66 c10 project
 

I bought a 66 long bed c10 back in June. Haven't done a whole lot to it mainly cause I took a fall off a ladder and broke a few bones in my hand. Now that it's about healed I'd like to start working on it.

It's basically road ready now to be honest. I'm not picky at all when it comes to old trucks. But before I put it on the road as a solid daily driver there's a few items I wanted to address.

Front power disc brakes, all new suspension, probably lower it 4.5/6, new seat and cover since the current one is shot, all new wiring.

Heater doesn't work, there's a little bit of rust on rockers and floors.

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/r...8/IMAG0150.jpg

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/r...8/IMAG0151.jpg

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/r.../IMG958533.jpg

Re: 66 c10 project
 

:hi: and :welcome2: aboard...
Good looking truck...:uhmk:
Solid Plans...:metal:
Member Here... Priceless!

I'm tuned in...:mm:

Re: 66 c10 project
 

Exactly what Ta2Don said!!! HAHAHAHA!!! More pictures to, when you get a chance!!!! All us members are crazy over them!:metal:

Re: 66 c10 project
 

Hear, Hear

Re: 66 c10 project
 

Well I appreciate the warm comliments, thank you Jeff and TJ.

I actually started work on it the other day. Coolant system was leaking pretty good, old generator and external regulator were on the outs. So I pulled the front end off the engine, wire brushed and painted the brackets. New Jegs 100A 1 wire alternate, high flow water pump and a much needed coolant re-circulation tank. Haven't installed them yet, but one day this week I will.

Not a whole lot to her really, that's why I like it. 350 small block with old swirl port gm heads, edelbrock intake and carb. No power steering. Just one v belt running an alternator and water pump. The way it should be.

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/r...8/IMAG0189.jpg

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/r...8/IMAG0190.jpg

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/r...8/IMAG0191.jpg

Re: 66 c10 project
 

Cool! Looks like it will be a great start! Subscribed and look forward to watching the resto on it! Nice new parts you got there, Jegs is a pretty good place for universal performance and since you have a V8 it just makes it better!:chevy:

Re: 66 c10 project
 

Well I did get everything replaced, fired it back up with no issues. Just haven't gotten around to doing anything else with it, work is slowing down for us, may be a bad year so I'm hesitant to spend any more money on it until things pick up. Yall know how that goes.

No pictures, my "smart phone" crapped itself and I'm back to using my old blackberry for now.

I did have a question. I have dummy lights for the alternator, since I swapped the external regulated generator out for a one wire alternator, where do I hook the blue wire up for proper functionality of the dummy light?

I landed the blue wire on the positive terminal of the alternator, but when the truck is off it sees no voltage and turns the light on. I guess I need to rewire the positive for the gauge light off a switched hot? Not really a big deal, just wondering.

Re: 66 c10 project
 

Not sure how much you paid for this truck, but looks like you got a really good deal !!
Looks pretty straight, and the rust issues look nominal...

About your heater:
Check/change the fuse under the dash above the high/low beam switch.

If that did not do the trick then, inboard in the engine compartment, under the blower, is where the positive lead comes out of the firewall and plugs in to the blower. Just make sure that post on the blower motor is not corroded, if you have a long wire brush or are familier with jimmying the contact leads out of the wire connectors I would pull that out and clean it too... then retest.
If you have some good thick wire, you can run a test wire from the pos post of the battery to the blower motor post that you may have just cleaned, and if the blower kicks on, then you know it is still good.
If it doesnt, then the answer is simple, since they do go bad.
If it sounds like it WANTS to turn but isnt, I would then either pull the top off the heater box, or drop the blower out of the bottom. Either way you are checking to see if the motor isnt just stuck, of if some field varmint hasnt built a nest in there (it is a fave spot for them)

If all else is good, and it still doesnt work, pull the switch and check/clean the contacts there too.

I hope this helps, if the blower motor is shot, they are silly cheap at most bone yards as GM used them in every truck they built up through the 80s...

