New Guy- grandpa's truck
http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/167615611.jpg
First a bit of history. I grew up restoring first gen Firebirds from my Dad and other 60's Pontiacs and then around the time I graduated high school, I made kind of an odd pivot and got into building turbo Volvo's. I'm still a bit of a Volvo fanatic, they are fun for me because they don't really have the same kind of aftermarket following that bigger brands do. It's evolved from junkyard tech into many of us becoming adults who work in engineering fields and making amazing parts for those cars. BUT... my Grandfather had this 64 C10 since 68. I've ridden in it many times as a kid and even though I'll admit, I'm a bit of an anti chevy snob (I *was* a Firebird guy after all) always had a soft spot for the trucks. Rebuilding this truck was my Dad's way to learn cars as a kid and Grandpa has kept this in the garage since he bought it. I literally have a log book with every tank of gas, maintenance etc dating from 68 to about 3 weeks ago. Now for the sad part, I inherited this truck about 2 weeks ago. I'm thrilled to have it and glad there wasn't any drama around that but you know how it is. That being said, I know he was excited knowing that I'd keep it going for another 250k miles! So I have plans for it but I'm also right in the middle of another Volvo build so I'm trying to avoid the cardinal sin of having two project cars apart at the same time LOL. I'll probably just continue to lurk around till I finish the other car up. OK, enough talking, here's some more pictures. http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/167615613.jpg http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/167615615.jpg http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/167615614.jpg http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/167615619.jpg http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/167615622.jpg Original color there on the firewall. He had the truck painted in 69 by a buddy but it was clearly worth all of the 25 dollars he paid for the job :lol: That being said, doubled up paint is a lot of why the truck is so solid. Looks a lot better in these photos than the paint does in real life though ;) http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/167615624.jpg My own kids get to enjoy it too (4th generation to ride in this truck!) Here's a few past adventures http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/9355416.jpg My DD in high school http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/9356186.jpg http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/9356206.jpg http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/39160943.jpg http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/39160947.jpg First turbo volvo http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/85650338.jpg second. Believe it or not but this one dyno'd 453 at the wheels. http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/48475267.jpg BTW the fun thing is my day job is www.kauerguitars.com so I'll have to build a matching guitar for the truck when it's done :D |
Re: New Guy- grandpa's truck
Those two Firebirds are super slick looking! Grandpa's '64 looks very solid. Keep driving it and enjoy the memories you made with him. I'm not so sure about the Vulva's, though. :)
Actually, that little mustard colored one in the last photo looks fun. The others remind me of Alan on Two and a Half Men. |
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If you put enough attention as you've done on the other projects , you'll have one nice looking truck. Not to say it isn't nice right now.
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I’d leave it just the way it is, the memories you make will be priceless!!
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very solid looking truck.......welcome and congrats
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Oh wow that volvo is a sleeper!!!!!!!!!!!
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Welcome to the forum :D
Grandpa's '64 is quite a nice looking truck. Plus all the past memories and future memories with your kids make it all the more special. Very nice Firebirds too! I'm not much on Volvo's but I can appreciate the thought, planning and work that goes into them. |
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It would be cool to see some old family photos with it in it.
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Welcome aboard. Great looking truck and history. Your other rides are very nice. I also have always preferred the Firebird over the Camaro.
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Wow, that is a nice truck. The only thing I would do is upgrade the brakes.
Welcome. |
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Nice looking truck for sure man! I would be tempted to let that thing alone as nice of shape as its in, that or just make it so it can be returned to stock if you ever feel like it. On the firebird and volvo front my feelings are if you are a true car guy brands and engine type arent really a factor in liking a car or not, I have had tons of subaru's , toyota trucks, suzuki samurais etc but my first car and still favorite is a 69 Chevelle SS and loving that car has never stopped me from enjoying my other projects. (though $$ has stopped me from enjoying the Chevelle for now sadly)
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I might be in the minority, but keep the ladder rack (camper rack?) ! Campers, racks, service beds etc are kind of the "in" thing right now. Keep the outside the same, throw a drop on her, and your good to go.
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The P1800 is sweet! Nicely done. The appeal the boxy Volvos must be an acquired taste, one of which, despite the fact that my very first car was a 71 144S, I have not yet acquired. LOL. Those Firebirds are close cousins to Camaros, so we are family.
The truck looks solid. No doubt whatever you do with it will be on the money! |
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Thought that name looked familiar. (TBricks) awesome truck.
You can post Volvo stuff here as in Alternate Tinkerings if you get the bug. Love the Firebirds too. Subscribed, anxious to see the changes, |
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Good to see you over here Doug. Did you ever finish that 245 for Theresa? I'm out of the Volvo game myself, been playing with Jeeps then built a Chevelle for my mom and now a '64 C10 for me.
