New guy from cheeseland. Working on a '66 C10.

['66chevyfanatic]

Hi all,

I joined a few days ago. I have not yet posted, as I wanted to look around a bit and see how things are here. It looks like a great deal of knowledge, and helpful info exists on this board. It also looks as though you don't have to wait for a long time to get a decent response. It appears that the members of this board are a good group of people. I like it very much, and look forward to many great conversations here. I will have a ton of questions over the next few years, and I also hope to be able to help someone else out in there time of need.

So, I am from Wisconsin, I am 28 years old, and an electrician. I'm a Packer fan, a die hard Cubs fan, and most importantly a huge Chevy fan (especially '66 Trucks and Chevelle's). I know it's odd, a Packers/Cubs fan. I can't help it, I grew up around all Cubs fans, and my mom is a huge Packer fan. It's in my blood.

As for the '66 Chevy fan, my dad had a '66 Chevelle when he was in high school. I have seen the pictures of it a thousand times, and fell in love with '66 and '67 Chevelles as a teenager. Have never been able to afford one, but someday.

My dad also has a '66 Chevy C20, it's been sitting in the garage since the early '70's. It has a 283 w/ manual trans. He has been accumulating parts for 30 some years for it. It was a work truck, and has some dents, but very little rust that I can see. It is buried in his garage, behind piles of miscellaneous crap, and has been for as long as I can remember. He used to take it out once a year to run it up to the gas station, and keep it in running condition, but I think it has been every bit of 10 years since the last time it was ran. It has been used for a storage bin for the last 10 years at least. A few years back, he found another '66. A C10 with a rust free long box step side bed, with nice wood in it for $200.00. A very nice solid frame, and some other good parts. He decided to use the C10 chassis and box, and transfer the rest of the parts over from the C20. Well, it has been a long slow project. 30 some years, and he just got the frame back from his buddy last fall blasted and painted. That is all that has been done with that truck in all this time.

I have been bugging him to sell me the truck since I was 15. He don't want to sell it, because it was his dad's truck. Some things happened a few years back, and he was talking about selling it to a few of the many people who have asked him over the years to sell it to them. I absolutely would not let him sell it.

Anyhow, now I have the painted 1/2 ton frame in my garage, and he has been telling me for the last few years to just take the truck if I want it. I don't want to just take the truck, but I do want to see it get restored. I figure at this point, if I don't work on it myself, it is never getting done. I have decided to take it upon myself to do this truck, and not just for me. I would like to see my dad enjoy this truck before he is too old to enjoy it.

So, I am just beginning my long journey of the fun and frustration of bringing a nice old truck out of hiding. Hopefully it's more fun than frustration. I am not going to get real wild with this truck, but do plan to update and upgrade a lot of it. When I was younger, I wanted to chop the top and slam it in the weeds. Not anymore, I would like to retain stock ride hieght, and stock body lines. I do want power steering, power discs, a nice set of wheels, and a few other luxuries that have been invented and improved since this truck was new. A mild 283, with a 4 speed manual trans., and some nice sounding pipes. However, I want to retain the stock look.

I do not have any pics to post of the truck right now, and it will be a little while before I am able to due to the truck being buried. However, I will get some pics up as soon as I can, as well as pics of the resto process.

Thanks for reading my long drawn out intro to the site. I apologize for the length, but I tend to get carried away sometimes. I hope everyone has a great day, and I look forward to many chats here.

See you in the '60-'66 section.

Thanks again,
Tom

[diggerbob]

but please don't hunt my cat...

As regards your 66 project, it sounds like your starting out with a good heart. It would be mighty fine for you to partner up with your old Dad and get his 66 spiffied up once more. My Dad's sentimental favorite was a 55 Belair that he had a a young man just back from the war (the big 'un-WWII).
I have dreamed of getting him an updated Belair as a gift but time and money haven't been on my side. Besides, at 81 years of age with failing eye sight and failing health, I don't think he would be able to drive it much. So, my advice is...since you already have the truck and many of the parts you will need, jump right in there and get to work.

I like the Chevelles too. My first car was a 66 with a 283, 2bbl, powerglide. It wasn't near as fast as my buddies 289 mustang so, being the D/A kid that I was, I put a 4bbl intake on mine and bolted a thermoquad on top. That poor little 283 would just drown when I gave it the gas until I got it over 30 mph. Never did beat my buddy and his mustang but that ole chevy sure was bullet proof. At least until an old man in a big Chrysler pulled in front of me as I was hurrying back to high school to avoid being caught for skipping gym class Totalled my chevelle and coach wore me out the next day.

Them were the days.....

[dtlilly]

Welcome to the board 66fan! What part of this state are you from?

['66chevyfanatic]

Hey guys,

Thanks for the welcomes. Not to worry diggerbob, I don't hunt cats, but I hear they taste like chicken.

And dtlilly, I am from the SE part of the state. About 25 mintues west of Kenosha, and right on the WI/IL state line.

I'm looking forward to the Jefferson Swap Meet this coming weekend. Hoping to find some goodies for my dad's truck, as well as sell some of the excess stuff I have from other vehicles laying around my garage.

Tom

[Liz]

welcome

[dtlilly]

Hey Tom, Look up fellow board member "John@thepier. He lives on the south end of Lake Geneva. He's really in to chevy trucks. His wife has fully restored 62, and John has several mint 67-72's.

There will be a bunch of us at Jefferson. I'll be there Saturday. I'm trying to set up an informal board meet Saturday... high noon... at the main entrance ticket booth.

Go ahead and browse around the site. Click on the "regions" board, there is some discussion with fellow Wisconsin members. The "board meet" board will also give everyone an idea about the informal meet.

[N2TRUX]

'66chevyfanatic.....