Shane Cottingham's 1960 Chevy K-10

From Shane: 

     I'm a new member on the forum so I thought I'd let you guys know who I am. My name is Shane Cottingham I live in Rapid City, South Dakota. I am 32 years old. My user name is Bleeargh. My Stovebolt number is 5611.

     My Dad has owned a 1960 K10 for about 6-7 years. He never really did any restoration. He put a 400 small block in it, but that's about it. He had intentions of restoring it, but never seemed to get the gumption to do it.

     Well seeing as how he wasn't doing much to it and I was borrowing it all the time for various hauling and such, he conditionally GAVE it to me! The conditions are that I am to restore it and never sell it. Heh, heh.

     This is the first Chevy I've ever owned. I was typically a Mopar guy until recently. I have been slowly restoring a 1965 Plymouth Barracuda. I was at a stopping point on the Barracuda because I know mechanics but am completely inept when it comes to body work. I had replaced and restored to stock the entire engine, transmission, front end, brakes, muffler system etc. This was all the fun stuff in my opinion. Now I'm left with a driveable Barracuda that needs quite a bit of body work.

     Anyway, enough about the Barracuda. Lets talk about the truck. The truck is army green (rattle can is my guess). It's in pretty good condition. There is cancer on the panels right in front of the passenger and driver side doors as well as below the doors. The front windshield is cracked (can anyone say EXPENSIVE!). Aside from that, the rest of the truck is clean.

     There has been modification over the years such as the rear bumber in no longer stock. Someone welded this heavy duty bumper/hitch onto the truck meant for some serious pulling. That's cool cuz that's what the truck is for. The interior is in pretty bad shape. There are currently HUGE 35 x 12.5 tires on it that were on it when my Dad gave it me. I'm debating putting something else on it as I'm not sure if those big ol' tires wear on the steering and suspension of the truck at all.

     Now that I own a 4-wheel drive truck I can honestly say I don't know how I have driven in these colder climates for as long as I have with out it. Also I am becoming obsessively hooked on working on the truck. I have never really been one who is into restoring. I typically make my vehicles driveable and that's it. However, as I come to love this truck more and more I'm starting to think more and more of restoring it. I currently just went through the heater system and got that functional again. I've already posted a few questions on the forum in regard to that little adventure.

     I have already gone through the entire drivetrain and replaced all the seals, bearings, u-joints, brakes. I have recently obtained a K-10 frame with all the running gear still on it for parts. Very lucky! The guy sold it for $250!!! He owns a junk yard out by Sturgis called Westside Dismantlers and is currently getting rid of all his trucks and truck related stuff so he's practically giving the stuff away! I also have a parts truck that is a 1961 C-10 that my Dad obtained when he had it.

     I'm currently still just tinkering with the truck fixing stuff here and there. But like I said, the deeper I get into the truck, the more I would like to possibly take out a loan or something and actually restore it. She's a wonderful project that I'm thoroughly enjoying.

Shane Cottingham
"Bleeargh"
Rapid City, South Dakota