"77" Chevy K10 SWB restoration, need help

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HotRodPC

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You got the right idea C4. I think letting them do it, they get the self gratification that goes along with working on your own stuff, and like a wild animal and the taste of blood. Once they get the taste, they want more.
At least your dad had a good exucse Nxt. My dad didn't. I remember being 12yo and took the head off the lawnmower cuz the old man across the street told me to, and how to fix the lawnmower. I got my ass blistered, literally for tearing apart the mower before I was even given a chance to finish the job, and was told not to ever touch his tools to anything else. The mower sat for 2 weeks torn apart. When it came time the lawn needed mowed, my mother withdrew $80 of my money out of my savings account that had like $100 in it or so from mowing lawns and gift money that I was saving for a new motocross Mongoose bike. That was of course back in the day when Mongoose was a good top of the line bike. Needless to say, I was mad that my parents took my money but they said I tore up the lawnmower, so I had to replace it. Then I asked if I could have the bad mower and was told it was going to the dump next time a load got hauled to the dump. Figuring I had nothing to lose now, but couldn't use dads tools, I bought one of those cheap taiwan socket sets for $7 and I put that mower back together and it ran fine after cleaning the carbon off the head that kept fouling plugs. I'm sure my parents were shocked, but never got an apology or my money back. But they did let me keep that mower and I used it to mow lawns throughout the neighborhood, and I thought I was pretty bad ass at 12 since I had my own mower and the other kids didn't. Not going to elaborate on my childhood, but obviously, there is a clue it wasn't worth a ****. So, all of my mechanical ability came from me and noone but me, and I hung around the old timer neighbor men that took a liking to me since I was alwasy there to offer free help and learn. They also knew things weren't good in my household, so they kept me occupied when they could. I do think my son will come around when he gets closer to 16, and I am so looking very forward to the day when he and I get to build a truck from the ground up. And it without doubt will be a Squarebody.
 
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Old77

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Stories like that make me so thankful for the relationship that my dad and I have and makes me want to focus even more on being the best dad I can be to my two little boys.
 

HotRodPC

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Stories like that make me so thankful for the relationship that my dad and I have and makes me want to focus even more on being the best dad I can be to my two little boys.
Great, that's exactly why I tell that story. Not only will I ever forget it, but this is also why I don't push my son into working on the trucks as his age. Obviously at his age, his friends are important to him, and I don't want him feeling like I am forcing it on him. He works on his bikes and his skates all the time, so I know he is mechanical. But working on the trucks right now just isn't gratifying yet. I think when he gets closer to driving age, he'll be ALL IN like a hand of Texas Hold'em.
 

Irishman999

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When you make the choice of walking or driving up to him I think he will be alot more mechanically able. I got a car at 14 and started screwing with it and driving around right off the bat. My Dad is a mechanic so I did not want to bother him to do it for me and instead he told me how to do it and started everything from there.

At first it was so I did not have to ride a bus to school and after that it just turned into a pride thing because I was being frugal. In fact the first time I payed someone to put tires on my vehicle was just last summer when I was moving and it was forced, I even tried letting them use the tire machine myself. To this day I have not payed anyone to work on any of my vehicles.
 

Lee0916

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Thanks for all the encourgement and advice guys. It has definately been some what of a challenge to get him motivated and fully envolved, but I believe he's finally there. I just need to practice a little patience. I hope that when we are done he will be able to atleast have a good understanding of how things work and how to diagnose and fix any problems he may encounterwhile driving the old truck. With the way cars and trucks are built and controled these days it will not help him much but hopefully it will enable him to learn more about ECMs and MAF etc. later on in his life. Like I've said all advice and info on restoring an old SB Chevy is welcomed.
 

