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Greetings all,

I've been lurking around here for a couple of years, but finally signed up.

I bought a 1963 C10 longbed fleetside back in the fall of 1977 and did a body off restoration on it. This was my first vehicle and I was a happy to have it teenager. I got to know that truck inside and out over the 10 years I had it. By the time I was done, the only original parts left were the sheetmetal of the cab, the rear glass, the steering column and the driveline. I made a bunch of mistakes, but I got to know what would fit and what wouldn't from the 60-66 model run.
Fast forward to 1987 and I had to sell it to pay for my wedding. One of the stupidest things I ever did. I had 10 good years with that truck and one bad year with that wife. Not good math if you ask me.

19 years later I was finally in a position to get another old Chevy. I knew that I wanted The same body style, I love the forward leaning look of the wraparound windshield, but I hated the look of the "eye brow" hood of the 60-61 series. So that left me looking for a 62 or a 63. I also knew that I wanted to go to a shortbed stepside because I always liked that look. I finally got my hands on a 62 shortbed fleetside running basket, and a 62 shortbed stepside parts truck. I'm now in the process of restoring the fleetside with the stepside bed on it. My 16 year old daughter is loving this and thinks that wrenching on it is a lot of fun. Besides, she'll get to use it from time to time until she gets a vehicle of her own.

That's about it for now. I've already found quite a lot of good information on this site, so I'll be here for a long time.

Welcome to the Bolt 62Stick. Sounds like you also have a lot to contribute to this era truck. ITs also nice to have your daughter involved. My last/youngest one at home helped me on the 37 pickup for 5 years and is the only female to have driven it!! She loves it.... and someday it will be hers!
Keep us posted and let us know what we can do to help.

Well, I don't know about how much I can contribute, but I'll do what I can. The old 63 didn't start out as a full restoration, but over the years it turned into one. I bought it as a running basket case when I was 15 years old.

Over the years it was fixed up and rebuilt as a teenage male learned how to drive. At one point, I even had to replace the frame after wrapping it around a telephone pole on a rainy day. I found a 65 frame w/front and rear suspension for $125. I couldn't beat the price, so I put it under my 63. That's when I learned about the differences in the way the rearend was held in place between the 1963 and the 1965.

It started out with a 283, 2 speed Powerglide, and 3.73 non posi rearend. In it's various incarnations it had a 65 327, a TH-400, a 74 400 small block and 3.73 posi rearend.

I had to drill out the rivits holding the crossmember under the rear of the trans and slide it back about 2 inches or so to get the TH-400 to fit, but the overall length was within acceptable tolerance to keep the driveshaft. I just had to change the yoke.

The 62 I have now had a straight 6 in it (not sure which one) and I drove that until it stripped the nylon teeth off the cam gear and died on the side of the freeway. I had a 67 327 in the garage, so that's going into it now. I have the SM420 4 speed and 3.90 rearend so I think I'll keep those. I located a full gauge cluster and put that in. That was something I always wanted in the 63, but never found.

I have also bought the VintageAire AC kit and will be installing that as well. I will be putting in a power steering kit too. Over all, the look I am going for is Stock with a few creature comfort upgrades. No lowering kits. I'll let the kids do those. I don't want it to look like a total custom like I've seen some trucks, that's why I'm going with as many stock options as I can locate, but I do want to make it a little more comfortable to drive. I like the look and feel of the originals, so I may not even do the disc brakes, but I will do power brakes. I had those in the 63.

I remember about 15 years ago or so....I was going to marry this long legged beauty with big hair and long fingernails.....I decided that buying myself another truck was a better idea. I sure do love that truck!

@Builder - Oh I finally found a good Lady to be my second wife. She's the one that actually told me to go get the truck I'd been whining about wanting for so long. We've been together for almost 18 years now.

If it wasn't for her complete support, my habit of buying old things and wrenching on them would never be allowed. The last project I did before finally getting another old Chevy was a 1962 HD XLCH.
http://www.clubchopper.com/photopost/data/500/medium/5267DSCN1602.JPG

I plan on painting the truck to match this bike. I can just see showing up a Hot August Nights in Reno, NV driving the 62 truck with that bike in the back. "A Pair of 62s" :-)

It's not a great photo of the truck, but here is a photo of me, my father, and my old 1963 C10 from 1981.


me and my 1963 C10 circa 1981