Hope business picks up for you, these trucks respond really well to TLC and sometimes that costs some moolah $$

Good luck, and hope to see more photos soon.... :metal:

Re: 66 c10 project
 

McMurphy, thank you very much, yeah the rust is very minimal and the whole truck appears straight. I offered to pay him his asking price of $3500, when he brought the truck to the house he said he would only take $3300 haha, so that's what I paid. I thought it was fair being a low rust, almost fully original truck. Any replacement parts or "upgrades" he did he kept the originals. I've got the original steering wheel which I'll be putting back on soon.

I'm trying to get a few items like my lawnmower out of the carport and make a permanent spot for them so I can pull the truck in and work on it. The only shed I currently have houses my tractor and other implements and lumber. Everything just moves slow..

The old glass fuse for the blower pops as soon as you turn the heater on. I suspect a dead short or possibly a seized motor. I'll get around to it one day. I need to pull the whole heater core assembly out and clean it all up. Might just replace the motor and wiring, like you said McMurphy, you can get those motors pretty cheap anyways.

I'd like to pull the steering column apart soon and rebuild the canceling cam and install a turn signal knob. Put on the old steering wheel, get rid of the universal add on turn signal deal.

I also want to pull the bench out and rebuild it. Just simple stuff to do in the mean time that doesn't cost too much. Where can I get replacement seat foam at? I've looked around everywhere and haven't found any. Or can I use seat foam from a 67-72 truck?..

Re: 66 c10 project
 

Not sure if this will help, and I hope it does, check out the last post (#8) on this FAQ thread…
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=215761

If this doesn't help, go to the FAQ section and dig a bit deeper than I did...:uhmk:

Re: 66 c10 project
 

I appreciate it, it doesn't help though. Mine is a 1 wire alternator, doesn't even have another terminal on it other than 12v. I'll do some digging on it one day. Thanks again.

Re: 66 c10 project
 

Just some pictures of the little bit of progress. I got the seats pulled apart, sent the covers off for measurements so I can get new covers and foam. I was suprised at how clean the seat frame was. No rust, all the springs were intact and none were broken at all. All the linkage is in perfect shape too. I'm also pulled the column apart, I want to rebuild the turn signal hardware and buy a new turn signal lever so I can take off that add-on universal turn signal switch. Clean it up a little bit.

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_00000009.jpg

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_00000008.jpg

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_00000007.jpg

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_00000006.jpg

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_00000005.jpg

Re: 66 c10 project
 

Looks like you could rebuild your steering column, add the internal turn signal switch assembly, and get rid of that clunky add on set up....
It looks as though it was manufactured for it, or had it at one time. That oblong hole on the outboard side of the steering column cowl is for the signal switch lever to come out of.
Many of the classic parts suppliers for these trucks sell that entire set up of parts.

I am really interested in seeing what you do with this truck.... Good Luck with it !! :metal:

Re: 66 c10 project
 

That's what I'm planning on doing, hopefully I can just get away with replacing the whole assembly and buy a new lever too. It'll clean the column and the under dash wiring up a lot too.

It did have internal turn signal at one point, after I get it out I'll be able to take a picture of where it broke.

Yeah it's going to be a fairly slow build. I'd like to have it as a reliable driver here come fall or first of winter.

Re: 66 c10 project
 

Well I've kinda run into an issue. I have the GM assembly manual and a 1966 wiring diagram that has an exploded view of the column. I've gone through the entire assembly manual as well and can't seem to find an exploded view of the steering column broke apart.

The truck came with an aftermarket grant wheel but he gave me the original too. I don't have all the hardware and parts to mount the horn button or to make the horn work.

I ordered a NOS turn signal assembly and lever. So I have that now. I just need to figure out the parts needed to get the column back to original. All the parts I've found online don't match up with the sketches in the assembly manual so I'm confused as to what really works.

Anybody of pictures of an original column taken apart that they've done before or advise on this subject?

