The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot '60-'66 Trucks What would you do Different?

A question for those guys that have spent countless time and dollars rebuilding their 60's trucks.

If you had it to do over again, what would you do different?

I have a list as long as my arm of things that I want to do to the 64 c10 stepside I just bought and want to avoid the dreaded " man I wish I would have done this instead of that" syndrome.

Specifically looking for motor swaps, transmissions, disc brakes and instrumentation ideas.

And just out of curiosity, any power mirrors available that could be added to the 64 stepside that would look good, or am I dreaming?

Thanks in advance guys, I'll be asking a lot of questions.

My dash and gauge cluster have been through so many configurations I’ve lost count. I wish I had had the foresight and financing to build my truck originally, in the exact configuration it is now. But this was an evolutionary process that too time to discover. Had I known how I really wanted it to end up I could have saved a lot of money and labor. Here's what it looks like now:

[IMG]http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/7480/a01al.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://img801.imageshack.us/img801/5593/a02a.jpg[/IMG]

But a direct answer to your question - the single main item I would have done differently if I had it to do over, would be to mount the main fuse panel behind the glove compartment along with modifications to the glove box to make for easy access.

My truck is wired with a Ron Francis kit. It was one of the best investments I ever made, particularly because it is so easy to rewire as changes are made (and there have been many over 19+ years). But I mounted it in the factory location to the left of the clutch pedal.

Now in my 60’s with three missing spinal discs and bad knees, any attention at the fuse panel is physically torturous. As we age, sitting upright in the passenger seat is far more enjoyable than bending and twisting on the knees trying to reach between the seat and under the dash.

A secondary issue was buying an Old Air A/C system. After two years of numerous problems and hundreds of dollars taking it to various shops trying to get it working properly, I ultimately tore it out and threw it in the garbage. I didn’t want to sell it to anyone else and have them go through the same experiences. Had it to do again I would have bought a Vintage Air system. That’s about all I can think of.

For your FIRST resto-redo-rodsteration whatever you call it........don't go over board. There is a tendency to get it perfect the first time, and perfection costs too much time and money. What I am NOT suggesting is taking shortcuts. But I am suggesting that you do a rolling restoration for your first time. A full frame off is more than a novice can handle in terms of patience. I submit that if all of us in resto-land were able to have driven our selected truck off the showroom floor in the 1960's, we would be perfectly happy with how it drives. But the magazines have told/sold us on the idea the absolute necessity of conversion and change and upgrades.
Long theory short, in this economy, go easy. Get the truck up and running. Make it safe first and then go for cosmetics. When times change, then you can get a little wilder. You'll be reading and going to shows and driving it all over and you'll become more immersed in the truck culture and what you like and don't like. And then you can go for bigger changes, or simply move on to a more appropriate project. You can easily spend $10 grand and end up with a nice $5 thousand dollar truck.

....and NEVER cover up an "issue" that needs addressing. Sooner or later you will have to "undo" some stuff and you'll wonder why you didn't fix it to begin with!!

AzMcCoy,
Maybe ask the question a little differently. Make a list of what you are thinking of doing and ask who's done it and are they happy with it. I would have loved to done everything to mine at once, but with one project truck already in the garage I had to fasttrack the '65 project. The result is I am still going back to change things and probably will as long as I'm driving it.

Oh man. If I make the list I don't know if there is enough paper on earth.

Let's just say that I would LOVE to get my project truck to look a lot like this one:

http://www.customclassictrucks.com/featuredvehicles/0606cct_1964_chevy_truck/viewall.html

I am just now messing with putting new brake wheel cylinders front and back so I can stop it and a new carb so I can start it and from what I was told it should be a driver. Oh yeah and a linkage adjustment.

My wish list would include:

Small block modern engine and automatic trans, floor shift style

Tilt - Cruise - Power Steering and Power brakes

Nice comfortable bucket seats w/ a console

Power windows and mirrors and a better latch system for the tail gate

Relocate the fuel tank, add filler to front of rear fender and add 50's style Pontiac tail lights.

Driver and pssnger interior map lights

Air conditioning/ heater in dash or hidden

Full interior makeover including modern instruments

Intermittent wipers Sound system w/ GPS

HID Headlights and LED signal/brake lights

Total rewire suspension updates

and probably a lot more.

Bought mine from another member after he'd had the engine stolen. Found one with low miles hiding under a shop teacher's desk. We had it on a stand looking over the rings and stuff. Fired it up, has been running like a champ--but we should have replaced the rear main seal!!! Tom at Stovebolt Engine Co sold me a distributor and carb. Easy swaps and the darn thing starts every time. Would have done a complete wiring harness and been done with it early, had I known what I know now. I used EZ wiring on another project and will do that again. 235 is a b**** to find bracketry and dual groove harmonic balancer for power steering conversion. The kits don't have everything, and I don't want a V-8.

I would check & repair the door latches & fit. I had a 63 with a 454 in it at one time. It was a great driving truck but I could never get the doors to close right. My partner has a 60 panel truck & has the same problem. I don't like that era of trucks. They don't have the value of the others.

I adjusted and adjusted the doors on the '65 and couldn't get them to close and align correctly. Then after about 20 tries I finally took it to a high end body shop here in town that specializes in vintage cars. One day and $100 later the doors close like a brand new car. One "trick" is to use soft seals and align the door before installing the seals.

I would move the trailing arm crossmember back 1.5" to center the rear wheel and tire on the wheel well, should have done a 2.5" drop spindle, will do that later...

started with this:

http://kieth.smugmug.com/Trucks/66-GMC/13311086_gRF57#967555158_RNLWE

ended up with this:

http://kieth.smugmug.com/Trucks/66-GMC/13311086_gRF57#1438206593_wLm4dMM-XL-LB

There you have it. Guess I would go to a bunch of car shows and pick out the features I liked. Then TAKE YOUR TIME