1969 Custom 30 Tow Truck restoration

[bobs409]

I haven't found a good used crossmember for the carrier bearing yet so I fabricated one from angle iron. I used the original top brackets as they were still good. Doesn't look factory but will do the job anyway. I'll keep searching for a good original, maybe I'll find one some day... My search here in PA only turns up ones in the same condition, rotted!

This seems to be a very hard to find part. A poor design on GM's part for sure.
Only one more tough item to find and that's the long arm (flyswatter) door mirrors. They are proving to be a REAL challenge so far! The search goes on...

Oh, here's that crossmember pic:

It's been a good first year but was certainly the hardest of this project. There is still lots of grunt work to do.

 

[bobs409]

Well, things have wound down now. The weather is starting to change. Since those last pics, the steering box and linkage parts were reinstalled.

I've decided to wait until spring to install the engine and transmission. These parts will stay alot cleaner in my garage than in the car port although I am tarping off both sides to block the wind and snow. (ugh, that dreded "S" word!)



Over the winter I will stick with my plan of working on smaller parts inside my garage. (with heater on!) I have PLENTY to do if I want. Re-upholster the seat, prep both fenders, re-skin both doors, strip innner fender wells and hood, etc, etc, etc.

Whatever I can get done over the winter will be less I have to deal with next year.
Thanks for reading, more to come in the spring of '12...

 

[Last 60]

Looks great Bob!! You sure are a busy little feller!

Lonnie

 

[bobs409]

Looks great Bob!! You sure are a busy little feller!

Lonnie

It keeps me out of trouble.

 

[Iowa 409 Guy]

Get her done in time for Thompson and drag the guys that break back to the pits........Lookin good.

 

[bobs409]

Guess it's about time to do an update! Took some time off over the winter from this project but I've been getting some things done in the past month.

The main plan right now is to finish up the cab so I can paint the firewall and interior area. Once those are done, the fun begins. I can install the engine & transmission, the dash with all components, wiring, column, pedals, etc. This will allow me to fire up the engine and get the cam broken in. (and get alot of stuff out of my garage that I've been tripping on for 6 months!)

With that paint work done, I will also be able to reinstall the rear window and am going to have a windshield company come to my place and put in a new windshield. I don't trust myself with $230 dollars of fragile windshield glass! (back ones are no problem however)

The pics below show the cab getting sanded to bare metal. I used an 80 grit
sanding disc then etch primed. I did the same to the firewall. The cab & roof are very straight so once this is all done, I will apply a few coats of a 2K urethane high build primer and block sand out later. I will do this same thing to ALL body panels.

 

[bobs409]

I recently installed the new repro drip rails (pic #1) and they fit really good, better than I expected. The other day I resealed around the roof drip rails with POR patch. It's something new I'm trying. It dries very hard and won't crack so they say. I'm so tired of re-doing roof gutters on these trucks every few years due to failing seam sealer. (3-M fast n firm specifically) I'm hoping this will help to avoid that. I'll be using it on some of the firewall and door jam seams as well.

I went to Carlisle, Pa car show on 4/26 with the hopes of picking up a new badly needed cowl panel so I can complete that area but unfortunately, this part has been sold out for about a year now and is still not available!@#!. Goodmark must have shipped them on the slowest boat from China or maybe pirates got them.

I can't wait any longer for this part so yesterday I removed my old cowl from the old firewall section I've been saving to re-use it. Lots of metal work will have to be done to it and I plan to get started on that today. The bright side is I saved about $250 but in the end, will probably even out with all the labor I'm in for. (see last 3 pics)

 

[bobs409]

While I shouldn't touch the box yet, I just couldn't resist getting started on it a bit. I'll just mess with this once in a while when the mood strikes me but not full time. The rest of the truck is the part I need to focus on right now.

I started out just cleaning the leaves out but somehow wound up getting carried away like usual. Shown below I used my engine hoist to stand it up on end so I could work on it easier. (this thing is SOOOO crazy heavy!) Got all the leaves out though!

Getting a better look at the bottom shows me I will have to replace the main frame rails as they are flaking badly between them and the floor plate. I got lucky in that a new place opened near me that sells all kinds of metal so I got 2 new C channel pieces for the rails as well as some 3/16 inch square tube that I'll cut in half to replace the cap trim that runs around the box. I am also replacing the metal rods that work the winch as the new rod is very inexpensive.

