My Rotten 65

[Psycho75]

Hey guys a friend turned me onto this site a while back and it really got me thinking that I needed to temporarily side bar my project at the time and get an old Truck. After much craigslist hunting I finally settled in this 65 C10.







I have had the truck for a few months now and started tearing it down for a little update this Spring.

[19666Trucker]

That is sweet truck
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[Psycho75]

Originally Posted by 19666Trucker

That is sweet truck
Posted via Mobile Device

Thanks man I thought so too so I had to have it. Its kind of funny you can have the ugliest, rusty broke down heap but if it has the right stance and attitude its golden.

[Psycho75]

So the junkyard parts were the serpentine drive and accessories off of a 92 c1500 pickup. had to get them cleaned up and ready for their second go around.

[Psycho75]

Ok so I got the engine in long block form and upgraded as much as my budget would allow.


It was time to tear it down


went to go remove the shifter and found this tar filled mud pile holding the top of the trans together.
The pin wouldn't budge so the whole shifter had to go


Then after lots of cussin and a bunch of picture taking as I was taking things off the heart transplant was half over or so I thought.

[Psycho75]

So as many of you have I live in a neighborhood with and HOA. They have their purpose I suppose but in order to not get harassment letters or to piss off all my neighbors I left the inner, outer fenders and the hood on wen removing the engine and trans. I definitely caused difficulties both coming out and going back in later but it was necessary.

Well it only took a day to take it apart but I found it took a lot longer to put all the new stuff back in. This truck has seen almost 50 years of abuse and neglect. First thing I did was clean up the firewall, frame rails, front cross member and removed the trans cross member.

[Psycho75]

I wasn't a bad deal I thought at the time. Got the truck and a pile of parts including short block(rebuilt), louvered hood, a th350 (rebuildable),and a box of parts.

The truck came stock with a granny low 4 speed and a 283. The engine had seen better days as it had at least one cylinder with blow by according to the PO . So since it was newly machined I opted to go with the 350 he threw in with the deal. Had to wait until after the holidays before spending any money on it but started gathering shiney new bits for the engine.



then I went to the junkyard for some more parts

[Pop's C-10]

That is a nice looking motor

[Psycho75]

Originally Posted by Pop's C-10

That is a nice looking motor

Thanks I was going for the anti-bling but as it turns out unless you want to spend 3x the price there are some things you have to get chrome in the aftermarket. My dad used to tell me "Chrome don't take you home" but then now he has a chromed out Harley
Next I had to try and tackle the bent and rusty core support







Now I didn't spend as much time as I would have liked on getting everything perfect but I kept having to remind myself this isn't a show truck the industrial theme I am ultimately going for demands character flaws and lets say this truck and lots and lots of character.

[Psycho75]

Ok next I started on the plumbing first was the fuel


Then the power steering and I had to clearance the block for the fitting




Now my trans cooler

[Psycho75]

Next I had to make adjustments to the radiator mounts the lowers needed to me moved to the outside so that they would not interfere with the trans line fittings and the upper had to be extended. All of the rubber isolators had to be cut down to fit but used the stock u-channels. Got the radiator from these guys and so far I think its a great deal.

http://www.speedcooling.com/1963-196...r/prod_37.html

[Psycho75]

Lets see we are almost caught up now, this week I did the wiring on my gauges and when doing so I found a ton of great info on this site. This forum has got a lot of knowledgeable people who help a ton. One of the things I discovered was that my truck didn't match the wiring diagrams in either the wiring diagrams I ordered or the shop manual. I got both from LMC and some people love em and some don't care for what they sell. I am on the fence since most of the things I get are fine but some others definitely need mods to make work.

So back to the wiring, my truck doesn't match the diagrams for the simple fact that my truck has a volt meter instead of an idiot light or and amp meter. Also someone who had the truck before me had converted the truck to HEI. Which is fine by me as I planned on running that way myself but my headaches are from half of my wire colors from the bulkhead fittings in the firewall don't match what the drawings say they should be.

Well I muddled through it as best as I could and hands crossed no magic smoke comes out when I put the battery back in and turn he key. The gauges I could have done neater but I was trying to tie them back into the stock instrument harness as best as I could.

Se people love em and some people hate em but for the price I had to try the Dolphin gauges.

[Indian113]

Looking Real GOOD!!!! It's nice to see your son helping you, a little garage time go's a long way.

[williamsboys]

Wow man sweet start. Looking real good
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[chevyrestoguy]

Wow, very impressive! I like this build.

