I FINALLY PICKED UP MY 65 STEPSIDE, READY TO RESTORE

luisenrique · Post by **luisenrique** » April 17, 2007, 5:34 pm

HELLO EVERYBODY!!
I FINALLY PICKED UP MY 65 STEPSIDE FROM MY MOMS GARAGE. IT HAD BEEN SITTING THERE FOR THE PAST 6 YEARS. IT NEEDS SOME WORK, NOT THAT MUCH BUT I AM WILLING TO GO ALL THE WAY WITH THIS TRUCK. I AM NOW 25, HOPEFULLY BY THE TIME I TURN 35 THE TRUCK WILL BE READY TO CRUISE DOWN THE ROAD. WHAT DO YOU SUGGEST I SHOULD DO TO IT. IT IS A STEPSIDE SHORT BED, 352 ENGINE, IT WAS A 3 SPEED, BUT MY DAD CHANGED IT TO AUTO WITH A C6 TRANS. HE ALSO ADDED THE LOWERING BEAMS IN FRONT AND ADDED A LOWERING KIT TO THE BACK, SITS NICE AND LOW. I WAS THINKING OF REBUILDING FROM BOTTOM UP, REPLACING EVERY BROKEN PART AND LIFTING TRUCK TO ORIGINAL HEIGHT, TO MAKE IT BACK TO ORIGINAL LOOK. OR SHOULD I LEAVE IT DROPPED AND REMOVE ALL THE EMBLEMS (SLICK LOOK) AND ADD 20 INCH WHEELS ALL AROUND? I REALLY WANT TO REPLACE EVERYTING, BUMPERS, WINDSHIELD, GLASS, DOOR SEALS CAB MOUNTS, FRONT AND REAR FENDERS, GRILL..ETC ETC..LIKE I SAID I REALLY WANT THIS TRUCK TO BE A NICE ONE, BUT I DONT REALLY KNOW WHAT DIRECTION TO TAKE WITH IT. ITS NOT IN BAD SHAPE, BUT MOST OF THE PARTS I WANT TO REPLACE ARE EITHER FADED UP, CRACKED OR MISSING.... ENGINE IS GOING TO STAY STOCK, I JUST WANT TO REBUILD AGAIN, MY DAD HAD DONE A REBUILD IN THE LATE 80, BUT IT WOULDNT HURT TO GET ANOTHER ONE. .... GIVE ME YOUR COMMENTS... OH YEAH. PRETTY COOL WEBSITE!! THANKS[/b]

ras4434 · Post by **ras4434** » April 17, 2007, 5:39 pm

Welcome luisenrique to the site. A great place to get some great ideas. Spend some time looking at some of the galleries from some of the members. They range from straight bone stock to wild and mighty. It will give you some great ideas and also something to dream about. Good luck and welcome to Slick60.

cookster4495 · Post by **cookster4495** » April 17, 2007, 11:59 pm

You can find damn near any answer here,good ideas too !!!
Dont forget to post pics,,that J.C. guy from up north gets exicted if you dont !!! Larry

blackagatha · Post by **blackagatha** » April 18, 2007, 12:52 am

you're gonna have to come up with your own ideas for what to do with her. Whatever you do though, make sure you're really happy about it.

Personally, I'm gonna have to persuade you toward a low, shaved, custom look. That's what I'm going for myself with my '63. I got all kinds of sick and twisted ideas that I want to put into action.
Some of my poderings: airbag suspension, dropped front axle, chop roofline like 4-5 inches, stretch cab like 7-8 inches. Maybe even turn her into a removavble hardtop. Shave everything. Flat Black Forever. Millions more ideas. Some sensible, others that only my sick mind can comprehend at the moment.

Also, especially if you're going for the low and mean look, c'mon and put in a little mightier engine... 390, 427, 428 all same block, drop in as a bolt-in, look basically stock.... Or give her some evil internals.

norville · Post by **norville** » April 18, 2007, 6:13 am

My suggestion, before you tear it all apart and strip it down. Why not run it like it is??? Make it road safe and you'll be suprised how much you enjoy it as it is. Or just do one project at a time, so you don't loose track and get in over your head.

I had big plans for my 65 but they changed about 5 times now. I do plan to paint it , I did PS/PB and made it road worthy. I have the disc parts still sitting in the box. I just did the electric fans, and I plan to do a tranny swap this summer. Yes, I could have torn it apart and had it sit there a few years, but I love driving it. Even with the ugly orange flames and loud exhaust I get plenty of compliments. Even though I see a thousand things that need to be fixed.

You quest seems like a good one, I'm not trying to rain on your parade, I've looked at too many started projects that never got finished "cause something came up"

Personally, I would not tear apart a running engine, Put one on a stand and make that one your own.

I'm sorry if this is not what you wanted to hear, but I was there once.

I've learned from experience with my 71 vette. I sold it for a fraction of what it was worth, broke my heart, but I had some issues with my newly started family back about 7 years ago. Had it been a driving usable vehicle I'd still own it.

bob

DV65CustomCab · Post by **DV65CustomCab** » April 18, 2007, 6:35 am

Abolutely what Norville suggests. Get it running and on the road first. If you're driving it, your motivation level will be much higher. Trust me that even if it looks a bit ratty, it will still get a great deal of attention.

I would not worry about rebuilding the engine again just because it was done in the 1980s. It may very well be fine for a long time. Get it running, check for leaks and fix those (gaskets and seals do not like inactivity). Address the rust and get it in a state of preservation where it won't get worse, and start collecting the panels you need to replace.

Stock or custom? Well...(personal opinion follows)...make it whatever way you want to, as it's your truck. My only comment on custom is think long and hard about your direction. Customizing goes in spurts, and things go out of fashion much quicker in the custom world than they do in the restoration or 'sympathetic mod' world. The current rage is 'Rat Rod'. Personally, I'll be one of the happiest alive when this fad goes away.

Everybody and his brother with a old vehicle and a can of black primer around here thinks that's all it takes to make a 'rod'.

Look at what has been done in the past and doesn't appear outdated today. Big, splashy graphics were all the rage 10 years ago and now they are just gaudy. I come from the school that 'less is more'. And if you're not sure, just make everything you do reversible (unboltable parts, no shaving, chopping, channelling or frenching).

But all that comes later. For now, get it on the road!