The Stovebolt Site Forums Welcome! Welcome Centre Do It Yourself (DITY) Gallery 1964-66 Shortbox Stepside -- "Little of this, little of that"

Hi All,

Several years ago I got the bug to find an old Chevy pickup just to knock around in and tinker with. Sound familiar? My dear wife (I'll put the blame on her) should have known better, but she also thought that might be fun. Well ... to make a long story a little shorter, four years and tens of thousands of dollars later ... as you all know, once the bug bites - it itches until you scratch it!!!

So, as we all do, we started driving the back streets and alleys of every small town in our area looking for just the right truck. My heart was set on a '64-'66 Chevy because I always liked that body style and I used to have a '66. Fleetside or Stepside was optional but it had to be a Shortbox. Then it happened. While driving down a busy street in a nearby town, my wife spotted a '64-66 Shortbox Fleetside sitting in a driveway on a car trailer with a "For Sale" sign on the windshield.

Around the block we went. It was all in gray primer and the closer I got, the worse it looked. In fact, I turned and was walking away when the owner came out of the house. I told him what I was looking for but said this one is way too rough for me.

"Well," he said, "you might be interested in what I have in the garage."

"Oh Yah?" my mind was thinking as my heart beat a little faster. "Let's see it!!"

He opened the garage door and my life hasn't been the same since. There it was: a 1964-66 Shortbox, Stepside, with the optional big back window!!! Ignoring the pool of transmission fluid on the floor under the truck, we quickly negotiated and I reached for my checkbook.

So here are the specifics. Not unlike Johnny Cash's Cadillac, it was a '63 - '64 - '65 - '66 Chevy.

It is licensed as a 1963 but that's only the frame. The cab is a '66 and you name it in-between!!

It now has a rebuilt 350 Chevy small block with an RV cam and a modest 625 cfm Carter AFB.

The transmission is a soon-to-be-replaced, aluminum Powerglide. In a few weeks it should have a completely rebuilt 700R-4.

An extra feature I really like is the 1964, 60 Series truck grille I installed. It had a beat-up '63 grille and I wanted something different.

Of course, everyone I know wants to know if I'll ever grow up. After all, I'm only 80 going on 16!!!

So that's my story and I'm sticking with it. Looking forward to communicating with some of you about our old Chevy trucks.

Welcome and congratulations. Nice to have another 60-66 enthusiast on the board. Post us some pictures and start asking questions when you have them. Many of us have a same story.
HB

Sounds great. We all like pics. And welcome

Sounds great Larry. I'm looking forward to seeing some pics.

Welcome to the Stovebolt

John

Thanks guys (and gals?). It has been a labor of love and I'll try to get a photo posted as soon as I figure out how to do it.

hey Reup, you have come to the right place. Lugnutz, hambone and others are great resources . Excited about your project,60 66 series are a favorite of mine, my next likely project is a sorta 64 c30 and will use 60 series grill with letters in middle. hope to finish L60 before starting on that project. Cant wait to see some pictures and i hope to never grow up as well.Pat66

Figured out the picture thing. Hope you like My 66'.

Outstanding Great job.

John

Welcome! Cool looking truck! The Big Bolt grille is a nice touch.

I also like that grill. Can someone explain how to make that mod. As I know it the big bolt grills are longer and dont fit in the surround. So I am thinking that you have to use the 60-66 small truck grill and cut out the valence (interior) part and make some sort of switch?

I think they are same length, not close to my c30 but can measure my bi bolt grill, I like placing script in middle replacing bowtie,Pat 66

Glad you like my "Big Bolt" grille. See, I learning the lingo!! As I remember, I only had to drill two holes and it bolted right up and fit the opening just fine. But wasn't room for the "Chevrolet" script. It is my understanding that that grille was used in the 1964-66 60 Series trucks. Only problem so far is that the front end of my truck is lowered about 2.5 inches and I can't crank the headlights up enough to see down the road very far!! Don't know if this is allowed but I have an extra one.

Very nice looking truck.. and different with the grill!