1969 c20

[kenr74]

Just going to start a thread so I can keep track of my progress.

I'm a motorcycle guy but have always wanted to rebuild an old truck. I'm in over my head but I got a decent enough deal on this thing that I can afford a few mistakes along the way.

Picked this up with a rebuilt 350 and trans along with new tires. The tires are huge but will help fund a new set when I get that far.

Has some rust and needs a lot of work. It drove 70 miles home and handled like a old beat up truck but it does run well. It isn't going to be a show truck but I hope to have it be a decent looking grocery getter.

Advice is more than welcome and I'm sure I will have plenty of questions.

[kenr74]

Only had it a day so not much done at this point. Seat is out. More rust than I expected but I have three welders so what could possibly go wrong.

[DD1]

Welcome to the club. I was (and still am) in way over my head when I got my truck. Had to learn a lot of new skills, and 5 years (?) later I am still working on it. Can't tell what kind of shape your floor is in, but after trying to repair my floor I ended up replacing the entire floor as a unit. If I could go back and do it from scratch (I would have bought a different truck) I would not have wasted time trying to repair the floor panels at my skill level, and would have bought the entire floor in the beginning.

I've made plenty of mistakes, but finally getting closer to the end.

[cornerstone]

I don't think you're very far from a decent grocery getter right now! Try to throw up some more pics of the underside of the cab so we can see if you have anything overly dangerous.

[kenr74]

It is pretty solid. The only rust is in the rockers and right where the floor meets the kick panel. There is some surface rust on the floor but nothing bad.

My welding is mostly on my tractor and trailers so sheet metal will be an experiment. Going to get some practice before I tackle the rockers.

I can handle mechanical and paint the rest will be new. I've managed to pull one dent and have a few to go. It is fairly straight for being a 49 year old work truck.

[DD1]

Originally Posted by kenr74

It is pretty solid. The only rust is in the rockers and right where the floor meets the kick panel. There is some surface rust on the floor but nothing bad.

My welding is mostly on my tractor and trailers so sheet metal will be an experiment. Going to get some practice before I tackle the rockers.

I can handle mechanical and paint the rest will be new. I've managed to pull one dent and have a few to go. It is fairly straight for being a 49 year old work truck.

That's not bad. Looks like you will need inner and outer rockers and the cowl panels. How's the A pillar look?

As Cornerstone mentioned, maybe post some pics of the bottom, and also the sides (without the doors attached), and a wider view of the inside floor so we can get a better look at it.

[kenr74]

Been travelling for work so no progress. I have a lift in the shop so I'll get bottom side pics once I have my tractor out of there.

Starting to wonder what to do with these old fuel tank holes though. I was going to buy a bed side piece and use it as a patch until I saw how expensive they were. Anybody have ideas an how to fill these? They are not on a flat section so it may be above my head.

[DD1]

Look on the parts forum, sometimes you will see people selling cuts of various parts. I might be doing that for a bed side I am replacing at some point, but it does not match up to your bed side. Mine is a C10 and does not have the flat part at the top before the curve.

Maybe create a WTB post on the parts forum describing what you need with the photo you used above.

[kenr74]

Finally got the tractor out of the way and was able to get it on the lift. I don't see anything real exciting but take a look. Replacement floors, rockers, and kick panels showed up despite Brothers not being capable of sending a tracking number or replying to emails and a call.

[kenr74]

With my lift bay finally open I got serious. It was at this point that I realized what I had got myself into. My wife came out and said .............I thought you were fixing that thing............

[DD1]

You have a lift? I'm Jealous.

It does not look horrible from underneath. Are you replacing the entire floor pan or pieces of the floor?

[kenr74]

Yep, 2 post lift. In a 4 bay shop. Benefits of living in the country. Downside is that I am 20 minutes from anything and the internet seems to be powered by hamsters running in a wheel.

[DD1]

So are you replacing the entire floor pan, or using patch panels?

[68Gold/white]

Originally Posted by kenr74

Yep, 2 post lift. In a 4 bay shop. Benefits of living in the country. Downside is that I am 20 minutes from anything and the internet seems to be powered by hamsters running in a wheel.

gerbils, they're slower

[kenr74]

Planning patch panels. I just have the corner of each side to deal with so hopefully it won't be too bad.

[kenr74]

Not a ton of progress. Been travelling for work and waiting on parts to show up.

Did the axle flip and am working on cleaning up the frame. Didn't do a C notch and don't have a ton of travel. I don't plan on ever having anything in the bed so I'll drive it for a while and see how bad it is.

Getting ready to swap the front end out with a 71 so I will have disks and drop spindles.

Trucks parts scattered all over the shop at this point.

[DD1]

Originally Posted by kenr74

Not a ton of progress. Been travelling for work and waiting on parts to show up.

Did the axle flip and am working on cleaning up the frame. Didn't do a C notch and don't have a ton of travel. I don't plan on ever having anything in the bed so I'll drive it for a while and see how bad it is.

Getting ready to swap the front end out with a 71 so I will have disks and drop spindles.

Trucks parts scattered all over the shop at this point.

Looks like you did a great job cleaning up the frame!

[kenr74]

Swapped in the front end of a 71 and did drop spindles so just about ready to focus on the rust. Got all excited to see it lowered and then realized the studs on the 71 are bigger than the 69 so I couldn't mount the front wheels.

Back at it next weekend hopefully.

[kenr74]

Painfully slow progress here. Everything seems to be 2 steps forward and 1.75 steps back.

Got the front end all done and not really happy with the results. Back end dropped 7" with the flip and removing a few leafs. Front dropped 2.25" with what was supposed to be 3" spindles.

Have to figure out now if I want to add a leaf back in or cut the front coils. Sitting in my shop on flat cement the front fender is 1.5" higher.

[rjs53]

I say drop it 1.5" in the front and roll with it. Trucks lookin good

[DD1]

Originally Posted by kenr74

Painfully slow progress here. Everything seems to be 2 steps forward and 1.75 steps back.

Got the front end all done and not really happy with the results. Back end dropped 7" with the flip and removing a few leafs. Front dropped 2.25" with what was supposed to be 3" spindles.

Have to figure out now if I want to add a leaf back in or cut the front coils. Sitting in my shop on flat cement the front fender is 1.5" higher.

I would do whichever is easier to get the truck on the road again. If you think the back is too low, then I would raise the back with the leaf.