HotRodPC

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Thanks for all the encourgement and advice guys. It has definately been some what of a challenge to get him motivated and fully envolved, but I believe he's finally there. I just need to practice a little patience. I hope that when we are done he will be able to atleast have a good understanding of how things work and how to diagnose and fix any problems he may encounterwhile driving the old truck. With the way cars and trucks are built and controled these days it will not help him much but hopefully it will enable him to learn more about ECMs and MAF etc. later on in his life. Like I've said all advice and info on restoring an old SB Chevy is welcomed.
No doubt, with that old SB, he'll at least get the essentials down of knowing it needs fuel and spark. How to jack one up, and where to place jack stands for a safe environment. Learn about how important maintenance is, and get acclimated to using hand tools, and how to hold his mouth when something just doesn't come apart right. That's important too you know. Lots of basics to learn on an old vehicle.
 

HotRodPC

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When you make the choice of walking or driving up to him I think he will be alot more mechanically able. I got a car at 14 and started screwing with it and driving around right off the bat. My Dad is a mechanic so I did not want to bother him to do it for me and instead he told me how to do it and started everything from there.

At first it was so I did not have to ride a bus to school and after that it just turned into a pride thing because I was being frugal. In fact the first time I payed someone to put tires on my vehicle was just last summer when I was moving and it was forced, I even tried letting them use the tire machine myself. To this day I have not payed anyone to work on any of my vehicles.
Same here. It started out as I didn't have funds to pay people to work on my stuff, then even when I did have the funds after hearing horror stories of other peoples bad experiences and getting ripped off at shops, I just can't trust any shop to work on my stuff. Only thing I have even paid for, as you said, tires, and I stand there to watch to make sure the balancer is Zeroed out, so if they try to shortcut and just put the weigths on, then pull it off to go to the next time, I stop them and say, No No No, run that again, I want to see the Zero's. And auto alignment cuz of course I don't have an alignment rack. Again I watch them and almost always, they will try to skip an SAI test, and I'll tell them to hit that back button and run an SAI test. Some machines don't require that now though. And I don't know some of the newer machines, so I'll ask if it has the capabitilty or call around to find a place that does have the ability if I think there might be a problem with a bent upper or lower control A arm.
 

HotRodPC

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BTW, SAI test, is Steering Axis Inclination. You ever notice when you turn the wheels hard to the left or right, the tires tends to lean? That is what the SAI test is measuring. Its a great way to tell if you have a bent sub frame, or control arm. Its kinda old shcool now days, but SquareBodies are old school so that's why I like to have it done.
 

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I always try to secure a tire machine to use, for years it was the high school auto shops since I had a good relationship with the teacher. After that I used the one at the power plant I worked at. One day my dad and I took a trip to a small town called Quemado New Mexico to pick up a 60+ year old tire machine beside an old garage.

He put air to it and the ****** thing works, I have changed quite a few tires on it so far and its been sitting for more years than I have been alive most likely.

I keep seeing the new rim clamp machines on craigslist for cheap, how kick ass would it be to have your own tire machine?!
 

crazy4offroad

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Now I'm up against the rain, and I dont have a garage. I'll get you pics soon as I can :(
 

nxtlevl

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Now I'm up against the rain, and I dont have a garage. I'll get you pics soon as I can :(


We had rain all day Friday, and partially yesterday....Keep tinkering away whenever you get a chance...Like I said earlier, we are on a budget with my truck so we don't get alot done all at once...IMO that's what kind of makes it fun........Will definitely be waiting for pics!-----:favorites13:
 

crazy4offroad

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Now I'm up against the rain, and I dont have a garage. I'll get you pics soon as I can :(

I havent forgot about this, I have to put a battery in the truck tomorrow so I may take one of the other member's idea and just stick a digital camera under there and take a bunch of pics till I get a decent one!
 

crazy4offroad

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I got some pics today of the brake hardware, I hope they turn out. If they dont, it might help us get a little closer to what you're wanting to see, and I can get some better ones.

Funny, I looked out the window, the snow had stopped, got ready to go out and it was snowing worse lol.
 

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Swims350

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good lord what a leaf pack lol. you got a 203 t-case?
 

crazy4offroad

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LOL yeah I need to get some 2 or 3" lift springs, in combo with the shackle flip to make the lift and get rid of all those springs. And nope it's a 205.
 

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