Tons of questions -- truck finally here, not so much runnin & drivin

[2Cav]

Hello all,

So the shipper showed up with my truck today, and while she runs I am not so sure I feel safe drivin...

Pictures are below, observations first (questions in post 2). Being as this is the first time I have seen it, problems I notice out of the gate:

NO-GO Items:

1. --Very hard to shift from gear to gear (linkage from fire wall to tranny seems fine, think it's a column issue)
2. --Brakes are insanely soft, even after pumping they barely stop her at 10 mph (air in the lines maybe?)
3. --No right blinker, front left runner is out (front left is likely just a bulb, no big deal, but no right turn signal, never pass inspection, and I think it might be the contact in the column???)
4. --rockers and some of floor pan both sides rusted through, although does not appear to be as bad as expected. kick panels and rear cab corners look good both sides...
5. --caked on grease everywhere on motor, can't help but wonder if it is leaking EVERYWHERE...

Other concerns:

• --All 4 tires are ready for replacement, and 1 rim dosen't match...
• --Tranny is slipping.... (this I say just drive it till it dies and rebuild/replace.)
• --RH fender kissed something, and rust near door corner (just replace likely)
• --AC and PS both not connected
• --Hood sticks up in rear (bad brackets and springs?)
• --HVAC controls seem broken cables? dunno, worth messing with or just replace?
• --Drivers door lock dont work
• --Some rust in bed floor, how much is yet to be determined due to the dirt.
• --Paint and body, front fender is repairable, although likely not worth the time, Everything else seems reasonable, paint is toast. not cool patina, just flat out beat to hell...

---Cont---

[2Cav]

So I bought her for $600, had it shipped to St Louis for $550. Right now I am $1150 into her. I bought it as a daily driver, something I could drive 64 miles round trip to work every day in heavy traffic. I wanted to fix her up over time, but I expected a running and driving car. I expected something that would pass inspection and I could register, not so much.

Should I cut my loses, sell her to someone looking for a more intense project? Or are items 1-3 on the no-go list fixable on a tight budget so she is a driver?

1. Can the steering column be rebuilt? Or are you better off to replace?
2. Chances that brakes get better with a good reverse bleed?
3. Any thoughts on the signal issue? I assume the turn signals are on the same fuse, left works, nothing for right, no dash indicator, no flash front or back. Could it be contacts in the column, and if so will a good cleaning doe the trick?

[orngsikL]

man you expected alot out of $550.
looks like a decent start to a rebuild. do the basics to the brakes.
pull the wheels, check the pads / shoes. bleed the whole system.
Steering column would be best to find one in a junk yard, could even do a tilt one out of a van.
signals-
here's what i did. Changed the fuses and flashers. Then got my dremel out and dremeled the bulb sockets, they were full of rust. Then i spray electrical contact cleaner in the sockets and took a flat blade screw driver and pushed the base of the bulb in and out (it has a spring behind it).
If none of that works, go buy a test light and trace wires, not many there.

[2Cav]

Originally Posted by orngsikL

man you expected alot out of $550.
looks like a decent start to a rebuild. do the basics to the brakes.
pull the wheels, check the pads / shoes. bleed the whole system.
Steering column would be best to find one in a junk yard, could even do a tilt one out of a van.
signals-
here's what i did. Changed the fuses and flashers. Then got my dremel out and dremeled the bulb sockets, they were full of rust. Then i spray electrical contact cleaner in the sockets and took a flat blade screw driver and pushed the base of the bulb in and out (it has a spring behind it).
If none of that works, go buy a test light and trace wires, not many there.

I kinda did, but not because I am naive. I bought the truck from someone I kinda know, and it was sold as running and driving. He told me he drove it to work regularly. And he had intended to sell it for much more, but cut me a deal as he knew I had to ship it. I know that normally 600 don't buy one much car, but I expected what was advertised, running and driving. I thought I'd need minimal work to get it past safety inspection, and drive it back and forth to work. I knew I was getting into a project, just not one that need $1000 worth of work just to be drivable.

Thank you for the suggestions, I will follow up on them!

Thanks,
Jeff

[69Rumbler]

i think its a good looking but if you dont have the time are money to put in it just sell it to some one who can im sure you can part it out on here and get your money back ill buy the front bumper lol

[Mister-B]

I think it looks like a decent foundation to fix as you go.

Hell, just removing all those stickers would make a night and day difference in the appearance.
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[2Cav]

Originally Posted by Mister-B

I think it looks like a decent foundation to fix as you go.

Hell, just removing all those stickers would make a night and day difference in the appearance.
Posted via Mobile Device

I know right! if it wasn't for the snow, they'd be gone already! My shoes might be dry enough go back out for a bit. scrape a few stickers, run up to the car wash and clean the junk out and spray out that bed. Maybe take a pic of the motor I obviously forgot.

looks like she came with factory air and power steering, which I thought was pretty cool on a 69.

Jeff

[69C20396]

2Cav. I am about one month into owning a 69 CST C20, and i failed my first inspection. The next day i went and got a volt meter and some wire splices and after about 4 hours the fuses stopped blowing and everything worked. About a week after that the distributor went out, it was down for a few days and very frustrating (i drive mine everyday), but parts are cheap and my labor is even cheaper! I had a few moments when i thought the same thing you are thinking.

My advice would be to track down the electrical issue, and bleed the brakes. Even if you decide to sell it, you will be able to say it runs and drives honestly, and probably make your money back. Also, i've read on here that a good soaking of WD40 will loosen up your gear selector pretty well. Mine wasn't bad, but now its great!

