Well I did it again. 1970 C 30

[Arnulfo]

Looks alot like mine when i got it. Bare floor,dusty. The shocks you mention, are they on back?

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

Original engine color in '70 was moly orange. That appears to be a replacement, like a GM Target engine. They were painted that color blue before the Chevy engine was called "corporate" and used in all car lines except Cadillac, at least as late as '81. I've installed a bunch of 'em.. If it is a Target engine, you can look on the back of the block on the driver's side. The factory displacement is cast there.

It probably is a replacement motor. I'd check the ID but that sounds like work and I can't have that.

I don't even want to get up to take a piss.

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by Arnulfo

Looks alot like mine when i got it. Bare floor,dusty. The shocks you mention, are they on back?

First of all. I love your truck. And yes the shocks are in back. There is just something about these old flatbeds that is too cool. They were the tough trucks back in the day. The fact that they are still around and kicking is a testament to how tough they are.

[special-K]

That blue on the engine is a different shade from the GM blue in the late-70s. So the VIN is a CE3 number, not CS3?

I wish I could make that color out. Is it a bluish green? Is it metallic? Kind of looks like it could be Terrace blue (503) or Medium Blue-Green poly (529). But 503 is a '72 color

[FleetsidePaul]

The VIN is CE3.

It's hard to say if it's blue or green. Sometimes it looks blue and sometimes it's kind of green. It's not metallic. The 529 paint is a little more green to me. I'm really thinking that this was painted for a utility company or something like that. Hence the "Special Paint' designation on the SPID. Like the forest service trucks that are always painted that funky green color.

I'm getting the feeling that this paint is going to be a pain to match.

[Arnulfo]

Originally Posted by FleetsidePaul

First of all. I love your truck. And yes the shocks are in back. There is just something about these old flatbeds that is too cool. They were the tough trucks back in the day. The fact that they are still around and kicking is a testament to how tough they are.

Thanks

[special-K]

Yeah, sometimes the special paint is a private formula and sometimes it's a factory color not normally offered in that model. Not a color available off the lot, that's for sure. I guess scanning the glovebox door is your best bet. Too bad there's no paperwork or evidence of who that utility or municipality was

[jocko]

The paint could be 518 medium green, a non-metallic that was available in 70, but only on medium and heavy duty trucks (thus the special paint code on a light duty truck). Also possible that it was painted with 69 503 light green as a special order (but not exactly common to spray previous year colors). But given the various lighting and the fact that you mentioned that it sometimes looks green, sometimes blue makes me lean more toward 518. Here's a pic of a 72 518 paint Longhorn - 518 was available on light duty in 71/72. But who knows - with the various fading, sun exposure, photo lighting. The interior and engine compartment sure look like 503..

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by special-K

Yeah, sometimes the special paint is a private formula and sometimes it's a factory color not normally offered in that model. Not a color available off the lot, that's for sure. I guess scanning the glovebox door is your best bet. Too bad there's no paperwork or evidence of who that utility or municipality was

I'm certain that it was a utility truck. Look at the roof. It had a light or some equipment mounted up there at one time.

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by jocko

The interior and engine compartment sure look like 503..

I'm beginning to think the same thing. GM sure made a lot of colors that are very close to each other. Just different enough to make you scratch your head.

[Arnulfo]

Can you please post a picture for the rear shock mount locations?

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by Arnulfo

Can you please post a picture for the rear shock mount locations?

Hopefully these will help. This was the best shot I could get. Still managed to get my finger in the frame. Duh!

[Arnulfo]

Thank you very much !

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by Arnulfo

Thank you very much !

No sweat. I hope they help because I take terrible pictures.

[special-K]

I think it's an old Sears truck

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by special-K

I think it's an old Sears truck

Wow that photo brings back memories. I remember those Sears vans.

But did Sears have flatbeds?? And it had the light installed on the roof which I assume was a flashing light or spotlight. I don't think that they would put one of those on a delivery truck. At Edison the only trucks that had them did roadside work. I wouldn't mind putting one back on, and maybe a couple spotlights.

