64 C10 Stepside "Jaybird"

[bj383ss]

Some progress. I pulled the engine and trans today with one of my new toys I mean tools I got for Xmas. I was going to pull them together have never done it before, but with the bell housing cross member still there I didn't think the trans would clear it with the engine on. So I pulled them separate.

The engine stand I'm using belonged to my Grandpa. He used to build them and sell them back in the early 70's at his shop. I have a cool photo of when he was making them. It has sat outside for many years at my dads place but I plan to blast it and repaint it.

Another PO folly it looks like there is no oil pan gasket just RTV. Unless it was leaking all over and RTV was after it was assembled.

















Thanks for looking.

Bret

[aggie91]

Nice looking stand!

[TJ's Chevy]

AWW! I wish I had you shop!

[clemdaddy]

really like that old engine stand... hmmmm, i need to make one. its cool yours has family history and part of the cool factor is the wear. i'm one of those guys that typically restores everything but some stuff is best left as is. that thing is...

you got a great shop and some other interesting projects.

[McMurphy]

Originally Posted by clemdaddy

really like that old engine stand... hmmmm, i need to make one. its cool yours has family history and part of the cool factor is the wear. i'm one of those guys that typically restores everything but some stuff is best left as is. that thing is...

you got a great shop and some other interesting projects.

100%

[bj383ss]

Originally Posted by aggie91

Nice looking stand!

Thank You. I have built quite a few engines on this stand.

Originally Posted by T.J. MCCAULEY

AWW! I wish I had you shop!

Thank you TJ. I feel blessed to have a big space inside to work and keep all my junk and cars. I wish my father in law could have enjoyed though.

Originally Posted by clemdaddy

really like that old engine stand... hmmmm, i need to make one. its cool yours has family history and part of the cool factor is the wear. i'm one of those guys that typically restores everything but some stuff is best left as is. that thing is...

you got a great shop and some other interesting projects.

I agree with you on the about leaving things original but the paint is so bad that it leaves behind flakes on the ground when I roll it around. Plus my Grandpa wouldn't have minded if I paint it. He is the one who taught me how after all.

And yes my projects span different decades. The 79' Caprice is my first car and I have had it for 19 years. My parents bought it new. It has come along way from the 130hp 305 and 2.41 gears it came with from the factory. I plan to get it back roadworthy someday. LOL. The Camaro is my daily driver and the covered car is the 72' Cutlass.

Originally Posted by McMurphy

100%

Thanks

I went out to the garage tonight after work as I was dying to crack open the 350 and see if the PO owner did things right. After I removed all the bolts from the oil pan I realized they didn't use a gasket just RTV! Also I think this pan is from the original 283 with the drain plug in the bottom.

Much to my surprise there was windage tray installed and it is a 4 bolt main. Finally something done right. I pulled the front cap and the bearings look good as well. Not sure if the crank is forged or cast.







This puzzled me it appears there is RTV between the oil pump and the rear main. Not sure why. I don't recall ever doing this on any of the engines I built.


If you look real close you can see the 4 bolt mains.


Its starting to get bare. Can't wait to get the cab repaired and off the frame.


Bret

[Desert.Chevy]

I just found your thread and I have to say Great work.

How are the patch panels coming along?

[bj383ss]

Originally Posted by T.J. MCCAULEY

Always good to keep yer garage organized.

Thanks T.J>

Originally Posted by Desert.Chevy

I just found your thread and I have to say Great work.

How are the patch panels coming along?

Thank you Desert Chevy. I almost have the Driver side floor pan ready to weld in but I want to wait until I get the A pillar patches to make sure I have everything lined up properly. Probably be another month before I can get them. My youngest has his birthday this coming weekend so we spent our extra money on him.

Bret

[Desert.Chevy]

Originally Posted by bj383ss

Thanks T.J>



Thank you Desert Chevy. I almost have the Driver side floor pan ready to weld in but I want to wait until I get the A pillar patches to make sure I have everything lined up properly. Probably be another month before I can get them. My youngest has his birthday this coming weekend so we spent our extra money on him.

Bret

Ok, sounds good. I will be checking back then, please take a good amount of pictures when you get the A pillar patch and start work on them all. I Totally understand that, I have three in a row month after month and coming up fast.

[bj383ss]

Well I have mostly been sandblasting and priming. The last 3 days I have spent replacing the oil pan gasket on my 02 Camaro. What fun that was. And after all of that work it is still leaking oil above the starter. So either the rear main is leaking or the OSPU.





My makeshift sandblasting booth




Oil pan from Camaro


Here you can see the K member is hanging down about 6" so I could get the pan on and off. This required unbolting a lot of things. I think the entire job took me about 16 hours.


