Finally got a running 65 C10

[1low4x4]

Finally! I could afford a running driving 60s pick up. I sold my 2022 Honda CB 1000 R to get this. Went from doing 160 miles an hour on the freeway to 55 lol.

My first truck was a 64 GMC suburban, I’ve been chasing that feeling ever since. I’ve had several, none of them running, all project trucks, all sold before they realized their potential.

Introducing pokey. 1965 Chevrolet C 10 stepper. Factory 283/3 speed three on the tree. She has some rust in the usual places, but the hood is solid. I took the windshield out today, getting a new one tomorrow and it’s completely solid all the way around so I’m happy about that.

I paid 8000 for it which around here is pretty standard. Changed the belt after it left me stranded, changed the water pump after it started leaking the other night. Added some lights under the dash. Changed a leaky rear axle shaft seal. Removed the purple tint off the back glass. Painted the Chevrolet on the grill and tailgate. Sanded the white paint off the little piece by the door that somebody had sprayed.

Other than that, I’ve just enjoyed the hell out of it, had it for a couple of weeks now. She’ll do 70 something, probably faster if you wanted to blow it up with high RPM. She likes 55 the best. I’ve put 800 miles on it in in just a few weeks.

I was going to do the roadkill thing and just patch up this 283 drive train as I went but to hell with that, it really needs an automatic transmission with overdrive and honestly, the best bang for the buck to make it reliable is an LS. I’d love to have it with a 5.3 or something. So that’s what I’m going to start saving parts for. Any tips and tricks are welcome. I know there are people that make harnesses for the transmission and engine that deletes all the BS.

The 283 has a really good oil leak, and the transmission, besides being three speed leaks gear oil really badly. The shifter has gotten stuck a few times, I’ve had to unstick it. Needs to be rebuilt with bushings, but honestly, I’m just ready to get rid of it. It’s kind of a chore to drive anywhere but the highway.

If I can get power steering on it, with an LS and auto trans this thing would rock more. I want to keep the truck on the road as much as possible. Going to be replacing some floorboards and rockers at some point but only if I can do it in two or three days and then drive it. I like to be able to drive it to the gym Every day. I’d like to get all the stuff for the LS swap so it’s down a minimal amount of time, waiting on stuff like driveshaft changes, etc. only.

 

[1low4x4]

Here’s a few more

 

[1low4x4]

And some more

 

[1low4x4]

Moar

 

[DoubleDingo]

Nice find! I know LS is the big fad, but the small block is plenty reliable and can get good mileage when properly tuned. It being a short bed truck, it's like a car with a bed. I say that because you could install a decent small block, th400 or th350, and 3.55 gears and you'd easily get 14-16 mpg's and have plenty of speed if you wanted it. You could even run 3.42 or maybe 3.08 with a th400 or th350 and you'd be fine.

My old Mean Green had a crate 350, sm420, Dana 60 with 3.54 rear, and it hauled @$$ and got decent mileage (14-16 cruising 65-70) for a 65 C20. 2600 rpms was 70 with 29 or 30 inch diameter tires.

Drove it everywhere. It was reliable as heck, and didn't ever leave me stranded.

I'd hate to see you swap in LS just because of reliability when there are many reliable engines out there. If you want computer controls go LS. If you want good old school and less modifications, small block is it.

 

[bucket]

In the mean time, you can adjust the clearance between the shift levers at the end of the column and it's very simple. There's a collar that can rotate to take up the slack. That should take care of the shifter getting jammed.

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I believe that many column shifters have been abandoned simply because people aren't aware that the levers need adjusted every decade or so.

 

[bucket]

Also, @DoubleDingo post is spot on. Personally, I'd likely seriously consider doing a basic refresh on the 283 and swap in some form of overdrive trans. Either that or build a very healthy small block and disguise it as a stock 283.

 

[DoubleDingo]

In the mean time, you can adjust the clearance between the shift levers at the end of the column and it's very simple. There's a collar that can rotate to take up the slack. That should take care of the shifter getting jammed.

You must be registered for see images attach

I believe that many column shifters have been abandoned simply because people aren't aware that the levers need adjusted every decade or so.

It's easy and corrects a lot of bad behavior issues with the column shift.

 

[TotalyHucked]

Nice truck and welcome! I'm a big LS fanboi so if you plan to drive the hell out of it, that gets my vote. I LOVE the hot 5.3 I put together for my '85.

That said, I would eventually like to build something with an older smallblock too. I've got my name in the hat for our survivor '67 CST at work and if I get it, the 327 will get a refresh with a mild cam and I'll swap a T5 in place of the 3OTT and just keep it a cruiser.

 

[1low4x4]

I adjusted the column shifter the other day, and topped the trans off with gear oil and that helped as well.

As far as keeping it old school, maybe. I’ve had plenty of squares with small blocks that did good. I’ve also had plenty of new trucks with Ls platforms.

If this truck already had overdrive and didn’t have a massive oil leak in both the engine and trans I’d probably consider keeping it more.

The main thing with this truck and I cannot stress this enough is downtime. I don’t want another months long project cause it never works out for me, I always end up selling out.

There is the option of buying the 350 in the white k10 I sold to a friend for $750. He parked the truck in the yard as soon as he bought it from me five years ago and it hasn’t moved since which really upsets me because I had it running mint. That engine was built by my dad and I back around 07, just a 4 bolt main 350 built fresh, vortec heads, some cam and a q jet. Idk. This 283 has good power it just needs a little help, the gas tank is new, the fuel pump is new, all the fuel lines are new, the carburetor is new. The previous guy said that after it gets hot, it doesn’t want to restart. I haven’t had that problem, but it’s been very mild or chilly here still.

It’s getting 11 miles per gallon at 55 to 65 mph. It has just started doing like a detonation thing around 68 mph so I just back it off. It really likes 60 mph lol

As I mentioned, with a new belt and water pump, it cools great, oh also a thermostat which it probably didn’t need but I changed anyway. The radiator looks new inside so I don’t know. But when I’m driving, the temperature creeps up to around 200/210. When I back off of it it cools right back down. Weird because you would think it would cool better at highway temperatures especially with cold air. Maybe it’s just because of the high RPM this three speed commands?

I’m kind of wondering what the timing looks like. I don’t even have a timing light anymore. I’ll have to go buy one to check it.

Anyway, I would be open to keeping the 283 but I really want some sort of fourth gear or overdrive. Just like I put that 4l80e in my 85 C20 with a TCI standalone controller that was a lifesaver over the Th400. I would be open to doing that again I guess.

New windshield today. My good friend got it in, that’s his profession and what a skill it takes to work one of these in with a new gasket. Like it’s not even there. It was leaking around the old gasket, gotta stop that before I replace floorboard sections

 

[Ricko1966]

A 200 r4 swap would be a dirt simple,cheap,and easy 1 afternoon project,no controller required. Leave the stock pedals, with a spring holding the clutch pedal up and use something like an indy matic shifter it would look like a 4 speed. U could probably use lokar style linkage to shift the 200 r4 with the 3 speed column shifter. I'll try to a pic of the linkage I'm talking about. A t5 from an s10 or camaro would be another easy swap.

 

[1low4x4]

Tell me more about this fabled 200 r4

 

[bucket]

Tell me more about this fabled 200 r4

It was most commonly installed in 80's B and G body cars. Their dimensions are favorable to swap in place of a TH350 and I believe the old 3 speed manuals too. You just have to use the th400 frame holes for the trans crossmember.