60 chevy

I have a 60 short stepside that I am pondering making into daily driver. has been parked since 73,

This will be my first rebuild and I really don't have a clue. Have contacted a rebuild shop and my banker says go for it. what I need help with is what questions do I need to ask. can anyone direct me to a few web sites of interest?

Richard Lipan Texas

Reply to
Richard
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Get your self a couple catalogs and go nutz. I like the '60's they are different. If I remember right... things to be aware of, Ball Joints non-existent and or high priced, windshield, very high priced, something with the brakes too, MC or Wheel Cyls? Forget now what it was. LMC truck or many others just google, you'll be bombarded with stuff. Danno

Reply to
J. Dan Jones

Hi Richard,

I just finished a '67 Chevy shortbox fleetside but I do all of my own work. For me that is kind of a hard question to answer on the newsgroup. What I would recommend would be to see if there is a car club in your area, or a cruise night at drive in or Speed shop. Go to one and talk to one of the people that have already been through a build. Here are some places to go. Double check and make sure they are still on.

------------------------------------------------------ DALLAS - Saturday Nights. Kellers Drive In. Northwest Hwy. at Abrams.

  • 2nd Sat, April thru Nov. Chuck's Restaurant, 502 Spanish Village Shopping Center.

  • 2nd Sat. April - Sept. Summer Knights Car Club. for new location, Call Bill - 214-327-0091.

  • 4th Saturdays. Chucks at Midway and Trinity Mills. Dallas Mopar Club Jerry, 972-271-6189.

------------------------------------------------------ FORT WORTH - 2nd Saturday - North Texas Street Car, 4051 Denton Hwy. Gary, 817-838-6508.

  • 3rd Sat. - Christin Classic Cruisers. April - Oct. North Hills Mall. HiWay 26 & Loop 820. 817-267-5095.

  • Sunday Mornings. 6AM-Noon. Busy B's Bakery. 3701 Southwest Blvd. Dean,

817-798-8702.

---------------------------------------------------------

I would also ask the shop you are thinking about using for a couple of references and talk to the folks that have "been there, done that".

Leon Rowell, Iowa

Richard wrote:

Reply to
Leon Rowell

Having lived through thosse years (arrggggg!) I'll remind you that the vehicles of the late 50s and 60s were not known for long life. Design life was max of 100K, and usually by 70 to 80 K miles they were basically done for. We pay more for cars and trucks today, but truthfully our new vehicles last a lot longer now.

That said, if you want to keep it original go for it, if original is not important you may want to consider a crate engine with an automatic.

Also, you realize that this is not an investment, and you won't get your money out of it when you sell it, right? Many professional restorations don't recover the cost, and unless you are one heck of a good mechanic and builder a 'home rolled' restoration will never be worth the money. If you are doing this for the fun and joy of driving it, you will have a blast, do it the way you want because you'll probably have it for a long(er) time.

One of my favorite vehicles in that year time frame was a 59 Chevy BelAir soft top. Paid $25 at the junk yard for it, drove it for four months until the plates expired, and then sold it to a friend for $25.

Reply to
Peter D. Hipson

I totally disagree with this. I starting driving in late 60?s and a lot of those old trucks were still around and I owned a few too. They were real trucks not like todays car trucks amd would last a very long time if service properly which many of them were not also motor oil was not very good in the 50?s and early 60?s and engines would sludge up badly early in life if oil was not change often and even then they still would somewhat. I new 1960 P/U truck would outlast a new 2005 one easily in hard use. The fact that there still are a few of them running around is testament to their strudyness and was likley rust and poor maintanance that killed the one that are not running now not age, not because of poor design.

Reply to
SnoMan

Go to LMC truck.com and order a catalog, they have EVERYTHING and it's not expensive. Secondly, get a front axel off a 70's chevy and convert to pwr steering and pwr disk brakes, makes a HUGE difference. Mine is a blast to drive and gets many looks.And now it brakes like a modern truck.

Reply to
James

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