My 1971 c10...starting over
 

Well I know every one loves pictures and I do to. I hope you'll bear with me
as I give some background stuff. I got the truck in 1993 and was able the
first time to complete it in about 2 and 1/2 years. I enjoyed it till about 1999.
Then my son ran on some bad luck and needed something to drive. He needed
it till about 2005. The motor was approx. a 1990-94 TBI motor and I was
afraid to try that route so I just got the motor and put a Edelbrock intake
and their #1405 carb.
Well I'm not a scared of fuel injection as I was then, so this time I'm going
for the TPI set up. Ive taken on much more of the work myself this time
due to and thanks to forums like this. When I got the truck the first time,
magazine were about the only way to get info. Back then I had an accordion
folder, and I would file stuff from magazines that I might need. B for brakes
t for transmissions. Well hello internet and filing is finger tip eay and way
faster. So I been taking tutoring from my thirteen year old grand daughter
about copy and pasting , so here goes some pictures from photo bucket...
I hope

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

Good luck on your new project. From one new picture poster to another.

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

:agree: good luck on the new build!

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

Thanks yall more pics to come.

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

you need to put all these post together in 1 thread so it is easier to follow and saves board space

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

Thanks, I was able to get a few pictures done, while ago.

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

It wasn't intentional, just got excited about finally getting able to post some
pictures. I just didn't think about keeping on tacking on to the original

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

Got the engine painted today. Looking forward to ordering the tpi from
street and performance this coming week. Hope to get the serpentine
stuff put on this week plus get the frame cleaned up on the front end

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

one more of the motor and some others ...

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

stainless steel in tank fuel tank, fuel injection ready

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

poor old gal had her heart ripped out,her skirts are gone, sad

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

Ordered the tuned port today from street&performance. two month
wait time. Ordered fenders and core support from brothers, ordered
wiring harness from ron francis. Will start on frame clean up tommorrow.
Got the tranny ready to go to the rebuilder. No pictures. I worked lots of
overtime and saved a couple of years to be able to pay for these parts,
so the wait is terrible. When the parts come in I post up some good
stuff, lord willin. Mean time back to grinding, blasting and sanding.

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

got a little bit done today, got the tranny in the air and cleaned some
grime of it. this is a 4l60 that i got from s&p in 1994. I'm gonna send it
out for a rebuild and when i get it back i will polish the alluminum case
to a nice shine.

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

this is gonna be a great build. which controller are you going to use for the tranny?

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

I'll have to stay with the brake switch unlocking the tranny for now, thats
the way it was originally. I wanted to get the 4l60e and let the computer do
it but this one is in good shape. If it gives up I really like the compu- shift
thang from hughes. I'm gonna use this reply to tack on a few pics of some
work I got done today. Thanks so much for the wonderful comments.

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

Ok, I pretty much lost today as the compressor decided to act up, but the
ups man ran and he had mr francis wiring kit with him. I know yall have seen
these but I'm gonna post a pic anyway. I'm just waiting on parts and
cleaning the frame. Man I ought to get better mpg just from losing all the
dirt. Any ways next up is paint frame. I had the front in checked out by
a alignment shop so its not gonna get any parts right now, just clean up
paint and new shocks.

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

Sounds like you have a very nice build planned out. But saving for a few years to do it is the most impressive part of this to me. I can't save for a few days let alone a few years! But I don't charge ether so I guess it all works.:rolleyes:

Kevin
LFD inc.

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

Thank you. That mod you did on the 70 to 68 hood was something I'm still
thinking about. Only problem is I got lost somewhere on the front lip. I'm not
that far yet on the build. I'm not scared to try it, but I just can quite see it
in my head. It's certainly not your fault, I've read it 2-3 times and I'm just
missing something. I think if I got the 2 hoods and started looking at them
I may see it. Anyways I like the way you just try stuff to see if it can be
done.
Instead of the lead for smoothing, are you familar with a product called
Metal 2 Metal and do you think it would work on the hood lip. I have not
used it yet. But I got some to use on a gas cap plug. My brother-in-law
uses it at the body shop where he works. Thanks again.

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

did finally get a chance to take the rocker panel on divers side of today. I
did discover some rust. It was to late to get any pics of it. I'll have to
do some more investigating as to how bad it is. Then I'll have to do some
home work as far as welding in the replacements. This is unkown stuff for
me, but this is why I bought the welder etc. I work 7 on 7 off so its back
to the world for me. I'm lookin forward to the next week off and the next
go round.

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

Brothers delivered the fenders today, while I was at work. When I got home
I unpacked them and boy are they nice. If any one needs some, check
them out cause I don't see how they could be any better. Here are a few
pics. The only thing I see wrong with them is they are not on my truck
already

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

almost forgot the core support

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

took a few days to go build some storage boxes on the back of his camper.
while away the aluminum radiator came in. It's nice. It'll be a while before
it goes on truck though.

