Sadly, I haven't started a thread yet. light cutouts are done on front bumper awaiting the trip to chrome shop (good ones are hard to find in GA) work has kept me on the road keeping the roof of the shop over my head so it put my stuff on the back burner. My nieces begged me to build a go-kart for them to go play in the mud and pastures at their dairy farm in NC. Since those little girls have me wrapped around their finger that took precedence as well. When I have kids of my own I hope I don't spoil them as much as I do my nieces. I will be in for a world of hurt...
1968 Chevy K10 SWB Overlander
- Thread starter snekvasil
- Start date
snekvasil
Adventurer
Bumper
Bumper Mods
Nothing too spectacular to update you all on. I've been swamped with work, so not much time for the truck. I bought steel last spring to make swing-out arms on my bumper. They've been sitting in storage since then, but now the right arm has taken shape. I went with 2" square stock. It's really beefy; I wanted to make sure it would hold up under stress.
I bought a spindle package from A to Z Fabrication. I decided to go with the "mega" spindle which can mount up to a 35" tire. My tires are only 32", but I may go up in diameter in the future.
The two spindles were welded to the bumper then then sleeves for the bearings were welded to the swing-out arms. Packing the bearings was not easy...we had to use a 20-ton press to get them packed correctly. Then I took the spare tire mount arm back off and painted it. In order to secure the arm, I'm using a T-bolt kit I found. I really like it because it screws into a plate that was welded directly to the bumper. This makes the bumper feel really snug and secure--no rattling around which was my main concern. On to the pictures...
This truck is what it is...nothing too fancy. But I love it and it gets the job done. I'm more and more impressed with its four-wheel-drive capabilities. I had to drive down into a ravine to get the logs out after my last tree job. The soil was loose and sandy. I put the truck in granny gear, 4LO, and crawled up the hill. Never slipped once. Several modern vehicles tried the same thing and all of them had to be pulled out by a dozer. It's a working truck that is evolving to meet my needs.
Hope you enjoy looking at the pics.
Bumper Mods
Nothing too spectacular to update you all on. I've been swamped with work, so not much time for the truck. I bought steel last spring to make swing-out arms on my bumper. They've been sitting in storage since then, but now the right arm has taken shape. I went with 2" square stock. It's really beefy; I wanted to make sure it would hold up under stress.
I bought a spindle package from A to Z Fabrication. I decided to go with the "mega" spindle which can mount up to a 35" tire. My tires are only 32", but I may go up in diameter in the future.
The two spindles were welded to the bumper then then sleeves for the bearings were welded to the swing-out arms. Packing the bearings was not easy...we had to use a 20-ton press to get them packed correctly. Then I took the spare tire mount arm back off and painted it. In order to secure the arm, I'm using a T-bolt kit I found. I really like it because it screws into a plate that was welded directly to the bumper. This makes the bumper feel really snug and secure--no rattling around which was my main concern. On to the pictures...
This was a dry fit when all the welding was done. Notice the left arm is sitting there for a dry fit, too, just to see how it would look. One gas can and one water can will go on the left arm.
After it was painted, with the tire on:
First time after using it on the job:
One last pic to show a different angle...
After it was painted, with the tire on:
First time after using it on the job:
One last pic to show a different angle...
This truck is what it is...nothing too fancy. But I love it and it gets the job done. I'm more and more impressed with its four-wheel-drive capabilities. I had to drive down into a ravine to get the logs out after my last tree job. The soil was loose and sandy. I put the truck in granny gear, 4LO, and crawled up the hill. Never slipped once. Several modern vehicles tried the same thing and all of them had to be pulled out by a dozer. It's a working truck that is evolving to meet my needs.
Hope you enjoy looking at the pics.
greengreer
Adventurer
Awesome truck and nice husky too! 562xp? Haven't run one yet but I love my autotune 576xp. Back to trucks, the 68-72 are my favorite bodystyle bar none. Yours looks great.
snekvasil
Adventurer
Wow you have a good eye for saws! Yes, it's the 562xp. Honestly, I'll never go back to Stihl. I think they make good saws, but Husqvarnas are a step above. The auto tune is especially impressive. No more messing with the carb! I still climb with a Stihl (200t) but all my other saws are Husky.
Thanks for the kind words about the truck. It sure is a fun machine!
greengreer
Adventurer
I dont own any stihls anymore but they still do have some nice saws, just none that I like better in the sizes I own. Used an 020t for a while, really wanting the t540xp, almost pulled the trigger and then I found my f150. Anyhow awesome to see another climber, especially one with good taste in saws and trucks.
1stDeuce
Explorer
When I was a starving college student at Michigan Tech, one of my buddies bought an ancient Scout. On the back was a well weather bumper sticker that read:
It's hard to be humble when you
own a Husqvarna chain saw!
When it was my time to buy a saw, I remembered my Dad, always tugging and tuning on a Poulan, trying to keep the thing running well or just start it. I took that bumper sticker to heart and bought a 55 Rancher. I've adjusted the carb once, when I first got to Colorado. Other than that, gas, oil, clean the air filter once in a while and sharpen the chain. I can start it and it will idle all day. Pull the trigger and it eats wood like a rabid beaver. What a great saw.
snekvasil
Adventurer
When I was a starving college student at Michigan Tech, one of my buddies bought an ancient Scout. On the back was a well weather bumper sticker that read:
It's hard to be humble when you
own a Husqvarna chain saw!
When it was my time to buy a saw, I remembered my Dad, always tugging and tuning on a Poulan, trying to keep the thing running well or just start it. I took that bumper sticker to heart and bought a 55 Rancher. I've adjusted the carb once, when I first got to Colorado. Other than that, gas, oil, clean the air filter once in a while and sharpen the chain. I can start it and it will idle all day. Pull the trigger and it eats wood like a rabid beaver. What a great saw.
I didn't know you went to Tech! Did you eat any pasties while you were up there
? I'm from Michigan as well. I love the area up by Houghton. Are you an engineer?
1stDeuce
Explorer
I didn't know you went to Tech! Did you eat any pasties while you were up there
Indeed on all accounts.
I am a Mechanical Engineer. (You know, the only real engineering degree...)
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NitroExpress
Observer
Super cool truck! You made great decisions on what to keep and what to upgrade. I grew up in my dad's 67, so looking at your interior pics brings back old memories. He had it until he bought a 96 Z-71. He was very upset when he got home with the new 96. When asked why he was upset he went back to his desk and retrieved the original window sticker from the 67. He could not figure out how the first one cost $2,500 and the second cost $25,000....
snekvasil
Adventurer
Isn't that crazy? I still have my grandpa's original title, and I believe it cost around $2,800.
1stDeuce
Explorer
According to an inflation calculator, $2,800 in 1967 would be $20k today. Your grandpa got a pretty good deal. If only a similar new truck today was $20k.
PlethoraOfGuns
Adventurer
According to an inflation calculator, $2,800 in 1967 would be $20k today. Your grandpa got a pretty good deal. If only a similar new truck today was $20k.
If they tried to build a solid truck like this, it would cost a fortune! No fancy stuff, just truck. From the days when Americans built things to be proud enough to stand behind. Well, maybe the brakes could have been better, but that's all they had back then and you just dealt with it. :smiley_drive:
Awesome truck, keep up the good work!