Hey everyone! I just wanted to take a moment and say hi and show off my project.

This truck had been in my family for 20+ years as my grandfather's farm truck. I inherited it and drove it for a few years during high school, but ended up back in storage when I went off to college. 3 years ago I gave up on the truck and sold it. It didn't take long for me to realize what a huge mistake I had made. I kept the info of the guy I sold it to and recently emailed him about buying it back. He said he had been thinking about it and would let me know maybe after Christmas. Little did I know that after talking to my wife and telling her I wanted the truck back, she contacted the guy and bought it. I was given the truck today as my 5 year anniversary present. I am so excited to have it back and ready to get working on it again!

The guy I sold it to didn't change anything except the carb and some new back tires so here are some pictures of it's current condition. It needs a lot of work, but it will be a blast working on it.

The engine is the FE Block 360ci with a 3spd C6 tranny. The engine and tranny were both rebuilt, and the heads were swapped to run unleaded fuel. I threw in a mild cam (268 degree), some long tube headers, an idlebrock performer intake, and 750cfm 4bbl idlebrock carb which the previous owner swapped for a 600cfm holley 4bbl carb.





and what I got today.
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My first priorities are to get it running well enough to drive it from storage to my house to work on it (about a mile each way) and then begin covering up the unpainted parts of the truck until I can have it properly primered.

 

Wow what a great story, and what a great anniversary gift.
Bet you wont let that one get away from you, and the same with the truck.

 

Sure hope your marriage to THIS GAL lasts as long as this truck! She sounds like a rare one - and the truck is nice too. Congratulations on finding both!

 

She is a keeper lol

 

Yea she is great. I am headed over to the storage place now to see if it will start and begin trying to make a list of what to do first, and to take some more detailed pictures.

 

Good looking truck how does the floor and cab mounts look? be sure to take pictures of your progress and post them up Nice story you have to with the truck there both keepers

 

The floors are completely solid, I have not checked the cab mounts yet, but based on the way the rest of the body looks I would think they are ok. This truck has spent its life in the NW Houston area so salted roads were not an issue. All of the rust spots get top priority to at least get them sanded down and covered until I can have it done properly.

The entire bedside being rusted is actually my fault. I had sanded and used a chemical paint remover to take it down to bare metal to spray primer on it when I quit working on it. When I sold it I told the guy it needed attention but instead he let it sit in driveway too. I think the bedside will be ok I just need to sand it and cover it with something quickly. Anyone have any tips on the proper way to get it sanded and covered? It will still be at least a year away from going to paint.

 

i would use either a wire wheel on a angle grinder or a power sander clean iit off real good and use some sealer primer that's just what i'd do with the tools i have. looks like we both have the same gun rack in the back window also.

 

As far as rust, that is the kind of thing you can take care of professionally your self and save big $$$.
I used to use Gemplers Rust Converter, topper with Rustoleum.
Eastwood sells the POR 15, but after reading the reviews on their website,
they actually recommend using their Rust Converter topped with their Rust
Encapsulator. I would take it a step further, and top it off with Rustoleum.