my 62 - long way to go, not sure where to start

[PeanutGallery]

first post - sorry for the length; hope you can wade through it! i've been lurking for a couple years now, reading and absorbing, and now i've got a serious itch to get to work on my '62 - but i'm a bit overwhelmed as to where to start. so, i figured i'd post here and get some of your thoughts!

for a bit of history, the truck is a '62 C10 fleetside w/ the 235ci 6cyl and 3-on-the-tree. near as i can tell, the original color was desert beige - it's been repainted (~25 years ago) but was painted something close to the stock color, i believe, and it's tan right now. i'm the 3rd owner - and my granddad was the 2nd. he bought it used in the mid/late 60's from a local dealership in north mississippi and it's been in the family since. it was a farm truck the last few years of its active life, and then after my grandparents passed it basically just sat in their backyard for a few years under a tree. when i finally got a garage i could put it in, i brought it over here and it's been garaged for the last several years.

on to the pics:














it's in pretty good shape all-in-all, but needs a little attention all over. the only real rust is in the bottom of the doors and the floorboards - and those are isolated. i have no welding ability, so i may have to let someone else do that stuff, but hopefully i can at least get the mechanicals in good order and then focus on the bodywork.

i think what i want to do is first get it back on the road for as little investment as i can get away with - which means sticking with the 235/3-spd for now. eventually i'd like to have an aggressively cammed small-block in there, maybe a 383 stroker or even an LS2 or something....but first things first, eh?

the trans is probably in good shape, but the clutch is completely shot. the brakes are also shot, and i think the steering probably needs an overhaul. of course, all the belts and hoses are dry-rotted, too. so, where to start?

-- brakes - i want to keep it 6-lug but upgrade to discs all around; would the early classic 2 1/2" drop spindle/disc conversion kit be my best bet?

-- suspension - i want it lowered, but i can't go too aggressive w/o bags or i'll never get it into my driveway. do you think the 2 1/2" front drop spindles w/ maybe a 4" drop leaf kit in the rear would work OK?

-- clutch - any input on a good option for a replacement?

-- interior - i'm going to try to find a '99+ silverado 40/20/40 bench w/ the integrated seatbelts, and i'll probably relocate the gas tank to below the bed...other than that it's passable for now.

-- wheels/tires - i may do wide whites on steelies at first, or i may try to get a set of newer OEM chevy/GMC 20's to put on there. we'll see.

-- paint - eventually i'd like to repaint it lemans blue (the C5 corvette Z06 color), but for now i'll leave the patina'd tan paint as it sits - it has character.

-- bed - i'll replace the rusted out tin sheets that are in there now with wood slats like it had originally.

-- miscellaneous - i'll probably pull the motor apart to clean out the sludge that i'm sure the oil has become by now, and i'll have to go through all the window/door seals. there are probably another 100 things i'll need to do as well - mirrors, add power steering, update the lighting, etc....

well, i've taken enough of your time - thanks for reading, if you've made it this far! i'd love to hear your input on where to go w/ this thing - your comments are welcome! any suggestions on what i need to get to do this right the first time (and not have to replace something again later) would be great - it seems that early classic enterprises and LMC truck will be good parts sources so far; are there others that you've used with good results? anybody in AL w/ a line on a good salvage yard in the birmingham area?

[Demmit_Hemmit's 65]

Great looking truck Peanut.............most of us aren't as lucky as you to start with a solid truck................................I would say start by getting it running..........then go to the brakes and hydralic clutch.......................the drop you're talking about is a real good combo and will get you a good ride and stance.............your interior plan is solid because those seats look and fit real well in our year of trucks..............If you have small amount of rust then repairing that won't be so bad....................I would concentrate on one thing at a time and you won't get buried in your project...................................Good luck and welcome to the board from the Hoosier state..........Hemmit

[63 & 64 Bowties]

WOW, NICE NICE truck Peanut !!!! very straight. You're very lucky

[62 short step]

Welcome!! nice truck!! I agree with Hemmit, take your time and you will have fun wth it!!

[SkylineNXS]

I just wanna say that ive got a 66 with an inline 250 witht eh three on the tree, and its kinda cool i think. I really always wanted a car with a short shifter style tranny (cause im 18, hehe) but the three is actually pretty nice, and i love how u can start out from a stop in second, lol...

BRAD

[Pistonman]

I would be tempted to restore that very nice original truck ...stock....or stock looking but very low.

[fercho71]

nice truck man good solid project

[Iron-Butt]

Great truck, I would get it running first. I aways do one thing at a time.

[Revoh]

If it were mine, and it had been in my family for 40 years and owned by my grandad, I wouldn't want to hot rod it. Don't get me wrong, I like fast cars and customs as much as the next guy, but that has a history and originality that you can never get back once you start dickin' with it.

Not that it matters what I think, but if it were me, I'd get it working with all the stock mechanicals and enjoy it for what it is. Someday you might appreciate that more than modding it all up to the point you can't get the heritage and connection to your grandad back.

At any rate, that's a neat truck with a great history!

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Originally Posted by Revoh

If it were mine, and it had been in my family for 40 years and owned by my grandad, I wouldn't want to hot rod it. Don't get me wrong, I like fast cars and customs as much as the next guy, but that has a history and originality that you can never get back once you start dickin' with it.

