The Stovebolt Site Forums Project Journals Project Journals 1966 Chevy C10 Stepside - Beginning of a Mild Resto

Engine came out pretty hard seeing that the whole clip is off if it. it is mostly clean. I have the tin off the top and bottom. Trying to decide what the most cost effective thing to do is. It only has 60k on the clock. Should be good for another 60K before rebuild I am hoping.

Keep at it. Little by little. I bet your engine will run fine. Did you drain the oil pan and find any water in the oil?

Only a few drops in what was left in the oil. Rotating it allowed the filter to drain into the pan. I will take some pics of the internals. Wondering if the new detergent oils will clean things up a bit when it gets running. The new oil I put in it was run for less than ten min collectively, and it came out black and smelling of gas.

I've had pretty good luck with running a full crankcase of cheap 30 weight oil and a 2 or 3 quart overfill with kerosene or Diesel fuel. That lets the crank and rods whip down into the sump at a fast idle and splash the oil/solvent mix around like the agitator in a washing machine. As long as you don't drive the vehicle or load the engine in some other way, there won't be any bearing damage. That procedure will clean the bottom end better than any kind of scrubbing you can do with the oil pan off. Drain the oil while it's hot, and most of the crud will come with it. Then you can repair any gasket or seal leaks the solvent wash might have created. I've had very good success cleaning gunked-up engines that way, even freeing up stuck piston rings at times.
Jerry

[quote=Hotrod Lincoln Drain the oil while it's hot, and most of the crud will come with it. Then you can repair any gasket or seal leaks the solvent wash might have created.

I thought about that prior to my work on this thing, but when I could not get it to idle after I rebuilt carb (found split rubber hose when I pulled engine out) I abandoned that idea. There is not much sludge in the pan or valve covers. There is a thin layer on everything, but not what you would expect in a 55 year old engine that has sat for 30 of its years.

Well The front end of frame and suspension is almost ready for paint.

Supported the front with a jack and towed it out with my lawn mower so I could run the power washer outside vs making a mess.

So many rounds of cleaning, scraping, wire wheeling, washing. All that is left is some drying time, a little rust converter for the frame, and to prep the lower A arms which are soaking in vinegar.

Upper arms are done and prepped to be painted. Lowers will come out of the soup tonight for a final wash and get prepped for paint as well. Hoping the front end begins going back together this weekend if I can hide from my wife and kids long enough.

I tried to hurry the process along a little with the lower arms. I was pulling them out nightly and PW'ing, but it still took a week. There was still a little scale in the spring pocket. I was able to chisel and grind it off. Not sure if it is arm rust or spring rust cause it was pretty hard stuff.

Was hoping to get front suspension completed and back together this weekend, but was threw another curve ball when I cleaned up the spindles. They were trashed. Seals grooved in pretty bad, and the bearings wore a groove into the spindle. Grrrrr.

On the plus side, I was able to get a coat of paint on everything, assemble most of the suspension and get another coat of paint, so it is looking pretty good.

Ball joints were easy to get. Spindles are proving a different story. Hopefully NAPA has them, cause all the other national chains don't even have a listing.

Tried to make progress on the rockers and pillars. Didn't get too far.

Finally made some real progress with the rockers. Have the front cab support, A and B pillar in measured place. Inner rocker and floor section then fell into place. Kick panel is cut in and ready to find its home, but I need to do something with the lower section of the firewall before I weld it home.

My cab support did end up being too long. I needed to cut the ears off that touch the inner floor support and re-drill the mounting hole. I will reattach the ears once the cab is off and I can tip it up on one side or the other.

With only a few tacks the pass side, it is far more rugged vs the rusty drivers side.

Measurements are spot on except for the door opening. Pass side has ended up being a strong 1/16 larger than the drivers side. I haven't hung the door to check gaps yet, but I think I can live with splitting a 1/16 front to back.

Now onto the cab corner and rear cab mount.

After a stupid amount of hours I have the right rear cab support in place, welded home, with all the overlaps from the cab back in place and welded back in.

Wish the rears were easy like the fronts (which are not that easy)

Got the door hung so I could see the gaps. Gaps are good, but with my lift I cant get the door open far enough to put the outer rocker in place. Still waiting on correct parts to finish the front brake conversion, then it will roll again.

