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ChuckN

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Nov 8, 2022
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Location
Bellinham, WA
First Name
Chad
Truck Year
1981
Truck Model
C10
Engine Size
350
Hey all, thought I'd introduce myself. Just bought an '81 C10 and getting ready to bring her home. Being born in '73, I grew up around these trucks in rural Michigan. My dad had a '74 GMC K Longbed, Don down the street had a '78 Stepside K10, and Skip had around the same year C10 Stepside. This is my dad's '74 back in 1985. He had it repainted, and since it was hard to find a box that wasn't rusted out in Michigan without paying out the nose for a new one (even back then), he fabricated his own flatbed. He named it "Big Red".

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Here is the '81 Shortwide I just bought. It's a couple hours south of me- the trucks in my neck of the woods are pretty picked over, so i had to drive a bit to find it, but I'm really excited. It's not as hard to find one here in the PNW as it is in the rust belt, but not as easy as the southern states either. The body is a bit rough, but the undercarriage is amazing, nothing really needs attention. Might replace a door that also is a but crusty on other underneath and the front driver inner fenderwell. Has a pinhole of rust-through on passenger rocker that will need to be repaired but overall it's in great shape. The 350 had a couple of flat cam lobes, so when I put the feelers out, he contacted me in midst of putting in a rebuilt 327/350hp that he had spare in his shop as well as a rebuilt stock 350 trans.

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It already has a set of long tube headers, and I'm keeping the rally wheels on it, I think they're killer. Looking at doing some interior work, putting on the side mouldings as well, and going to do a 4/6 drop. After that, I'm going to save up for an eventual respray.

Cheers,
Chad
 

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Grit dog

Full Access Member
Joined
May 18, 2020
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5,882
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9,620
Location
Washington
First Name
Todd
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
K20
Engine Size
454
Welcome from the wet side as well!
Great looking truck!

I do have to make one correction to your post though. I feel that the wet side of the PNW is one of the least “rusty” parts of the country. Hands down.
Like you I grew up in the real rust belt where on a warm summer night you could hear your car deteriorating while you were falling asleep!

Good luck with the project! She’s a beaut!
 

ChuckN

Full Access Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2022
Posts
895
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2,544
Location
Bellinham, WA
First Name
Chad
Truck Year
1981
Truck Model
C10
Engine Size
350
Welcome from the wet side as well!
Great looking truck!

I do have to make one correction to your post though. I feel that the wet side of the PNW is one of the least “rusty” parts of the country. Hands down.
Like you I grew up in the real rust belt where on a warm summer night you could hear your car deteriorating while you were falling asleep!

Good luck with the project! She’s a beaut!
You may be right, and that the only ones left in this area are the ones that have rust issues, haha. For sure, so many vehicles from the way back period have rusted into dust back where I'm from. When I moved out here, I was constantly like "OH MY GOD! There's a Datsun!" or whatever else that escaped the salt out here.:Big Laugh:
 

Terry Wilkerson

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Dec 2, 2021
Posts
436
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582
Location
Kansas
First Name
Terry
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
GMC 1500
Engine Size
350
Cool looking truck.
Welcome from KC
 

WFO

Full Access Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2017
Posts
3,376
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4,416
Location
Texas Panhandle
First Name
Dan
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
K20
Engine Size
350
Welcome from the Texas Panhandle.
 

animal

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Jul 30, 2010
Posts
5,408
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Location
Georgia
First Name
Lee
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
c10 silverado
Engine Size
350ish
:welcome:
 

Tank6x2

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2017
Posts
813
Reaction score
657
Location
Edmonton Alberta Canada
First Name
Kurt
Truck Year
79/86
Truck Model
C30
Engine Size
350, TH400.4:10 gears 2WD
Welcome from the great white north, East side of the western Canadian Rockies!
 

smullen

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Joined
Sep 21, 2022
Posts
136
Reaction score
139
Location
Fredericktown, Mo
First Name
Scott
Truck Year
1982
Truck Model
C10
Engine Size
I6
Welcome!!! Nice Rig, I'd have loved to got my hands on something that nice as a starter...

I've had someone tell me, mine is too far gone and I should just send it down the road.

Nah, I'm pushing ahead. Doing it the hard/expensive way. I hope at the end I can post before and after pics and it'll all be worth it.

OR, you'll see it rolling across the pasture on fire... Either way... ;) I'm hopin for the 1st...
 
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Turbo4whl

Supporting Member
Supporting Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2019
Posts
2,837
Reaction score
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Location
Downingtown, PA
First Name
Wayne
Truck Year
1974
Truck Model
Jimmy
Engine Size
350
Welcome Chuck, what's that on the rack, an old MG? What little rag top is really hiding under it?
 

Strick

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Joined
Nov 25, 2020
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1,105
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Location
Dunn, NC
First Name
Harold
Truck Year
1979
Truck Model
C20 Crew
Engine Size
350
Welcome from the right coast.

Strickland
 

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