New member from Austin, TX

[LuckyLightning]

Hey all!

I've been trolling through the forums over the last day or so (I just found this site on Sunday) and gotta say that this is a great site. Everyone here is friendly and supportive and full of valuable info.

Where I'm coming from...
The last time I spent any serious time under the hood was about 10 years ago. Throughout high school I tinkered with my '84 Monte Carlo and my '77 Trans Am, but it was after that when I really got into it by rebuilding my grandfathers' 1963 baby blue 2WD Chevy pickup (LNB/long stepside). He passed away before I was even born and my uncle had used it (say it with me) to drive through the pasture from the time I was a kid until it just finally died (it quit starting up) during my senior year in high school.

After I sold the Monte Carlo and Trans Am in favor of a motorcycle, I realized I still needed four wheels to get around with for those rainy days... and what better way to do it than to restore my grandfathers' old pickup.

It had an inline v6 and a three-on-the-tree. I dropped those out in favor of a '66 350 and a '69 (I think, going from memory here) 4 speed manual. The drive shaft had to be adjusted, and I replaced the wheels with a set from a mid-80's 4x4 suburban (6 lugs I think). I placed a new fan on the motor (and a new plastic radiator shroud). I also had some new shocks put in as well (springs were still good enough to keep). I took out the old bench seat and placed (not bolted - crazy, I know) a bench seat from some mid-80's Chevy pickup. I even fixed the leak in the gas tank (sort of) by coating the inside with a sealant.

I had it running pretty good for a few months until the unspeakable happened: I totaled it. I was on the highway at around 5:00 a.m. and fell asleep at the wheel doing around 60 mph. As you all know, the inside of that truck is nothing but metal (aside from the sterring wheel) and there's no seat belt. The only reason I'm here today is because I was flung out of the driver-side door as it rolled in the air. I walked away (figuratively) with a broken ankle, so I was pretty lucky to say the least.

The truck wasn't. It landed back on all four tires, but it rolled at least once. Because the truck spindled on it's rear bumper, the frame is bent a little under the bed, the bed itself was mangled, and the driver-side door was twisted up pretty badly (the window never broke, miraculously enough). The cab frame has shifted a little (think of going from a rectangle to a trapezoid, but not that extreme-just a little in the corners at the top), one of the wheels chipped away (but the tires never blew out), and the shocks must be shot too. The engine must have bounced real bad because that new radiator shroud broke off a peice where the fan hit it at the top. I got it towed home and never could get the motor to turn over.

So, to make a long story not so long, I walked away from the truck after that. It really sucked to see all that hard work go down the drain. So I parked it right back in it's old spot on the farm, where it's been sitting for the last ten years. I figured with a bent frame and misaligned cab, there wouldn't be much point to trying to continue the restoration process since so much of the original truck would need to be replaced. And I really didn't know the extent of the damage a roll would do to a truck like this one, and I was gun-shy to dismantling the whole thing to find out.

But after checking out this site, my fire has been reignited. After the holidays I will make weekend trips to the farm and dust off that old truck and begin the process anew by tearing it down and replacing what needs to be replaced, bolt-by-bolt if I have to. I'll be looking for a new frame (I know I can straighten it out, but not sure how comfortable I would be with that for the long run) as well as a cab (let's hear it for the wrap-around windshield!) and looking to convert it into a 4x4, and I still need to sell that old inline v6... but I'll be posting those all in the appropriate category.

Sorry there are no pics right now, but I'll take some digital pictures in January before I get started so you guys can see the process.

I'm also proficient in Photoshop, so I'll be poking around in that category from time to time and help out some folks so I'll earn my keep.

It's great to finally be able to interact with you all. I'm really looking forward to getting the old Blue Tank running again.

[papawswrench]

Quite a project there - you CAN do it - with all the help you can get here .
Welcome from another Texan - just south of Houston .

[LuckyLightning]

Thanks man, I appreciate the vote of confidence. You're right though, with the help available in these forums, I'll be able to do it.

[papawswrench]

With all the forums and all the knowledge here you Will do it ! Check out all the different forums and post to them , get to know everyone and soon you will be part of this big community of enthusiasts .

[Mudder]

Welcome to the site.

[LuckyLightning]

Thanks Mudder and thanks again Papas. This kind of community is exactly what I needed ten years ago. I'm really jazzed about this now.

[N2TRUX]

Welcome to the forum LuckyLightning.That's a well written and very interesting story about your truck. I think with that kind of history you "have" to rebuild. You can not find a bettr source of info and support anywhere else in the world....

[LuckyLightning]

That's good to hear N2TRUX, thanks man.

[Hoods69BadBowTie]

Welcome to the best board around from Montana. Thats a pretty crazy tale to be told. Glad you walked away all right. I think with all the past history with it, it should definantly get another makeover.

[LuckyLightning]

Thanks H69BBT, it's good to see several of you guys voicing your support on this.

[krue]

Welcome to the board from South Mississippi. Looks like you're well on your way to getting that truck on the road again.

[phantom dually]

Welcome from KY

[Liz]

[MDC]

Welcome from N TX. Great story. Keep us posted on progress.
MDC

[TruckinDaddy]

Welcome from the NWest side of Austin.

I have my grandfather's truck, too. A 68 long step. It sat in a pasture for 12 years after he died. I just brought it home last March and am getting close to road ready again.

[LuckyLightning]

Thanks krue, phantom dually, Liz, MDC and TruckinDaddy.

Truckin, I can't wait to see pics of your 68 when you get it road ready.

[80BIG10]

Welcome from just up the road in Pflugerville

[smirch9]

Welcome from OKlahoma!

[LuckyLightning]

As promised, I finally have pics. Looks like I wrecked this in '96. I've noted where the frame is bent in the back and in the front, and also where the fan shroud is chipped. You'll also see how rust is infecting the cab. The driver-side door and the bed is gone and the windshiled has all but popped out. Rust isn't really effecting the rest of the truck (front end) which I will be able to salvage.

I plan to replace the frame, toss in some 4x4 stuff, replace the cab, add a bed and rewire the whole thing. I'm taking my time.

[papawswrench]

Big project you have . Get crackin'!! Be sure to post progress pics !

[67Mach1]

Greetings from another FNG on the site.

UP in Round Rock and just picked up a 69 Step myself. Seems there are a few guys in the Austin area on site.

Looking forward to seeing your progress. Just as soon as i can take the time to figure out how to post pics I'l do so to.

Good luck.

Thomas

[LuckyLightning]

Thanks guys.

I'm picking up a '64 frame this weekend and I just checked it out yesterday. I noticed the bent section that I noted for under the hood on the passenger side is supposed to be that way. I just never noticed it before the accident. The '64 frame had the exact same bend.

[junkyarddog1956]

Welcome from Indiana ...glad to hear you are alright . Bent metal can be fixed , people heal slower . I have been doing auto body repair for 33 years , I'd check with a qualified frame man before going to the trouble of replacing it. I am restoring a 74 F-100 that was rolled and the frame was bent , we straightend it and put center line gauges on it and it is right back in specs ( just my 2 cents ) . Hope the best for you and your truck .... Joe

[LuckyLightning]

Thanks for the info Joe. I would probably consider doing that if I didn't just TODAY pay up for a '64 frame. But I'm getting some extras with it, so I'm comfortable with the deal.

[a28doc]

welcome to the board looks like a kewl project keep us updated when you can
Doc