Drillers project '63 Short Fenderside.......

[A.T. RockDriller]

Well I caught wind that a feller up the road had a GMC that was crusher ready sitting on his property....so I thought I'd check it out and see if there were any goodies to save from the crucible.....

[A.T. RockDriller]

The paint is rolling off this thing.....but amazingly....the body is virtually rust free, save for the driver-side rocker strip inside the door.
The grill has a bit of damage....has the '66 front lettering....a Chev hood....a crack in the windshield.
The rest of the glass is good, radio delete plate in the glove box....Along with the heater delete plates in place.
There isn't a dent in the tail gate......the box is near immaculate.
NO rust in the cab corners...and so on....and ya' know what I mean.
No engine...tranny.
Does have the factory p-steering (Power assist to the tie-rod) with the pump laying on the frame.
There's more.....just can't remember it all right this minute.

I ended up swapping the feller some A-57 structural steel bolts for the red-iron package for a steel building he is erecting, along with a case of mastic and a cold Bud........And a hug............for the whole truck.
I've never had or even looked closely at a heater delete rig....but it does have a fan in place inside under the dash and a two out of four function heater control assy.
Is that correct....?
I'll take better pic's for those of you who know what your lookin' at to decipher.
Here's a shot inside....that's all I got on the initial trip...Camera batts ran out.

I'm stoked.

[lwb66step]

cool! I like the stepsides for sure

[markeb01]

That thing looks cherry except for the paint, and you sure can’t beat the price. It sounds like the economy heater is in place and correct for this year truck. It shares the same inside ducting with the deluxe heater, but the fan motor sits on top of the heater core inside the cab. The two lever control is appropriate. Very cool indeed, and you sure can’t beat the price. Good for you. What are the plans, or have you had time to think of that yet?

[A.T. RockDriller]

Well Markeb......

So since I was to wound up and dodging yellow-jackets...(and shootin at them with a can of bee spray) to properly study the ins & outs of this thing....enlighten me...please.
So there is or should be a heater core in the cab, under the fan...?
I guess I've never looked that close at one with the economy heat option.

As far as the plans.....my little brain's been reelin over this for 48 hours straight.
A guy like me (and lostmy65) would obviously consider picking up a '80's short-bed 4X4 frame & running gear...do some grafting....maybe a 3/4 ton and rob the diffs, hang some leaf springs on the front and make a pretty tough-truck out of it.
But then, as this is the first year GMC went to leaf/coil suspension....It would be a simple and sweet process to make a street ride out of it.
I doubt if I would c-notch & bag it (I know how many of you guys out there would do that....and do it well)....but I probably could see me lowering it and going big small block and close ratio 4spd.
But then again....It is a great candidate for a OE restoration...

What do you all think you'd do if it was you makin' that call...?

[66Gilbert]

Originally Posted by A.T. RockDriller

What do you all think you'd do if it was you makin' that call...?

You know what my call would be. 4X4 it !!!!!!

[aerotruk63]

And it has a gun rack!

3/4 ton axles and the spring mounts grafted to the existing frame like the early Napco conversions. Transmission/ Cab / engine are all in the right spot on a good frame. Why complicate life when you don't have too. Pervert it which ever way you feel is right. Try to get some pictures from under the hood.

Your Avatar truck is gorgeous by the way. Talk about the right combination of cabinets,wheelbase, color tire and wheel combination.

[LeftCoast32]

That '63 looks to be in real nice shape (except the paint). Good luck with the build!

I have a complete set of 1972 4X4 K5 Blazer Suspension mounts off a California vehicle. They have similar frame dimensions to the 64-66 trucks. I think the frame of the '63 is the same dimensions.

You are more then welcome to them for a cheap price and shipping. That way you can retain the original frame and change it over to 4WD.

I was going to convert the suspension over on my '66 K15 but decided to stay with the original grease pin suspension.

[LostMy65]

Well Les,

I'm sitting here grinning as I think about your score.
And score it is!

Just up the road from you is just a little farter up the road from me.

Short Stepside and oh so straight.

Honestly, my longbed service body is where I debate converting to a 4x4. If I had a shortbed, I surely would make it a hotrod.
But then again, shortbed step 4x4 is oh so cool also.

See what I do to myself!

Eitherway, great score, and nice save from the crusher.

-Robert
Posted via Mobile Device

[NWGreaser]

Nice score Les. You can't go wrong with a trade like that. I'm going to chime in and say you should go for an OE restoration or rod it out. I only say that because you already have a SWEET 4wd rig.

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by NWGreaser

Nice score Les. You can't go wrong with a trade like that. I'm going to chime in and say you should go for an OE restoration or rod it out. I only say that because you already have a SWEET 4wd rig.

Good point.
Posted via Mobile Device

[LostMy65]

If you do decide to go OE, there's a guy here in OC that has a GMC hood.
Posted via Mobile Device

[nbrfd007]

The tailgate is is great. Power steering setup on a 305 V6 great find also. My neck of the woods, power steering was not thought of, tailgates where eaten by the pulpwooders. Nice Jimmy!
Tim

[RockTonka]

Nice find!! Gotta love the price, it's a bit like winning the lottery...well, as close as we'll probably get.

