Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Update for the last month, making some headway now. Its really exciting to see it come together and put some finishing touches on a few things, it seems like such a long time coming, but well worth the wait.

I finished up the sound system today, even fired it up. It sounds absolutely fantastic, Im really happy with my box and how it finishes off the back of the cab. It took a good bit of work to figure out all the angles and get it just right so everything fit with as much room as possible for the seats. I chose to do two separate boxes with kickback in the middle so my center seat would fit better, and so I have a small storage area.

I ended up actually being surprised by how good it sounded. My dash speakers really turned out much better than I thought they would have. I was concerned about them being too close together but it doesnt seem to matter as they sound great.

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Also got the windshield in, what a bear that was. I ended up with new glass for the front, rear, and vent windows, going to try and reuse the door glass. Master cylinder on but havent bleed yet.

As it stands now the plan is to bolt the seats in this weekend, and then the doors shortly after when we tidy up a few things, Im really excited for those next two steps.

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Looking amazing! So would you do your own windshield install again or pay someone else? Why was it so hard?

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Id absolutely do it again, Ive seen too many horror stories of people hiring it done and having it go bad. The only time I would hire it is if I knew the guy or he came highly recommended at doing these older windshields.

I think the main reason we had trouble was the rope we started with was too big, 1/8 or 3/16 is the way to go and I think it did make a difference. The other two things that helped was getting a little more aggressive at working the gasket into the grove so it was seated, and leaving the gasket on the windshield over night. As far as being aggressive, we werent beating on the glass at all, more pushing and getting a good hook with a ball end hook tool to pull the gasket the rest of the way over the pinch weld while using pressure from the outside to seat it.

If you get a hook tool wrap it with something to protect your paint, I wrapped mine with cloth electrical tape leaving only a half inch on the ball end unwrapped.

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Any updates on one of my favorite builds? I went through your thread again and I think I found a picture that answers my question, but I might as well ask. Did you cut out the factory firewall metal behind the filler panel for the Vintage Air? I'm getting started on smoothing mine now...
Thanks!;)

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Funny you should ask about an update, Ive had this pulled up in a tab meaning to do one for about a week now.

I left the factory panel complete and welded the VA panel right on top. I cleaned up both panels really good, sprayed some weld through primer on them for an extra coat of corrosion protection and welded the perimeter and any unused holes. Once welded fully I smoothed everything out with flap wheel so it looks like a solid piece.

One thing I would recommend if you are using the stock VA hose arrangement is to figure out what kind of heater hose you will be using. Once you have that mock up one of the heater hose lines and make sure they fit through the firewall nicely. Mine ended up being really tight, but I used formed heater hoses. If I would have mocked it up I could have opened it up just a touch to allow them to slide in easier and farther. It needs to be tight to seal off nice from the engine bay, but mine were too tight and it was a real battle to get them through even a 1/4 inch.

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Ill see if I can get one update posted up quick, I have quite a lot to cover as Ive gotten a lot of stuff done. Finally done with some of the tedious stuff so its fun to move on to a few quicker more appearance oriented things.

Starting where I left off next up was installing the seats and starting to hang the doors. All of that went pretty good, mocking up stuff really pays off when it comes to final assembly. My seats dropped right in and bolted up without issues. I took really detailed pictures of my door hinges before I took everything apart to have it blasted and with those pictures I was able to get the door side of hinge right back where it needed. The rest was fairly easy fitting the door to the opening.

I was really happy with how my door jamb and hinges turned out. I fully rebuilt the hinges, blasted them, and painted them separately. They looked really nice with the black bolts, which are re plated factory originals, almost sad to cover all that up with the fender. My door conduit also turned out pretty good, the passenger side kinked up a bit for some reason but it operates really nice.

Last pic I thought I would include to show my rebuilt heater control. I disassembled, cleaned, masked it off and painted the chrome trim black. I then used an old air kit to re install the levers. The shiny back ground is factory, it was really dingy but cleaned up really good. Im really happy how it turned out, it was a lot of thinking, but it matches everything pretty good with the added black.

