"1968 C-10 SWB build - Project Keeper

[67_C-30]

You guys have both made the argument I'm having with myself. I've literally said the same thing to myself that both of you said!

Here's a comparison on the truck.

[cericd]

I stick with my original choice. However, if you're not against a slight deviation from factory, if you were to paint the bowtie of the red ringed set to match the style of the black ringed set you would end up with a red ring and black outlined solid red bowtie. The best of both worlds in my humble opinion.

[67_C-30]

A friend offered to let me work in his body shop today, so I jumped at the chance to the replace the passenger fender cup. The Tri-Plus bedside I bought fit really good, but this fender cup - no so much! After a lot of cutting, a little cussing, and fitting - I got it on. The panel itself was about 3/8" of too short. No matter how you tried to fit it, it was either going to be short on the front of the rear. I decided to kinda fillet it on the front and make it match up at wheelwell. It turned out OK, and will look fine when the trim and bumper is back on.

I decided to make my cut where the side trim is on the fender. I cut the cup and the fender in the same place, but as I mentioned, the cup was too short. Pic 4 shows my fix for that. After I got that figured out and tacked up, it fit just OK. The small radius on the edge of the fender lip is was off a little bit as well, and it would require a little work to get perfect. Fortunately for me, that part is going to be under the trim as well.

[67_C-30]

After I got the filler on and blocked, I had to tap in a few high places, but it wasn't too bad. I had to add a little more filler, but it blocked out great after that. I'll prime it and block once more before I paint it, but overall I'm happy with it.

[67_C-30]

Well, I've handed off the truck to a friend of mine that works at a body shop. He's doing most of the body work at shop at home, but we are going to have access to paint booth where he works to paint it, and he is going to be able to get their painter to spray it for me on the weekend when he gets it ready. I got a good deal on a LH bedside with a small ding, and since the passenger side fit so well, I went ahead and replaced it also. I also bought a new lettered gate, so the whole outer bed is new and should look really nice. Here's a couple of pics of it with the new bedside and tailgate. He has all the emblems and everything removed and had started sanding and fixing the spots that need attention since these pics were taken. With any luck, we hope to have it ready to take the windows out and spray the white on the cab in a week or so.

[swamp rat]

Awesome! wish i had friends with a body shop!

[mcbassin]

Excellent work on the fender repair! Looks great

[67_C-30]

A little sneak peek! HOPEFULLY my truck is serving its last little while in paint prison!

[79azc10]

Looks great so far it will be nice to see it painted and then bagged

[kingNothing]

Any updates? really nice truck.

[unclefreddy]

I'm jealous of those hubcaps you have there, those are hard to find ! Nice truck

[AU Doc]

She's got a new home!

Looking forward to my first C10 project, and this one looks like a great truck to start with. I'm hoping to get the minimal rust sorted out and then get her in and out of paint quickly so I can start logging some miles!

[AU Doc]

Nothing special about this, but it's progress none the less. The core support is rusted out under the battery, so I went ahead and bought a replacement. I've used the Eastwood underhood black in the past, and really liked it. So I scuffed the panel and sprayed on a couple coats.

I'm intending for this to be a driver, so I'm not look for show quality coatings. I'm more concerned with everything being protected and serviceable.

I'm hoping to pull the bed off and go after the frame with the pressure washer pretty soon. I'm still on the fence about moving the tank to under the bed. At some point, I'll probably put a Holley Sniper EFI on it, and I much prefer in-tank pumps to in-line pumps. Though I do really miss that Q-jet sound.

Here's the tentative plan:

1. Pull the bed - Hoping I can do this with my cherry picker
2. Pressure wash the frame
3. Paint the frame and underside of the cab and bed with Eastwood Rust Encapsulator
4. Relocate tank?
5. Replace rockers - These are in surprisingly good shape, and I may not need inners. We'll see
6. Replace cab corner
7. Replace door bottoms
8. Sand and paint the firewall - I may try my hand at this.
9. Replace the inner fenders
10. Have the truck painted
11. Replace the glass
12. ECE 4/6 drop kit with disc brake conversion

[67_C-30]

I’m glad to see her go to a good home! I can’t wait to see it finished and back on the road!

