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Ralph Davis'1970 Chevy C-10 LWB Stepside |
"The White Ghost" |
07 May 2007 Update
# 1629
From Ralph :
I am finally at a point where I can call my truck finished, even though we all know there is no such thing. After almost six years, several thousand dollars and countless hours of hard work, the White Ghost is finally back on the road.
I bought the truck, a 1970 Chevy C10 LWB Stepside, in August, 2001 and was very happy to once again be the proud owner of an old Chevy truck. I had owned a 1972 Chevy C10 LWB Fleetside back in 1980-1986 and enjoyed it very much. I decided to buy a new truck and sold the old C10. I regretted getting rid of it everyday afterwards. It wasn't that I didn't like the new S-10 that I bought, but it felt like I had lost an old friend. My goal was to one day find another old friend and finally that day came. The truck needed some TLC to get her back into shape so the work began. I had no idea that it would take so long. But once you get started, you always find more things that are in need of some attention. 
The brakes were the first thing on my list. All new lines, wheel cylinders, master cylinder and shoes were purchased and installed. Next was replacing the tired old Chevy 350 engine with a remanufactured 350. The original intake manifold and Q-jet carb were replaced with Edelbrock's Performer Series intake and Edelbrock's Performer Series 600 cfm 4 barrel carb.
Now the real work began. The old bed floor was covered with diamond plate steel. So that was removed as well as the wood floor which was rotted and all the rusty bed strips. Once the body work on the bed was taken care of, I moved on to the cab. There was rot in several areas that needed repair. The passenger side inner and outer rocker panel, passenger and driver side kick panels, passenger side floor pan and toe board area, passenger side inner fender, battery tray, radiator support and the front lower corner of the passenger side front fender. I did a lot of cutting, shaping new pieces and welding to get that all fixed. The driver side front fender was beat up pretty bad as was the tailgate. So I found replacements from a 1969. The grille bezel was pretty banged up also but I managed to get that fixed with some gentle persuasion with body hammers and some Bondo. Since my plan was to paint the grille bezel to match the truck, it didn't make sense to spend money buying a new bezel.
I had planned to use oak boards in the bed floor, but changed to cypress. It looks great, just hope it holds up. The inside of the bed walls are all coated with Platikote's roll on bed liner.
I've got new window channels, new door weather stripping, new windshield and rear window rubber, new dash pad, new seat upholstery kit, new cab mounts, new radiator mounts. The list just goes on and on.
That is where I am now with this "new" old friend and I have to say that I am pleased with the outcome. It isn't perfect but it makes me feel good that I can say that I did this. Oh yea, not to toot my own horn (not much anyway 
), I took my truck to it's very first antique car show this past Saturday and received the People's Choice Award. Not bad for a guy that doesn't even have a shop to work in.
More pictures at my Web Shots!
Thanks,
Ralph Davis
"bigbassmann"
Bolter # 1709
McComb, Mississippi
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21 August 2006
# 1629
From Ralph :
My submission to the Gallery is my '70 C-10 lwb Stepside. I bought the truck in August 2001 and have been working on it on and off since then.
It hasn't been a frame off restoration but pretty close. Everything has been torn down except removing the cab from the frame. Most of the frame has been cleaned and repainted. All of the braking system has been replaced except the hard lines which were still in good condition. The old 350 engine was replaced with a re-manufactured 350 with a new Edelbrock Performer Series intake and Edelbrock Performer Series 600 cfm 4 barrel carb. New swing bearing installed. New shocks for the front and rear. New rad. support mounts. New cab support mounts. New Dayton tires and Pacer white spoke wheels. New windshield and rear window rubber. New side window weather stripping. New door weather stripping and cowl to hood seal.
I had a few areas of rust that had to be dealt with -- the inner wheel well area under the battery, the battery tray, the radiator support under the battery tray, rocker panel on passenger side and some of the floor pan and kick panels area on both sides.
The truck was originally painted orange with white cab top. I have removed the trim on the cab that separated the two-tone and I am painting the whole truck white.
The old pine bed floor was covered with diamond plate steel when I got the truck. I am replacing the wood bed but instead of pine, I will be using oak.
Most of the project is complete at this point and I should have it finished in just a few weeks from now. Although I am sending a few pics now, I will update you when it is complete.
Here are some more photos on Webshots for anyone who is interested.
Thanks,
Ralph Davis
"bigbassmann"
Bolter # 1709
McComb, Mississippi
22 December 2002
From Ralph :
I would like to submit my truck for use in the '67-'72 section of the Stovebolt Gallery. I have a '70 C10 LWB Stepside that I purchased in August 2001. The truck was in pretty decent condition when I bought it. The engine (original 350 V8) ran pretty good, but I did replace it with a remanufactured 350 instead of going the rebuild route.
I am in the process of doing the body work at this time in preparation for new paint. At this time I have decided to paint the truck white. I want to add some airbrushed effects but haven't come up with a design yet.
The original bed wood had been covered over with diamond plate steel which I have removed. I am going to replace the original pine with oak and finish it with spar urethane to bring out the natural beauty of the wood.
Thanks for your consideration of my submission.
Ralph Davis
"bigbassmann"
Bolter # 1709
McComb, Mississippi
Our very own Bigbassman checks in! Thanks for the great submission Ralph! ~~ Curator
