Shoestring Budget 65/73 Chevy 2WD LWB

[chevy_man5]

Picked this truck up for $1 from a guy I work with. He said if we get it out of his driveway, we could have it. Which was convenient because I have a 16 year old daughter who has been after me to get MY 1960 GMC fixed up so SHE could drive it. She even tried to tell me that she would help buy parts, if she could drive it. I knew where that would end up... a couple of years down the road, I would watch her drive off in MY (yeah right) truck. So when the '65 showed up, it worked out perfectly!!

I told her she had three choices, she could pay someone to fix it, for big $$$$, she could pay me to fix it up for less $$, or I would help her work on it for free...hmmm not much of a choice!! She has been an awesome helper, not to mention some GREAT father/daughter time.

I haven't posted yet, nor tried to post pictures, so please be patient if I foul this up!

This is the first day we drove it home. It needed new tires, so we got some used ones, and My daughter got to learn how and where to jack it up, and change out the tires.

We pressure washed it to clean off all the bird crap decorations, then pulled in in the garage and took off the front clip, and took out the tired 230 and granny 4 speed.

Picked up a donor '75 Chevy C-10 for $400. We plan on taking the 350/350 combo out for use, front end for the disc / power brakes / power steering, rear end for the diff and 5 lug axles, wiring harness, and misc other items. We are building this truck as inexpensive as possible for now. Here we took off the donor truck front clip, engine, trans, and part of the wiring harness, so far.

Anyone need any body parts for a '75?

This is all so far, but more on the way!

[markeb01]

Outstanding, nothing better than having a project to bond with your kid. Looks like you're well underway. And welcome to the forum. Looking forward to updates.

[kalirodding]

That's a nice score. My daughters love old cars and trucks just as much as I do. Can't wait till they're old enough to help work on them also.

[whiskers]

nice truck , my daughter helps me with my truck as well, we have a great time at it. Have fun they grow up too fast.

[Captainfab]

Welcome to the forum

It's great to see another member from Idaho!

That's awesome that your daughter is interested in these vintage trucks

And yes that is some good father/daughter time. Both of my kids helped me build our Suburban back in the early 90's. My daughter was just 6 and my son 12 at the time.....great memories.

I'm looking forward to the rest of this build.

[63sbssbbw]

Good scores Man5
Capt fab will have the PS conv. kit you'll need
Welcome to the board
Did anyone mention how much we love pics? LOL
T

[chevy_man5]

Thanks for the welcome everyone! I have been reading through every build page I could since I signed up, what a VAST wealth of information!!

My daughter has been awesome! She was sick the weekend I took off the '75's front clip, and was totally bummed out that she wasn't helping. Other than that she has been out busting knuckles any time I have been out there.

Sorry about the text not matching the pictures, I didn't know I could only upload 5 at a time, and that I couldn't put them in the text, that they would all just drop at the end. Would uploading the picture after the paragraph, then typing the next paragraph fix that?

I was actually planning on looking up Captainfab in the next couple of days about the PS kit. Looks like he does nice work!!

Here goes with my first question. I have been looking around on here trying to figure out what kind of radiator I will need to be looking for. The one that was in the '65 was being used on the 230, but is quite a bit larger than the one LMC specs out. The one out of the '75 is 3-1/2" longer on each side, and a lot shorter, so I would have to cut into the inner fenders, and some of the radiator support structure (which I would rather avoid at this point) to make it fit. I would like to be able to find the new radiator in a wrecking yard, rather than fork out the cash for a new one. Any suggestions?

[chevy_man5]

I just noticed that I had put 65/73 in the title. It was late, after a long day at work. Is there any way to update that to 65/75, so it's not misleading?

