New purchase on USA trip - 62 Stepside

[Swed]

Hey all!
I've been surfing around and i'm now a true member of the forum, what a great source of information!
I want to share my story about the truck i found and purchased.

As a preplan before our trip from Sweden where we live to USA I was checking CL and found the truck in Atlanta GA. I checked all the bigger cities we were going to visit and a bit close to Pensacola FL (where our friends live)
Its a 62 stepside with a 350SBC and 350TH Tranny.

I drove it from Atlanta GA to Troy AL where our friends has a farm house.
The trip contained alot of vibrations and it turned out that the guy i got it from didnt do proper a job for the drive shaft. So a new tail house for the 350TH was needed and new drive shaft with the correct lenght was put on.
After I took it from the shop it was like a new truck compared to what it was!

Well, after some traveling around visiting Savannah and some other nice places the journey down to Pensacola FL began. Alot of sand was swirveling around in the truck and it was boiling inside! The ride was pretty good exept for a need to fill the truck a couple of times, it felt like the ignition wasn't correct and well, the 350SB with the 350 tranny wasnt to pleased with the original read end gear ratio. So the fuel consumtion wasnt great..

The truck is now at a shop in Pensacola for some installation of disc brakes and to change the rear end. Its cheaper to do this while its in USA than for for me to get the parts here and do it on my own.
I have collected some parts for it to become a daily driver that I'm going to install when it arrives.

In april its leaving American ground in an container on a boat for the transportation over to Sweden, im really looking forward to the spring!

Thank you for reading, I will for sure have some questions about it..

So pictures..

[C-10cutty]

Nice looking truck. Mine is a '62 long bed and a joy to drive.

Have a good visit.

[kcsa75]

Welcome to the board.

[Grizz1963]

Welcome on board from another newbie.

I think the way you are doing things is perfect.

When we buy our truck in the USA the plan is to have stuff like new glass done before shipping out.

I love the new wheels.
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[markeb01]

Welcome to the forum! What a great story, it sure helps to have a plan. Great looking truck too. Good luck on your adventures.

[Realnoisy]

Welcome. I can't wait to see how you fix her up!

[kieth]

Have them replace the turbo 350 with a rebuilt 700r4 the od in this transmission will help your fuel mileage and make the truck a lot easier on fuel (2-3) mpg at least..............have fun,........Kieth

[dougf]

Welcome!

[Captainfab]

Welcome to the forum

Looks like you found a decent truck aside from a couple drivetrain issues. Keep us posted on your progress.

[78f1hundo]

Wow, what wheels are those?

[Swed]

Originally Posted by 78f1hundo

Wow, what wheels are those?

Thanks! The wheels are 17X8 5x127 MB Motoring Gun Metal. Hopefully they are good and stay in shape.

[Swed]

Originally Posted by kieth

Have them replace the turbo 350 with a rebuilt 700r4 the od in this transmission will help your fuel mileage and make the truck a lot easier on fuel (2-3) mpg at least..............have fun,........Kieth

Thanks for info, I recently got an 700R4 thats on the bed now and I'm going to install it during the summer if I have the time. I haven't found any information about the rebuilds of the 700R4. Is it to make it stronger to handle more tourqe or is it just like an renovation?

Best regards
Johnny

[Swed]

Originally Posted by Captainfab

Welcome to the forum

Looks like you found a decent truck aside from a couple drivetrain issues. Keep us posted on your progress.

Thanks alot! I do like the truck too! The engine setup actually looks really clean so I'm not going to bother about that too much right now. It's more about the interior and comfort that I eager to do first. My goal is to not have a huge consideration if I'm going to use our modern Audi from 2008 or the Truck from 1962

[Swed]

Here's an engine picture.
New alternator, and as previous owner said the engine is renovated with a slightly sharper cam shaft. I cannot remember the degrees on it though and he didn't mention the year the engine is from. (and I didn't ask at the time)

Power steering is also purchased already, so that's probably the first thing I'll go through with it when it arrives.

//Johnny

[ljackson]

Originally Posted by Swed

Thanks for info, I recently got an 700R4 thats on the bed now and I'm going to install it during the summer if I have the time. I haven't found any information about the rebuilds of the 700R4. Is it to make it stronger to handle more tourqe or is it just like an renovation?

