Mark Loponen's

1969 Chevy K-10


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March 2011 ~ Well ....after years of the truck sitting in my shop and no time to work on it, and my interests going in different directions, I did what I really thought I wouldn't. I sold the old girl to a neighbor. The good news is he is getting much farther with the truck than I ever did. I couldn't let it just sit and do nothing, at least someone is enjoying the truck now. On to the next project. I'm thinking a General or an Astro with a 8V92 in it. I learned to drive truck in a General many years ago. ~ Mark.

14 March 2007 Update
# 1599

From Mark:

           I thought I would send some pictures and a little update on the slow progress I am making on my truck. I have taken it right down to the frame rails, since I took these pictures. I have also taken out the running gear and the axles. I am in the process of swapping out the drum front brakes of the Dana 44 in favor of discs for those panic stop situations. I have decided to leave the 250 in the truck. I will be adding a few things to make it look a little better. It seems to run fine and doesn't smoke at all (it has been rebuilt at some point).

           I will be sandblasting and painting the frame as soon as the snow clears up here. I'll strip the old paint off the engine and clean it up a bit, too. I have almost all the parts I need to re-assemble it now other than trim pieces and odds and ends I will have to pick up here and there. I am overwhelmed by the mountain of parts in my garage and shed, but also looking forward to starting to put this truck back together.

           The story of the places I have been to get my parts would probably leave most thinking I was crazy (my wife sure thinks I am). I have seen more of the United States in the last year than I ever have in my life. I found the frame in Pennsylvania near Quakertown after an exhausting search of message boards and web sites. I got a rust-free box through a friend of a friend for next to nothing, but I had to go to Texas to get it! My Father came with me for the trip. We are both truck drivers, so the fact that our holiday was spent driving is kind of ironic.

           So far, I have not decided what color to paint it but I am leaning toward something that it would have originally have come with from the factory. I will send in an update as soon as the frost melts off the toolbox and I can start working on it again.

           Oh well its not a race.

Mark Loponen
Hamilton,Ontario
Canada

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25 July 2006
# 1599

From Mark :

           Hi! Here is my '69 K-10. It has a 250 in it with a 4 speed, manual brakes and steering as well.

           This is how it looked when I bought it. It is currently torn apart for a complete restoration. I plan on putting power steering and brakes on it as well as a 4 inch lift and 33 inch tires. I thought about swapping in a 350. But the more I drove this truck, the better it ran. So the 250 will stay.

           Oh, it needs a frame -- anyone have one they would like to sell? It's hard to find solid old parts up here in Canada.

           Great site. Love these old Stovebolts.

Mark Loponen
Hamilton,Ontario
Canada


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