The Stovebolt Site Forums Project Journals Archived Journals 1970 Chevy C10 - Grandpa’s Rebuild.

I texted with my cousin today, the one I bought the truck back from, and got some crazy replies. I had been wondering if he had the original owners manual somewhere around his house, and had mentioned it to my wife that I needed to call him to ask. Well, his ears must have been burning because today he texted me a picture of said manual! I was pretty happy about that as I remember flipping through it years back and reading it while I was in the truck. I also asked him if the registration was still in there because, technically, the last registered owner was my dad. I bought it back from my cousin on a handshake, and he did likewise with me when I sold it to him. No formal bills of sale. So, this actually means I have to get Dad to "sell" me the truck! I better do that before I finish it...🤔 or he might keep it! Bahaha!! Anyways, so I asked my cousin. He replied with a picture of a box full of past registrations, etc. Included in this box was a paper copy of the original bill of sale from the day Grandpa bought the truck from the dealer! I have no idea where that paper came from. I wonder if Grandma had it somewhere, if Dad did, or if it was in the truck. I don't recall seeing those papers in the glovebox ever. $1600. Unreal.

My cousin said if he lived back then he'd have bought 50 of them. Yup, me too.

But as my dad says, "They were just work trucks then. Nothing special. We used 'em. Sold 'em. Left 'em. They were just trucks."

I told my cousin that our grandkids will say to us, "You had a 2004 Duramax?!! Why didn't you keep it? Are you crazy?"

It's just a truck.

Well, some are, and some are much more than that. Aren't they?

The last few days have been productive. I went to a swap meet with Doyle in Stony Plain. I was able to pick up a set of 1970 license plates. I will use these to:

1. Create a tailgate bench for my campfire area as the original tailgate is simply too beat up to use. The license plate will go on that somewhere.

2. The other plate will go on my shop wall.

The swap meet was a lot of fun. Thanks Doyle, Neil, Dean, Louie. Sorry I missed ya, Steve. I hope that '40 is progressing.

I also did a bunch of metal work. I have finished the old tail light splice into the new bedside and couldn't be happier. Its a much better fit. I also stitched up the relief cut on the left side and metal finished it. I doctored the old stake pocket lower corner so it didn't rub the bed wood and fine tuned the corner bed wood piece to have a little more play to adjust it during fit.

And likely the most important thing...I cleaned the shop! I'm a very happy camper now. By the way, I found my spot weld cutter...in a bag with the assembly manual! Not where it belongs! Thanks kids and love! Oh wait, maybe that was me. 😬

Hours 421.

Next up:
Bed wood mock-up.
Fix side angle gap on right rear bedside near the wheel tub.
Drill holes for bed mounts and carriage bolts.
Weld cross sill pad plates.
Square up and weld solid the box/rear cross sill.
Adjust exhaust pipe height slightly.
Modify/fit rear tub splash aprons.
Drill wood for fuel filler.


Happy wrenching Bolters.