Finally got a project of my own.

[sodak68]

While serving in the Marine Corps I was stationed at Camp Pendleton, CA. It was prime hunting ground for dry CA classics and my father had me find a clean original 68 3/4 custom with a 396 th400 and A/C on craigslist. It was 95% rust free and all original. I drove the truck daily for a couple months before my enlistment was over and my dad flew down to drive back to south dakota with me and the truck. I could not believe how nice that truck rode for a 1968 3/4ton truck, I had to have one of my own. Well that was 4 years ago and afte years of searching I have my dream truck a 1968 chevy c10 swb. The truck is a project that came with the rockers replaced and a patch put in the floor and is now rust free, 5 lug conversion and a "newly rebuilt" 454. It was a 14 hour round trip with a flat bed but its in our shop now.

[sodak68]

Well I've already traded my dad the 454 for a low mile 2005 LQ4 6.0. We tore the engine down to discover untouched heads a loosely bolted in cam and what looks like a rebuilt short block. He has already purchased pro comp aluminum oval port heads and a milder cam as it had a very roudy cam installed. The 454 is going to replace the factory 396 in his 68 3/4ton custom. I'm looking at conversion plates and a current performance ecm and wiring to drop the 6.0L into my 68 swb and am going to order a monster th700r4 to back it up. My plans are for a hugger orange/white daily driver with a 4/6drop, haven't decided on wheels yet but i'm thinking ralleys for now.

[litew8]

to the site!

[oldblue1968chevy]

thanks for serving our country

WHERE ARE THE PICTURES!!!!!

[sodak68]

Still working on the pics but I did get some work done this week. I took the bed off and took the bed sides down to bare metal I found some old repairs with a little bondo that I ground out but still fixable and zero rust. I read what I could on the SPID and the truck came with a 3.73posi so I checked and there is still a posi and I'm hope 3.73 gears maybe they just swapped in 5lug axles. I went over the rest of the truck and it needs a few tweeks here and there to get the body gaps correct but no rust. I'm going to do all the work on this truck myself and with my dad so it could go a little slow.

[sodak68]

Here the only pic i have rite now

[sodak68]

Ok here are a few more pics of my truck and one of my dads.

[sodak68]

Still trying to figure out how to manage the pictures.

[sodak68]

BAD NEWS the "NEW FULLY REBUILT 454" I traded to my father for his 50,000 mile LQ4 turned out to be a scam. The seller showed me enough summitracing and machine shop recipes to convince me that the engine had a fresh rebuild and was "ready to run". After a tear down the engine was found to have " Rebuilt Heads" that were not rebuilt they weren't even cleaned at all, new pistons but they were to tight and not fitted to the unhoned bores the "new roller rockers" were old and worn out, the cam was installed hand tight the rods were rebuilt but old original bolts were used and the !%*# rear main seal was installed upside down. I don't even want to know what the bearing clearances were at. What would you guys do about this???

[sodak68]

Just to clarify this engine was included with the 68 swb project that I bought for 3,000$. A few weeks ago.

[litew8]

You being a Marine - you can imagine what I'd do.

Otherwise, I'd prob. -

1) Call (or Visit) the seller and demand a portion of the purchase price back.

If that didn't work, I'd -

2) Small claims court depending on the loss and your ability to document/photo/PROVE.

[sodak68]

Well as a marine I learned to always conduct myself with honesty and integrity and I guess I sometimes forget that not everyone works that way.

[litew8]

True. Especially true in this economy.

[pcwillsie]

unfortunally all used vehicles are sold "as is" and no warrenty unless otherwise stated. I would just have a beer and accecpt that you got into a bad trade on the engine. but other than that it looks like you have a great swb there and a great plan. dont let it get you down.

[sodak68]

Well I've been away at school and havent been working on the truck, however I've made some progress gathering parts. This weekend I ordered the 3/5 basic drop from CPP and Advanced Adapters LS1 swap motor mounts. And today I made some craigslist scores, heres what I got: a very nice set of chrome vent windows (one tiny ding), really nice back window with great trim and rubber, driver quality set of door handles inside and out and window cranks, a nice working 1970ish auto steering column with wheel (lookin for a 67-8 wheel), and a power steering set up and 5 lug rotors for my dads newly aquired 70 c/10 all for $150.00. Whata you think did i do ok. This was my first time going part picking and it was really fun was really nice and a real chevy nut.

[RCbowtie69]

Just want say thanks for your service & keep on truckin'.Hope to see more of your build.

[sodak68]

well the project took a nap for a while but has taken a new turn lately. My dad found a 70 long box that he had to have and decided to part with the 68 3/4 custom. And after moving several times and graduating from school I lost the title to my 68 short box and never did transfer it so I've decided to take his 68 custom with barely worn original light yellow and white paint and my rust free short box and build the patina truck of my dreams. So far I have did the body work and painted my short box in the original 520 light yellow with ppg shop line single stage paint. I could see black primer showing under the 68's paint so I painted a couple coats of black sealer under the yellow and will rub through and try to match the worn original paint as best I can. I'm going to buff out the Cab and front clip again and get the best shine I can and just do what I have to with the box to match, really can't go wrong here. I'm going to leave the holes from the camper mirrors and ad stock chrome mirrors, cut the stock custom lower trim to fit my box and lower it down on my short half ton frame and leave the very clean stock black interior intact. I might even leave the C20 badges on. Right now I have a 2004r trans and a 6.0L engine but I'm toying with building a 292 L6 just for fun. Any thoughts on the build would be great.

[Tinkermc]

lookin better, as a Marine you know to get all the fax first. Did you get reciepts for the engine work? Try telling him you are not real happy with the motor work and ask for reciepts so you can go back on them. Then you have what you need for a good fraud case and the court will assist him in his decesssion to return some of your money

[sodak68]

I've long since gave up on gettting anything fixed with that guy. Maybe I should start a new build thread.

[Dieselwrencher]

Great story until the end. Sorry to hear he stiffed you on the engine! Thanks for your service too! Your new project is coming together nicely. That will look great!

[truckeez]

Originally Posted by sodak68

Well as a marine I learned to always conduct myself with honesty and integrity and I guess I sometimes forget that not everyone works that way.

Really,,, What A JOKE, you contacted me to make you a custom cab back panel for your 76 blazer, and like an idiot I trusted you--gave you the benefit of the doubt you would conduct yourself like well--^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ like you said you do above, and when it came time for you to pay--you start the BOZO bull sheet, My fault for NOT TRUSTING yoy and giving you the IMPERSONAL treatment--getting 1/2 down and making sure you understood there would be a BOZO penalty when you started the BOZO sheet when it came time to pay..............

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=538942

[Low Elco]

Annnnd.....left turn.....anybody got popcorn?

[litew8]

Is this gonna be another Wolverine movie?

[Liz]

I highly recommend the parties involved in this thread use the review forum, and not this area for a pissing match. It will only end in a bad way otherwise.
Thanks

[gdavis]

When I first bought my first 68 I found it on a car lot. It was parked out in the back where they put car and trucks that can't sell. Well I paid 600.00 for it and gave it a paint job and drove it from Chicago to Florida. Never missed a beat. But this was back in 1979. Ity was a real ulgy brown truck. I just could not drive it accross country looking like that. I painted it white. But when I got to Florida and wanted to get a Fl. tag well that is here the fun started. Anyway good luck.