The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks '62 C-10 Restomod build begins/ends

Been a slow week with the '62. Between Doctors appointments and a couple days of heavy rain and waiting on parts nothing was done. Until today that is. Parts arrived Thursday and sat waiting on the rain to stop. In my last post I spoke of the woes with the internal wiring harness on the 700R4. There was none! PO had obviously removed the O/D option. Outside temp was 57 and a bit breezy but I knew I needed to get after it. Up the lift went and looking at the diagram I downloaded from Painless Wiring I figured out where everything went. 45 minutes later done and back on the ground. The test showed the harness and actuator working so all is back on track.
All the radiator hoses and heater hoses were checked a double checked for tight clamps. Poured one gallon of concentrated antifreeze in and looked for leaks. Small drip at the front of the radiator. Tightened the drain plug a 1/4 turn and the leak stopped. Started pouring in a gallon of straight water and heard a lot of liquid rushing out somewhere. The plug had been left out of the port between #6 and #8 on the head. Only lost a pint or so of coolant. Flotek says the plug is 3/8 NPT so I'll have to make a trip to the FLAPS for a aluminum plug tomorrow.

P/S hose kit is here along with the cooler line kit for the transmission. So those projects are in the "next up" stage. 🛠

The temperature stayed reasonable all day so I went back out about 3pm and worked on the power steering hoses. Trimmed a bit of the inner fender away for clearance over the frame rail. The hose kit from Jegs fit perfectly with no modifications. Tightened up all the fittings and hose clamp on the return. Put the wheel/tire back on and torqued the lug nuts. Need to pick up fluid on my next trip to the parts store. 🛠

Fall is here. Waking up to temps in the low 60s and more wet days than dry. Makes working outside a challenge. With an upcoming hip replacement surgery, my time to finish is getting squeezed pretty tight. November 27th is D-Day so its time to put things in high gear or resign myself to not finishing til next spring. Trip to the parts store this morning then if it drys up some I'll get a couple of things done later.

After a trip to the parts store I finished sealing up the fuel system. Installed the missing plug in the water jacket on the head. Filled the cooling system with a 50/50 antifreeze mix. Filled the crankcase with break-in oil. Filled the power steering pump and gear. That will be it for today. Other commitments tomorrow so I won't get back to it til Wednesday, if it's not raining. 🛠

Martin, seems your putting in more than 15 minutes a day.......way to go. All eyes on Martin.
....... I have got to get back to what I preach on my own project.....15 a day!

Rain quit and driveway dried out this afternoon so I was able to put 30 minutes into it today. Measured and cut the steel braided hose for the transmission cooler lines. Put the AN fittings on the ends. Need to pick up some rubber cable clamps used to run electrical conduit. Commitments tomorrow will keep me busy most of the day so next work day will be Friday. 🛠

Transmission cooler lines ran and hooked up. Used conduit clamps to hold the hose to the frame. Working with braided hose is a real hoot, not. Made a new bracket to hold the transmission dipstick to the bell housing. Filled the Transmission with fluid.

Next up on the project list is getting the starter and battery hooked up. Then wiring from the ign switch and alternator. Then figuring out the accelerator and cable mounting. At that point it will be ready to start and adjust. From that point it's a short hop to the finish line. 🛠

A small amount of wiring today. Installed both battery cables. Re-routed the alternator wiring and hooked up part of it. Ran wiring spaghetti on the modified harness just to neaten up the engine bay. Things have slowed while I wait on my Technical Assistant (son) to find time to come help. About 2 work days from being finished with all but the exhaust if I can just get my help here. 🛠

Worked a few minutes yesterday on modifying the existing accelerator assembly to work with the new Holley 750 double pumper carb. Removed the actuator arm from the bellcrank and ground a flat side opposite the original. Rotated the actuator arm 180 degrees and reinstalled it. Works perfectly. Now to fab up the cable from the bellcrank assembly to the carb. Rain for the next 4 days so I'm pretty much shut down. 🛠

Rain let up for a bit this morning so I was able to get a couple of small things mostly wrapped up. Finished, with help from Ms Kathy, the bolts in the accelerator bellcrank assembly. Reread the Lokar shifter instructions. Fabbed up the shift linkage and installed/adjusted it. Made the finish cut on the fiberglass transmission tunnel and slipped it over the shifter and fit it in place on the floorboard.

