1982 Chevrolet C10 Custom Deluxe

[chevyc10]

I am going to attempt to start a thread with pictures of my truck and my progress throughout a full frame-off restoration. It's gonna be a long and slow process and I am far from an expert. The truck is a 1982 Chevrolet C10 Custom Deluxe. She's got a 305 motor and a 3-speed transmission that has been converted to a floor shifter. I don't think there's a bolt on her that ain't 27 years old. I also have all of the original paperwork (bill of sale, manuals, ec.). The original owner paid about $9,000 for her brand new.

[chevyc10]

I haven't been taking many pictures but I will try to start. Since those were taken, I have removed the whole interior, everything on the front (bumper, front clip, etc.) and stripped the firewall. I attempted to disassemble the bed, but ran into a few welds. Basically, it's a rolling chassis, cab (all bolts are out), bed, and motor; everything else is out. These pics are from Christmas day with my little brother helping me (he's in the white).

[chevyc10]

Here are some more from today. The cab is ready to come off, but there are 5 bolts on the bed I can't get. Need a sawzall bad!

[chevyc10]

Here's another one of my youngin and his dog, Popeye, getting in my way.

[texasredneck]

good luck on your project bud! been there! would love to come over and help you out, but i'm afraid it's a bit far from Belgium Europe, lol!
i love the pic with the dawg in the truckbed! imagine when the truck is done, cruisin around, dog next to ya, or in the truckbed,... it's still one of my dreams too :-)
have a good one!

[chevyc10]

Yea, the dog loves to ride. He hangs out in the bed all day, even though we are a long ways away from going anywhere. He knows what he wants do do though. Once I get this interior redone he'll never step foot inside that cab!

[Pontiac1976]

Very Kool looks like a very good starting base, you have to work with. Good luck enjoy your time & project at hand it will make it all worth it in the end. any help on info I'm sure that one one can help you out as there a is a few board members on here that have tips or info that might help. Oh good to see that you got the family helping

[chevyc10]

Well, here's some more of what I've done. I had to grind the carriage bolt heads off in order to remove the bed. Kinda messed my bed up a little so I'll probably have to use the one off my '83 Scottsdale. The cab was already loose, I just had to figure a way to roll it off the frame. After I took these pics, I removed the rear-end. I've now got the back of the frames on jackstands, the front axle and tires still on, and the motor is on there. Other than that she's finally stripped bare. I plan on getting her blasted and primed, and I may just do the paint myself. Haven't decided, but I'm trying to save money. I'll also use my grinder to get the frame in good shape to take to the shop.

[Pontiac1976]

looks good Looks a lot like mine before I got mine painted. keep the work up. it's so hard get started up with life's day to day stuff some times. keep the post coming.

Pontiac1976

[scott]

NICE! Please do keep us posted with the pics! I love seeing these projects from beginning to end. Lots of work but defiantly worth it. Someday I hope to take my truck down like this.

[chevyc10]

Well, it's been a while since I posted because it's been a while since I've been able to do anything with the truck. It's been sitting in the backyard waiting to get blasted, primed, and painted. It doesn't cost much to tear a truck down, but building her back up is slow and expensive. Most of my time has been spent preparing my garden and trying to raise a small flock of egg laying hens. Most people call it crazy, but once you've eaten fresh eggs from under your own chickens you'll never go back to store bought- I promise. Anyways, we got baby chicks in fish tanks and more eggs ready to hatch in the incubator. No shortage of action come spring-time. I'll keep ya'll posted on the truck though.

[chevyc10]

So, I've finally decided that I will never have the money saved up to get anything done. I figure I am gonna have to do it myself. I want to use my grinder to strip the frame to bare metal. There are some rusty spots, particularly the last crossmember and the spots where the cab bolts on. There are also a lot of areas where the paint is solid, but it is dotted with areas full of surface rust. I will try to some pics up for some opinions, but what would ya'll do as far as prepping it and what types of paint to use? If it was all covered in rust, I might hit it with the wire brush and then slap some rust encapsulator on it, but there are just so many areas that the paint is perfect. Really don't know what I should do with it.

[Bent]

Wow. Good work! Been like a million years since I posted here.. Hi.

[chevyc10]

Thanks Bent. I went to get started on the frame and had second thoughts. I'm just scared I will put a ton of work into it and then it still comes out like crap. So I called around and got some prices.

Here is the best quotes I got:
Sandlbasting Only = $125
Sandblast + Prime = $175
Sandblast + Prime + Paint = $250

How do those prices sound to ya'll. I thought they were pretty good, but not much to compare them to. I'm thinking of going all the way and letting them paint it. I know I will atleast get it primed, but for $75 more I could get the paint. I figure that would be the way to go since paint, brushes, time and all that to do it myself wouldn't save me much.

I'll get some pics up of the rust frame soon. Got it sitting on some saw horses. Pulled two muscles in my back doing it. I don't have any help. I tore that whole truck down and moved it to the back myself. It ain't cuz I'm strong either- I just took a whole lot of time thinking of ways to do it (mind over muscle lol).

[Pontiac1976]

That seems pretty good it's cheap are you taking it just the way it is or are you striping it more. good luck with the work. just make sure you know what all entails so you do not think your getting something and not.