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    1. #1
      Join Date
      Jun 2013
      Location
      San Diego
      Posts
      275
      Country Flag: United States

      1972 C10 ... SoCal

      So this project kind of started by accident in June of 2014. My first project is a 1970 Nova. It convinced me to join the masses and go the LS route, so I was searching for an engine stand on Craigslist....but came home with this instead.



      I was told the truck was lowered with Hotchkis springs. Its got some of the Early Classic brackets and parts here and there. It will get the old mildly built 454 with the th400. I'm going to put on a DIY hydroboost. Then once I get some miles on it and any issues worked out, I'll make a final build plan. Here's the Nova donating the Big Block to its new garage mate.



      When I bought the truck, it looked almost good enough that you could have dropped the motor. Done a couple things, here and there...then boom! Having a cool old running truck. But it never works that easily.

      So within a couple of days this happened (who knew they came apart so fast?):



      Then to piss off all the purist and their SPID sheets ... a little of this:



      Followed by a little nip here:





      Here is how she sits now:



      Hydroboost:



      And the near future....




      Stripping paint and coating everything in epoxy paint from Southern Polyurethane Inc. I'm thinking of calling in sick from work for a couple of days and see how much further I can get with stripping and painting.
      Brian

      1972 C10 - 454/TH400 - Short bed conversion - https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...1972-C10-SoCal
      1970 Nova - LS Swap - https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...Cal?highlight=




    2. #2
      Join Date
      Oct 2008
      Location
      Santa Fe Springs, CA
      Posts
      625
      Great start to the build! Best of luck!
      Hotchkis Sport Suspension
      Toll Free: 877-466-7655

    3. #3
      Join Date
      Sep 2012
      Posts
      108
      Country Flag: United States
      Very skilled! I can dream it, but I can't build it like you folks do.

    4. #4
      Join Date
      Mar 2010
      Posts
      469
      Quote Originally Posted by The Am1nal View Post
      Very skilled! I can dream it, but I can't build it like you folks do.
      Yes, you can. I couldn't weld, bought the MIG anyway. Watched the DVD and had at it. These trucks are simple, and if all else fails watch a youtube video. Personally, I leave the heavy duty stuff and big projects in relation to safety (like a roll cage) to pros. Just start. Bite of small chunks. And I reco not buying a project that is too derelict.

      And bs46488 turning on your Nova for a C10? Most of us get get into trucks because we can't find a Nova! Awesome.

    5. #5
      Join Date
      Feb 2014
      Posts
      767
      Country Flag: United States
      Love that body style..."Subscribed"!

    6. #6
      Join Date
      Mar 2008
      Posts
      265
      Country Flag: United States
      Talk to me more about the complexity of the frame shortening...I have damn near the same deal, long bed but with leafs and would like to potentially go this route.

      Great start btw!!!

    7. #7
      Join Date
      Jun 2013
      Location
      San Diego
      Posts
      275
      Country Flag: United States
      BanditDave,

      In regards to complexity, the frame shortening is fairly easy.

      Here is a how-to from the 67-72 C10 site. I followed this exact same writeup.

      http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=123624

      I'm not sure if the leafs change anything.
      Brian

      1972 C10 - 454/TH400 - Short bed conversion - https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...1972-C10-SoCal
      1970 Nova - LS Swap - https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...Cal?highlight=



    8. #8
      Join Date
      Jun 2013
      Location
      San Diego
      Posts
      275
      Country Flag: United States
      A little bit of an update from over the weekend. Getting closer to first start-up/drive.

      Quick little brake overhaul. Before spending big money on any upgrades, I just wanted to get it rolling and back to life. I sourced most of the factory parts from Rockauto. The only issue I ran into were the factory brake hoses were too short. Ended up using some '74 Impala lines instead.



      I figured my neighbors would not be a big fan of the first start up of the big block with open headers. So I called a couple of local muffler shops that all wanted north of $700 to bend 2.5" exhaust. So I took the 3" straight pipe off of my donor vehicle, bought a couple of mandrel bends to fab up my own exhaust system. Its not going to win any show awards, but I spent about 10% of what the shops were quoting me.



      Brian

      1972 C10 - 454/TH400 - Short bed conversion - https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...1972-C10-SoCal
      1970 Nova - LS Swap - https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...Cal?highlight=



    9. #9
      Join Date
      Jun 2013
      Location
      San Diego
      Posts
      275
      Country Flag: United States
      It's Alive!!!! (Well, sort of....)

