63 C10 Revitalization

[silver63c10]

This was the first father/son project my dad and I undertook, way back when I was in middle school. Now seems like a good time to finally start a thread here as we're giving it a bit of a makeover, from the inside out.

We've had it for close to 13 years, and got it on the road in 2002, a few months after my 16th birthday. *It was meant to be my daily driver, but after our painter got the first few pieces done (including ~15 hours tapping the dents out of the tailgate) we decided it would be a weekend toy. *

It was kind of neglected while we built then started thrashing on our Camaro the past few years, but Camaro is pretty well squared away and the bug for a bigger and faster truck has hit so here we are.

Basics of the original setup -
9.0:1 1991 model 350
Not much cam, little porting on the heads
Early 80's 700-R4
3.73s
Homebrew mid-70's disc and 5 lug conversion
Lowered 2" front and rear, original springs, no swaybars
Vinyl wrapped console, B&M Hammer shifter, AutoMeter street rod gauges
1999 Hyundai Tiburon Seats
1998 Dodge Driftwood paint

The ongoing rebuild includes -
Stock block 406, Renegade CNC ported aluminum heads, Comp solid roller (~.570/.580 lift)
Thoroughly reworked 91 model 700R4 and Edge converter
Ford 9" rear, posi with 4.11s
Secondary 5 gal. fuel cell for 100 octane
Possibly a hydraboost setup, depending on how much vacuum it makes
Air conditioning that works (we had an underdash unit that just never worked out)
Swaybars, and possibly new springs/weight jacks down the line. I have wild notions of autocrossing it, eventually, but it will primarily be bracket raced alongside the Camaro

So, with that out of the way, on to the pictures:

Where we started..
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-ash1/v98/221/53/23902038/n23902038_33491895_5163.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-ash1/v98/221/53/23902038/n23902038_33491897_5418.jpg

Custom floor shifter!
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v98/221/53/23902038/n23902038_33491899_5684.jpg

And what we had 4 years later..I need to scan some of the progress pics I guess
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v19/221/53/23902038/n23902038_30765533_4993.jpg

Power Tour 03 at Shreveport (I lost..:lol:)
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v19/221/53/23902038/n23902038_30766164_8101.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v19/221/53/23902038/n23902038_30765532_4131.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v19/221/53/23902038/n23902038_30765530_7148.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-sf2p/v98/221/53/23902038/n23902038_33491957_8964.jpg

And, the teardown..
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs837.snc4/69704_901979339250_23902038_46099135_7611034_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs1190.snc4/154288_901980471980_23902038_46099158_894358_n.jpg

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs118.snc4/36266_917737015740_23902038_46468376_408525_n.jpg

Love that giant hood opening, was not looking forward to pulling that thing off
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/hs760.ash1/165112_917737105560_23902038_46468384_8040287_n.jp g

New motor is going together, should be making some good progress the next couple weeks. Can't wait to get it back together and start thrashing.

[ccracin]

Very Nice! Love those trucks. Keep the pictures coming. :cheers:

[silver63c10]

Delayed update time! Thanks ccracin, I'm quite partial to the early 60's trucks myself after looking at this one for the past 13 years :yes:

So, this seemingly simple update has turned into the project from hell.

New motor is in and running, has been for quite some time, but we've been trying to slay transmission dragons for the past several months. Looks like as of last night our many problems might be solved, after having it in and out more times than I care to remember..upside is we can drop it in less than an hour, and have it back up there in just over an hour at this point.

Anyway, here are more pics, plans, etc..

Engine went together..
http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee313/silver63c10/176129_940651699530_23902038_46939298_2715007_o1.j pg

Got it ran in on the test stand..
http://shutterspeed1.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/20110606-120023.jpg

Changed heads, ran it on the stand some more..
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/227287_10100188022448540_23902038_47847154_3796978 _n.jpg

Finally got it dropped in the truck (hooray for wide-open hoods)
http://hphotos-sjc1.fbcdn.net/264872_10100272179282570_23902038_48527551_8243504 _n.jpg

Fired it up..no pressure in the trans..but at least it sounded cool through the open x-pipe
fs5dvN1NWyg

Fixed the pressure issue, no reverse. Gave up, took it to a PRO, still no pressure. Trashed the modified separator plate and it looks like things are good to go now..maybe..

