I got a little side tracked off my 68 Camaro project and picked up a 64 Chevy C10 Shortbed Fleetside. My plan is to just get it safe and decent enough for now and then really tear into it after my 68 Camaro goes off for paint about 10-14 months from now. My garage space is occupied with my 68 Camaro and all it's bits and pieces, so I got a local shop to help with the duties. I already have 1 car torn apart in pieces and didn't want to be "that guy" with 2 incomplete projects with neither running lol! The shop that helped me out is in Fullerton, CA and its a family run business called Lee and Son. They quoted me honest hours, did a great job and got me back on the road. I would highly recommend them. Back in Feb, I found the truck on craigslist and I drove up to Fresno, CA worked out a deal with the owner and towed it back. The truck was stock for the most part and had the usual rust, but was solid. The first things on my list to change were disc brakes and power steering! The drums were just scaring the crap out of me. Sometimes it would pull hard left when I hit the brakes and other times it would pull hard right. No consistency! The manual steering box had so much slop in it, it took a lot of concentration to get the steering wheel to correct the pull from the brakes. Trying to park the SOB with the manual steering box was a challenge to say the least. The other thing that needed to be addressed was the stance! I don't plan on going full tilt with this project, just want to improve the driva'bility and reliability. Below is what's been done so far: 12" disc brakes all 4 corners Master cylinder and booster All new drop coils and shocks 2" drop spindles with 5 lug hubs 5 lug rear axles (6 lug was standard) 5 on 5 15x8 rally wheels (4" bs) Upper and lower control arms Quick ratio power steering All new steering linkage It currently has the original 283 and 3 speed manual tranny. Both feel like they are on their last legs. In the near future I would like to update the drive train, install the under bed fuel tank and get the bench seat recovered. Paint, body work and the small details won't happen until the Camaro has been handed off from my garage to the paint booth and final build.
You are definitely going about this the right way. I know that your truck rides and handles great now. Did you get all your parts from the same place, was it cp or who. Thanks for the pics they look great.
I did not get the parts from Classic Parts. Classic Parts seems to have the identical parts that I got from a local shop. Even the powdercoat is the same color. I am guessing a lot of the online catalogs get their parts from the same manufacturer/sources. I got all my parts from a shop that was 20 minutes from my house, so I saved shipping, but paid tax. The prices were for the most part identical to Classic Parts.
Look'in good Your truck is look'in good! I wish we could find trucks with that minimal rust here in the rust belt. It just does not happen. The stance is just the way I like them! Is there another manual or automatic transmission in the future. I think a 5 speed would be nice.
For the truck I plan on dropping in either a 200-4r or a 700r4. Will most likely pick it up from BowTie Overdrives.
Great stance I know you said you used 2 in drop spindles and dropped shocks and springs, is your total drop 4/6 or something different.Did you just use springs in the back or what.Do you think your upper and lower control arms lower it any. Just want to know because I love that stance and thats what I want someday. Thanks
those CPP stickers are a dead give away that the a-arms are indeed manufactured by classic performance parts. I have all CPP parts on my truck and I am very happy. Although my CPP springs are blue.
I believe the rears were a 4" coil drop with a 2 deg shim to correct the pinion angle. I was told that I would need to notch the frame if I went 5" or more in the rear. The front was lowered 2" + 1". The drop spindles dropped it 2" and the new coils dropped it another 1". I don't think the control arms physical lower the truck, but I think they help with the steering geometry in a lowered truck.
Those control arms "look" like their lowering arms in the picture. The drop spindles and control arms are the BEST way to lower a truck more than 2 inches. The ride quality is one reason and steering geometry help keep your front end alignment guy your friend. Val
