80 C10 "Nemo" Build - Started as: Front frame buckled…

[Trucksareforwork]

Here’s a fun one. I picked this truck up earlier this year. It’s an 80 c10.

Drives straight. Had many more things to fix than this, so I’m just getting to tearing it down.

It was in the grass and I crawled under a bit when I bought it, but probably got myself in a hurry, so yeah yeah yeah.

Prior owner said it had previously had a roll pan on the front, so the frame ears had been cut. It had a chrome bumper on it when I bought it.

Finally stripped the front clip to pull motor and do some other freshening (I’ll post on that later), and here’s the true story:

You must be registered for see images attach

The driver side frame rail is buckled badly up to and I think including the first crossmember.

I was in the mode of just trimming this up and welding or bolting on some quarter inch plate to re form the frame ears. Am I dealing with danger here?

As I said, the truck tracks straight. It actually drives nice.

What would gmsb do?

 

[Bennyt]

I feel like you are going to be chasing problems for years. These frame are pretty weak and if you have significant damage up front, you'll probably have other issues arise.

I would personally do a swap. I can't speak for your area, but in Phoenix, I see frames for $300-500 pretty regularly.

 

[fast 99]

Agree these frames aren't the strongest. However, if this was an insurance claim really doubt they would opt for a frame replacement. A frame shop could easily straighten that out.

I replaced a frame once on a SB. There are many little changes made over the years. In my case finding an undamaged exact replacement wasn't possible. So before you make a decision check availability.

 

[RanchWelder]

Yah ^^^ what he said.
You are likely going to have to pay to have it straightened or find a donor frame with a clean title.
Good luck.

You might be able to square it up by pulling the engine, cutting the cross member out and installing an ORD cross member. I would call them and ask about the process. The frame is likely parallelogram bent.

You'll need to fabricate a mock up engine block to re-align the frame properly and pull / straighten the front end mounts.

The ORD brace could very well be the solution, because it has extra strong bracing. It's a lot of hard work loosening everything and re-squaring the suspension professionally on a beam. $$$$ The problem is, you still have a crappy 1/2 ton frame, after all the work.

Even when an insurance company pays for a frame job, the fender lines and hood lines rarely align correctly ever again. It will hardly pass the marble test unless you get very very lucky...

You can have a custom roller fabricated with all the problems and design flaws removed for good, if you look around the internet. The 1985 frame is very hard to find in good shape. If you are willing to take everything off, are you going to trust a junk yard roller is really any better?

A custom frame would likely yield a better resale value and a safer truck, in the long run.

Here's a link for the style I would buy if the cash ever became available.:
https://scottshotrods.com/81-87-square-body-c10-truck-chassis/

Starts at $14,000. 1/3rd the price of a new truck. Your 1985 Classic body parts, carefully and lovingly removed and reinstalled onto ScottsHotRods frame would carry a very high resale value. It comes with a custom front suspension.

Here's the TCI offering:
https://totalcostinvolved.com/product-category/chevy-pickup/1973-1987-chevy-c10-truck/

Figure $21K after everything is said and done, frame, axles, new body hardware, complete refit, using as much of your old parts as possible.

It really makes $ense, (if you've got the dosh and the willingness to resto-mod) considering the limited availability of a quality 1985 chassis, nationwide.

Maybe you'll get lucky and one last good old 85' will magically appear for sale in SC, now you posted on here?
If not, the scarcity of the 1985 trucks means your parts are worth a bunch if you part it out.

There's probably over 2000 resto-builders in your situation nationwide right now... You are not alone.

 

[Grit dog]

Guess I’m in the other camp. Not broken, probably driven like that for a decade or 2 or 3. Did the body line up decent before? Weld some ears in to hold a bumper on the front and let er rip. Unless you’re doing some high $ Mecum build or something….

 

[fast 99]

You might be able to square it up by pulling the engine, cutting the cross member out and installing an ORD cross member. I would call them and ask about the process. The frame is likely parallelogram bent.

Yes, diamonded you know those trucks that dog track.

 

[Termite_Delight]

I would do some diagonal measurements to see if it's parallel, if it is, straighten the frame rail and weld on some horns from a junkyard... call it done.
If it's out of square, swap the frame.

 

[Trucksareforwork]

Yah ^^^ what he said.
You are likely going to have to pay to have it straightened or find a donor frame with a clean title.
Good luck.

You might be able to square it up by pulling the engine, cutting the cross member out and installing an ORD cross member. I would call them and ask about the process. The frame is likely parallelogram bent.

You'll need to fabricate a mock up engine block to re-align the frame properly and pull / straighten the front end mounts.

