Son's First C10 - Red Rover
 

Hey guys, I joined a few weeks ago and just now putting up a build thread of my father/son project I am doing with my oldest boy, Korbin. He turned 16 last month and we are trying to finish up his first vehicle. He actually bought this truck from an old friend of mine a few years ago. We started on it right away, but as many projects go, life got in the way of completing it by his 16th birthday. We are on a fast track now to get it completed enought to take to a car show at the end of this month. We should have the cab back from the painter Friday of this week. While he is painting the bed and fenders, we will be putting it all together.

Anyway, here is what he bought for $250 of his own money the summer he turned 13.:
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...s/100_0132.jpg
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...s/100_1725.jpg
and he got this one as part of the package:
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...s/100_0124.jpg

We started on the blue one and gave it a wash before brining it home for a full inspection. We decided to take it completly apart and redo everything. From a distance it did not look to bad.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...s/100_1724.jpg

Did not run so we pulled the motor out to find out what was wrong. We found a broken flex plate, damaged harmonic balancer and a locked up bottom end. It was a 305 so off to the scrapper it went.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...Bodies/103.jpg

Fast forward about a year and we had this:
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...1/363a5a1e.jpg
by this time we had modified the frame for the rear notch and raised the front crossmember up in the frame 1.5" to get the lower arms up off the ground. We added dropped spindles and 13" corvette brakes to the front and did a flip kit in the rear. The cab had a ton of rust in it and we decided to use 2008 Silverado seats, so I built a custom floor to get the seats how we wanted and to clear the 4L60e trans. The engine is a 5.3 out of a 2000 GMC 1500 and we set it back as far as we could to help with handling. Korbin wants it to handle and stop well so that we can Autocross it from time to time. Up to this point we have done all the work ourselves either in the yard/garage at home, or is a shop I had rented for another venture that did not work out. While at the shop we did most of the metal work on the cab and got the Rack & Pinion steering set up in the frame and put the frame back together.

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...DC5C7748F5.jpg

October/November 2012 the frame looked like this:
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...1CD954B37B.jpg
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...FD144AA4A0.jpg
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...FD1BA04C6E.jpg
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...2FEFAAF342.jpg

In December 2012, we had the frame completed with the major changes and took it to a local car show and got a bunch of good feedback. Here are some shots from the show of the front suspension:
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...lk91/Front.jpg
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...91/FrontDS.jpg
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...91/FrontPS.jpg
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...D2BB2ACC50.jpg

Welcome Karl - Great to see another Father-Son project! :thumbsup:

That's awesome you and your son are building this together. I would have killed to have something like this for a first car. Cool project!

In May 2013, we moved everything to the house and took over the garage. This gave us the chance to do a final mock up of the body for paint work.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps9d3122b7.jpg

Made the garage a temp spraybooth for the epoxy primer.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps87285a3e.jpg

After that we bought a Harbor Freight portable garage to make a spraybooth and shot the Raptor liner on the bottom of the cab:
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...psad366612.jpg

Fast forward to current times. We have just finished the brake lines and most of the fuel lines on the frame. We farmed out the final paint work to a local guy since we are trying to get this thing done soon. We have the chassis 90% complete and finishing up the metal work on the bed. Should have the cab back this week and the bed to the painter when we go to pick up the cab. Then it will be a final assembly thrash fest to get it running and driving for the show at the end of this month.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps279d7f26.jpg
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps25b7d0f1.jpg
C5 rear brakes with in hat E-brake adapted to a 12 bolt rear end:
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...psa0e9ab7c.jpg
Korbin is tapping a hole for the brake line clamps:
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...psc0eb519e.jpg

That about brings it up to date at this point. For a full story and build thread go here:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=418618

Thanks for looking!

Thanks Guys, we have been enjoying this project and are getting exicted to have it running soon.

Korbin has different wheels for the final assembly, the ones in the mock up picture are just rollers from my old street truck.

Welcome Karl from right down the road in Dallas. Your son is going to be the coolest kid rolling down I-20...east or west. LOL!! Truck is looking good.

Welcome, Karl. The truck looks good. Good luck getting it done in time for the show.

Good for you two. Would love to get a project going with my son. He turns 13 later this month. I've planting seeds but not much interest yet. I'll keep trying.

Looking forward to watching thing come together for you guys.

Thanks Guys, we did not get much done last night. Korbin got the oil pan swapped to the LSA from the truck pan and I got the rear fenders in their last coat of primer/surfacer.

Tonight I hope to get the bed flipped over to finish the metal work on the bottom side and prep it for epoxy and the Raptor liner on the bottom side.

My painter sprayed the cab yesterday and sent me this pic on from his phone:
:excited:
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps1b72f2d5.jpg

Korbin is going over there this afternoon to drop off the rear fenders and steps and pick up the cab so that we can set it on the chassis. This really helped Korbin's spirits on get the truck together. IF it all goes right the next few days, we are shooting to have the truck rolling by Sunday night.

Sick build, can't beat red.

Very productive weekend for the truck. We got a bunch of work done. Fuel tank mounted and pump wires ran to the front, exhaust in, front suspension back together, engine and trans back in, drive shaft fits, and the cab is on back on the frame for the last time. I did not get a picture of the cab on the frame last night, completely forgot before it got dark outside.