Still have to install, adjust and wire the ignition neutral safety switch. Next project will be weighting down the transmission tunnel and drilling out the existing mounting holes from below along with the 2 holes to mount the accelerator pedal in its stock location. 🛠

A bit cool this morning so I hung out inside til 11am before going out to work on the '62 C-10. Put a 15 pound weight on the transmission tunnel and raised the truck up on the lift. I could only get to 4 of the 8 captured nuts with a drill from underneath. Drilled them with a small pilot bit. Lowered the truck and enlarged the 4 holes. Chased the threads with the proper tap and put in new bolts. Measured for the remaining 4 holes and held my breath while drilling them. Got reasonably lucky only having to modify 1 hole slightly. Chased the remaining holes with the tap and put new bolts in. The tunnel is also where the accelerator pedal mounts to. Drilled pilot holes from underneath but will wait to finish them because a bit of shimming is going to be required to take up a 1 inch gap between the new tunnel and the old floorboard. Not a major hurdle but I need the tunnel sealed to the floorboard and that job awaits my wiring guy (son) to wire up the neutral safety switch and the torque converter lockup. Done for today. 🛠

Outside working season is just about done here in Central Oklahoma. We have a warm day every now and then. Unusually rainy Fall this year. So if its warm it has been raining. No cover in the work area. That being said, I have been poking away at the little stuff. PCV system, fuel delivery and vacuum advance. Running hoses,lines and wires. My goal of finishing before my upcoming Hip replacement surgery is fading rapidly. Wiring is kicking my butt. When we took out the 6 my son removed all the under dash wires from the fuse block. He knows where they go, I don't. No power at the fuse block. Tracing wires is not my forte. With 5 kids and a 2 hour daily commute to work ole Dad is on the back burner. Next spring is looking more realistic unless I can find a shop willing to finish the wiring. If so, I'll bite the bullet and trailer the '62 to them. Patience is a virtue I do not possess.

Long talk with my co-conspirator (son) last night at dinner. It was agreed upon to trailer the ‘62 C-10 to his house where he can do the wiring at his own pace. Still a couple of small things to prep the truck for it’s 2 1/2 mile trip.

Well after 1 1/2 hours of banging my hand with a hammer cutting the lock out of the winch box (couldn't find the key) and fiddling with the in/out switch I finally got the '62 loaded. Couple of band aids and some neosporen (at least I didn't need an ambulance) and we were on the road for the short trip to my sons. Once there we off-loaded and gave Terry B a list of electrical stuff he needs to do. Back home in time for the last 88 laps of the Napcar race. 🛠

Is that the race you sleep thru??

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

Kevin, you know me too well!

"Is that the race you sleep thru?? grin"

Received an update from Terry B (see his ‘53 3100 in the Gallery) just awhile ago. Wiring is 80% complete. The engine cranks, I had given him specific instructions not to try to start it but it was ok to “bump” the starter to test it. He is mounting the torque converter lockup in the dash so he’s got a little dremel tool work to do. The engine harness was redone. Progress!

I have been somewhat dissatisfied with the headers since I put the motor in the truck. The"Shortys" exit right on top of the front crossmember making it necessary to have the header pipe make an immediate 45 degree turn to the rear from the collector. Tight space to work in. Made the decision to put conventional headers on. None of the usual suppliers have headers for SBC listed for 1962 C-10's. Closest I could get was 1963, so I'm hoping they will fit without much modification. 🛠

Torque converter lockup switch is in. It looks like the factory installed it. Mounted in the dash just to the left of the radio. Next up is wiring the steering column harness so the signals and horn operate. Rewiring the radio and speakers. Cleaning up the underdash wiring and installing new wire loom throughout. We are close but it looks like it's not going to be finished before my pending surgery. We will get it back over here from Terry B's and back on the lift before the snow falls. I can keep the battery on a tender that way. 🛠

....Martin, just be glad the doctors don't just do "fifteen minutes a day" or you could be down for a long time. hehe

Good luck. Hope all goes well and your back to your 15 minutes soon!

Work continues on the wiring. Terry B found about 3 1/2 hours today to get most of the wiring finished. Troubleshooting the Hazard flashers and wire loom under the dash is all that’s left. I spent about 45 minutes helping chase down wires and watching lights flash before my bum hip gave out. Cold front came through about an hour ago so the tools were put away for a few days.

Ms Kathy and I went over to Terry B’s awhile ago and reinstalled the carpet and seat. Will have to do a bit of fitting on the carpet due to the new transmission tunnel and shifter relocation. That can wait. Sent Terry B a wiring diagram for the hazard lights, so about an hours work and he should be totally done with the rewire for the V8/700R4 swap. Then on the trailer and back here by the 27th before I go in for surgery. New full length headers and 18 inch glasspacks are here waiting for my new hip to heal.