Best regards
Johnny

Welcome Swed. As mentioned above you will get better drivability, lower RPM on the highway due to the OD and better fuel milage. We plan to do it to my son's truck someday.

Take a look in engine and drive train area. Search for 700r4. Lots of good reading there. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/f...splay.php?f=24

I 've been keeping up with this tread lately. Gear ratios discussed. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...ht=700r4+ratio

Good luck with your truck.

[Swed]

Now the truck is starting the journey over the pond. I'm expecting to have it in my garage on the 10th of May.
I got pictures from the shop where its been sitting for a while.
They have now installed disc brakes in front, new rims put on, power steering, fixed the rear end drums and changed it from 6 lugs to 5 lugs.

I decided to keep the rear end axle cuz its too much work to change it and the new 700R tranny will do some magic with fuel mileage, RPM and so on.

Parts I've got in the truck with me home is in general new front lights, carpet, new vent windows, weather stripping, key set for doors and ignition, another gauge cluster from a 71 or so (I have an idea to use the gauges for oil pressure and amps and such in the 62 cluster house - I will create a thread on it)

When time comes I need to purchase lowering spindles for front end because it got higher now after new front end stuff..

A new bed box is mounted, its a Dee Zee 8546SB. Dont know about quality yet but it was like a glove on there

Thats all for now I think.
Can't wait to have it here now

[Swed]

A little update now, the truck is now here! It's starting to sink in now.
Someone stole the Custom cab trim and the leftovers of the sunvisor on the passenger side..
I looked at ebay for some new but they are only sold in pairs and well.. a bit pricy..

Someone got a spare Custom cab trim?? I have a friend in USA that can resend it to me.

[Swed]

I have a Paypal account, and its the trim that only has the Custom logo in the middle.
Someone?

[1963c-10]

Swed....not that it makes a huge difference, but those custom cab trim pieces that your missing one of is the 64-66 trim. The 60-63 trim had the "custom" on the bottom. If your missing one, maybe better to replace the set and get the correct ones. Just a suggestion. Great looking truck by the way...very nice find.

[XtechX]

I'm curious to hear how much it costs to have a truck shipped over seas. Just a curiosity thing, you dont have to say if you dont want to.

[JWheeler331]

Awesome adventure you had to get your truck. Nice looking daily driver also. Shame someone stole your custom cab metal.......I cant stand a dang thief.

[McCoyAZ]

Welcome aboard.....fine looking truck there.

If I may ask a question about something you said....... " fixed the rear end drums and changed it from 6 lugs to 5 lugs."

Does this mean you kept the original rear axels and gearing and just converted them to a 5 lug wheel?

If yes....then please tell me how you accomplished that?

scott

[luvbowties]

Originally Posted by McCoyAZ

Welcome aboard.....fine looking truck there.

If I may ask a question about something you said....... " fixed the rear end drums and changed it from 6 lugs to 5 lugs."

Does this mean you kept the original rear axels and gearing and just converted them to a 5 lug wheel?

If yes....then please tell me how you accomplished that?

scott

Sorry we're hijacking thread, but to answer your ?...Remove axles & machine shop knocks out 6 studs & drills the 5-lug pattern & reduces diam. of the register(the part that centers the drum & wheel: the 5-lug drum has a smaller diameter center). Some even re-drill the 5-lug pattern thru orig. brake drum--I prefer to put on correct, original 5-lug brake drums! One of the 6 axle-holes has to be welded before drilling, as 1 of the new holes inner-laps with just 1 orig.--again, my preference is to weld up ALL 6 holes before drilling, but either way will work. Job done! HTH,
Sam

[Swed]

Yes! Couldnt be more clear than that! happy friday gents!
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[Swed]

Originally Posted by XtechX

I'm curious to hear how much it costs to have a truck shipped over seas. Just a curiosity thing, you dont have to say if you dont want to.

No problem! The actual shipping is somewhere around $1700 according to Swedish laws I have to pay toll and taxes based on bill of sale + shipping which is another $1400. So it's more expensive to ship it than the actual vehicle in this case.

The up side is that the truck is worth double up here.
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