My first thought was to 4x4 it also, especially since up till a couple nights ago I would have offered up the drive train out of a 3/4T 62 GMC 4x4 parts truck we've had for a bit. But, it looks like Tim(nbrfd007) is coming to pick it up this next weekend.

You've got the cool 4x4 aspect covered already so my votes for a sweet street ride!

BTW, the bit about the hug was TMI...

[markeb01]

Originally Posted by A.T. RockDriller

Well Markeb......

So since I was to wound up and dodging yellow-jackets...(and shootin at them with a can of bee spray) to properly study the ins & outs of this thing....enlighten me...please.
So there is or should be a heater core in the cab, under the fan...?
I guess I've never looked that close at one with the economy heat option.

The 5th post on the following link shows the complete installation information for a 1960 recirculating heater. Page number 196 shows the main heater unit. The heater core is in the lowest housing under the fan motor. The semi-circular housing above the heater core holds the squirrel cage fan itself. The only thing showing on the firewall side are the two hose connections.

http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/sh...hp?tid/267579/

[Captainfab]

That is a awesome score!

I can't believe how straight that tailgate is, and being a GMC tailgate is even more rare. I agree that since you already have a 4x4, I would stay 2wd with this one......like you said, big SBC and a 4 speed

[pdxhall]

Great find Les. That truck sure deserves rescue from the dreaded crusher.

[A.T. RockDriller]

Every dang one of you guys said the right thing....
Now that I have some feedback to help me form an opinion....I'm thoroughly cornfused................and completely motivated to do at least one of the above.
I'm tickled $hitless about being part of this "12 step" support group.

As far as body damage....there is evidence of a dear smack or something on the right side of the grill.
Pondering the subject even further.....There is a CL add from a farmer down in the valley who's selling a one ton stake-side with a custom cab.....292/4spd and a great set of OE dually rims/new tires....the rubber is 15 years old, but this truck sat inside for all of that time.
The young feller says the sheet metal and interior are in good shape.
Back to the subject at hand...
If I can talk him into trading that thing off (for a box of bolts)......or a mule, two blankets.....a bottle of whiskey and some ammo.....I'd sure like to separate the trim, chrome bumper and grill.....put it on the fenderside....(save the stake-side for a winter project)....and that would round out the exterior of the short-wide......or short-round....or whatever.
I need more coffee.....
Thanks for all the compliments, guys.
It's lotsa' fun hangin around here.

[A.T. RockDriller]

Originally Posted by NWGreaser

Nice score Les. You can't go wrong with a trade like that. I'm going to chime in and say you should go for an OE restoration or rod it out. I only say that because you already have a SWEET 4wd rig.

It's about time you woke up, Greaser

[NWGreaser]

Originally Posted by A.T. RockDriller

It's about time you woke up, Greaser

Sorry. New job and a 20 month old son wears me down awfully fast these days. Are you going to need a front bumper? I'll be pulling a painted one off my truck in the next few weeks. Hit me up if you're interested.

[A.T. RockDriller]

Originally Posted by NWGreaser

Sorry. New job and a 20 month old son wears me down awfully fast these days. Are you going to need a front bumper? I'll be pulling a painted one off my truck in the next few weeks. Hit me up if you're interested.

Yes....YES....

[A.T. RockDriller]

Well...Brought her home...
Tore out the rotting wood and hit it with the pressure washer.

[awbrown]

I love towbars !! aint it great to have a rig with a real bumper!!! Keep us updated with pictures!

[A.T. RockDriller]

I was talking to our former County Sheriff about this project....and after a few minutes..he looked up from what he was doing (re-assembling a 1928 Chev Coupe after paint) and said.."hows the windshield in that '63.."...?
So I told him how it really was...." it's broke,..... Bob " ........I said.
So he went back to his task at hand .....and then in a couple of seconds....he said, kinda under his breath...
"Well, Lester.....I suggest you come over to my shop and get up in the rafters of my barn and get the new windshield down outta there and use that one.
A buddy of mine picked it up at a swap meet (NOS Factory GMC) back when I had a '63 C-10 needin' a windshield....brought it home for me.....and I didn't have the heart to tell him I had just replaced the broke one...."
He added...." so that's where I've had it hidden since then ".....(15 years)

So.......I dragged my sorry a$$ over to sheriff Skippers barn and did exactly like he told me to do.
I have always done exactly like Sheriff Skipper told me to do....
Like the time, in about 1976......down by Blue Lake Park....when the Sheriff was a Beat Cop on traffic assignment....and he told me and my buddy to " dump that baggy of grass out right there on the ground and pour that beer right on it and then take the heel of yer boot and sort of mix it all up and then......Oh hell....that's a different story......

New windshield.....Free... from one of the finest men alive ( or otherwise)

[Max1775]

Awesome story! Sheriff sounds like a good old boy. Great deal on the truck too!