Call from Terry B a couple hours ago. The wiring is done. Hooked up the trailer and made the short trip over to his house. Winched the truck up on the trailer and brought it home. Used my UTV to push it onto the lift. So it is on the lift waiting for headers, exhaust pipe and routing the plug wires. All in due time. Surgery Wednesday so it all depends on how fast I get up and around. 🛠 

Decided to try to get the headers changed out before being out of commission for a while. Took off the driver side block hugger, removed all the spark plugs on that side. After trying from underneath to fit the new traditional style header without any success, I moved back to the top and managed to snake it into place. Gasket and bolts were next. Drivers side is finished. My gimpy hip began to act up so I stopped for some Tylenol and a bit of lunch. Don't know if I'll get to the passenger side today. 4am check in time tomorrow so I may rest awhile and try again later. Hope to be able to get back at it in 3-4 weeks weather permitting. 🛠

Truck looks lonely sitting on the lift in the driveway. Hip is progressing slowly. Hope to get back on track the first warm spell after New Year’s Day!

Get well soon Martin. Follow orders as to rehab. You are moving along on that truck faster than anyone I know. Take the pain pills. Merry Christmas.

Well, it's been 27 days since the surgery and the inside of the house was beginning to get too small. Temp was 57 and a gentle breeze was blowing. So ....... I put on a light jacket and went outside to at least touch the truck. I knew I was going to have to reclock the starter solenoid for the header to clear. So up in the air she went. Took the starter off and moved the solenoid where I needed it. Let the truck back down and set the header in place. Wouldn't bolt in because the frame made contact with one tube on the header. By this time I was about an hour into the process and my energy was gone. So the header was marked for modification and taken back out. Cleaned up the tools and called it a day. Rain for the next couple of days so I'll have to wait for it to clear up and warm up again. Progress 🛠

Good to see progress is happening!
Slow, but still positive movement!

After some serious soul searching I made the tough call to change my thoughts on the exhaust system. I really didn't want to cut up a brand new stainless steel header to make it fit around the '62 frame. I set down with my handy Jegs catalog and ordered a set of ceramic coated rams horn exhaust manifolds. Third time is a charm, right! 3-4 weeks and we'll see. 🛠

Jegs shipping is absolutely amazing. Even with FedEx holding it 3 days in OKC the package with the new exhaust manifolds arrived Monday. Wasn’t even supposed to be here until tomorrow (4th) at the earliest. But ............ today is not the day to install them.

Looks like you're doing it the hard way - outdoors. I respect that. Good luck with your build.

58 and sunny with very light winds so it was a good afternoon to install the ceramic coated Rams Horn exhaust manifolds that came in Monday. Ms Kathy was my gasket holder while I put the bolts in. Took roughly an hour and no skinned knuckles. Plenty of clearance around the frame so the exhaust shop should have an easy time with the header pipes. I will be glad when I get completely healed from the surgery. I run out of steam too soon. Moving forward slowly but moving.

Only thing cooler than a gal who will hold your gaskets is one that can back a trailer!

Weather was a bit more blustery today but I needed the exercise and outside time so I spent 20 minutes reinstalling the starter. I had removed it to get the long tube header to slide in but after getting the header in I found one tube hit the frame hence the above post. Got the starter back in and hooked up. Put a battery maintainer on since the truck is living outside this winter. Called it for today. Finishing the plug wires and top plate on the HEI distributor are next on the list. Motor is setting on #1 cylinder compression stroke TDC waiting for wire placement. Then finish the accelerator pedal/linkage and redo the fuel pump fittings to eliminate kinks. Getting closer to fire in the hole every day. 🛠

Beautiful morning with light winds and temp at 58 degrees. Finished up the plug wires and buttoned up the top of the distributor cap. Went back and double checked the routing of the plug wires. All is good. Moved on to redoing the gas lines to eliminate a couple of sharp bends that could restrict fuel flow. Got that taken care of although I ended up with my hoodie soaked in real gas. Technically it is ready to attempt a start. I'm taking a chance on a used Accel distributor I got with the engine. I do have an original GM HEI if the Accel is no good. May do that this afternoon. Ran out of steam for this mornings session. 🛠

ooooooooooooh!!!!!!!!!! A start up? Me like that. Everybody likes a start up. Let us know how it goes. Rev'er up. Make sure you have some oil pressure.

Well, my luck must be holding. I went out after lunch and a short nap and started it up. I thought oh what the heck, it's either going to start or not, so, I went for it. I didn't want to let it run, just see if it would fire. Started very easily and I ran it for 2 seconds twice. I'm a happy camper. 🛠

Weather has been a bit nasty for a week. Sun was out this afternoon so I felt like tweeking the timing and actually letting the '62 run for more than 2 seconds. Moved the wires one post counter clockwise and poured a tablespoon or two of real gas down the throat. Fired with about 2-3 seconds of cranking and smoothed right out. Let it run for about 45 seconds and revved it to about 2000rpm and back to idle a couple of times. Ms Kathy was monitoring the gauges and idiot lights. All was well and I shut it down. Ready to hit my punch list and trailer it to the exhaust shop. Then the final tune on the engine before a test drive. I hope to be driving by the end of February. 🛠

...hadn't chimed in lately Martin....evidently a good job and you did it 15 minutes a day...right?!!
I'm ready for a ride!