Its a little tight on the front of the door where it will meet the cowel, but looking at pictures pre tear down it is basically the same.

Got home from vaca on Thursday and was working at the truck on Friday. I have the and B pillars welded home, ground and sanded smooth with a coat of paint on them. The rear cab support cut in and welded home with the floor patch rose welded into the support. The outer rocker is in place with screws, drilled and ready to weld. I have a patch piece I needed to make for the rear of the floor that the rear skin welds to cut in and tacked, but I am hesitant to weld that one home yet.

All the measurements are dead on compared to the other side for door opening and rocker placement. The cab corner is ready to tackle next.

Every hole is partially drilled through second later enough to made the dimple on the other side of the metal.

made some progress in the last couple weeks. After getting the pass side structural welding done and the cab corner in place I moved onto the drivers side.

Had a pleasant surprise with the B pillar and rear floor being in good shape. B Pillar cleaned up nice with a wire wheel. Very solid which is strange cause the pass side one was 80Percent gone. Cab corner looks decent except for a dent and one small rust hole. Jury is out on the cab support. I will do some serious poking tonight after work.

Your making some real good progress. Keep up the good work!

Amazingly things started falling into place. Not sure if it's due to experience from other side or this side is easier?

The B pillar cleaned up nice with rust treatment. I had to drill an extra hole in the cab support to get the dirt out. It was completely full. Harldy any rust came out so I am going to keep it. Nice to not replace these two items.

Had some more time last weekend to get things into place. Of course once you mark, measure six times, cut and start final fitting nothing goes together right.

The pass side cab mount cause all sorts of problems when trying to fit together. I am going to bet it is the same on the drivers side. I think I need to elongate the hole to bring things in a touch.

Had to walk away......

Very slowly measuring 600 times and tacking away. Only getting an hr here and there these days.

Measurements are coming back very close. Within a weak 1/16 on front to back door opening, and dead on with the others.

Keep up the good work. I'm doing outer and inner rockers on my 64 right now too.

Still need a little more dressing, but the A pillar is basically done.

Floor patch is in and almost home.

This welding little circles until they touch is for the birds, but I understand its the only way.

Structural welding on cab is done!!!!! Cab can now come off the frame!!!! Rest of welding is cosmetic and can be done easier standing it up or rotating onto its side.

Let me know when you need a hand. Looks like you are having some fun.

Cab came off this morning. Onto the driver's cab corner.

With kids and wife gone most of the weekend I was able to get the cab corner in. Welds are dressed better than the pic.

Kick panel holes drilled and welded to A pillar
Kick Panel welded to existing panel.

Extra rot cut out of the front floor.

patterns made out of cardboard to get my patches made.

Drivers floor

Ferris,

You are making progress by leaps and bounds!

Thanks for sharing.

I think you are beyond the mild resto as the thread title suggests. I would say in with both feet and arms.

I was thinking the same thing a few months ago. It has not gone the way I expected.

They never do᠁

Started cutting some patches into the drivers side front floor. Not the easiest one to make. Was able to not disturb the hi low beam switch.

Amazing weekend for me. Was able to close in the passenger side floor. Mind you that it took no less than 20 in and outs with it, but just like the drivers side, I was able to recreate the factory lips and joint mid way up the firewall. Might not seem like much to some, but I am darn pleased with myself! Cut my pieces out of my lost cause door and didn't use 90% of the floor patch purchased.

Looking good! I hate it when a good weekend comes to an end. Just when I feel like things are rolling along at a nice pace.

Was able to close up and dressed (Just brought it in close) both floor sides this weekend. Cab is getting close to calling the blaster!!!!! The sheer number of spot welds holding all these parts together is staggering.

Just looked at pics. I never grabbed any after I ground everything down.

My mild upgrades started in 1983 when I bought it and stalled, the kid was in college then my divorce allowed me to step up the process in 2012 it went into a professional shop it came out the way you see it. Now thinking of some changes or upgrades to improve the ride. But I don't want to put too much in it dollar-wise because I will never even get near what I have in it even now.

I will be in a little over 30k, but that will include ps pb ac 5 speed 383 stroker upgrades. Should be worth much more.

Making ground over the last few weeks.

Got it back to a roller finally
Cab emptied, blasted, and a layer of primer on it.

That’s how I should have done mine. I didn’t know enough then.