[63sbssbbw]

'73-'75 same thing spec wise.
shouldn't be a big deal
T

[bubba327]

Hello and Welcome from Star Idaho!!
Glad to see you have good help in your project. Let her help as much as possible, even if it is just painting parts!!
My 1964 truck and 16 year daughter just rumbled down the driveway off to school, it has not missed a day this fall. She loves her old truck. Her friends are beginning to understand, and think it is pretty cool.
Jalopy Jungle on Garrity does get some trucks in at various times they have a 66 ,65 and 62 in now but I do not remember what is left on them. I try to stop in at least once a month just to check inventory.
I have Captain fab brackets on the 64, they work very nicely.
We have a Idaho club here on the forum and hope to get something going someday. I have met a few of the local guys who contribute here and swapped spare parts now and then.
I will be following the build, take lots of pictures.


For the radiator -you might check with a radiator shop about re-coreing the one you have. I had one rebuilt a while back and it was way cheaper than a new one.
Bubba

[Captainfab]

About the only radaitors that will fit these trucks besides the originals are ones from cars in the 60's. Like the Impala's, Chevelle's, Camaro's and Nova's. Probably not going to find any of those in the wrecking yards. If your 6 cyl radiator isn't going to be enough for that 350, take a look at the Summit brand universal aluminum radiators. I know you;'re on a tight budget, but they are a pretty good fit in these trucks. There are a couple guys here with them in their trucks. Also Chief Rocka did a writeup on installing one.....it's here somewhere.

[chevy_man5]

I measured the two radiators last night, and they are almost the exact same in face area LxW, but the depth of the '75 is double that of the '65, so that is where it will get me I guess. I will see if I can find Chief Rocka's post. I think I read through all of the posts that contained "radiator" in them, but the first couple weeks on here have been quite a mountain of information. I have been on here reading anytime I get some spare time, I need to keep a notebook of posts and people I want to remember, there is SOOO much knowledge on here!

Bubba, thanks for the reminder about the Jungle, I haven't been there in years (been that long since I got good and dirty on a vehicle) Let me know next time you are planning on going, if you don't mind a tag-along or two. My daughter has not been properly introduced to junkyarding!!

[bubba327]

Originally Posted by chevy_man5

Bubba, thanks for the reminder about the Jungle, I haven't been there in years (been that long since I got good and dirty on a vehicle) Let me know next time you are planning on going, if you don't mind a tag-along or two. My daughter has not been properly introduced to junkyarding!!

Sure, I love the Jungle. It is a pull it yourself yard now . Charge is $1.00 entry or $15 for a year pass. A second yard is also open on Caldwell boulevard about halfway to Caldwell, and the year pass or daily admission hand stamp will get you into both yards. I'll send you a PM next time I go

Check out the V-12 truck motor on display at the Nampa yard entrance
(Nampa Manager has a 62 C-10 knee-knocker).
Bubba

[irish1966]

Welcome! Nice truck and even better reason for the build. My little shop monkey is only 4 but she has learned that a bowtie means chevy. LOL. Can't wait until she can hold a welding torch. Right now she makes me soup and stuff from a bag of sand in the garage, while I do the work. :-)

[chevy_man5]

I look forward to your message Bubba! I have looked at that engine, it is a monster!! I have the 305a V6 in my '60. When I got it I was researching online, and found Jolly over at 6066 GMC, and saw that they made a V12. He sent me a message after I joined about getting him pictures of that engine sitting there. I think they are on his site somewhere.

David, the question would be, how does sand soup taste?? LOL I remember getting my coffee or water cup dumped out, and refilled with dirt, rocks, grass, whatever they could think of, and it being brought back to me. "Daddy we filled your cup" LOL I think I did get soup once, but it was of the grass, leaves, and dirt variety.

My 16yo is our oldest, but the younger ones are already plotting on what kind of car they want me to build. My youngest (11) wants a VW bug, and she wants it pink!! I told her I don't think my tools work on pink bugs.

[bubba327]

Yeah, I had my share of tea parties with lots of stuffed animals as guests . I kind of miss them now that those days are gone . Where does the time go, Now it is dances and high school football games.
My 13 year old bought a raffle ticket for a 66 Mustang fastback and is very convinced that in November we will go pick it up in Pendleton Oregon when they call to announce the winner.
Not sure about a F%@D but if she wins it...... I supposed that would be OK.

