1965 Stepside - Lost & Found

I never noticed it before but does the bed on your truck have spacers between the cross sills and the frame? Seems a bit higher than normal.

 

Back when I was 19 (1984) is when I reassembled her. My original 65 cab is really the only thing from my original 65 that I totalled in 83/84.
It's a 64 bed on a 62 frame. I never really lined things correctly.

 

That's a lot of history, you and your truck.

So the truck rides on an x-frame?

______
John

 

I'll post some of the posts I made in another forum.

 

62 Shortbed GMC Donor for my 65 taken 1984:

 

My 65 Cab ready to set on 62 Donor Shortbed Frame:
Nice Buddy Buckets.

Pulling V6 outta GMC Donor:


Now it gets exciting,
Here I am back in 1984, under my 1962 Donor Shortbed Frame, mounting up the Rebuilt 327 out of 1965 SS Impala.

 

All back together and taking it for a spin.

 

Thanks for re-posting the photo's.

So your truck has the torsion bar front suspension. What's in the rear, leaf springs or coils?

_____
John

 

Torsion in front.
Trailing arms in back.

 

Okay, had some rain this last weekend.
Decided to take a break on my fauxtina attempt.
This will probably be my last pic outside this year.
I know... I've had the goal of swapping out the sm420 for the th350 a couple winters now. By golly! I'm getting it done this winter!

 

Lookin good & lookin forward to the SM420 install.

Are those air shocks I see?

_____
John

 

Yes, those are air shocks.
They were on it when I bought it back.
What are the benefits of air shocks?

 

Vintage Pix !

THANK YOU for posting those ! .

I think I have a couple pix of my old '46 3100 taken in the mid 1970's when I built it out of two old junkers....

I must go look , not sure how to get them scanned though .

 

They can help level the vehicle but the problem is the shock mounts on the vehicle were never meant to support the vehicle.

If extra load capacity is needed they make air bags that install inside the coil springs... those are a better approach than air shocks.

Air Lift 1000

I was going to install a set on the orange crate.. but that never happened. They add extra load capacity and do so by loading the suspension right where the truck was designed to be supported.

They look like this:

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Cad Model with the air springs:

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_____
John

 

Cool old pics of your truck. I like the personal history behind it. Interesting story and project.

 

Hey Nate that would be great. If you have a good digital camera you can take a digital photo, then upload that here.

_____
John

 

I have a scanner, but I've also just used my phone.
I think they come out best in a well lighted area with no flash.

 

Boy! I really like how the hood is turning out.
I'm really liking how the whole truck is turning out.

 

Some shots of how the hood came out:

 

I put together a list of 'wants vs needs' to establish a reasonable goal for the winter.
Although I really really want to convert to an Automatic, it is far from a 'Need'.
What I 'Need' is safe and reliable first.
Steering is pretty sloppy and maneuvering around - especially with a trailer is difficult.
So I that's what I'm doing first.