Project Goldilocks, '66 C10 SWB BBW Build

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by 65Pickup

Pump fuel will probably be the limiting factor, the turbo will more than make up for the breathing limitations of a straight 6. I can't wait to see your progress, very cool stuff.

I'll use an electric pump and run the line thru a gutted stock pump. Best of both worlds.

Originally Posted by hill64step

Nice build thread! I texted you last year about the extra bbw cab you had for sale, and I think I still have your number saved in my phone. I'm originally from Abbeville. I was looking through your posts and I think I recognize the place in some of your pics. Do you work at the place behind the high school right off of the 28 bypass? I remember taking a 50 Pontiac Chieftain convertible there to have a windshield put in when I worked at John's Rod Shop. After I left John's I worked at the Line-X right there across from the high school on 28 bypass.

That's us! I got the bed strips for my '66 from John, and had the bed in the blue '65 sprayed at that Line-X. Small world!!
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[clemdaddy]

fantastic work... and well written thread too.
man, i'm enjoying your build. and thanks.

[65Pickup]

[QUOTE=theastronaut;5170017]I'll use an electric pump and run the line thru a gutted stock pump. Best of both worlds.

Thanks McMurphy I am referring to octane, 93 pump gas will limit the horsepower for a street ride. Race fuel or octane boost if the compression is too high to hit the upper horsepower. I'm no builder, just what my builder told me. Do you have a way around that, or does the turbo compensate for the pump gas?

[hill64step]

Originally Posted by theastronaut

That's us! I got the bed strips for my '66 from John, and had the bed in the blue '65 sprayed at that Line-X. Small world!

Thought I recognized the place. I'd love to check out your project sometime when I'm back down that way. I need to get down there within the next few weeks to get some work done on mine(It's at my parent's house in Abbeville). My frame is sitting outside in primer, and I've got to get it painted before it starts to rust lol.

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by clemdaddy

fantastic work... and well written thread too.
man, i'm enjoying your build. and thanks.

Glad you're enjoying it!!

Originally Posted by McMurphy

I think he means standard gasoline you get at the pump.... Only so much you can legally do to raise the octane in that stuff. After that you are no longer street legal if I am not mistaken.


For my ram air I am thinking of a cowl induction not dissimilar to the old GTO RAM III and RAM IV but with one of those dog eared Oldsmobile air intakes.

Fun times !!

I did misread that as "fuel pump" instead of pump fuel. . Can't wait to see what you come up with for your ram air system, sounds like its going to be awesome!

Originally Posted by 65Pickup

Thanks McMurphy I am referring to octane, 93 pump gas will limit the horsepower for a street ride. Race fuel or octane boost if the compression is too high to hit the upper horsepower. I'm no builder, just what my builder told me. Do you have a way around that, or does the turbo compensate for the pump gas?

We have 105 octane E85 ethanol/gas blend at nearly every station around here and it's a good bit cheaper than regular 87 octane gasoline. It only has about 70-80% of the thermal energy that gasoline has, so it has to be jetted richer to compensate. It uses more fuel that way but since it's cheaper the cost per mile should be about the same. Since its 85% alcohol it also runs way cooler than gas does, so it helps the engine to run cool even with way high compression. For now I'll use three two barrel Dellorto carbs or triple throttle body efi. A turbo isn't out of the question but that would be way down the road after everything else is done and sorted out.

Originally Posted by hill64step

Thought I recognized the place. I'd love to check out your project sometime when I'm back down that way. I need to get down there within the next few weeks to get some work done on mine(It's at my parent's house in Abbeville). My frame is sitting outside in primer, and I've got to get it painted before it starts to rust lol.

Let me know when you're in the area and I'll give you the grand tour My frame is outside too so it's gotta be sandblasted again since its already started rusting.
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[65Pickup]

We have 105 octane E85 ethanol/gas blend at nearly every station around here and it's a good bit cheaper than regular 87 octane gasoline. It only has about 70-80% of the thermal energy that gasoline has, so it has to be jetted richer to compensate. It uses more fuel that way but since it's cheaper the cost per mile should be about the same. Since its 85% alcohol it also runs way cooler than gas does, so it helps the engine to run cool even with way high compression. For now I'll use three two barrel Dellorto carbs or triple throttle body efi. A turbo isn't out of the question but that would be way down the road after everything else is done and sorted out.