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

Alright now for something I gotta do that I absolutely have never done. But
all the studying on panel replacement and the welding I been doing I hope
pays off. If any one sees anything in the pics that you want to comment on
that will help, I would appreciate it. I ordered about 300 dollars worth of
patch panels from year one. I am only going to take out the bad metal and
I may not need all of them. But I didn't want to tear of too much before I
had the panels. Anyway here are a few pix of our Mr. Rust.

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

here are a few more. I took a bunch if some one wants to see something
that may help. Let me know I may have the angle or whatever you need.

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

Looks like you have a great build going with a solid plan..

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

Don't have much to report. Been studying on panel replacement. I have
made my some cuts back to good metal. I plan to cut the replacements to
match bolt or screw it together, check the door and fender for fit. It's a
slow go and since I have not done this, I hope I don't need a mulligan.

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

Ok a little progress today. Bolted in rear support brace. Bolted on rear pillar.
test fitted rocker panel, not to bad. I am leaving old inner rocker panel for
now, cause I'm using it to place front fender mount. The next time I get to
work on it. I'll replace front cross brace. May use part of floor pan patch.
I'm opitmistic so far that I won't have to go begging some body shop to
finish it for me. So far so good. I'll get some sheet metal screws and fix
the rocker in place so I can check the door for fit. All I can do is soldier on...

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

some more

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

Haven't had anything really new to post. I did make one small bit of progress
today. I got the left rear b pillar patch panel cut to fit and welded in and
the left rear cab corner cut to fit and welded in. I have not done this
before so it kinda scary fun. Any ways best I can tell, so far so good.
I got a pretty good fit on the cab corner. I plan on finishing it Thursday
and hopefully move to the left front. Got a brace to do, small floor pan
patch, foot well piece. Then hope fully its on to re hanging door so I
can work on the rocker panel.

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

One more of side view of cab corner patch

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

keep going don't stop now, i know it slow going but looking good, i have a 69 swb it going to need some patch work to, like the way you going with it, i may go the same way, keep posted with some progess, and good luck.:metal: :jdp:

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

thanks so much for the encouragement. I have gotten a little frustrated
with my lack of experience. But I usually just go work on something
else and come back later. It took me most of the day to fit this floor panel
in. I've got some pictures of the holes and the piece I whittled on to fit in
them. I only took out the bad metal. Some of the holes in the floor board, I
just ground out the rust and welded them closed. Now I'm not saying this
is the way it should be done or if its correct. this is something I just do.
I set the welder on 1.5, wire speed 50 and weld to the sheet metal till I
get weld built all around, then weld on the weld to fill in the hole. I increase
my setting on the weld to 2 as the filler can handle a little hotter setting. then grind it flat. I circled one spot I did like this. If this turns out, then
hope fully I can move on to the a piller support, the footwell patch, the
front floor support, the inner roc... and the beat goes on.

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

side view

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

I have never used metal to metal but I know their are alot of very strong fillers out their that would do the job well for the hood. As long as you do not close the front edge of teh hood on anything even regular filler would work. It will be very clear how I did the hood edge once you get both hoods and turn them upside down, line teh back edges of teh hood up with each other and you will see what needs to be done with the front. It is alot of work but one of my favorite mods on this truck other than the EFI/AOd set up;)

Your work is looking very good hard to belive you are learning to weld at the same time you are doing this for the first time. Your method of welding small holes is fine but would be even better if you cut out those small areas and patched them.

Kevin
LFD Inc.

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

Looks good! can't wait until you start bolting on some of those shiny goodies!

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

thanks for the reply and the compliment, coming from u it means a lot.
The only thing I can say about learning the welding fast is I did practice a
lot and read many articles before I ever touched the truck. Plus I just love
this stuff. Its something I didn't get to do when I was younger. So you
might say its on my bucket list.
I did cut a small patch to fill in a small spot in the floor pan where I had mis-
calculated the larger piece and it was much easier & faster to fill in the hole.
Still a long ways to go. When I hang that door back up...

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

You and me both. I've got several nice parts stock piled. The street and
performance tpi stuff will be here in mid Febuary. But I can't get ahead
of myself.

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

I haven't forgotten my build. I'm actually working hard, still battling the
panel replacement. The a pillar, foot well panels are kicking my tail right
now. Hopefully I can post some sucess photos soon.

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

good news today, the UPS man brought the tpi unit for S&P. 2.5 months
waiting time. I will really be fun to put this thing on top of the 350. I'm
getting the hang of this sheet metal welding. It seems more about
patience than skill after a while. Anyways heres a few pictures

Re: My 1971 c10...starting over
 

and a few of the not so glamorous