63 c10 questions

[chrome dont get u home]

i have a few questions about modifying a c10

1st. is there kits to lower the cab and box?,

2nd. what years were similar to the 63 61-66? was there anything different?

sorry if i sound like a noobie, but i am haha

thanks-mike

 

[26Troadster]

no body kits that i know of. the 60-62 had torsion bar front that is easy to lower. the 63 had a-frames and is lowered like any chevy to around 87 when the body style changed from the 73 to 87 body run, the reason i said that is you can take the whole front end and bolt it in the 63 to 66 to 71 for that mater. rear end up to 72 which is 5 lug in 73 they got about 3" wider. the front fenders and bed is about all that changes through the body run, but other things are the same.

 

[Old Iron]

Body wise, the A-pillars were different.
60-63 had a dogleg in the A-pillar (knee knocker) with a wrap around windshield and the 64-66 had a straight laid back A-pillar with the windshield not wrapped around.
Chevy's had rear coil springs with truck arms and GMC's had leaf springs in the rear.

 

[Willowbilly3]

The 5 hole hubs came out in 71 on 2wd. 4wd remained 6 hole. The leaf springs were optional on either Chevy or GMC. You could just use a whole front suspension from a 71 and newer to get disc brakes and buy lowered spindles. Plus you would have the good power steering.
Not a lot from the 64, 65, 66 bodys will fit the 61-63. The obvious differences mentioned, plus the dash is different, fenders, hoods (but they inter-change). Also I think some other stuff like the heater box might be different.

 

[zpi28]

I have a 71 Front end and Rear end in my 64 C10. For the front I just kept my lower A arm and swaped the spindles and upper A arms. Now I have Front Disc brakes and 5 hole.

 

[26Troadster]

thats one on me as i have never seen a 5 lug disc brake 71 chevy, i'm not saying there not there, just i have never seen one. i owned one that was a 71 and it had 6 lug and no way to stop drums, man i hated that truck.

 

[chevellelovermichael]

the body mount's are actually different on the 60-62, than on the 63 up. you can see in the picture how we moved the hole over, the back one is a little easier to switch.

 

[sneakysnake]

thats one on me as i have never seen a 5 lug disc brake 71 chevy, i'm not saying there not there, just i have never seen one. i owned one that was a 71 and it had 6 lug and no way to stop drums, man i hated that truck.

71 was the change over year,71's and 72 were 5 lug disc.Now 70 had two width rears early had a narrower like the older and later had a wider that matched the newer 5 lugs.So if your ever looking for a 5 lug set up you can use a newer 70 6 lug and swap the inner axles from a 5. Otherwise the drums will stick out 3/4" to far if you use an older one.

 

[Willowbilly3]

thats one on me as i have never seen a 5 lug disc brake 71 chevy, i'm not saying there not there, just i have never seen one. i owned one that was a 71 and it had 6 lug and no way to stop drums, man i hated that truck.

either it was a 4x4 or something someone else put together or changed the cab on before you got it.

Using the lower control arms on the 64 is a good idea, just remember, the 64 used smaller diameter U bolts to hold the control arms on and the replacements are the larger size. I found that out laying under one beside the road in a snow storm. Had to ream the holes out with a chain saw file.

 

[Old Iron]

I installed a complete 73 cross member under my 66 with the disk brake setup and like willowbilly sad, the lower a-arms a definitely held on with larger u-bolts and the lower arms are also beefier too.
When you change the cross member you only have to drill one new hole on each side and elongate one on each side. Didn't even have to pull the engine.
I put a power brake booster and a corvette master cylinder with both fluid wells the same size so I can put disks on the back too.
I used 3" drop spindles and the 66 coil springs (full length) to complete the lowering of the front.
I'll take some before and after pics tomorrow and post them for ya.

 

[26Troadster]

willo and sneaky i thought 72 was change over. the truck was owned by a family member and was got new at the lot in winter of 71. the texas papers said 71. i had the truck in the early 80's and it was eat slap up, i don't believe it ever had a bath. ended up pulling the motor and trans and let it have a rest. i do know where there is a 73 nova that has factory front drum brakes here in alabama, well maybe as i haven't talked to them in a few years. i looked at a 73 model 1 ton and it had a gas tank behind the seat, and was suppost to be factory, all the 73 up i knew of had the tank under the bed.

 

[26Troadster]

I installed a complete 73 cross member under my 66 with the disk brake setup and like willowbilly sad, the lower a-arms a definitely held on with larger u-bolts and the lower arms are also beefier too.
When you change the cross member you only have to drill one new hole on each side and elongate one on each side. Didn't even have to pull the engine.
I put a power brake booster and a corvette master cylinder with both fluid wells the same size so I can put disks on the back too.
I used 3" drop spindles and the 66 coil springs (full length) to complete the lowering of the front.
I'll take some before and after pics tomorrow and post them for ya.

i used a 76 chevy under my 63 and had to drill the ilder arm bolt holes on the passenger side of the frame, the rest was right where it needed to be.

 

[Old Iron]

i used a 76 chevy under my 63 and had to drill the ilder arm bolt holes on the passenger side of the frame, the rest was right where it needed to be.

Yep I forgot I had to do that too
Thanks Troadster [cl

 

[Willowbilly3]

I installed a complete 73 cross member under my 66 with the disk brake setup and like willowbilly sad, the lower a-arms a definitely held on with larger u-bolts and the lower arms are also beefier too.
When you change the cross member you only have to drill one new hole on each side and elongate one on each side. Didn't even have to pull the engine.
I put a power brake booster and a corvette master cylinder with both fluid wells the same size so I can put disks on the back too.
I used 3" drop spindles and the 66 coil springs (full length) to complete the lowering of the front.
I'll take some before and after pics tomorrow and post them for ya.

I had one of those I cut off when making a trailer from a 73, kept it around a while and sent it to scrap. It looked like an easy swap. Another one that looks like it would be almost as easy is from a Ford Aerostar.