[jocko]

you might try some of the places that mix factory paint color rattle cans and order a few - 503, 518, etc to see if you can get close, but you'll probably never match the faded paint even with the right code. Perfect scenario to work a patina repaint of the hood only. Tough call though, it'd have to be really close to the current green to be convincing. Considering there's no bed to worry about and what looks like the great condition of the body, a repaint wouldn't be out of the question - but that's also a good chunk of work and $. If that's always a backup plan (repaint), then it can't hurt to experiment on patina'ing the hood. Paint it black, then rattle can it 503 or 518 or whatever looks closest to the fenders in person, and then work it back thru to the black primer. If it works out, then you could flat or satin clear it. If it doesn't, then backup plan! The black touch up on there now would drive me bats too, but it's probably there for a reason Before anything, I'd take a shot at removing that black paint and see what you find. Someone may have painted all that acreage to cover up a quarter-sized rust hole, and THAT I'd be happy to live with if it meant I could keep the original paint.

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by jocko

you might try some of the places that mix factory paint color rattle cans and order a few - 503, 518, etc to see if you can get close, but you'll probably never match the faded paint even with the right code. Perfect scenario to work a patina repaint of the hood only. Tough call though, it'd have to be really close to the current green to be convincing. Considering there's no bed to worry about and what looks like the great condition of the body, a repaint wouldn't be out of the question - but that's also a good chunk of work and $. If that's always a backup plan (repaint), then it can't hurt to experiment on patina'ing the hood. Paint it black, then rattle can it 503 or 518 or whatever looks closest to the fenders in person, and then work it back thru to the black primer. If it works out, then you could flat or satin clear it. If it doesn't, then backup plan! The black touch up on there now would drive me bats too, but it's probably there for a reason Before anything, I'd take a shot at removing that black paint and see what you find. Someone may have painted all that acreage to cover up a quarter-sized rust hole, and THAT I'd be happy to live with if it meant I could keep the original paint.

I just got some of the mixed spray can paint for my VW. That is some runny stuff. I get drips no matter how much I try not to.

There is Bondo under that primer. I can tell. Something must have fallen on the hood at one time. I'm afraid to look. It might be nothing, but it might not.

I think that I may try the rattle cans first. I do have a friend that could repaint it. He's a good painter. But he is slower than cold molasses and I would rather keep the original paint if possible.

And then there is the steering wheel and dash pad. They are the aqua color. I can't find anything in that color. My 70 SWB had the same color upholstery. and I had the same problem with that one. Nothing available. It would be so much easier to just paint it and do the interior in black but I at least want to try to keep it as is.

I may be falling off the wagon here but I think it would look good with chrome wheels.

Decisions, decisions.

[factorystock]

If it has a build sheet under the seat or a protecto plate attached to the warranty booklet, it might give us more clues to where it was originally sold, the buyer and the paint schemes of company vehicles and government agency vehicles in that area.

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by factorystock

If it has a build sheet under the seat or a protecto plate attached to the warranty booklet, it might give us more clues to where it was originally sold, the buyer and the paint schemes of company vehicles and government agency vehicles in that area.

I'm out of luck there. The seat was swapped out and no protecto plate to be found.

[FleetsidePaul]

My buddy stopped by and said the truck was a POS.

Then he wanted to buy it. Yeah right. Nice try but I don't trip that easy. It's not for sale.

[Dirt's72]

Originally Posted by FleetsidePaul

My buddy stopped by and said the truck was a POS.

Then he wanted to buy it. Yeah right. Nice try but I don't trip that easy. It's not for sale.

Thats exactly how I feel about your 70 cst. But if you want to sell it yeah let me know.

[Phillip Owings]

Nice truck

[FleetsidePaul]

Originally Posted by Dirt's72

Thats exactly how I feel about your 70 cst. But if you want to sell it yeah let me know.

Exactly. It's a POS... But sell it to me and I'll take it off your hands. Sorry but that's not going to work. My buddy came by again today and wanted to buy it once again. The answer is still no. He wants that truck bad! Not happening.

It's like that old guy that I wanted to buy the 67 GMC off of. He just said "no' and offered me a cold beer. Nice guy but he's not selling.

[LT7A]

The cold beer takes the sting out of the "no". It's a good tactic. What you want to do on the hood is get the surrounding paint on the hood cleaned up to the level that you want it. And then you need to drive the truck or take the hood to an automotive paint store that can scan it. They have a laser tool that reads the color and gives you the best match of the actual color that exists on your truck now. Even if you found the code, what you spray on won't match. The laser should give you something very close. I'll get different areas scanned on the same truck. Because by this point, the paint is different colors in different places.