[pike master]

the saying someones trash is someone elses treasure is so true in this case. found it on a local classified for 650. managed to talk him down to 500. he said sold. i am on a military base living in the dorms. id have to get it running good to be able to park it there. and the floorboards are like fred flintstones car at the moment. all together i think it isnt to far off from restoring. i have all the tools ill need at the local hobby shop. except for a paint booth. it currently starts and runs. i am pretty sure the carburetor needs rebuilt and i will need to put new wheels on it also 2 of them are currently flat. i am only 21 and very new to full up restorations. if anyone thinks this is past my ability and time investment let me know. i have a 1978 f250 that can tow it anywhere if need be. its an automatic. 1964 chevy.

 

[speedydeedy]

Looks like a good project. We all started with limited time,money and knowledge. Go for it ,just take the time to read and ask questions so you can do it right the first time. :thumbup:

 

[302 Z28]

Actually it looks to be in fair condition for it's age. You not having the proper area for a full up restoration is a handicap. I would center on making the truck reliable for the moment, do everything mechanical to accomplish this. Once you are out of the military (if that is what you want) you can start the full up restoration.

Vince

 

[pike master]

floorboards are somewhat rotted. really common on this body style ive heard. but yes it is a major handicap being in military with no place to full up restore it. and i am considering after my 6 yrs getting out. not without a plan though.

 

[wretched ratchet]

I've always liked that body style for some reason. I've had my eye out for a panel or sedan delivery from that year - - good luck with it and thanks for serving :thumbup:

 

[302 Z28]

floorboards are somewhat rotted. really common on this body style ive heard. but yes it is a major handicap being in military with no place to full up restore it. and i am considering after my 6 yrs getting out. not without a plan though.

6 years, are you an officer? I am assuming your in the USAF since your information says Hill AFB Utah.

Vince

 

[dinger]

Some of those hobby shops are very well equipped. Your biggest obstacle, IMO, will be getting transferred. Grab a couple of buddies that are bored, get the floors fixed first and the truck running good, take it from there.

 

[wretched ratchet]

Grab a couple of buddies that are bored,

those are considered endangered species here where I live :mwink: sorry no hi-jack intended :nono:

 

[pike master]

Some of those hobby shops are very well equipped. Your biggest obstacle, IMO, will be getting transferred. Grab a couple of buddies that are bored, get the floors fixed first and the truck running good, take it from there.

ya this one has everything. welding shop lifts flat stalls. it has had about 3 of the ford only tools i needed for my 78 f250 also.

I've always liked that body style for some reason. I've had my eye out for a panel or sedan delivery from that year - - good luck with it and thanks for serving :thumbup:

this body style really grabs me because my uncle who raised me the last 4 yrs before i went into the air force owned a 64. same style and everything.

6 years, are you an officer? I am assuming your in the USAF since your information says Hill AFB Utah.

Vince

no i am not an officer and yes i am in the air force. my dad was air force so i thought i would give it a try and get some college under my belt while i was at it. what to get a scholarship in is still a hard decision at this time.

 

[302 Z28]

no i am not an officer and yes i am in the air force. my dad was air force so i thought i would give it a try and get some college under my belt while i was at it. what to get a scholarship in is still a hard decision at this time.

I was in the USAF stationed at Dyess AFB from 1972-73. I used the base hobby shop facilities to build a 70 Nova that I raced every weekend at the local drag strip. Of course it did not need any body work. I also helped a bud build a 57 Chevy. We did some body work on it and rented a stall at the base hobby shop for a month while we worked on it. He then contracted with a local body shop for the use of their paint booth on a weekend and we painted it.

Vince

 

[pike master]

I was in the USAF stationed at Dyess AFB from 1972-73. I used the base hobby shop facilities to build a 70 Nova that I raced every weekend at the local drag strip. Of course it did not need any body work. I also helped a bud build a 57 Chevy. We did some body work on it and rented a stall at the base hobby shop for a month while we worked on it. He then contracted with a local body shop for the use of their paint booth on a weekend and we painted it.

