New member from Montana, '81 C10 longbed, 250 6 cylinder

[pinballlarry1]

Purchased this truck about 10 years ago for $400, ran poorly but got it home 20 miles. We call it the "Beast".

You must be registered for see images attach

Came from a farm in eastern Montana originally, via several owners. Has the long bed and 4 speed transmission. It has been on the back burner due to other projects until recently. Now I have time to work on it. Over the years I have replaced the tires, shocks, alternator, water pump, and rebuilt the Rochester carb. I knew that cylinder one had very low compression, so I decided in August to pull the head and inspect it.

You must be registered for see images attach

As purchased, tired, dirty and ugly.

As I assumed, the exhaust valve was burned in several places. After a $400 valve and head job at the local machine shop, I spent 2 days reassembling the engine. I had to find a used exhaust manifold from Minnesota since mine was cracked in several places.

You must be registered for see images attach

Stock exhaust manifold was pretty hard to find, no substitute for the 2 barrel dual exhaust model. Mine was horrible.

You must be registered for see images attach

Beautiful integrated manifold head after repair work.

Put a little gas in the carb, gave it a whirl and it started right up and boy does it like to go now!

You must be registered for see images attach

Cleaner and loves to run!

Even the granddaughters (9 and 11) like to ride with me. Future projects include adding 2nd battery, better horns, seat redo, maybe carpet, a radio, brake job. Probably going to keep the body damage and rust, it adds to the character!

 

[Mr Clean]

 

[Snoots]

Nice lookin' ride! Shoot us some interior pix.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[animal]

 

[WFO]

Welcome from the Texas Panhandle.

 

[pinballlarry1]

thanks for all the welcomes! I will have to take pics of the interior, it is very basic and plain. But here are some more pictures of the engine, amazing how much smoother it runs, I can tell a huge difference having all 6 cylinders making power. Odometer reads 154,000 but I think someone has been inside this engine before me. Some nuts and bolts had wrench marks and several lock washers were not installed.
Head assembly as removed:

You must be registered for see images attach

cylinder #1 valves, I could see that the exhaust valve was not round:

You must be registered for see images attach

#1 exhaust valve had 2 areas of erosion, all 11 other valves were in excellent conditon:

You must be registered for see images attach

After cleaning, machining, new valve:

You must be registered for see images attach

This head is very heavy and I am now 66, not as strong as in my youth, had to have a friend help set it on the block:

You must be registered for see images attach

more later!

 

[Doppleganger]

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Shorty81]

Welcome from Ohio

 

[Memaloose]

Wow, nice pickup!
I owned an '81 Custom Deluxe SWB C/10, 250, 3 speed on the column for 11 years, it was my daily driver. Very simple and reliable. I bought mine used for $1,400 in Alaska.
Thank you for sharing the photos and welcome from northwest Arizona.

 

[Octane]

Welcome.Love old straight six cylinders.

 

[Old Guy Bill]

Nice!
I love the GM six cylinder engine, it was in my very first car way back when I was a youngster.

 

[Terry Wilkerson]

Welcome from Kansas

 

[CorvairGeek]

Welcome from Idaho (and the 6 cylinder club)!

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[Strick]

NC welcomes you to the site. 6cyl/4-speed says "put me to work"! I love it and thanks for the pics.

HS

 

[pinballlarry1]

Here is the interior, pretty plain vanilla I think. But I do love vanilla! Seat had a cover on it until recently, I took it off. Floors look ok, just rust around the door openings. I have the plastic sill plates and new door weather stripping for a summer project. It had a non-functional AM radio, hoping to find one that works someday, there are no speakers anywhere in the dash or cab. Not sure about carpet or the original rubber floor mat yet. All glass is good. Padded dash cover is bad.

The seat foam is worn down about 1", I just sit on it as is:

You must be registered for see images attach

Original dash is ok, but someone put a rough square hole over by the headlight switch, function unknown. I added a manual choke when I rebuilt the carb:

You must be registered for see images attach

Seat is still comfortable, looks like passenger side was hardly ever used:

You must be registered for see images attach

Floor is very good with minor rust in a few areas:

You must be registered for see images attach

welcome aboard:

You must be registered for see images attach

It's getting very cold and occasional snow here in Western Montana, the Beast will be hibernating soon. Projects go on hold until April usually.