Aaaah the E85 didn't consider that, we don't have it here in canuck ville. I got into straight sixes when I had a '48 Chev Coupe, so I'm looking forward to your progress.

[theastronaut]

Well, it looks like it'll be even longer til I get started back on Goldilocks. The engine in my daily started knocking so I've got to fix that now. I got the engine out tonight and it's torn down to a short block, hope to have it back together in a few weeks, depending on the extent of damage and the time it takes for the trip to California and back for machine work. It's getting harder and harder to find quality parts for VW's and even tougher to find shops that know how to work on them. I'll try to get started back on the frame while everything is at the machine shop, the symptoms of C10 fever are still in full effect and I need a good dose of project progress!
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[MalibuKasey]

or.... more cowbell!

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by MalibuKasey

or.... more cowbell!

Check your email!!
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[MalibuKasey]

Your killing me smalls!!

[theastronaut]

Ok, to keep everyone "in the know", I'd emailed MalibuKasey a link to a post on here about some KILLER custom billet 18x8 and 18x10 wheels that look just like stockers, even down to the rivets on the backside! I've been drooling over these things since they were first posted, but the price tag is, umm, "steep" to say the least. I'd have to sell Goldilocks and my VW to be able to afford them!


Details here:

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...8&postcount=43

[theastronaut]

The VW knock turned out to be an easy and cheap fix, it was just a broken cam thrust flange. It didn't tear anything else up so no machine work needed, and only about $150 in parts to fix the damage and upgrade so it doesn't happen again. That means more cash left over for Goldilocks. I should be picking up a T56 soon so I can get everything mocked up.

[likaroc13]

glad to hear about the Beetle...kinda wish i still had my '63, but with all the traffic around here i'll stick with my automatic S-10 (i'm no manual trans. expert, ha)....and that's interesting about the wheels...i subscribed just so i can keep up with whatever updates are made...but kinda like Scoti, it looks like i'll be sticking with 15's, lol

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by likaroc13

glad to hear about the Beetle...kinda wish i still had my '63, but with all the traffic around here i'll stick with my automatic S-10 (i'm no manual trans. expert, ha)....and that's interesting about the wheels...i subscribed just so i can keep up with whatever updates are made...but kinda like Scoti, it looks like i'll be sticking with 15's, lol

Yeah, I'll probably stick with my stock 15's until I figure out what I'm going to do about wheels. I eventually want to go with bigger brakes that will make bigger wheels necessary though. The 12" discs it has now already require a 1/4" spacer to clear the 15's. The Titan rims aren't going to work after all since the offset is all wrong and no way to fix them. I'm kind of itching for lightweight 18/19" forged three peice wheels but I'd really rather have something more original/classic looking.

I don't think I could drive an automatic daily, I'd go crazy! Our whole family only owns one automatic car, so I grew up driving stick and still love the extra driver interaction and the ablity to always to be in the right gear at the right time- something an auto can't always do.

[likaroc13]

Originally Posted by theastronaut

I don't think I could drive an automatic daily, I'd go crazy! Our whole family only owns one automatic car, so I grew up driving stick and still love the extra driver interaction and the ablity to always to be in the right gear at the right time- something an auto can't always do.

yeah, i guess if i had grown up around manuals i'd be more fond of them...i know lots of people enjoy shifting gears....my wife used to drive a stick in high school, and she loved it....some pics of my old beetle:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v6...20VW%20Beetle/

[McMurphy]

I am planning to go manual trans in mine too!!

[pdxhall]

I've been following you build and I would like to know if you ran into any issues when you flipped the center crossmember? I was considering buying a new dropped crossmember but I might change my mind after seeing what you did. I've seen builders just flip the trailing arm mounts (which is a lot of rivets to remove!) but not the whole crossmember.