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

With the passenger door on I couldn't resist not putting a fender on, especially with the sun glistening in a bit. :metal:

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Thanks. I've seen it done both ways on very nice builds, so I guess it is one of those personal preference things. I'll be on the lookout for the heater hose issue ahead of time now.;)

I've already told you that Grabber blue is a top contender color choice for my truck... because of seeing it on your truck. I am pretty sure I want to do a white roof and the sides as well. If you were to pick a white to add to your truck, what would you go with? Its hard for me to envision whether it would look better, with a bright white, or an off white of some sort. Have you ever thought about this?

Thanks man
Brian

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

That's a tough one. I thought about it a little bit but ruled it out pretty quick because I didn't want to deal with all the masking on my first paint job.

I think if I were to do it I would go with a bright white. Reason being is the Grabber Blue is a really bright blue, especially in the sun.

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Once I had the passenger door on I repeated the same on the drivers side. I was really happy with how everything fit, I still am blown away I pulled off the rocker replacement and how it come out pretty good.

With the doors adjusted we started working on the internals. This was a major battle getting the vent window, window regulator and glass all in. Problem with all of that is the Nu-relics window regulator is too big in order to get the vent window in after the regulator is installed with the glass. So the only way we could figure out how to get it all together is to put the window regulator in loosely, then the vent window, and finally the glass. After it was all in the door then fight it for about an hour trying to get the glass in the rollers of the window regulator and then get the assembly slid into place and bolted in.

I dont know how we didnt end up breaking something but eventually we got both of them assembled and they work pretty good.

With the windows installed we started working on the rest of the door items which led to some problems. Main issue being too much paint build up in the lock cylinder hole, untill I can file that down and then put a thin coat on any exposed edges Ill have to wait to install he door panels. Until then I just have a mock up picture.

Once I was at this point we bleed the brakes and then installed the drivers side fenders. About the only thing left on this side of the engine is to paint the brace for the inner fender.

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

With the drivers side fender installed I moved to the passenger side next. One thing I had to do first was figure out my Vintage Air lines. I had my AC lines crimped and found a heater hose to kind of match the direction I wanted to take.

Now with both fenders on I wanted to get it back down on the ground for a better look and to make it easier to install the cowl. Im really happy with how my cowl turned out, the antenna hole was mangled really bad. I spent quite a bit of time trying to shape it back and then welded a reinforcement plate to the bottom of it. It really made a nice difference.

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Couple more shots sitting on the ground with the cowl on.

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

This thing is looking really good!!!

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Details, details. Looking really good. What heater hoses did you use?

...and how are your plug wire looms attached?

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Beautiful Truck, I may have missed it but what is that color of blue, and do you have the paint code? I'm looking for that color for my '55 Belair!!

Never mind I found it. Grabber Blue is the color I've been planning on!!! BEAUTIFUL TRUCK!!!!!

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Wow wow wow!!!!!!!!!!! :cool: :cool:

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Thanks everyone.

Heater hoses are Gates 28471

Ill attach a couple pics of the wire looms. They are mounted with brackets I made. Started off with 1.5 inch angle and trimmed to fit around the headers and anything else. I originally had the loom bracket attached to the angle through the same bolts that hold the plastic separators, but the way everything lined up they were hitting the firewall. So in order to move them forward I cut some 1/2 inch flat to pinch down on the loom bracket, this allows a much greater range of movement to adjust them were needed and still use factory bolt holes in the head. One other thing to note is my heads had some small dimples on the valve cover gasket surface, a couple of these were ground off with a small Dremel to allow the angle brackets to sit flush.

On the Grabber Blue, I used the 10-17 Mustang for application to pull up the paint code. I know they also had Grabber Blue in the 60's, Im not sure if both are the same but I think they might be.

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Looking good!

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Thanks for the info. So, a single bracket roughly centered, using the same hole in the head as the factory dipstick?