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Was this an original California truck I noticed the blue plate
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As cool as the Volvo's and Firebird's are every family needs a truck. Welcome.
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http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/167290927.jpg I've gone from passive to pushing them a bit to have it ready for color by end of the year. |
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Nice Truck the way it is but I can see wanting to do something with it.
Blue Plates came out in the 70's. A truck needed commercial plates but if you put a camper shell on it you could register it as an automobile instead of a commercial vehicle and get away from paying a weight fee. If you remove the camper shell you will have to register it as a commercial vehicle again or you can get pulled over and cited. Don't ask me how I know. :D |
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That's as cool as can be...from the wagon wheels and whites to the rack. I'd upgrade the brakes like Ken said and leave it the way it is.
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http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/167742579.jpg http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/167742580.jpg The wife's been enjoying it too http://www.pbase.com/dkauer744/image/167771124.jpg |
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Your truck is a true gem!
I wouldn't change a thing! |
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Is your ladder rack just slipped down into the stake pockets?
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No it’s actually bolted thru the top of the bed rails. Would have been cool if it was in the stake pockets but at one point there was a camper shell and the rack at the same time.
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Everything about this truck just says "cool". This is a truck that somebody "loved" and enjoyed owning/ driving.
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Ok, so it's also bolted down.
I want to make something to slide in and out whenever I need it. |
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Great Truck, and I love the guitars!!! I wish I could play, I took 4 years of lessons and still can't play!
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Hello welcome to forum
I love Pontiacs and had a 1969 Firebird convertible same color with a black top. Brings back good memories. |
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Time to update this thread! Where we left off around beginning of the year I pulled the front clip, 283 and 3 speed to freshen it up. I had a full thread here..
Since then, honestly haven't done much till recently other than just driving it but done a few things recently. First up was acquired a set of Toyota FJ steelies, painted them white and mounted up a set of 235/65/17's: https://pbase.com/dkauer744/image/172067943.jpg https://pbase.com/dkauer744/image/172067945.jpg https://pbase.com/dkauer744/image/172067944.jpg (super cool fleet side custom around the corner from my house) Took me a couple days to warm up to the new wheels but I'm really happy with them now. The modern center caps work well on this look and any tires beat the 20+ year old, wrinkled from sitting flat for years tires that were on there. World of difference. Next I took the truck on my first proper road trip with it. One of my wood suppliers is in Sonoma about 70 miles from my shop. https://www.instagram.com/p/CU3Y1E8v2Pk/ https://pbase.com/dkauer744/image/172067952.jpg About halfway thru filling the bed up with Thermo Pine and Roasted Ash. Truck did great, 150 miles round trip, got 16mpg! I had to do the math 3 times, couldn't believe it. Just cruised along at 63-65mph behind a like minded semi most of one way then must have had a tail wind coming back home! Max and I have been going out to the local cars and coffee occasionally.. https://pbase.com/dkauer744/image/172067946.jpg though this trip I had ulterior motives i'll touch on in a minute Went to the C10 meet at Mickie Grove Park last weekend. My kids are still small enough we can all squeeze in the truck and theres a little zoo at the park so the kids had a good time. Truck was looking good https://pbase.com/dkauer744/image/172067947.jpg https://pbase.com/dkauer744/image/172067953.jpg (Also I installed a set of VintageCarLED's there, they work great and look original'ish) https://pbase.com/dkauer744/image/172067948.jpg https://pbase.com/dkauer744/image/172067962.jpg I brought the bedwood guitar- not sure anyone cared but I thought it was neat. Then the latest project relates to our trip to cars and coffee. That happened to be Max's birthday (weekend) and he out grew his bike so we went to my favorite bike shop that just happened to be the same parking lot (what a plan) and got a new bike. We're at the point where my youngest can ride pretty good now so wanted to work out a way of hauling them around better. https://pbase.com/dkauer744/image/172067949.jpg https://pbase.com/dkauer744/image/172067950.jpg This rack worked out great and I was able to just use a pair of slotted L Brackets to bolt it to a some tiedowns my grandfather drilled in probably 40 years ago. https://pbase.com/dkauer744/image/172067954.jpg Had some help setting it all up https://pbase.com/dkauer744/image/172067965.jgp https://pbase.com/dkauer744/image/172067951.jpg That's it! It's funny for all the plans I had when I got this truck, more and more I enjoy it just as it is. Especially after doing a couple freeway trips with out issue (slow but no issue) |
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Still looks great!
Something to be proud of - especially it being grandpa's truck. |
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