[Alan's Classic]

Welcome aboard. I'm subscribed. Nice story and it's great to see younger people with intersest in vintage trucks.

I use photobucket.com to link my pics. Just copy and paste the IMG link from PB in your text field and type in between.

Looking forward to more progress.

[Captainfab]

Here's the Chief's Summit radiator install thread.......
http://www.67-72chevytrucks.com/vboa...ummit+radiator

[chevy_man5]

Thanks for the welcome Alan, I have been working my way through your build post. I am 51 pages in. I have enjoyed every minute of it!! Thank you for the hint on Photobucket!!

Thank you Captain I was going to look it up after i got through Alan's MASSIVE build post, so I only had one thing at a time to study. LOL Now I don't have to search it up. Thanks again!!

I'll admit it Bubba, I have owned a few F%@D's. The only ones i would ever intentionally get would be a 67 - 79 pickup. I have always loved the look of them. Of course I would have to bastardize it and put Chevy power in it, or it wouldn't be drivable, it would just be a pretty body to look at.

[Alan's Classic]

Originally Posted by chevy_man5

Thanks for the welcome Alan, I have been working my way through your build post. I am 51 pages in. I have enjoyed every minute of it!! Thank you for the hint on Photobucket!!

There is a lot to read in my build, hope you can get something out of it. When you open photobucket the first time check the upload size in the settings on photobucket. It might be defaulted to small. Mine was, I had to set it to medium. Just something I ran into along the way.

[AmmoSS]

Hey Chevy Man, I'm in Meridian and have a daughter into trucks too. We'll all have to have a meeting sometime. Good luck with the truck and if you need any VW parts I've got some!

[chevy_man5]

Didn't get anything done on the truck today, but did the wire ran, and the (6) free fixtures mounted on the ceiling. I only had bulbs for (4) of them, but what a difference.

I only had these two pull string lights before.

I tried posting these pics through here, if this doesn't work, I will go over to Photobucket and sign up like Alan suggested.

Made my daughter crawl around up above the ceiling to pull the wires, that worked out well...for me!! She got to learn about wiring up light fixtures and threeway switches too.

Tomorrow the plan is to tear into the donor trucks engine, to see what it looks like. Already popped off the valve covers and it looked pretty clean, no sludge there, but was waiting for a time when she could be out there too, before we tear further into it.

AmmoSS, a get together sounds like a good idea!! Who else besides you, bubba and myself are around here? No VW parts yet, she is only 11, and I have better things to play with...err ahh, work on, yeah that's what I'm doing. LOL

[bubba327]

Originally Posted by chevy_man5

AmmoSS, a get together sounds like a good idea!! Who else besides you, bubba and myself are around here? No VW parts yet, she is only 11, and I have better things to play with...err ahh, work on, yeah that's what I'm doing. LOL

I have met Murdoc ,Who is also from Nampa, and hung out with Imperial Kustom and his 63 at a few cruises, there are several guys in the 67-72 section also.
I'll post something in the Idaho club section and see what happens .
Winter is a good time to get together but hunting season is still on.

[63sbssbbw]

Looking good man5
I switched from incadescent(just 2) to neon(3-8' doubles) a few years ago,made a world of difference.
Good lighting makes it so much nicer to work in.
T

[chevy_man5]

We tore into the engine we pulled out of the donor truck, and after pulling off the intake, saw that the valley was all scorched looking. I had been worrying about the smell of the oil, but wanted to pull it apart and see what was going on.



When we took off the oil pan, we found plenty of surprises, but not of the good sort!



She ended up dirtier than I did.



Luckily I have an engine that I pulled out of a '72 Chevelle 4 Door hardtop, before I sold it a few years back. Its a little rusty on top, but overall in good shape. I bought it from the dealership, and only had about 3000 miles on it.



I snuck a picture of her cleaning the paint off of the old valve covers, she wasn't too happy about it, as you can tell.