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Thanks

No I have 2 per side. There are 3 total holes toward the top of head that are level. On the drivers side I used the front and back one, passenger side the back and middle.

Pic of passenger side, here it worked out to still use the plastic separator for the rear mount, the front is pinched.

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Got it. Very slick, thanks!

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Over the last couple months Ive been plugging away on my box, finally got it square, got the rear splash guards to fit. It took alot of hole grinding on the box, and I completely chopped up one of the splash guards but everything has started to line up pretty good.

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Once the box was squared we put it on the frame, we had some setbacks with small things adding up to a pretty big issue with fitment. Once we identified those issues things started to line up pretty good. Ive got some work to do on the tail gate, but Ive ordered different hinges with a delrin bushing so hopefully things will line up a little better with it once I get them installed.

Im pretty happy so far with everything about my truck, its fantastic to see it finally come together.

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

About the same time we were working on the box I ordered a new steering wheel. Im really happy how it fit and how it looks installed. I see alot of this style wheel, and now having one I know why its so popular.

With the box on I started working on my exhaust again. I debated along time on what to do with it but in the end I couldnt bring myself to do a side exit through the box, instead it comes out on the bottom, but is tucked up nicely. Im pretty happy with the 45 degree angle I cut on the end of it, its simple and looks pretty good too.

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Looking good, great progress!

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Thanks.

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

:metal:Nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:metal:

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Man I think it looks fantastic! Love the wheel tire combo. I have so far to go, but your build gives me inspiration. Great work.

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Looking good! I like the exhaust placement.

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Thanks.

Thanks, any thing you can draw inspiration from is good. I find myself struggling at times with it. I feel like I have a mountain to climb in order to get done.

Thanks, Im excited to see how it sounds. We might try and start it in the next week or so.

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

And then another mountain range on the other side. :haha: Nice work!

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Where did you get your sliding rear window? Is it a stock replacement painted black? I prefer sliding windows as I use mine a lot but the stock frame is bulky/ugly so I am considering going with a flat back glass. Thanks.

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

:lol: Once Im done painting the box only small hills on my journey, atleast I hope.


I got it locally, it is a stock replacement with a black frame. The brand is CR Laurence. I think they have a manual slider and a power one, I wanted the power one but cheaped out on the manual. It looked much better in person than I thought it would. The power one based on the stock pictures doesnt have much of a frame at all, Im not sure if the stock picture is accurate as Ive never ran across an actual picture of one.

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Kind of finalized the box this past weekend. I got the tail lights to fit with some persuasion from a hammer. Once they were in I chased some issues with my running lights, I ended up having a bad relay.

I ordered and installed new tailgate hinges, the new ones have a plastic bushing which is much nicer than the metal on metal stock style. I slotted the mounting holes to get some adjustment and got the tailgate in the ball park. Next I decided it would be best to mock up the tailgate handle and all the linkage and latches. Im glad I did because the handle fit like crap. I chopped it and welded it back together, Im really happy with the improvement.

Before and after of the handle.

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Catching a little sun this past weekend while I prepped my box to be blasted. :metal:

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Blasted?..... Do you mean sprayed? Is the new short box is coated in EDP or did you already epoxy it?

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

Blasting to get rid of the e-coat.

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

I guess I assumed that the e-coat could be painted over. What kind of blast media will you use? What will be the steps you take after blasting? Thanks in advance.
Brian

Re: sprint_9's 72 C10 Project
 

You can paint over it when prepped properly, and its something I considered for a while. The problem is you dont know what's underneath it, how good it was applied, and if it has adhered good in all areas. From what I've read restoration e-coat is toward the lower end of the scale when it comes to overall quality. By getting rid of it and starting fresh I can eliminate any second guessing with something I didn't apply and will hopefully not have any problems for a long time.

For media my blaster uses really fine glass. After blasting it is cleaned a couple times, blown off a couple times and then gets 2 coats of epoxy. I'm doing all of that with everything apart and then assembling and starting bodywork.