dantimdad's 66c10 budget resto mod

[dantimdad]

I can't stand idiot lights and I don't want to replace the speedo on the truck so I am adding a Tach, oil pressure, water temp and voltage meter.

Here is the way I mounted the oil pressure and temp gauge:





The panel isn't mounted yet so I can paint it. The temp stays at a constant 185. The oil pressure sender isn't hooked up yet. I had to use PB blaster on the water temp sender to get it out and it hasn't soaked in enough on the oil one yet.

I'm pretty happy with the way it looks. I have something special in mind for the tach install.

Steven

[dantimdad]

OK, I got the oil pressure sender installed and the lighting hooked up.

Gonna have to change the bulbs out for LEDs. The light is way too yellow for my taste.

Steven

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by dantimdad

OK, I got the oil pressure sender installed and the lighting hooked up.

Gonna have to change the bulbs out for LEDs. The light is way too yellow for my taste.

Steven

small disk of colored plastic in the bulb well will change it to any color you like.

[dantimdad]

Haven't updated this in a while and should have.

I have located all the rust. There is way more than I originally noticed!

But, I have made some progress.

I plugged the heater ports, bled the brakes and drove to my buddy's shop.

I also picked up an electric fan that I will mount tomorrow.

The big news is that the truck ran incredibly well. In fifth gear you barely have to touch to gas and you are at 70. I kept catching myself in a 50 zone and had to slow down.

The temp stayed right on 180 and the oil pressure is good.

I can't wait to get all the patch panels in so I can take it all apart for body work and paint.

Steven

[dantimdad]

I am going to replace all the visible fasteners with stainless button head bolts.

I polished them tonight.

Here is the process:

Chuck the bolt in a drill

Then run the drill and sand the head with 800 grit sandpaper.

Next, using green polishing compound on a loose cotton wheel, run the drill and press the bolt head to the wheel to polish.

Finally, run the bolt in the drill agains a cotton towel.

The whole process takes about 15-20 seconds a bolt.

Here are comparison picks:





The results are worth the effort for sure.

I did 108 in different sizes in about 45 minutes.

Steven

[CRGRS 66]

Steven
First of all, great project, I am looking forward to following your progress.
Very nice result on the stainless fasteners. I just picked up 18.8 button head cap screws for my valve covers, am going to see if I can achieve the same result.
Craigerrr

[dantimdad]

Thanks!

Steven

[dantimdad]

Finished the welding/grinding part of my cowl smoothing project and got it test fit with the new polished button head bolts.

Sorry for the quality of the pics, the iphone sucks at taking photos.





Obviously, I need to polish the washers and line them up better when I do the final install. But, I am really liking the look.

Steven

[dantimdad]

BTW, I have done all the welding with a $99 HF wire welder with .030 Lincoln flux core wire. Before I started on the truck I did a couple test pieces, ground them smooth and used filler primer and sanded it. I then tossed them out behind the shed and left them for two months and let them weather. Then I beat the tar out of them with a body hammer to try and make the welds fail and they didn't. I wasn't about to do this project and have the welds fail.

I would love to have a true mig welder and will probably get one sometime, but, for now, I am happy with my results.

Next up is ordering and installing the kick panel patch and the floor board patches.

Then I start stripping, grinding and sanding.

I am getting excited!

Steven

[dantimdad]

I was having second thoughts about not using the fleetside bed and going flatbed until I removed it today.



The dummy who welded in a metal floor burnt up the front panel of the bed and pretty much the entire perimeter of the sides and the panels where the tail gate mounts. Makes you wonder what people are thinking when they "fix" something.

Anyhow, I am going to HF this week and pick up an engine hoist and get crackin' on engine, trans and cab removal so I can clean, wire wheel and paint the frame.

My buddy is fabbing up the steel channels for the flat bed rim and I am making up strips to hold the wood down that have hidden bolts. I want a very smooth look.

Steven

[Bomp]

Looks like you got your truck from a family member of the guy I got my truck from.(same type of "fixin" skills)
It starts out a small build but it grows. Your doing great. subscribed.

[Hx16457]

Any progress is just that "progress", just keep going! Looks good so far! The fix will be yours this time, make it like you want it.

[dantimdad]

Thanks guys!

I have had a vision for a long time and back burnered it because I thought the truck was in better shape. Now that it's a complete reboot, I am going with what I wanted in the first place.

I should have more pics up this weekend.

Steven

[dantimdad]

Pics of the back half of the frame now that it's painted.

[dantimdad]

[McMurphy]

Good progress! I think I am only a month or so ahead of you !!

[likaroc13]

hey, I remember this truck! it used to come up in all the searches I would do on Searchtempest (Craigslist)...i'm originally from NE Mississippi, where the majority of my family still lives...so when doing searches for trucks in the vicinity, that one always came up...wasn't it listed in Florence, AL?

anyway, looks like you're making nice progress! keep up the good work, & have fun

[dantimdad]

Yes, it was just north of Florence. It's funny that you saw the ad for it.

In retrospect, I paid way too much for it, but, it's mine and my son loves working on it so it stays.



Steven

[Bomp]

Nothing better than getting paint on metal.
Comming along nicely.

[dantimdad]

OK, time for a long overdue update. (instead of just in the what did you do today thread)

The cab on my truck was just too far gone for my skills to repair. I decided that I was going to have to have another cab or (GASP!) pay someone to help.

Out of the blue I looked on craigslist and found this:



It's a 65 short wheel base big back window with very little rust. Both vent windows work. $200! I was sold!

Went to check it out and found this:



No one ever hacked the dash!

[dantimdad]

And this:



A gauge dash and the harness!

This just keeps getting better!

And then I noticed it had a passenger visor as well.

Very little rust except in the floor boards and it's not really bad:



And, finally:



It had the rear bumper I was looking for.

The only draw back is that the truck was an automatic and I have a 5 speed so that will have to be sorted.

Overall, I would say this was the deal of the year.

Steven

[Desert.Chevy]

Good progress, and Nice find!

What did I see in the BBW picture? It's down?
Posted via Mobile Device

[dantimdad]

Someone took the back glass before I got it.

They also took the custom cab flags.

Steven

[Bomp]

I can't even find a frame around here for what you paid. Great find

[dantimdad]

I know.

I wish I could sell the frame to someone who was going to Z a LWB.

Steven