Other detail things, glovebox by day...
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6191/6026633090_c886dae9c9_z.jpg

MSD funtime holder by night
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6080/6026076023_ffa9842954_z.jpg

Scrapped the old 2.5" lead pipes for a 3" Pypes X-pipe kit
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6084/6026645870_88f1a7f1bb_z.jpg

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6077/6026629774_de11e10ccb_z.jpg

Ditched the B&M Hammer shifter for a Pro Ratchet
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/308279_10100333336223570_23902038_49378761_1959750 436_n.jpg

Annnnnnd finally, made some plans for a little outside makeover once it's done. Every shop needs a shop truck, and it's been our unofficial one since we got it together. Time to make it a little more official - Wheel Vintiques Rallyes and a little lettering to help it pay for itself.

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6198/6104113930_51bed38227_z.jpg

Seems like we should have been able to get more done than this in 7 months :_paranoid

[street3285]

Nice looking truck! :thumbsup:

[silver63c10]

Thanks street!

Been a while since I've updated this, and, thankfully, we've managed to get a lot done, and got to take it to the track and play the weekend before last.

Some of the highlights:

Dash-mounted shift light continues the interior mods
http://a3.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/294320_10100389787040680_23902038_49799212_1028753 701_n.jpg

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/s720x720/320581_10100389789356040_23902038_49799249_9426711 26_n.jpg

Got everything wrapped up under the hood, including new manual Wilwood master cylinder and adjustable prop. valve for the new rear discs
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7142/6541819269_2dd2e0ae6e_z.jpg

Took it to a 'Run-what-ya-brung' drag race held at an air strip. Had a lot of fun doing 1/8th mile burnouts on the old asphalt - and thankfully didn't break the 12 bolt rear
http://p.twimg.com/AdVYLunCQAAcIF5.jpg

WWII era asphalt isn't kind
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/s720x720/387908_10100400175731660_23902038_49887384_9546742 18_n.jpg

Took advantage of the long Thanksgiving weekend to perform surgery yet again
http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6091/6416583809_2593dbe39f_o.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7003/6416583777_900c7c64c1_o.jpg

Got the exhaust painted, and did some clearancing on the trans crossmember to tuck it up nice and neat
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7157/6517596017_bbe59ddc38_z.jpg

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7160/6517595785_c33872f21f_z.jpg

9" with 4.10s and Yukon locker nestled into its new home
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7157/6517595821_1fbb9ba53d_z.jpg

Made peace with multiple deities, then trimmed the lip on both sides to fit 28x10.5s
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/375541_10100501793683470_23902038_50339461_1706174 805_n.jpg

..which was totally worth the stress
http://hphotos-iad1.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/378847_10100502617362810_23902038_50342464_2091698 51_n.jpg

Annnnnd finally, took it to the track and flogged it - managed a 7.749 at 86 mph
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7174/6535864359_a7d784ae54_z.jpg

N0BHWHaGN0E

It took a year but we're finally back on the schedule we wanted to be :lol:

[70rs]

I love that truck!

[silver63c10]

I love that truck!

Thanks!

Got a little more done over the long new years weekend, an Addco sway bar found it's way under the Christmas tree so we spent an afternoon getting it hung under the front end (not the easiest task on a vehicle that didn't come with one).

We built this shop intending to only have one hot rod - kinda foolish, in hindsight
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7173/6638226487_28bf446b95_z.jpg

Awaiting fitment, once the sparks settle
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7150/6638211131_ffb9ba04e4_z.jpg

Annnnd success! Didn't get a shot after pulling the bubble wrap off
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7014/6638211197_0bd6bea425_z.jpg

Also got a nice little system down using a Craftsman laser measure and some scrap steel to measure toe-in - turns out, +1/8" toe makes it drive like a boat! Ended up shifting both sides over a touch to re-center the wheel, and settled on 1/4" in. Drives like a, well, a truck now, instead of a log wagon :cool:

[ccracin]

Very nice! Keep the updates coming!

