This thread is going to run for months, if not years.

I'm going to ramble a bit to give the history behind this thing......
My grandfather had a 1972 Chevy C10 shortbed, 3 on the floor, headers into cherry bombs that dumped right behind the cab.  My dad's parents lived on the same property as me and my parents.  Us on one side of the hill, them on the other.  Many winter mornings I'd sit in this truck waiting for the bus when I was really little.  If I was lucky, we'd run down to Maria's corner shop to get donuts or chocolate milk beforehand.  Before he went full time with his own business, he worked second shift.  I'd spend the night at my grandparents laying awake waiting for him to get home, I'd hear this truck burbling, gurgling, and popping as he slowed down the hill.  A few years later my parents got divorced, I was 7 or 8.  For some reason the night my mom cleaned out the house and took me to her parent's house, my dad drove this truck to work.  I guess his was broke down or some shit, I don't know.  I'll never forget hearing this truck roaring down the road seconds before my dad kicked down my grandparent's front door.  There was a stop sign maybe an 1/8 mile away from their house, boy did this thing scream pulling out.  A second after kicking in the door my dad collapsed into my grandfather's (my mom's dad) arms crying his eyes out.  That grandfather was a Marine staff sergeant, a man everyone loves and respects.  

Anywho, fast forward a few years, my mom moves half way across the country and takes me with her.  I spend the summers with my dad, well, a little bit of the summer.  The summer I'm 13-14 my dad and I decide to start working on the C10.  It had sat for a few years at this point.  We wanted to fix it up a bit and make it my first vehicle.  I go all in instantly.  I strip the truck down to the chassis, sand blast everything, and start painting it all.  My summer with dad is over and I have to go back with my mom.  A few months later I find out my dad fucking sold it.  I don't know what the circumstances were, but I was devastated.  

Fast forward 19 years, my half brother finds the truck.  He has zero memories of it.  He wasn't even born when my dad sold it.  He buys it.  Let me frame this for you guys, I adore my brother.  He is one hell of a kid and is going to be a hell of a man.  He is extremely talented and that is an under statement.  I'd put any amount of money that he can tig weld anything better than anyone on arfcom, period, the end.  However, his mom, my stepmom, I tolerate only for him and my dad.  She has driven a massive wedge between me and my dad, and between my kids and my dad.  She despises my grandfather and wishes death on him.  She basically does her damndest to convince my dad that I'm not his kid, only my brother is.  Anyhow, between my dad and brother finding the truck and buying it, it stung bad considering how my dad essentially went "lol fuck you" and sold it away from me.  I voiced my opinion about the purchase.  I straight said "I'm happy for you guys, but that stings, that was supposed to be OUR project."  My dad instantly responded, "oh, that's okay, after we fix it up you can buy it from us, but it won't be cheap".  I said fuck you and hung up.  

I explained to my brother that I have no ill-will towards him over this, he couldn't have known the back story.  I explained the back story.  My wife told him too at one point when we were hanging out.  Fast forward a year and my brother asks if I want to buy the truck.  I respond with a resounding FUCK YES.  He did a bunch of body work and patch panels, put a rebuilt engine in it, etc. etc.  This was about two weeks ago.  I have been ecstatic as all hell ever since.  

When my dad and I started restoring this, in his infinite wisdom, he convinced me to toss the bed because it had some rust and it would be easy to replace.  LOL.  A shortbed C10 easy to replace?  Not in a million years - but this was 20 years ago.  These beds are as good as gold now.  So since the truck is going to be mine and doesn't have a bed, I started poking on FB marketplace.  Well wouldn't you know it, I found a dude right down the road selling a '72 C10 shortbed that was in pieces.  I see a picture of the bed buried in the woods covered in shit.  I messaged him and said if it's solid enough to lift in one piece, I'll give you $500 for it.  He said he didn't want to part it, I said I don't care, I don't want the rest of the truck only the bed.  Well, I wound up getting a pristine (for the condition of most) 67-72 C10 short bed.  I could sell this bed within a week for $5k.

Anyhow............

The truck is still with my brother.  The bed is in my garage.  The bed will go up to my brother's for some patch panels and welding.  We'll throw it on the truck, then the whole shooting match will come to my house.

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The truck after my brother got it fired up.
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And I give you the crowning jewel to this OP.  My dopey 13-14 year old ass with the truck.  All the sand on the ground is from me sandblasting.  I swear to god I don't look anything like this anymore
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One wire?  Those can do that.  Your battery will start hissing; that ain’t good.

Yup.  Dunno if there's a fix or if the internal regulator is fucked

I have a fairly beefy impact... Won't touch them

Oh I know. it's just there because I have it

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Fuck it good enough

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Dumb and dangerous, but it worked.