      I got all the exhaust painted and mounted. Got my fuel sending unit installed, fuel line, and 5 gallons of fresh gas in the tank. Preliminary bleed on the brakes (needs some more bleeding done)

      I pre-filled the carb with fuel and it fires up. But then it stalls out and I have exactly 0psi on my fuel gauge. Since the motor was running an electric pump and had a block-off plate on the block, my suspicion is that the previous owner put a cam in it that doesn't support a mechanical pump. I'll pull the old pump and wire it up on truck and see if we can get it running....
      Brian

      1972 C10 - 454/TH400 - Short bed conversion - https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...1972-C10-SoCal
      1970 Nova - LS Swap - https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...Cal?highlight=



    10. #10
      Join Date
      Jun 2013
      Location
      San Diego
      Posts
      275
      Country Flag: United States
      Now it's alive. My father came to visit for a couple of days and we spent some time in the garage and got it working.

      I had a resistance issue with the starter cables. Made a quick trip to my local welding store and bought some nice thick 2ga copper cable. That allowed the starter to crank a little harder and pull the fuel pressure up.

      According to the DMV, this is the first time in 8 years the truck has moved under its own power.

      Here is a picture of my father driving around our cul-de-sac.

      Brian

      1972 C10 - 454/TH400 - Short bed conversion - https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...1972-C10-SoCal
      1970 Nova - LS Swap - https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...Cal?highlight=



    11. #11
      Join Date
      Jun 2013
      Location
      San Diego
      Posts
      275
      Country Flag: United States
      Had to complete a kitchen remodel for the wife, so finally back to working on the truck.

      Started to make my own wood bed



      replaced a rotten cab corner



      And started the many hours of sanding I have in my future

      Brian

      1972 C10 - 454/TH400 - Short bed conversion - https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...1972-C10-SoCal
      1970 Nova - LS Swap - https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...Cal?highlight=



    12. #12
      Join Date
      Nov 2008
      Location
      NC
      Posts
      583
      Country Flag: United States
      Nice man, truck looks great. Awesome job with all the cutting/welding.

      67-72 is a wealth of knowledge, love that site.

      That view is awesome.

    13. #13
      Join Date
      Jun 2013
      Location
      San Diego
      Posts
      275
      Country Flag: United States
      More body work over the weekend. I'm shooting SPI epoxy primer.



      Brian

      1972 C10 - 454/TH400 - Short bed conversion - https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...1972-C10-SoCal
      1970 Nova - LS Swap - https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...Cal?highlight=



    14. #14
      Join Date
      Jul 2011
      Location
      Prescott, AZ
      Posts
      206
      Country Flag: United States
      Man, you have an awesome 'can-do' attitude, and we like that! Love seeing a good old fashioned garage build.

    15. #15
      Join Date
      Jul 2004
      Location
      Braselton, Ga.
      Posts
      1,477
      Country Flag: United States
      Can't wait to see how this turns out! Great job!

    16. #16
      Join Date
      Jun 2013
      Location
      San Diego
      Posts
      275
      Country Flag: United States
      Started body work on the other side of the bed.

      Want to spray some epoxy soon, but the temperature on Sunday was 108. Probably not good for the paint (or the painter!)

      Made a trip to my local Harbor Freight and can now run 2 air hoses. Much easier to work than having to constantly switch out tools on the 1 line.

      Brian

      1972 C10 - 454/TH400 - Short bed conversion - https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...1972-C10-SoCal
      1970 Nova - LS Swap - https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...Cal?highlight=



    17. #17
      Join Date
      Jun 2013
      Location
      San Diego
      Posts
      275
      Country Flag: United States
      A couple of pictures from my weekend progress....







      Back together to put away in the garage:
      Brian

      1972 C10 - 454/TH400 - Short bed conversion - https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...1972-C10-SoCal
      1970 Nova - LS Swap - https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...Cal?highlight=



    18. #18
      Join Date
      Jun 2013
      Location
      San Diego
      Posts
      275
      Country Flag: United States
      Thought i'd post more update photos.

      Got the upper cab in epoxy primer


      final primer for the truck bed


      Naturally after laying fresh paint, one should cut and drill some holes in it
      Brian

      1972 C10 - 454/TH400 - Short bed conversion - https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...1972-C10-SoCal
      1970 Nova - LS Swap - https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...Cal?highlight=



    19. #19
      Join Date
      Jun 2013
      Location
      San Diego
      Posts
      275
      Country Flag: United States
      Guess I haven't updated in a while. Still plugging away. Hoping to get on the road in the next couple of months.....

      Painted half the truck.



      Fitting the wood bed



      And trying to get the interior put together

      Brian

      1972 C10 - 454/TH400 - Short bed conversion - https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...1972-C10-SoCal
      1970 Nova - LS Swap - https://www.pro-touring.com/threads/...Cal?highlight=



    20. #20
      Join Date
      Feb 2010
      Location
      El Segundo, CA
      Posts
      268
      Country Flag: United States
      Looking good.

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