[66SuperSport]

Cool project.

[street3285]

Coming along nice and the rear tires look sweet tucked in there. :thumbsup:

What coating or paint do you have on your headers? I used the some "High Heat" paint on my headers, that said up to 1200 degress, but it immediately flaked and now I have to re-do them. THinking about ceramic coated them, but it is kind of expensive, as paint is more in my budget.

[silver63c10]

Thanks guys.

Street - we did them with VHT's 'Flameproof' header paint. When it's cured properly it holds up reasonably well, we've got a few places starting to flake already, though, as we didn't get time to do the full curing process.

We did the ones on the old motor with the same paint and it lasted a few years before it started to look bad. Had a lower-end ceramic coated set after those and they ended up rusting as well - I've just resigned to the thought of redoing every few years as a necessary evil :lol:

Here's the VHT we used - http://www.vhtpaint.com/products/flameproof/

[RodZZilla]

Sweet Ride! Wish I had kept my 66 SWB.

[silver63c10]

Sweet Ride! Wish I had kept my 66 SWB.

Thanks! The 60's bodies are kind of like a disease, it seems, once you develop a taste for them it never leaves. I rarely go anywhere in it without someone stopping to check it out and share a story.


Been playing some more since I updated last. Been to the track a couple times, the swaybar and front end alignment made a world of difference on the track and the highway.

It also keeps getting faster, which is obviously really cool. Got a 7.68 slip the second trip, which we were really happy with, then back to back 7.54s at 91 and 90 this week which completely blew our minds.

Ready for the ride down..

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/420714_10100626766926090_23902038_50853782_1392486 762_n.jpg

Got half of the new Wheel Vintiques rallyes in, the fronts are still in Summit backorder purgatory.

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/417479_10100648559817960_23902038_50922178_6119403 40_n.jpg

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/431214_10100652380925430_23902038_50933703_8186616 09_n.jpg

Had a nice tense, foggy, frigid ride to the track Sunday

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/425633_10100666161119810_23902038_50969884_3809193 10_n.jpg

Our oddball pair - I call them Mutt and Jeff

http://www.acmeautopartsonline.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/20120220-183314.jpg

And finally some ride-along fun from Sunday:

iyZrNws5z0Q

[silver63c10]

Update time on this one..

Air. Conditioning. Mmmmmmmm.

So, like everything we do, this spiraled wildly out of control and turned into a 2 month project. Unit is a Classic Auto Air "Perfect Fit" series. We were forced to adapt it to existing lines from the system we had in it previously. Instructions, like all aftermarket parts, pretty much suck. Our usual can of worms.

First item of business was the controls - ours was originally heat only. Classic's adapted controls for these are hideous and were not going in there, so I set about re-inventing the wheel.

Step 1 - duplicating the existing cable control for the 'Heat' tab, which switches between top vents and floor/defrost
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7239/7162326352_71dbcd8250.jpg

Cable holder
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8013/7162326290_15b3d6b3f1.jpg

Step 2 - provisions for two switches, one controls the fan, the other turns on the compressor for the defroster
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7234/7162326232_44a723f19d.jpg

Step 3 - after much heartache, frustration, blood, etc., it's all together
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5336/7162331146_3a23328a0f.jpg

Toughest part was reverse engineering the mounts for the tabs. The only original one left had been broken off, so I had to reverse engineer from what little of the lever was left. After some trial and error, I cut small sections of scrap to the right shape and welded them to the switches, being careful not to put too much heat into them.

Finally. Hours, and hours, to make something like a factory piece. It's a special kind of crazy..
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7215/7162326128_f21e66d960.jpg

On to the next part - figuring out how this thing is supposed to be wired & plumbed. As I mentioned before, to call the directions lacking would be a bit of an understatement.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7239/7162334480_1cc17c5915.jpg

Got the condenser mounted, and new hoses hooked up to metal lines from the previous system.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7220/7162338326_71bdbe11b2.jpg

Went with these vents on the outside corners. Another pair will find their way into the console in place of the rectangular ones down the road.
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5332/7162336652_776da79a34.jpg

Not perfect, but they'll work
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7234/7162339146_81840a94a7.jpg

My concern the whole time has been keeping it cool with the AC on. It runs 170 normally (160 thermostat), but would creep up on the highway around cars. Got to test it Saturday - at 91 outside, around 50% humidity, it touched 190 while sitting at traffic lights, then immediately cooled off on the highway. Success!