Re: 66 c10 project
 

Well after finding highlanders steering column rebuild website I've discovered that I'm missing the insulator, canceling cam part and contact bushing. So I've got those on order. I'm considering ordering a complete modern wiring harness for the truck so I'm going to hold off on wiring the column up for the mean time.

The aftermarket radio is now removed and the radio opening appears to have been widened a little bit. Hopefully it'll be a fairly easy fix to bend the metal back... Still won't look good though.

Seat covers are being made as we speak, hopefully I can have them installed here in the next couple of weeks.

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_00000014.jpg

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_00000015.jpg

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_00000016.jpg

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_00000017.jpg

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/r...G_00000018.jpg

Re: 66 c10 project
 

jmack...I'm doing the same steering column rebuild that you are doing and cannot find an exploded view of the parts from steering wheel down...wondered if you had one?

First I had flashing rear stop lights, but new turn signal switch fixed that, but now horn goes off when I hook the battery back up, thinking I have a part mixed up in the reassembly or maybe the new turn signal switch is bad, the horn worked correctly before I tore the steering column apart...getting a short to ground on the horn wiring somewhere but was looking for a diagram to make sure...can't find highlanders steering column website anywhere...

Thanks Bert 636-485-0651

Re: 66 c10 project
 

Nice work on the column...you know its unsafe to drive with wiring like that right? :D:haha::haha::haha: ;) :chevy:

Re: 66 c10 project
 

Sorry for the delay, been busy. Here's the link to highlanders website:

http://www.64moneypit.pages.qpg.com/...cks/id108.html

I haven't hooked mine up to test it out yet. I'm assuming I did something wrong and that it'll do the same thing you're talking about.

Re: 66 c10 project
 

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/r...627_122035.jpg

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/r...722_191028.jpg

I haven't made a whole lot of progress with the truck. I did order an America Autowire Classic Update Kit. So I've slowly started with that. Got the gauges pulled and the old fuse block out, now I'm wiring the dash components up.

Also got the bench seat recovered. He fixed the few bad springs as well. It turned out really well I thought.

I also ordered a set of mobsteel 20's. 20x8 in the front and 20x9 for the back. It'll be a while before they go on.

It's just been hot and humid. During the summer I've got a lot going on. Once winter comes I'll get back hard on this truck.

Re: 66 c10 project
 

Seat looks great. Nice work on your project. Looks like its coming along nicely for you!!

Re: 66 c10 project
 

Thanks for the link! I bookmarked it for future use...

After I replaced the the turn signal switch and button everything up I found the horn would go off steadily when I connect the battery back up....take it all apart, pull out switch, test it, no issues found reassemble, tighten down, horn would go off...I did this 3 times, switch would appear to work correctly until I tightened it down. Finally, after an hour of this I compared the old faulty horn switch with the new and found the new had a external wire route that was different than the original and when you tightened it down, it pinched and shorted the wire to ground...when the battery was connected, the horn would go off. Had to re-route the wire and this corrected the issue.

I also went ahead, after reading many of the forums, and grounded the different sections of the truck to the frame such as the cab, the bed, the front end sheetmetal, with good grounding straps on clean metal with new fasteners.

Re: 66 c10 project
 

Well good deal. Once I get mine rewired and the battery hooked up, and it doesn't work right, I'll make sure to call you and see what you did right haha.

Thanks for the follow up response.

Re: 66 c10 project
 

Thank you sir, yeah very slowly it is.

Re: 66 c10 project
 

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/r...806_193439.jpg

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/r...806_193427.jpg

Here's some of the work on re wiring this truck. I'm going to try to leave the exisiting wiring in while I'm doing the new for reference if ever need be.

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/r...806_192305.jpg

http://i472.photobucket.com/albums/r...806_193101.jpg

Re wired the gauges, put all new bulbs in as well. Didn't do anything with the cluster to restore it. Everything appeared to be in good condition.

I need to get a few more odds and ends switches ordered before I continue further.