Recommendations during body work

[LT4WRK]

Should be starting body work on my 70 C10 in the next month or so and painter going to remove bed and cabin off frame so wanting recommendations on things I can replace at that time for example bushings or anything else that would be important. Thanks in advance

[HO455]

Is this a restoration or a modified truck?

[Terrysch]

Replace all of the body mounts, before you do any body work!!!

Not everyone understands how critical this is to the latter body work and gaps between all of the body panels. I admit that i did not understand this early on.

But I had a great vintage car mentor who educated me to the importance and why. I am a retired mechanical engineer and once it was explained to me it hit me like a ton of bricks.

Your entire truck is dimensioned, tolerance starting from the frame.
The body is mounted to the frame via the body mounts.

Each of the body parts are gapped to the adjoining body parts. FYI - on the body panels the firewall is the starting panel. Then doors from the firewall including front of the door openings, and the fenders. The rockers from the door opening, frame and doors, Then cowl from the firewall. Then the hood from the cowl and fenders. The bedsides from the door and rocker panels.

Until my mentor Ken educated me, I had no idea that there was an order to the gapping of the panels. Of course, you still have to play around, doesn't always fit the first time. About to do my rockers, after I get my door hinges back. I sent them away to get refurbished with new GM ins and special Oilite bronze bushings - like done at the factory.

FYI - found a great you tube video on how to fit, adjust the rockers. Think it was made by Brothers Truck Parts. Not simple to do correctly.

I knew my mounts were bad from just looking at them.
But was astounded me was how big a difference the mounts made once they were replaced. Overall, it raised the Jimmy one inch on average.
Plus it now sits evenly - all four corners.

recommend that you get your mounts from a good source like GMC Pauls.

[LT4WRK]

I guess modified. Turned it into short bed using brothers kit and after paint doing a 5.3 conversion

[cebra]

I will point out some wear parts that would be much easier to replace with the body/bed off outside of the body mounts which noted above is critical.

Rear Trailing Arm Bushings and Track Arm Bushings (if you are not leafs)
Rear shocks if you need them
Brake line/fuel lines if you need them
Rear light harness if in bad shape
Vac line from trans to engine