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7081/7162339488_6ace2c02f7.jpg

To celebrate, it got a bath, and will be heading to its first car show in 8-ish years this weekend. Then we'll get back to regular thrashings at the drag strip :thumbsup:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7104/7162339968_f9007e66a8_z.jpg

[Chad-1stGen]

Very cool. Nice to see that generation getting some love!

My first "car" was a 64 C10. Was a fun truck though I constantly got tickets in it lol...

[silver63c10]

Holy thread resurrection!

https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6100/6998147167_08d11ab867_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/bEpkkM)

Our Camaro has gotten most of the attention lately, so of course the truck decided to speak up and ask for some back in the spring.

To backtrack a little, in 2013, our bracket racing interest kind of flamed out thanks to our favorite track changing hands and some other factors. With no racing going on, the 8-10 mpg the QuickFuel 850 was returning got old pretty quick, so we picked up a Holley 750 for it.

The setup on it was alright out of the box, I attempted a little tuning on my own but never really got it right. Cruised it around a decent amount, the Holley picked up the mileage a tad, things were alright.

uFj2RywbEhY

Shortly after this bit of parking lot fun on worn out Z tires, it started acting up. The 406 was never the easiest thing to get along with, mostly due to the fairly radical Comp Cams Extreme Energy cam we used, but this was out of the norm. Significantly down on power, didn't want to idle, just all around unhappy.

Fought with it off and on for a month or so, thinking it was a carburetor issue, and eventually pulled the valve covers to adjust the valves in hopes of finding a backed off stud or broken spring. After working through the firing order, I found the source of our woes on the last cylinder.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/753/20060415203_e09518868b_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/wyESxD)

The number 2 exhaust lifter decided to become a non-roller, and in the course of chasing "carburetor problems", turned most of that lobe into a fine powder.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/578/20493366598_b2fbedccf0_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xdVRUS)

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5688/20493519690_13acb31b94_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xdWDqo)

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5628/20494645609_f8cb6f8099_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xe3q7M)

After finding (well, confirming) the problem, and cutting open the oil filter to look for any evidence of bearing wear, we decided to go forward without pulling it. 3 cans of brake clean and a few quarts of store brand 10-30 were poured through it to flush out the remaining cam sludge, and it was time to reassemble.

We decided on a complete Lunati Voodoo assembly, which is the same setup as the Camaro, but in a slightly more tame profile. This also meant changing springs, which was a full afternoon on its own. With all that installed, it was time to go back together. At this point, we're 2 months into this, working between autocrosses and other 'life'.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5770/20672303362_7845d0e24a_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xuJXzu)

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/731/20493512968_f6dfb142b6_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xdWBqu)

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/719/20494788289_6415809070_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xe49wM)

With all the 'functional' stuff back on and the oil system primed, we finally got to fire it back up last weekend.

H-2JOhZuNVw

Aside from a worrying amount of smoke, which turned out to be transmission fluid on the exhaust caused by sitting nose-high on stands for a few weeks, everything appears to be happy.

The last two things on the list were recharging the AC and getting the the grill back on, which isn't bad except for the one missing welded nut that requires a bit of, um, finesse?

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/757/20493514618_3850eac5bc_z.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/xdWBUW)

Yeah, I could have pulled the bucket out, but this was quicker - it pays to be the skinny guy with small hands sometimes.

Really digging the new cam what little I got to drive it. Power seems much smoother and more linear than before, but that may be because I'm used to driving the Camaro right now? Either way, I'm hopeful that it will be much happier than it was with the previous setup. We had already been talking about doing a swap before all this got started, but I could have stood to get there a little differently.

Still have the urge to see what it will do in the quarter, so we may have to make a trip to the Motorplex before the end of the year with it.

Now, to get back to actually enjoying it..