[AU Doc]

Another minor update. I pressure washed and used Eastwood rust encapsulator
and chassis black top coat on the front section of the frame. I figured while I had the the fender off and the core support out, I might as well clean it up a bit.

This is the first time I've used the Eastwood product, and I wish it wasn't as thick as it is. I brushed it on since I don't have a gun (yet), and I'm doing this in my attached garage. It's thick enough that the brush strokes wouldn't even out. It was around 70 degrees when I did this, so it may work a little better at warmer temps, but it's certainly much, much, thicker than POR-15.

In any case, I'm hoping I don't have to worry about rust on this part again :-)

[68Gold/white]

Sooo, from 2014 til 2020, you managed to get it in primer??? (I'M being sarcastic...)

[AU Doc]

Lol. You're right. I better slow down. At this rate the truck will only change hands another 5 or 6 times, and might finish before 2040.

[cornerstone]

Hey... either way that sweet truck is only getting better with age! I do find it ironic that the thread title is “Project Keeper”

[1971Stepside]

I'm glad to see others are completing their project as quickly as I am...

[AU Doc]

Originally Posted by cornerstone

Hey... either way that sweet truck is only getting better with age! I do find it ironic that the thread title is “Project Keeper”

Lol. I guess like most projects, someone else can "keep" it if the price is right.

Originally Posted by 1971Stepside

I'm glad to see others are completing their project as quickly as I am...

Happy to do what I can to help morale!

[AU Doc]

Well..... This escalated quickly!

A friend of mine does great body work, and he offered to work on the truck for me. So she's at his shop having the repairs done.

So far, the passenger door has been the worst surprise. I was already planning to replace the inner door bottoms, but it was not obvious just how far gone they were. Looks like someone used some bondo patch panels

[AU Doc]

Now a question for the group. The truck sat for a while with some bare metal showing where the block sanding went through primer. Now I have some surface rust, and I'm afraid if we try to sand it out, it's going to leave the metal too thin, or possibly mess up the body lines.

Has anyone used rust encapsulator plus as a primer in a situation like this? The website would have you believe this is a perfect application to stop the rust from progressing and bubbling up the paint.

Thoughts?

[MDPotter]

I have not heard anyone say that rust encapsulator is compatible with primer. It's best to sandblast or sand the rust off and cover with epoxy primer.

[AU Doc]

Originally Posted by MDPotter

I have not heard anyone say that rust encapsulator is compatible with primer. It's best to sandblast or sand the rust off and cover with epoxy primer.

I’d never heard of it used on areas that are intended to be painted, either. But after a little digging, the manufacturer suggests that as a use.

Below is copied from the manufacturer site. These are described as the “best uses” for rust encapsulator. I even called to verify, but I’m skeptical.

1. Surface Rust – Encapsulator will easily go over areas of surface rust and stop the rust from spreading. One medium coat usually covers light surface rust.

2. Medium rust – This is rust that is more than just surface or flash rust. It may have started to lightly pit the metal but hasn’t started to affect the rigidity of the metal. Start by wire wheeling or mechanically removing any loose rust and apply 2-3 medium coats to get complete penetration into the rust.

3. Bare metal – Rust encapsulator can be used over bare metal, but I wouldn’t suggest it over an epoxy or etch primer if you ONLY have bare metal to deal with. It can be used to quickly seal bare metal in a pinch to avoid flash rusting as well.

4. Mixed surfaces – Rust Encapsulator is the best rust product to apply over surfaces that might vary in grades of rust, have bare metal or old paint present. If you have an area that you cleaned to bare metal or repaired and there’s still rust around that area, I’d suggest Rust Encapsulator.

[cornerstone]

There's no need for you to fear that you will sand the metal "too thin". The reason these trucks are so durable and respected is partly because of the thickness of the bodies! If you were restoring a 1985 Toyota Tercel, you may need to be concerned. Not with a 67-72 Chevrolet truck.

I've done it myself many times. Just sand it away and lay down some more epoxy! It's that easy.