The ORD brace could very well be the solution, because it has extra strong bracing. It's a lot of hard work loosening everything and re-squaring the suspension professionally on a beam. $$$$ The problem is, you still have a crappy 1/2 ton frame, after all the work.

Even when an insurance company pays for a frame job, the fender lines and hood lines rarely align correctly ever again. It will hardly pass the marble test unless you get very very lucky...

You can have a custom roller fabricated with all the problems and design flaws removed for good, if you look around the internet. The 1985 frame is very hard to find in good shape. If you are willing to take everything off, are you going to trust a junk yard roller is really any better?

A custom frame would likely yield a better resale value and a safer truck, in the long run.

Here's a link for the style I would buy if the cash ever became available.:
https://scottshotrods.com/81-87-square-body-c10-truck-chassis/

Starts at $14,000. 1/3rd the price of a new truck. Your 1985 Classic body parts, carefully and lovingly removed and reinstalled onto ScottsHotRods frame would carry a very high resale value. It comes with a custom front suspension.

Here's the TCI offering:
https://totalcostinvolved.com/product-category/chevy-pickup/1973-1987-chevy-c10-truck/

Figure $21K after everything is said and done, frame, axles, new body hardware, complete refit, using as much of your old parts as possible.

It really makes $ense, (if you've got the dosh and the willingness to resto-mod) considering the limited availability of a quality 1985 chassis, nationwide.

Maybe you'll get lucky and one last good old 85' will magically appear for sale in SC, now you posted on here?
If not, the scarcity of the 1985 trucks means your parts are worth a bunch if you part it out.

There's probably over 2000 resto-builders in your situation nationwide right now... You are not alone.

Yeah. Reality is that the truck isn’t worth that level of investment at the moment (this isn’t the ‘85 in my profile, it’s an 80 that I picked up for relatively cheap). I think if I were to go the custom chassis route, I’d be starting with a better cab.

I thought titles went with the cab, not the frame, am I wrong on that?

@gritdog, the body lined up fine, fenders and front clip sit level, cab is square and doors open and shut better than my ‘85 that has new door pins, honestly. I’m still thinking weld on ears, but am going to measure and think about frame swap. The only reason for frame swap is resale, but if that messes up the clean title I have I’d rather just disclose the frame damage to the next fella and take the hit.

 

[Trucksareforwork]

Guess I’m in the other camp. Not broken, probably driven like that for a decade or 2 or 3. Did the body line up decent before? Weld some ears in to hold a bumper on the front and let er rip. Unless you’re doing some high $ Mecum build or something….

You are correct. The core support definitely hasn’t been off the truck for at least 20 years. It did unbolt pretty easy but the body mounts were old and cruddy. I wouldn’t be surprised if this was damage circa 1980s.

 

[SquareRoot]

LS Swap and run it. It's not like it's a collectors item.

 

[squaredeal91]

I've got this 80 k10 with frame damage I didn't know about. I'll probably do what I can and see how it drives. I've got a chain and some oaks!!

 

[squaredeal91]

@SquareRoot makes me laugh every time!!
LS swap the world!

 

[RanchWelder]

Yes, diamonded you know those trucks that dog track.

That's my point. You'll feel great driving while your tires get eaten up or find out the hard way when somebody cuts you off and the steering breaks loose. Caster can be deadly at high speeds. Unless you're a Hurricane Hell Driver and can stay in control on 2 same side wheels... at a 30 degree angle to the world.

Never Forget "Big E".

If you hack the repair, and you re-sell it as a straight driving truck, your doing exactly the same thing somebody did to you...

Is that OK?
In my mind that is very un-cool.

 

[RanchWelder]

I've got this 80 k10 with frame damage I didn't know about. I'll probably do what I can and see how it drives. I've got a chain and some oaks!!

It's got at least another 2 season's of the Duke's of Hazzard left in her!
If you flip it on to the roof a few times, it might straighten it out.

I typed this smart axx remark and missed all the recent posts...

You burned all of us with the 1985 picture!
If it was an 85' there would have been people offering to buy it... you got me!

Sucks getting ripped. Been there got the T-shirt.
I missed your post about re-selling with full disclosure.
That is very honorable and was why I edited the smart remarks post.

Resell it as a Family trash hauler?
Everybody needs one of those.
They don't get much highway time and still give the community something to photograph, when it's running around town. Keep em running!

PS: Call ORD, their engine frame support looks very cool!

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[squaredeal91]

@RanchWelder made me think of this. When I was 17-18 me and my friend had this 1968 c20 327 4 barrel 4spd. His dad was an equipment operator and made us a jump in there cow pasture and it was about 3 feet at the lip and we'd play Duke boys till our backs hurt lol. That truck was sooooo funn