Not that it matters what I think, but if it were me, I'd get it working with all the stock mechanicals and enjoy it for what it is. Someday you might appreciate that more than modding it all up to the point you can't get the heritage and connection to your grandad back.

At any rate, that's a neat truck with a great history!

[PeanutGallery]

thanks to all for the input & words of encouragement thus far - keep it coming!

for years a good friend of mine has been telling me the same things about restoring it in stock form instead of modding it, and to a certain extent i don't disagree at all w/ that approach. that's one reason why a V8 swap and re-paint would be way down the line - giving me plenty of time to change my mind and keep it stock.

part of me loves the notion of it slammed on 20's with a lumpy-cammed V8, headers, and rumbly exhaust....but then the other part of me likes the notion of being a little 'different' by keeping it true to its 6-cylinder roots and taking it back closer to showroom condition.

some of the things i do want to do will take it away from full resto status, but they'll make it more enjoyable (and safer) as a weekend driver/cruiser - things like the disc brake swap, the updated interior bench seat w/ seatbelts, etc. - and those are always reversible. i'd of course keep everything i pulled off the truck for that very reason.

your input is very helpful - i've been on the fence about keeping it stock vs. modding it a bit for years, and you're right in that it's a very solid truck to start with - and that in itself is a rarity. when i think about the fact that the first 40+ years of its life it was never garaged and was always used as a truck for farm use, it really is pretty amazing that it's in as good a shape as it is....it really doesn't even have many dings or dents, other than a few in the tailgate and one on the side of the hood.

[3speed 6cyl]

Get it running good. Dress it up and drive it man! It all ready looks good. If I had that truck I would tune it, repaint the bumpers and grill, give the rims/hubs TLC, white walls, some tunes and just enjoy driving it. good luck. very nice 6 duce.

[Demmit_Hemmit's 65]

I also like to see you put it back to stock................You'd probably have an easier time restoring it that way with all the parts now available for our year trucks................................good luck and have fun..............................................My buddy and I call it therapy................................Man i think I'll head to the garage and get some therapy myself....................LOL LOL LOL >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>hemmit

[P_A]

Great truck with a great history behind it! I would add a 6 lug disc brake kit to the front and seat belts and drive it. I think your grand dad would approve!

[Truckstr]

Peanut, I wouldn't hot rod it - and I love hot rods! But it looks to be in good enough shape, and has a personal history to it, that can never be regained once it's modded. But, that's just my 2 cents worth. I went through the same quandry with my grandfather's '66. He bought it new. It only has 52,000 miles on it and, despite having been a farm truck, was always garaged. I wouldn't mod it up for anything.

[steverino66]

Spend the $20 and read this book - lots of good food for thought about direction and amount of restoration:

http://www.amazon.com/How-Restore-Yo...4547705&sr=8-3

[PeanutGallery]

Originally Posted by steverino66

Spend the $20 and read this book - lots of good food for thought about direction and amount of restoration:

http://www.amazon.com/How-Restore-Yo...4547705&sr=8-3

thanks for the link - i have a couple books but i don't think i have that one yet.

to all - thanks again for the input. i think you're right - the best way to go is to keep it true to the heritage, so to speak, though i probably will do the small upgrades like the seatbelts and the disc brakes and maybe a slight lowering just to make it safer and more pleasant to drive, and other than that i'll just give it a good going-through, get it running smoothly, and hit the cruise-in's and all that good stuff!!

[04Xrider]

I agree with Revoh: By the way, the broom looks like it could almost have been original equipment

[PeanutGallery]

Originally Posted by 04Xrider

I agree with Revoh: By the way, the broom looks like it could almost have been original equipment

i pulled a couple of wrenches and screwdrivers out of the very bottom corner of the glovebox that have to be at least nearly as old as the truck, if not older. there are also a few miscellaneous fuses, screws, and other bits stored in old prescription bottles....which is very typical of my granddad! his 'junk sheds' at the old homestead are overwhelming - i tried to sort through some of that stuff a few years ago and gave up.

lots of history wrapped up in the truck, that's for sure - one of many reasons i'd never consider selling it and why i've dragged it across state lines and to two different houses...

[72lb4x4]

Why not clean it up, fix the clutch, brakes, belts, etc. oil/lube and savor (or suffer) with its original personality for a while? If you decide to drop it, etc. later you'll be able to compare before and after, which may be interesting.

Parts to do this shouldn't be more than a few hundred bucks, hopefully.

[Chevy Fleetside]

I say keep it stock and get another truck to butcher up. I think my next build is going to be a stock build.

[mateo1279]

Originally Posted by Chevy Fleetside

I say keep it stock and get another truck to butcher up. I think my next build is going to be a stock build.

I Agree!!! It is hard to find nice trucks as complete as that one, especially with the family history. Make this one stock and find a true beater to rod out. You could probably find one in 'ugly' shape that has a v8 for cheaps... (My 62 was 1200 bucks and runs like a dream, but was butt ugly)

-Matt

[63 & 64 Bowties]

Originally Posted by mateo1279

I Agree!!! It is hard to find nice trucks as complete as that one, especially with the family history. Make this one stock and find a true beater to rod out. You could probably find one in 'ugly' shape that has a v8 for cheaps... (My 62 was 1200 bucks and runs like a dream, but was butt ugly)

-Matt