Hello. I'm really glad I found this forum. I am about to start the restoration of my '66 C10. I want to turn it into a daily driver that can go to the hardware store and cruise around on the weekends. My plan is to not do a frame off restoration, but do as good of a job as I can. This is the first project like this that I have ever done, so I want to make sure that I plan out everything well before I start. So I'd like to share my plan and welcome any feedback or problems that yall might see.
My plan is to disassemble everything down to a rolling chassis and then clean everything really well. I'm not going to blast anything but will instead be using chemical strippers, wire brush wheels, and good old fashioned elbow grease. I'll probably paint the engine compartment with Rustoleum and then send it off to the body shop to get the inside and outside painted. The body is really straight but there are a few spots in the floor pan and doors that are rusted out. Not too bad, just a few spots about the size of a nickel or quarter. I'll let the pros take care of that.
At some point a PO turned this truck into a ghetto hot rod. They replaced the engine and the tranny and hacked a hole in the floor pan to install a god awful looking B & M shifter. The bench seat is also gone and there are some rigged up bucket seats that are ugly as sin. All of that is going to go and I would like to return the interior to as stock as possible. I want to put the shifter back on the column and get a new bench seat. I've seen some people use a new GM seat and it looked really good. Search the boneyards?
I'm going to do the conversion to disc brakes and power steering. New exterior gas tank. All of the suspension will be upgraded. All new brake lines, fuel lines, wiring harness, new radiator, new 350 crate. I like the idea of putting the synthetic deck wood in the bed. I'll probably go with Turqoise for the exterior color. Haven't decided if I'll stick with Fawn for the interior or something different inside.
I'm really excited to get working on this. I gutted a lot of the interior today. The old rotted bed will go tomorrow. When I have time next week, I'm going to rent a hoist and yank the engine.
I was thinking that it would make sense to do the gas tank upgrade and the disc brake upgrade before I sent it off to get the paint and body work done. Does that make sense?
Thanks and sorry for the long post.
Last edited by 66bowtie; 10/31/2007 6:03 AM.