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Rear discs on
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Did a load of body work yesterday as in actually nailing down the cab, fenders, and rad support.  

It is amazing how much brute force is required as well as accepting extreme misalignment for proper lines.  For example, the inside of the fenders where they hug the rad support... One has a 1" gap, the other is tight.  However, on the outside it's perfect.  Also when measuring to the frame and cab they're nearly identical.

Another funny tidbit... This thing did have a real aggressive rake.  Since I rebuilt the entire front suspension, it now sits high in the front

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Looking good!  What rear gear are you running?

3.72

"I'm gonna mount the front bumper, just need to get these two bolts out and clean up the bracket"

90 minutes later I have two busted knuckles, inhaled pb blaster turned to steam, and begun drinking.

This thread reminded me why my ‘66 GT fastback I started back in 1999 will be my last.  I’ll stick to models.

They were a bitch to get out once I hammered it in.

Strongly debated melting them out

That should give you a nice balance on drivability on the highway but still short enough to get off the line quickly when you want to have some fun.

Mother fucking fuck

Changing the rear coil springs sounds simple right?  Here I am with a rounded off bolt, a rounded off welded on nut, and trying to find more cut off wheels to slice the coil off to have enough room to cut the bolt without destroying the cup.

FUCK

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Nope, gonna need a ratchet strap at least

Haha

I cut the springs instantly.  It's the fucking bolts holding the cups.  They were rusted into one solid blob.  I rounded them, welded on a nut, then rounded the nut.  Resorted to a cut off wheel which was not easy given the stupid angle to get in there

Hello there my old friend

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Rear brakes finally plumbed.... Well, at least to the rear axle

Wife has taken over mud work

I'm also so tired of beating sheet metal to get repro shit to fit

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Looking good.. You decide on a color? or has that been posted already?

Torn between white or red.

Right now I'm leaning satin white

That will look great.

File cabinet tool chest!

Haha that's where I keep all my paint, sandpaper, and other random shit

Again I'm at a stall point where I can't get motivated.

Have to hookup the brake pedal to the master to actually fill the system and bleed it.  Gotta fill the diff with fluid too.

Not sure why I'm dragging, cause after those two things I can actually drive it.....

Perfect way to spend Sunday.... Fuck

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Just keep repeating "I love the challenges!"

It actually came apart instantly, I was surprised.  The carrier support bearing?  Not so much.  Had to cut it in half

Well that was fun, never saw an alternator start smoking before

Dead short to the header

Ooops!

Well the past week has been fun.  Truck started running like shit.  Pig shit rich constantly popping out the exhaust and backfiring out the carb the moment I touched the throttle.

Turns out the brand new fuel pump I put on decided to slowly creep up the pressure and flood the fuck out of the carb.  It was so bad that my dip stick showed way overfilled from fuel getting in the oil.  Plugs fouled to nothing with soaked threads.  

Fun fun fun

Looking good OP.  

I’m starting a frame off restomod on this 76 Highboy in the next few weeks.

My spirit is being run down....

Since I'm an inch away from being able to actually drive this, I decided I needed to fix the mufflers...  The collectors are aimed at the ground, so the end of the mufflers were 2-3" off the ground.  A big pie cut in the collector reducer, a bend, and welded shut.  All these fucking details are killing me.

@rcc1

If you buy me plane tickets and beer, I can be your bitch for a weekend  I need a break

I might take you up on that. Tear down starts in about 2 weeks.

I cannot be held responsible for tools thrown through walls when I hit my head

Bravo to Summit.

Received a new coil - put it in, the moment I started tightening the stud nut, the stud broke off.  Summit overnighted me a new one and told me to throw out the one that broke.

1/2” diameter.  20 threads per inch. The knurl is the size of the part that presses into the axle shaft. So make sure your wheels work with a 1/2 inch stud

Summit racing is your friend

As for the u bolts.  Cut the u bolts off. Don’t reuse ubolts. They weren’t designed to be reused.
PB Blaster and the 1,400 ugga dugga impact power from a Milwaukee should do it. Otherwise use a cutoff wheel and cut the u bolt under the axle.  Obviously support stuff so shit doesn’t kill you.

Oh my god.  Please no. Go 4.10s so you can accelerate.

Also check your pinion depth. The drive side of your gear pattern looks like it is too close.

Yukon Gear Setup Guide with pictures

Meh, easy enough to change if I don't like it.  I figured I couldn't go wrong with the factory ratio - especially since it uses a 3 speed.

Got all the gauges wired up, engine issues sorted out.... Oil pressure looks great.... Two minutes later no oil pressure

I hate everything

Whelp.....

She cooked.  I'm pissed

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Fuck……that is a kick in the nuts.