Bret

[WhippinSaw]

Your shop is looking good, I like your makeshift sandblasting booth. Do you just leave the one side open? I am going to make one and was wondering how well it worked.Thanks <W>

[1963c-10]

I'll be doing the same thing in a few weeks. Nice job.

[bj383ss]

Well I started out sandblasting the front of the frame yesterday but the North winds quickly put a stop to that. Blowing in at 27mph. So I switched gears and almost finished welding up the floor pan. I still have a few holes to weld up. Taking the time to let it cool was killing my patience just wanted to keep going and finish.

Metal to metal bondo is going to be my friend on this job. Although no one will ever see any of this once it is done.








Can't wait to get the cab finished so I can pull it and start serious on the frame and suspension.







I start vacation in 11 days. I will be off for 12 days and hope to get all of the cab welded up so I can pull it and start on the bottom of the cab and the frame rebuild. Ordering all of the suspension parts and frontend rebuild on Thursday.

Bret

[WhippinSaw]

Nice job repairing the floor in your truck, I looked back at post 17 to get a before and after view, looks good, it really came together nice. Are you using flux core or Gas with your mig welder?

[bj383ss]

Originally Posted by WhippinSaw

Nice job repairing the floor in your truck, I looked back at post 17 to get a before and after view, looks good, it really came together nice. Are you using flux core or Gas with your mig welder?

Thanks Whippinsaw. I started out using Gas but it ran out and my dad didn't want to rent the cylinder anymore as he hasn't used his welder in the last five years so we switched it over to flux core. I find the flux core easier even though you have to do some cleaning after.

I spent 2 hours after work yesterday and got the passenger floor cutout. Should be able to weld the patch in tonight. I found a huge wasp nest in the front cab support!





Bret

[TJ's Chevy]

Looks good!

[1963c-10]

Nice job on the cab repair. Everything looks like it lined up nicely for you.

[bj383ss]

Thanks guys. It came out alright. I got the passenger side welded in last night. It lined up much better. My first cut was damn near perfect. Instead of using the sheet metal clamps I used the big triangle welding magnets and the made it much easier to lineup up the panel.












Just ordered all my parts for the frontend rebuild and the rest of the cab patch panels I needed. I saved a ton of money buying all my fontend parts from Amazon. All Moog too. The difference between O'riellys and Amazon for all my parts was like $350 difference!

Here is what I bought

upper and lower ball joints
upper and lower control arm shaft assemblies
Inner and outer tie rod ends
rear control arm bushings (polyurethane)
track arm bushings (polyurethane)
Idler arm
Pitman arm

I also bought a new ram jack for my engine hoist since it already failed after only 2 uses and some metal to metal bondo from Evercoat And a 9/16" drill bit for the lower control arm u bolt upgrade.

Bret

[Grizz1963]

Good progress

Amazing how much money you can save shopping around.

Will call you again sometime when I am awake late so it takes up the time difference.

[Mikes66ChevyC10]

Great job repairing your cab. Looks like you didn't have to replace your cab supports? Also like the sand blasting booth you made up! Think I will do the same!!

[bj383ss]

Originally Posted by Mikes66ChevyC10

Great job repairing your cab. Looks like you didn't have to replace your cab supports? Also like the sand blasting booth you made up! Think I will do the same!!

Thank you Mike. No sir the cab supports where good which I am very thankful. My cab rot was really not that bad. The rear cab corners are good with only a few pin holes. The rot in the floorboards would have been less if they had been repaired correctly. The driver side just had a piece of galvanized steel plate spot welded over the rust and made it worse. The passenger side was patched with fiberglass very poorly and then the footwell was riveted to the firewall! I did coat the front cab supports with a rust coating since I could access them.

Bret

[Ta2Don]

Sure don't know how I missed your build, but I am caught up now….
I would be seriously concerned about your boy that's in a pic on page 1… He looks deep in thought, mmmm what can I do to get this away from dad??? Just joking! Great bonding time!

Sandblast booth... consider that plan stolen...
Very Nice on the cab repair...

[bj383ss]

Thanks Don. Its funny you should notice that as my ultimate goal is to build this truck for my boys to enjoy when they get older. They are 5 and 7 so I have some time. The one in the picture is the 5 year old and he loves being in the garage and helping with everything. He is going to be a maker for sure.

Of course I am going to enjoy it as well until they are old enough too.


Bret

[bj383ss]

I spent some time this morning working on the passenger fender. I guessed it was hiding some damage as the core support on that side was damaged a little. From then inside there were several holes with bondo coming out of them and about a 3/4" deep dent. OUCH.

I cleaned off all the bondo




I had to remove this brace to have access for the hammer on the inside


This is what I ended up with after some hammering. Not to bad will still require some bondo but not 1/2" thick at least


I switched gears after that and starting stripping all the front suspension. Here is where I ended for the day.




Bret

[1963c-10]

nice...I'll be there in the next week or two myself.