J DUNN
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- Joined
- Jun 2, 2015
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More pics and story to follow.
Very nice build. a whole lot of hours into it.
Whats the toneau cover made out of? is it glass or is it fabricated?
That entire thing is beyond clean.
I love those C-10 short beds.....wish I still had mine.
Great story. Thanks for sharing. Sorry for your loss. Sounds like pops was a fantastic person. I would've loved for my dad to have had a passion for cars and do stuff like that while growing up. Next best thing is to pass it onto the next generation (which you're also doing). Very cool.So here is some of the story. Dad and I have always been into 67-72 chevy trucks. I had one in HS and got another one (a red SWB) about 6 years ago and sold it not too much later. When I was young Dad had a C-20 that got stolen from our driveway. So after I got mine 6 years ago, he picked this up from a customer of ours who wanted to build it but knew he didn't have the time. It had a matte black paint job, interior was decent and it had a 383 in it. Dad bought it for a "driver". Yeah right, nothing my Dad owns ever stays in a mediocre condition, it has to be the best he can make it. And so it was with this truck. He already had the black '62 Impala (seen in background and in another post or two here on RDP) and he had a '68 SWB project that was planned to "lay frame", and he had the '62 Impala Pro Street project that I recently sold un-finished. So he starts tearing it apart and realizes it was a chopped frame (fake short-bed) so he finds a donor frame. Buys that and mocks up the roller the way he wants it with all the Porterbuilt Suspension parts for this to still be a "mild" build and a daily driver. He sells the 383 and works a deal to get the 454 that is in it. I saw the dyno video and the HP is above 450. Plenty of power.
My Dad is not a fabricator. I consider him more like the designer, architect and GC if you relate it to construction terms. All of the PB suspension is bolt on so he got the roller all mocked up and placed the bags, compressor mounts and what not. He wanted it to go as low as it could without having to modify the bed floor or wheel tubs. Once roller was done with all he could do he transferred the cab, front end and bed over to the new frame and got the body guys involved. They pinned the door hinges so realignment would be less painful. Cut out the dash in the cab all because the radio hole was cut and had his fab guy, Leonard weld in the replacement dash. Leonard also custom fabbed the bed cover. After all body panels were done he tore it all down and sent body to body shop (Canyon Paint and Body in Brea) and frame and suspension to powder coat (Pac Coast Powder in Palmdale). The core support and front fenders got powder coat as well along with high temp body filler where needed to make them straight. When all the parts started coming back in, he reassembled. Reassembly started about the same time that I bought the family business from him, Jan 2015. It was a tough time for him and I which was rare for us. We worked together for 17 years and were best friends. I was 38 and he was 65. The truck was a blessing because it gave him something to do in his new found retirement. Previously he'd been working 1-2 days a week on it and some nights. So he built it all back up and got it to the state of most of these pics. In April of 2017 he passed away. I have many memories with him near the end that involved this truck. Last bit he did on it was the dash panel. He designed it and had just gotten it back from polisher, so proud of it, it was the last thing he and I discussed in his shop, unknowingly a few weeks before his passing. Literally on hospital bed day before he passed, he gave me explicit instructions regarding all toys and projects. Part of it was for me to buy the truck from the estate and finish it and so I'm doing just that. He told me to sell other projects, sell Hallett 240 and sell '62 Black Impala. We kept Impala, Mom still owns it and I am caretaker of it. Sidebar: My older brother and I trailered Impala to Pasadena and (after a little teaching) got little bro (late 20's) to drive it for his wedding day a year ago, great tribute to Dad. Other than that we take it out about once or twice a year for shows.
So for the last 2 and a half years I've been working on the truck. I hung the doors, mounted the dash panel, contracted wiring, contracted all hardline and rear disc conversion (to Bent Performance in Chatsworth per Dad's instructions). I put steering column in with the help of my Dad's long time friend and co-builder on this truck, Alan Dekoning. I've used Dad's lift and Dad's tools to do the work. Even tapped into some of Dad's knowledge along the way, I feel he's with me and helps me sometimes. Well, I have done a lot in 2.5 years but not enough. I want it done and I want to drive it with my kids to remember Dad/Grandpa. I have more resources than time so I have sent it off to a shop to get finished. My goal is to have it complete and at it's first show in May of 2020. The builder is confident it can happen. Trying to take it to the C-10 Nationals in Fort Worth Texas, figured that would be a great debut of the truck.
Thanks for reading the story. I'll try to add more tidbits along the way.
