Newbie Needs Help

[streinen]

I'm sure this is the last type of thread the longtimers like to see get started. But I'm new to this and need advice. I just purchased a 66 C10 stepside, and I am not a mechanic whatsoever. I'm seeking advice on good, trustworthy mechanics in San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles. Searching via Google has not been fruitful.

Once I've got my feet wet and have tackled some of the interior projects myself, I promise to feed some value and know how back into this board. But for the time being, I'm like a baby looking for some food and maybe the occasional change of a diaper. Be gentle.

Thanks all.

[spacedebris]

Personally I use Troy at Full Scale Hot Rods in Ventura. He is the only one I would let anywhere near my Panel. I know he is a bit far from the San Fernando Valley but he is WELL worth the drive.

Not the cheapest out there but by no means the most expensive, however you can bet your bottom dollar that it will be done right.

http://www.fullscalehotrods.com

Here is an example of the body work he did for me already.

Before:


After:

[Chevy1966]

Hi Streinen and welcome. First of all you have a lot of decisions to make and questions to answer. For example: what are you planning to use your new truck for... daily driver, restoration project, or ??? What is the existing condition, both mechanical and body? How much reliable maintenance history do you have? How big is your checkbook? This will help you make a decision on what caliber of mechanic you want to hire, if you don't want to tackle this work yourself. The good news is you have a vehicle that has very basic systems and a plentiful supply of available parts. The bad news is that it is very likely a lot of things are wearing out and a steady diet of maintenance will be in order. Don't expect to have a reliable daily driver without investing time and money into a complete preventive maintenance exercise.

Personally I would not want any mechanic touching any of my vehicles. The trustworthy ones are few and far between, but that's just me. You need to think of ownership as a long-term proposition, somewhat like a marriage although slightly less costly, far less demanding but a commitment nonetheless. If you want help from this forum, there is a lot of great experience here and good people willing to share. I am a bit too far north to know of any mechanics in the valley. Don't discount the idea of jumping in and figuring out how to fix things yourself. I encourage you to ask questions; it is best to ask simple questions, one basic question per post. By the way we will be glad to feed you, but we ain't changing your diapers - most of us had our share of that quite a few years ago! Anyway, that's my $.02 worth. Good luck! Rob

[Woogeroo]

Most everyone is here to learn more and share what we know... different folks have different skill sets or experiences with these trucks.

For instance, I have never done body work or major engine stuff beyond a head gasket replacement... but I've done a lot of electrical things and all sorts of other mechanical repairs to my truck.

You are in the right place to start learning.

Welcome to the board.

-W

[aerotruk63]

You'd be amazed how much you can accomplish with a shop manual for your year. I believe you need a 63 shop manual and a 66 supplement. Available in book form as well as CD. I prefer the book form to readily see where I am in a repair and I like to scan/copy and print the page to make notes when looking for parts. These original trucks are a great teaching tool to get you started .

[thelawdoc]

Streinen, Well you are a mechanic now. If you bought that truck and you know nothing about wrenching, you probably really like her. Like me, you got played by a babe. Now we will see whether she be a 'high maintenance' type or the 'sweetheart from next door.' If you truly know nothing, then prepare yourself to spend bucks on her. Big bucks, because when a guy knows nothing about his truck and ends up at a shop about 'some noise,' he will be a minnow in a shark pool. But you probably know more than you think you know. If you are a little older, you probably went to school when shop classes were still done. If not, you might consider doing shop classes online by hitting Youtube, which I think is one of the best places to do self-study on the planet. You and I both have the same truck -if you have the 250 & PowerGlide & Rochester B. I was in your same position not long ago, though I did have the benefit of four years of shop classes and machinist knowledge. But with an old lady who holds the purse strings, I had to hit the books, so to speak, else I would lose the truck. As Chevy66 said, you don't want anyone fiddling with your truck. For while your truck may be from the sixties, the people who will be touching her on your behalf likely will not be. And this fact can become the bane of the relationship you want with your truck. If, on the other hand, you have money to burn, then you have nothing to worry about. You will simply spend until she runs like you want her to run. And you do not need anyone here on the forums. I assume since you are here, that you prefer to keep your money in your pocket if you can. So you are lucky again- firstly to have this babe, and secondly to have landed at this forum. You have obviously found favor with the gods. Don't screw it up. Get the manuals for your truck and flip through them page by page to get an idea of what is going on. Then read the general care sections word by word. Read and re-read. Then read it again. That is where your basic nourishment is going to come from. When you get stuck, come here to the forum, where you will find the best diaper changes. This forum, in my opinion will give you whatever anecdotal, empirical or scientific evidence you need to unravel any question you could ever have about your truck. The combined knowledge base of the people here rivals the engineer's and designer's who put this truck out in the sixties. And since those engineers and designers are no longer with us, this forum may be the sole custodian of the information that you need. So you will want to familiarize yourself with as much of the fundamentals of machinery that you can, otherwise you will fail to take full advantage of what the forum can offer you. I do not know about you, but I could not keep my truck were it not for the guys here. That is a simple fact. So before you even touch that babe, get her stats. You should be able to spit out the correct spark plug she needs even if you are woken in the middle of the night. If you can't, you need to go back and read the manual again. I say this not because the guys here will not tell you the spark plug. Rather, you, yourself, will not want to do things that way. You will tire quickly from that way of owning your truck. Along with the books, you may want to familiarize yourself with your camera. It will really help the guys help you when you are stumped. Get a notebook and start doing inventory. Find out what you have so you know what to do with it. You likely do not have what you think you have after reading the manual. That truck has been played with for fifty years. Investigate. Take notes. Get a magnifying glass. Get a carton of dishwashing soap. Gather up all the old brushes in the house. Rags. More rags. And more reading. Then get ready to be happy. 'Boy o boy' happy.

[american revolution]

Delmo in Burbank

[forestb]

Tyerman’s Automotive & Suspension is a great place in Burbank that does a lot of work on older cars.