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...psa1f8dc68.jpg
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps4912d59c.jpg
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps7e8910f7.jpg
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps5093f172.jpg
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...psd5fb305c.jpg

Our front wheels should ship from aewheel today. We hope they got it right this time...

Dang Karl! You and Korbin do some outstanding work!!! Super cool project!!

I gotta say this is probably my favorite build going on right now....and I'm not really a truck kind of guy, so that says something!

:thumbsup: :thumbsup:

We got the cab on and a bunch of stuff done. Glass went in today. Here are some pics, the last one is at 11:45 pm last night after getting the engine started in the truck for the first time.

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps4ce0bb8e.jpg
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...psa037d7e8.jpg
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps016c8e93.jpg
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps566e2e61.jpg
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps8a02c613.jpg

Momma is happy! The rest of us where just too tired to care...
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...psdc49022b.jpg

Congrats! Truck is coming together nicely.

WOW, that sucker is nice! your son is lucky to have a father like yourself. :thumbsup:

looking good guys, keep up the good work and will look forward seeing this one running.

We got it together enought to take it for a spin around the block and loaded onto a trailer to take it to the show in Austin unfinished, but we had a great time.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...psc3ea6853.jpg

Here is Korbin and I at the show. The truck still needs alot of work to make it a daily driver, but it was enough to get to the show and have a great time.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...psb7ece6d6.jpg

Proud Mom and her baby...
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...psc670a29a.jpg

Here is a cool pic my son put together with pic stitch:
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps2f52ce20.jpg

I'll get more pics as we work on the interior and the other parts that need to be finished up.

Congrats Karl! Looking real good :cheers:

Great looking Truck, I saw I lot of trucks at Ohio Goodguys and now thats another build to ad to the list.

Great looking truck!!! LOVE those models especially with the stepside/ short box!

One question tough, i see you have 2 other projects to build ( read: kids ) have they made their choice on any particular models?? Lol!!!

Talk about a great excuse to build more cars!! Albeith i have 3 girls...i'm sure i can manage to get something out of this now that you got me thinking...:thankyou:


Keep the good work up!!

Lead.

Thanks Guys!

The next kid in line is already thinking of something to build. He goes back and forth between a new body style truck or a second gen Camaro. He is only 12. We won't get serious till he is about 14. Gives us time to look for something cool for him.

My last one is a girl and only 10. She is not thinking of cars yet, but she will. Most likely we will buy something for her, so does not like this whole building thing...

Karl,

It's great to hear you are getting to do this. I did a father and son project. Finished up last year. I dont regret any of it. :)

David

just a lieel update on what's going on with this one. I got to drive it to work a few weeks ago and let me say it is a fun little ride. It still has a few quirks we are working out, but over all we are happy with the results so far.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps80bf7d23.jpg

Last week the trans quit shifting into 3rd gear on Korbin. He was moving down the road up to our house and the truck would not go up one of the hills. He managed to get it home and found out the fluid was low. He added some to top it off, but it did not help. Last Friday, I took it out for a drive. Under 1/2 throttle or more it shifts fine all the way thru 4th gear. But, under light throttle it only goes thru 1st & 2nd, when it trys to go in to 3rd, it just free spins. Today, the trans shop looked at it as claims the 3-4 clutches are burned up. We will bring it home and look at it a bit closer before going to a full rebuild. I need to set up the OBD port and hook up a diagnostic tool to make sure it is not a sensor or something before we go much further....:bang:

Great Looking Truck guys! Love the father son builds. Keep up the awesome work and updates;)

Good Looking Ride!.. quite the build. Way to get him hooked on the motor head scene. He'll always appreciate it!. :cheers:

Nice stance. Color looks great as well. Glad it's coming together nicely for you guys. Good luck overcoming those hiccups that always seem to be present in builds.

Well since my last post, we chaged the name of the truck from Red Rover to Sunburn. Korbin's Aunt gave him a personalized plate for his birthday and that ended up being what he chose since we could not get any variation of Red Rover to work since they were all taken. Since the show in July, Korbin was able to drive it a bit before the trans went out. The way I did the trans cooler set up was not the best way and combine that with a higher stall convertor, well let's just say that did not work out well for us.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps4b3b7e71.jpg

Got another rebuilt trans with a warranty and a new convertor with less stall speed and added an additional cooler to the set up. Much better combination and the truck ran better too. Korbin was able to drive it to school some and then we had another set back. This time the brand new convertor ate up the clutch material inside it and that stuff plugged up the hole works inside the trans. :ohsnap:
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps1a7f69cc.jpg
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/i...ps7db79c14.jpg

So the the truck has now sat since Mid September. :getout:
We got the trans out and its going back to the trans guy this week. This is only the second convertor he has had bo bad and is really pissed because the damaged it caused to the trans.

While it is down, we are going to fix some of the small issues that we noticed once it was running and driving it for a short time.

Karl sorry to hear about the trouble with the trans. You and Korbin did an amazing job on the truck it came out great. I hope it goes back together soon so he can enjoy it again.

I'm running the same fuel tank set up as you, universal one from Tanks, Inc, on my '85 C10. Mounted in the same place as well!

Thanks guys!

The trans goes to the rebuilder tomorrow. Hope to have it back before Thanksgiving....We will see....