[Lee H]

For the price not a bad truck. Just take it one step at a time, safety stuff first then drive and enjoy it. Get to the other stuff as time and money allow.

[yuccales]

Doesn't look like that bad of a deal! I'd do a walk around, make a list of things to do, then start checking them off one at a time. Have fun with it.

[Aaron Burkemper]

I think what you have in it total is probably about right if you had found one that wasn't a friends and family deal. So don't beat yourself up over money.

If something goes wrong and you can't drive it to work the next day, is that a deal breaker? Having been there before, having a project of any sort and having to rely on it to get to work and back is very stressful.

If you have a backup car, I would keep the truck and fix it as time and money allow. If you were to purchase a turn-key daily driver, you would have to spend a LOT more than $1150.

Unless you are one of the lucky saps I keep reading about here on this forum.

[bsteele]

When you get ready to get the stickers off, a heat gun will work wonders. Nice looking start also. It doesn't look like $1000 worth of repairs if you can do the work yourself.

[Mister-B]

Originally Posted by 2Cav

I know right! if it wasn't for the snow, they'd be gone already! My shoes might be dry enough go back out for a bit. scrape a few stickers, run up to the car wash and clean the junk out and spray out that bed. Maybe take a pic of the motor I obviously forgot.

looks like she came with factory air and power steering, which I thought was pretty cool on a 69.

Jeff

Like someone else said, a heat gun will help (or take your wife's hair dryer). Also, a razor blade and some Goof Off for the sticky residue.

Another thing. People will snicker and tell me I'm wrong here, but I had problems shifting from drive to park. I put some Lucas Transmission fix additive in the tranny, and it went away.
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[ole dollor]

looks like you have a good start..fix all the important stuff now , and fix it up a little at a time, at least you will have a safe daily driver, and a cool 69 c-10.

[Joesjunk]

Try some WD-40 (or whatever spray you have) and spray down in the column where the shift arm goes into it. It might take a good soaking. Keep working it and it should get better.

[PanelDeland]

I think you're ok $$ wise.I do think you're overpricing basic repairs.Lube the column,bleed the brakes and tackle the elect.Once those are done (and the PS hooked back up),you should have a driver.I suspect the PS box is leaking since it's not hooked up.Just grab a later box and bolt it in.You'll need a pitman arm puller for that.Don't sweat the air,it doesn't look like a priority right now.Safety stuff first.

[TBONE1964]

I agree with all of the above. work on the safety issues first. The oil leaks can be fixed a little at a time and still allow driving. Do some cosmetic work in between will add some inspiration. Give it a good scrubbing inside and out, paint the rims and rear bumper and have some fun.

[stexag]

paint is toast. not cool patina

Don't give up on that. A cool patina requires more imagination than anything. I think after you've worked on it a while if a patina truck is what you want - you will find that you're not as far from it as you think. IMHO.

[54belair]

First off, I understand your disappointment, but with that said, you still have a very good project truck--for a decent price. Youre into it for $1150?, really thats nothing--usually 1150 will get you a Real junker.
I think that your brake issues could be fixed for a couple hundred. A used column is less than $100. The blinker issues are aggravating but could prob. be fixed for less than $50.

Thats about $1500 including shipping. Not bad for a driver project.

I really wish you good luck with your truck, as I said I understand disappointment--mine disappointed me too-----and I even did a good(?) inspection before I bought it (for a lot more money). It will take some dollars, some bad language, some skinned knuckles and some head scratching----but in the end youll be proud of the result. Again, good luck on your project.

[54belair]

Oh Yeah, I forgot to mention----- even though you have a good project----If I had a friend who lied to me the way yours must have-----I think Id kick his butt then write him off the fiend list forever!!

[54belair]

Oh Yeah, I forgot to mention----- even though you have a good project----If I had a friend who lied to me the way yours must have-----I think Id kick his butt then write him off the fiend list forever!!

[LockDoc]

-
Personally I think you got a good deal. The chances of getting a truck for 1100 bucks NOT including shipping, that would pass inspection would be slim to none...

-
On the shifter, put the lever in neutral (apply parking brake or block wheels first) and spray some PB Blaster or some other penetrating oil (not WD-40) into the hole that the shift lever goes into on the column. Then pull the lever up toward you and push it back down toward the dash 4 or 5 times to loosen it up. The lever has to move up and down easily to shift gears. After you have done that spray the tube and levers good at the bottom of the steering column then go in and pull the lever up and down again. See if that makes a difference. A lot of people don't realize that you have to pull the shift lever up toward you to shift in and out of certain gear positions.

The best way to get help is to post about one problem at a time and get it corrected, then move on to the next one. I don't see a big problem in getting these things corrected if you take your time.

LockDoc

[2Cav]

Thanks for the input all!!! very much appreciated. I did start off a little bummed, but I think everyone is right. I am going to put some work in, see what I can do. If I can knock out these safety issues I still have what I want. I am no mechanic, but I am not opposed to putting in some wrench time. Hopefully I can fix some of this on my own and get her into driver status!

Thanks again all! Expect more questions soon, although I promise I will try search before I ask.

Jeff

[cdowns]

get a container put a quart of auto tranny fluid and a couple quarts of kerosene in get a squirt squirt spray bottle and as you go thru truck remember that parts that move like to b cleaned and lubricated for proper operation

[Olive1970]

In terms of the issue with the blinkers. Replace both flashers in the fuse box. Also, look out for a grounding issue with the front turn signals. The case of the lamp assembly must ground to the grille and over the years it can lose its ground. Similar problems happened to my truck and it drove me nuts until I did some testing!