1984 c10 barn find
 

I recently bought a 1984 chevy c10. It's more than that to me though, my grandfather bought this truck new in '84, and there's only been less than 500 kilometers put on it since he sold it a few years ago. I found it in a barn where it had been sitting for about 2 years, bought it and have started working on it. I plan to properly lower it (it has a flip kit in the back, but the front just has cut coils that pretty much fall out when it's jacked up), and start building an engine this winter (right now it has a 305 4bbl with nearly 250,000 on it).

Re: 1984 c10 barn find
 

Some more of it cleaned up

Re: 1984 c10 barn find
 

The warranty papers and receipt from when my grandfather originally bought it

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Degreased the engine bay and put on some chrome valve covers I had sitting in the garage, looks much better than before

Re: 1984 c10 barn find
 

I noticed the ball joint on the lower right control arm was welded in, so I went to a friend who I know has some parts. He did have southern control arms, they were still on a twisted up old frame he had. It also had basically new shocks and some brake bolts I needed. Then he offered to sell me the whole frame for $100, SCORE! But the frame was wrecked and I obviously wasn't putting the whole thing in the back of my truck. Soooo......

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Found this pic of it emerging from the barn seeing daylight for the first time in 2+ years

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Got a new alternator and replaced the control arm bushings today. Can't afford to get drop spindles right now since I'm moving for work, so it's going back to stock height until spring

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Winter's nearly over so it's finally time to get the truck in the garage and pick up where I left off. So far the whole front end is out of the truck and is now going back together with new and good used parts. Southern control arms, new ball joints, springs, and good used drop spindles. I'm having issues right now with clearance on the bump stop, trying to figure out the best solution. Any thoughts?
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This is one of the old upper control arms

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I'm not very fond of cut springs myself, 1/2 or 1 coil isn't bad. The previous owner took 2 off, so I'm changing them

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This is the clearance issue I was talking about, any advice?

Re: 1984 c10 barn find
 

I kept working on the truck this weekend. I got all of my parts and got everything put together.

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But when I put it on the ground this happened....

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So I took it all back apart and gave the springs a quick trim.

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It looks much better now.

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I was hoping to get a drive out of it but the Nova Scotia weather had different plans and there's half a foot of snow in the yard :cuss: Maybe next weekend.

Re: 1984 c10 barn find
 

It is great you were able to get back your grandpa's truck. It's looking good. I assume you are going back to the original color?

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I might someday but the paint is staying as is for now, I'd like to make the engine bay, interior, and underneath look like new or better and leave the body the way it is or all grey primer, the original colour on it is grey.

Re: 1984 c10 barn find
 

Cool! I'll tag along.

Re: 1984 c10 barn find
 

So it's been awhile since I've posted anything. The truck has basically been my daily driver since my last post, I've put nearly 5000 km's on it so far and it works flawlessly. I'm likely going to do a c-notch in the very near future though (I cringe every time a hit a bump with it), and likely some airbags, just the ones you fill if you're going to haul something, I don't want to actually "bag it". Here's some pics I got since I started driving it.

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more pics

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I'm riding shotgun on this as well. Kool truck.

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I thought I already posted this but I didn't, before I started driving it I put a new aluminum rad in it, new water pump, all new hoses, changed the power steering pump since it had the wrong one, new filters and changed the oil in the diff. Should be fairly reliable now.
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Re: 1984 c10 barn find
 

I really liked the series of pictures that went with the above quote. Planes, Cranes and Automobiles (and Boats). How does a boat end up in the yard like that? High tide?

Glad that you are renewing that truck. Was set for a slow deterioration in the barn there, but thankfully it was under cover. Nice work on your progress.

That yard was actually next to an old wooden dock, there was another big steel barge in the yard and also a small boat sunk at the dock. I was going to get a picture with that, but the dock looked kinda sketchy and I chickened out on driving out on it. As for the slow deterioration I have no doubt you're right. And even if the previous owner had've taken it out and finished it, his plan was to chop the top, I'm not bashing his taste, I'm just saying I'm REALLY glad he didn't haha
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Re: 1984 c10 barn find
 

I finally got around to doing the c-notch, I got tired of hearing the rear end hit the frame. I used a 1/4" thick 5" ID piece of pipe and cut it in half, then boxed in the frame with some 1/8" plate. Then I hit some bumps that caused it to bottom out before to try it out. It works perfect.

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pics

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more

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more pics

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Back together

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Cool that you were able to save your Grandpa's truck and that it's running as a reliable DD for you. Good work on the C notches. Wish I could weld.

Re: 1984 c10 barn find
 

Looking great.