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by pdxhall

I've been following you build and I would like to know if you ran into any issues when you flipped the center crossmember? I was considering buying a new dropped crossmember but I might change my mind after seeing what you did. I've seen builders just flip the trailing arm mounts (which is a lot of rivets to remove!) but not the whole crossmember.

If I remember right, there's 12 rivets to remove the T/A crossmember. There's doubler plates on the bottom of the frame rail that have four rivets each. I already had the crossmember out of it so it was easier to flip it than take the T/A mounts off. If you take the mounts off though, you can easily fab brackets that are adjustable. I don't have my trans in yet to check for driveshaft clearance at full drop, but I'll probably have to raise the top of loop to clear the shaft. The biggest reason I had it out was I wanted to get rid of the rivets and weld the crossmembers back in to get rid of flex. It would probably be easiest to just take the brackets off if your's is already together.
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[theastronaut]

Since there no physical progress being accomplished, I'll post the "mental progress".

When I bought the truck it came with an old Esso filling station key chain, and the previous owner told me the history of the truck. It was bought new by a guy that started working at our local downtown Esso station when he was in high school. He eventually took over the station when the station owner retired. I've had a few guys tell me that they remember the truck being parked at the station, and usually inside if there was room for it. When he passed away (around '08) a family member got it and kept it until our mechanic bought it.

So I'm thinking about doing some door art (?) with an Esso logo and the old address and phone number. I don't think I want it to cover a large part of the door though, like most guys have on their doors. Or I may not even put anything on the sides of the truck and just use the corner of the tailgate. Either way, I want to somehow get an Esso logo and the "Thomas Esso Station" name on the truck somewhere but do it more tastefully than the typical door art.



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[theastronaut]

Finally some real progress!!!!


I pulled the column out today after work and started shortening it. Decided to go three inches since that seems to be about as much as you can shorten it, and I don't like being close to the steering wheel when driving. I put about 100 miles on the blue '65 I restored this weekend and the first thing I noticed was how close the steering wheel was.


I disassembled it and stripped it to bare metal with a DA to have a clean starting point.






Decided where my first cut would be. It would have been easier to move the cut back a little but I wanted to save the "M" in the split of the tube.




I blacked out the area with a sharpie and used a sway bar clamp off my VW for an even edge to scribe the cut line.







Then measured 3" over and made another scribed line, and cut out the middle.






Reassembled on a piece of angle iron to align the two pieces. You can see how the clamps help make an even cut for a tight joint. I also beveled the edges slighly for better penetration.




Welded up.




And the welds ground down and smoothed with the DA. I cut out the groove where it was welded along the seam with a triangle file so the weld area matches the split along the length of the tube. Nobody will ever see it but that kinda stuff drives me crazy if I know its there.

[srziemkowski]

What did you do with the inner tube that is inside the column that the shifter housing slides onto?did you cut this as well? And did you pull it out from the main tube?if so how did you get the lower released with the spring?

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by srziemkowski

What did you do with the inner tube that is inside the column that the shifter housing slides onto?did you cut this as well? And did you pull it out from the main tube?if so how did you get the lower released with the spring?

It's a column from a floor shift truck, so there's only the outer tube and the inner shaft. I'm guessing that you're using an auto or three speed column with the shifter tube in it? Wish I could help you more with your column! I've got an extra three speed column that I can tear down to see how it goes together, and what it would take to shorten it.

[theastronaut]

Here's how I shortened the steering shaft. It was also stripped to bare metal, but I didn't have any hose clamps small enough to fit around the shaft tightly. I used a framing square and masking tape to get the tape on exactly 90* to the shaft, so the tape edge would make for a straight cut line.




3" cut out and the edges beveled. I cranked the welder up and burned the welds in pretty good, don't want this thing coming apart!




Welds ground down and smoothed out.

[MalibuKasey]

Fantastic work!! Your a pretty brilliant fella!

[theastronaut]

Originally Posted by MalibuKasey

Fantastic work!! Your a pretty brilliant fella!

Thanks Malibu! Not sure if I'm all that brilliant though, the really smart ones buy a truck already finished!