weeks while it's stored at our family ranch until the weather cools off some. Last time down it didn't want to fire so I'll need to figure that out. The trans was bone dry when I checked it. I added a quart of trans fluid (when it was still running) and it lurched like it wanted to move so I need to dig into that as well. Looks like it's been leaking a ton of trans fluid at the dipstick base. It's been sitting in our barn most of the summer while we've been enjoying last winters project. (Air Nautique Boat w/ a 502)


From what I know he did:
Brakes are All New- Drums, Shoes, Lines, M/C, all of it.
Otherwise I don't think he really dug into this one mechanically

Cosmetically it's got new front fenders and a new tailgate on it. Bed floor is 1/4 plywood currently.

Sadly I've been so busy with non-fun actual work stuff I haven't done a thing to it so I'm excited to pull it back to the house next month and get working on it.

He also gave me some parts new in the box and some additional used spares:
-NIB Headliner
-Refurbed Gauge Cluster
-Factory Seat with great springs and frame. The cloth is terrible. The seat in it currently has a super nice cover but a bunch of broken springs on the driver side. I will probably just combine the two.
-New Interior Door Panels: Somebody hacked up the originals for speakers
-Original Steering Column. It has a later model one in it I believe.
- Original Wheels and Hubcaps- I'm not a purist so these will be going in storage just in case. I've got a set of six lug TT wheels that I will put on it.
-I've got boxes and boxes of nults and bolts he bought for various body panels.
A few other things I inventory whats there when I get it back to town.


Short term:
-Get it running consistently. Hoping some tuning and fresh fluids will get it moving.
-Re-bleed the brakes.
-Slap the wheel I've got on with some fresh tires.
-Clean up the wiring under the dash. It's a horrible mess.
-Do something with the bed. The plywood drives me nuts.

We should be moving within the next 1-1.5 years and goal number #1 is a bigger driveway/garage and/or shop at the house. We've got vehicles everywhere and it would be nice to have them all at home. After I have a good place to work we'll try to get serious on this thing.

Long term - Fun driver/Cruising Truck:
-Fix the rockers and any other rust.
-Paint... Still wayy early to know my direction there.
-LS and trans... Not 100% if I want to go auto or shift gears. I'd like my wife to enjoy the truck as well so this might end up being her decision. I'd like it either way.
-Re wire completely. I'd like to think I'm a wiring snob
-Nice Wood Bed
-Disc Brakes and Suspension Update. I don't think I want bags but will have to decide between simple and all new everything+ coil overs and swaybars. Of course budget will play a factor too.

I've had rock crawlers and big 4x4s but this is going to be my first street cruiser. Should be fun.