So here is some of the story. Dad and I have always been into 67-72 chevy trucks. I had one in HS and got another one (a red SWB) about 6 years ago and sold it not too much later. When I was young Dad had a C-20 that got stolen from our driveway. So after I got mine 6 years ago, he picked this up from a customer of ours who wanted to build it but knew he didn't have the time. It had a matte black paint job, interior was decent and it had a 383 in it. Dad bought it for a "driver". Yeah right, nothing my Dad owns ever stays in a mediocre condition, it has to be the best he can make it. And so it was with this truck. He already had the black '62 Impala (seen in background and in another post or two here on RDP) and he had a '68 SWB project that was planned to "lay frame", and he had the '62 Impala Pro Street project that I recently sold un-finished. So he starts tearing it apart and realizes it was a chopped frame (fake short-bed) so he finds a donor frame. Buys that and mocks up the roller the way he wants it with all the Porterbuilt Suspension parts for this to still be a "mild" build and a daily driver. He sells the 383 and works a deal to get the 454 that is in it. I saw the dyno video and the HP is above 450. Plenty of power.
My Dad is not a fabricator. I consider him more like the designer, architect and GC if you relate it to construction terms. All of the PB suspension is bolt on so he got the roller all mocked up and placed the bags, compressor mounts and what not. He wanted it to go as low as it could without having to modify the bed floor or wheel tubs. Once roller was done with all he could do he transferred the cab, front end and bed over to the new frame and got the body guys involved. They pinned the door hinges so realignment would be less painful. Cut out the dash in the cab all because the radio hole was cut and had his fab guy, Leonard weld in the replacement dash. Leonard also custom fabbed the bed cover. After all body panels were done he tore it all down and sent body to body shop (Canyon Paint and Body in Brea) and frame and suspension to powder coat (Pac Coast Powder in Palmdale). The core support and front fenders got powder coat as well along with high temp body filler where needed to make them straight. When all the parts started coming back in, he reassembled. Reassembly started about the same time that I bought the family business from him, Jan 2015. It was a tough time for him and I which was rare for us. We worked together for 17 years and were best friends. I was 38 and he was 65. The truck was a blessing because it gave him something to do in his new found retirement. Previously he'd been working 1-2 days a week on it and some nights. So he built it all back up and got it to the state of most of these pics. In April of 2017 he passed away. I have many memories with him near the end that involved this truck. Last bit he did on it was the dash panel. He designed it and had just gotten it back from polisher, so proud of it, it was the last thing he and I discussed in his shop, unknowingly a few weeks before his passing. Literally on hospital bed day before he passed, he gave me explicit instructions regarding all toys and projects. Part of it was for me to buy the truck from the estate and finish it and so I'm doing just that. He told me to sell other projects, sell Hallett 240 and sell '62 Black Impala. We kept Impala, Mom still owns it and I am caretaker of it. Sidebar: My older brother and I trailered Impala to Pasadena and (after a little teaching) got little bro (late 20's) to drive it for his wedding day a year ago, great tribute to Dad. Other than that we take it out about once or twice a year for shows.
So for the last 2 and a half years I've been working on the truck. I hung the doors, mounted the dash panel, contracted wiring, contracted all hardline and rear disc conversion (to Bent Performance in Chatsworth per Dad's instructions). I put steering column in with the help of my Dad's long time friend and co-builder on this truck, Alan Dekoning. I've used Dad's lift and Dad's tools to do the work. Even tapped into some of Dad's knowledge along the way, I feel he's with me and helps me sometimes. Well, I have done a lot in 2.5 years but not enough. I want it done and I want to drive it with my kids to remember Dad/Grandpa. I have more resources than time so I have sent it off to a shop to get finished. My goal is to have it complete and at it's first show in May of 2020. The builder is confident it can happen. Trying to take it to the C-10 Nationals in Fort Worth Texas, figured that would be a great debut of the truck.
Thanks for reading the story. I'll try to add more tidbits along the way.
Nice build, where did you put the fuel fill ?
I'm doing a '67 and debating on putting it in the tail light or bed floor
Bed floor is easiest.....But tail light is the cleanest way....Post some picsNice build, where did you put the fuel fill ?
I'm doing a '67 and debating on putting it in the tail light or bed floor
Nice build, where did you put the fuel fill ?
I'm doing a '67 and debating on putting it in the tail light or bed floor
lol...truck is badass but my eye got redirected to the 62 instantly... @J DUNN not to steal the fire and story from pops truck but can you throw me & tank a bone post a couple of the 62(own one myself)That thing is over the top sick!
I'm kind'a drooling over that 62 Impala in the background though!
lol...truck is badass but my eye got redirected to the 62 instantly... @J DUNN not to steal the fire and story from pops truck but can you throw me & tank a bone post a couple of the 62(own one myself)
***my slow ass didn't look at the post date sorry for the delayed reaction
Fn BADASS she is beaut... mines a hooptie compared to that...What, this old thing? LOL. This was the car Dad built before he started the truck. This is worthy of it's own thread. In process now of buying this from Mom so it will stay in the family. Just had all air ride upgraded to Accu-air E-level like the truck has. Here's a few teaser shots.
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So when’s this going for sale
Isn’t the virus putting you in a desperate position
Very nice build. a whole lot of hours into it.