Your build has some similarities to mine. I'm also running a 350, serpentine set-up, 700r4, power steering conversion, a voltmeter, and HEI. I plan on driving the wheels off of mine, and I wanted a combination that made good power, didn't leak, and I could get parts for it at any parts store in the country.

I've built hot rods with unique parts, and believe me, it's no fun when it breaks and nobody carries the part you need. Most times, you're far from home on a Sunday when it happens.

[Psycho75]

Originally Posted by chevyrestoguy

Wow, very impressive! I like this build.

Your build has some similarities to mine. I'm also running a 350, serpentine set-up, 700r4, power steering conversion, a voltmeter, and HEI. I plan on driving the wheels off of mine, and I wanted a combination that made good power, didn't leak, and I could get parts for it at any parts store in the country.

I've built hot rods with unique parts, and believe me, it's no fun when it breaks and nobody carries the part you need. Most times, you're far from home on a Sunday when it happens.

Thanks man I was reading your build. I like your truck a lot its got a real sinister stance to it. I was going to ask you what you what you did with the e-brake? As it stands I ha to drop the cross member to put in the trans cross member. I didn't want to pull the trigger yet as to disconnecting it yet as I may use it in the future (while doing maintenance or something) but it looks like my exhaust may interfere with hanging it under the frame.

[Psycho75]

"Looking Real GOOD!!!! It's nice to see your son helping you, a little garage time go's a long way. "

I agree even if I didn't think so when I was his age.

"Wow man sweet start. Looking real good"
"Nice job, looks good and steering wheel is killer. "

Thanks guys I appreciate it.

"Nice build and welcome to the forum.
You do nice work and like the steering wheel.
I just finished my trans tunnel.
Subscribed. "

Thanks also and yeah I saw that wheel and had to have it I tend to drift towards the industrial theme. With any luck I will get all the metal work done someday then "Bare Metal" the whole exterior minus grill bumpers and trim.

[chevyrestoguy]

Thanks for the kind words. I have yet to hook up my ebrake yet. My truck was originally equipped with an SM420, and as you know, the e-brake set-up is a completely different animal. I'm going to have to put on my thinking cap and figure out how to make it all work. Somewhere in the cable system, I'm going to have to put an interface where the cable from the handle connects to the left and right brake cables. On the factory automatic trans equipped trucks, this interface is part of the trans crossmember. I built my trans crossmember using a modified 1970 Camaro TH350 crossmember, so I have no provisions at all for an e-brake interface. My rear end came out of a 1979 Suburban, and the factory e-brake cables are too short to make it to the trans crossmember. I'm going to have to find either a longer primary cable and move the pivot back to where the stock 1979 cables will work, or try to find longer rear cables and leave the pivot adjacent to the trans crossmember. Or....I could get an aftermarket set-up that has the brake rotor and tiny caliper that connects to the yoke of the rear end and just have a really long cable that uses the stock handle.

Decisions, decisions....

[forestb]

where did you get this

[Psycho75]

Originally Posted by forestb

where did you get this

I got it at a local speed shop. But they sell them at Summit about $80. Its a 3/4in. by 3/4in. non splined ujoint. I drilled both threw the joint and the shaft then used lock tite on the threads.

Low Elco Re: My Rotten 65

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Sorry, jumped in on pg. 2! I like the truck too! Nice work!

Low Elco Re: My Rotten 65

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'71 style setup? '71 cables down the trailing arms, and a crossover cable to the main? Can you adapt a '71 style kick pedal to activate it?

I thought about that too but we will have to see. I may remove it for now since I am running an auto and usually park on the street out front I shouldn't need it soon. The problem is finding a donor for the 67-72 style. I may not even worry about it for about a year until I get ready to convert to discs all the way around. Jut wanted to ask what kind of solutions people using an after market cross member are using or if I have to fab something.

As far as the ebrake handle, I kind of dig it. Its well one of those quirky things that I hadn't seen in a vehicle before. I have a stomp pedal on my 96. I saw once a guy converted his ebrake handle to be his auto trans shifter.

[TJ's Chevy]

Very nice! Please post a video of it running when you are done! Thanks for sharing and keep us posted.

[Psycho75]

Ok here are the pics of the painted and installed box.


and with the box installed

[Psycho75]

Originally Posted by T.J. MCCAULEY

Very nice! Please post a video of it running when you are done! Thanks for sharing and keep us posted.

Will do man once I get there

[LT1 Burb]

Nice job, looks good and steering wheel is killer.

[Bomp]

Nice build and welcome to the forum.
You do nice work and like the steering wheel.
I just finished my trans tunnel.
Subscribed.