I cut out a section of the box as shown using my sawzall and a cut off tool but quickly found this thicker material takes a long time to go through. The perfect excuse to buy myself a plasma cutter! Got one from Eastwood and it works great! Cutting the bad spots out won't be any problem now! lol

I also decided it was time to buy an arc welder since I'll be working with thicker metals. I could use my mig welder but an arc welder is better for this. (and another excuse to buy a new tool) I haven't arc welded since I was in high school's metal shop so wasn't sure how it would go but I caught on very quick while practicing with it.

More to come...

 

[bobs409]

After a few days to revive that old cowl panel, I got it back in good shape again. Lots of metal work and 2 coats of POR-15 on the bottom side. (Pic #1) I also did the top part of the inner cowl with POR and then primed it before it fully dried. (Pic #2)

(Pic #3) shows the wetsanded dash panel getting a test fit. All was perfect so it was fully bolted and welded in. Notice the kick panels recieved a skim coat of filler to blend in the new lower patch panels.

(Pic #4) shows the completed cowl panel installed and black Eastwood seam sealer just applied. This is the BEST seam sealer I've ever used! Can't say how durable it is just yet but it applies like a dream! After using many different brands over the years, what a difference with this one.

(Pic #5) shows a new day where after getting everything sanded and cleaned, I applied a gray sealer coat inside and out.

Continued...

 

[bobs409]

After one hour, I was able to get a few coats of 514 Red (looks more orange to me!) (pic #1) I used a single stage acrylic enamel and added hardner to it.

My main focus here was to make the firewall, ceiling and around rear window, dash panel and door jams nice. (they recieved an extra coat and most of my attention) All other areas such as under dash panel & floors got a color coat but since they get covered up or unseen, I didn't fuss with them as much. (as the factory would have done)

I did not paint the outside of the cab (roof and rear of cab) as I want to paint all the exterior portions all at the same time so all will match. (next year)

(Pics #2, 3 & 4) show some more "after" color shots. This color acts weird in front of the camera. Depending on the light source, it does change shades. From what I've learned, this color will darken in time too.

I have a 71 Cheyenne 20 that's also this color originally. I may paint that one pure red instead of having 2 trucks the same color. (and I also have a 72 Chevelle that's Hugger Orange!) While it's a different shade, it's still close enough and don't want to overdose on orange!

Continued...

 

[bobs409]

I wasted no time continuing on. The very next day (yesterday) I drug the old 350 (now fully rebuilt) out of the garage as well as that "anchor" SM465 transmission. This is one HEAVY tranny!

(pic #1 & 2)

After spending some time bolting on the bell, flywheel and installing the clutch/pressure plate, I "married" the engine and transmission together. (it was a small ceremony, just me and the new couple)

And here it is (pic #3) making it's way back into the chassis. (the engine tilter was doing what it does best in this photo) Not shown is how I had to jack the front of the cab up about 5 inches so the transmission would clear due to the cross member not being removable on these trucks and the tall top plate. Much easier to this way rather than install trans from bottom after the engine was in. (pics #4 & #5) show it all nestled in. And that's where I'm at as of yesterday!

Won't be long now until I fire it up!

 

[Phil Reed]

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Lookin' good Bob!!!! But.............that's why they pay you the big bucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[oldskydog]

Great work, Bob. Just curious, but why didn't you paint the bellhousing, or is it painted cast iron?

 

[bobs409]

Bellhousing was painted with a cast iron color paint.

 

[DonSSDD]

Beautiful work Bob, you're pretty fast at this resto. Paint one truck roman red if you like red and don't want them both the same colour.

Don

 

[LMBRJQ 60]

Hey Bob,
That is real impressive. very nice looking work.
Steve

 

[bobs409]

Thanks guys. I can't wait to see the "before" and "after" pics side by side.

 

[Don Jacks]

 

[droptop62ss]

Looks great Bob !!!

 

[Nuts]

Looking great !!!! Now we just need to get you and the truck to Thompson so you can be the recovery vehicle ?

Bill