Vince

i can drive it looking like it does for a yr or so and not care. if people dont like it they dont have to look. i am more worried about falling through the floor and daily performance more then anything. and i just dunno about the air force for me. they treat me good etc. but i just wanna settle down somewhere. not be on the move and unable to plan a lot of things because of duties.

 

[302 Z28]

and i just dunno about the air force for me. they treat me good etc. but i just wanna settle down somewhere. not be on the move and unable to plan a lot of things because of duties.

I know what your mean. I was a loadmaster when I went to Vietnam and loved doing it. When I returned from Vietnam the USAF had an excess of Loadmasters and stuck me in a supply squadron which I hated. I tried several times to get reassigned to the base Aerial Port Squadron with no success. When it came time to get out they tried their best to get me to re-up. I told them flat out that when they took me off flying status and stuck me in the supply squadron my mind was made up at that very instant. I often wonder what my life would have been like if I had stayed in, but looking back at what I now have I am convinced I made the right decision.

PS The only thing I regret is not getting more education while I was in instead of waiting until I got out. use you time now to get more education, it will pay off down the line.

Best of luck to you
Vince

 

[pike master]

I know what your mean. I was a loadmaster when I went to Vietnam and loved doing it. When I returned from Vietnam the USAF had an excess of Loadmasters and stuck me in a supply squadron which I hated. I tried several times to get reassigned to the base Aerial Port Squadron with no success. When it came time to get out they tried their best to get me to re-up. I told them flat out that when they took me off flying status and stuck me in the supply squadron my mind was made up at that very instant. I often wonder what my life would have been like if I had stayed in, but looking back at what I now have I am convinced I made the right decision.

Best of luck to you
Vince

im sattelite communications. i set up antenna systems that connect via sattelite and allow our boys back in iraq and afghanistan to communicate back home and to higher ups. but i deploy 6 months on 6 months off. great money but hard to plan for anything. i have thought about a reclass. but i think im beyond that. my dad did 22 yrs of it and loved it. its just not the same for me though.

 

[moontanker]

your truck

The post kinda veered off there.As an old AF vet I can tell you Hobby shops are great when they got em but,That 64 is a great find.Do fix that floor and get her runnin good.I dont remember seein one around for ever/.Great find ,worth the money put a filter in the trans,And enjoy the thing ,Welcome to the world of hot rodders.Dont put j57 fuel in it.Its hard on them.

 

[pike master]

The post kinda veered off there.As an old AF vet I can tell you Hobby shops are great when they got em but,That 64 is a great find.Do fix that floor and get her runnin good.I dont remember seein one around for ever/.Great find ,worth the money put a filter in the trans,And enjoy the thing ,Welcome to the world of hot rodders.Dont put j57 fuel in it.Its hard on them.

thanks for the advice. i believe im gonna try to find a place to park it and pay friend $50 a month and buy it outright in a few days. he says its been in the classifieds for 4 months now its probably going nowhere.

 

[Cape Cod Bob]

Just my 2 cents.
You're 21 and in the military. Seems to me you would be better off focusing your some spare time on learning the rate/job you have so you will be a better asset to your employer and therefore command a huigher salery when and if you get out.
And with the spare time left over you can keep that 78 up to par.
It is my feeling that people that stay focussed on their goals will acheive them. So if you want to advance in the military focus on that and go to the drags etc. for fun. Then when you are successful there will always be a project. I have seen a lot of abandoned projects because of a lack of funds , a place to keep the project etc.
Goodluck in whatever you decide. :welcome:

 

[pike master]

i cant say i dont agree with your point of view. but my 78 is past repairs it is at the best possible i can keep it. i only bought it cuz of the price. it was a steal for the price. i am able to prioritize my vehicles. obviously if the ford breaks because it is my daily driver i would fix it first. and every person needs a break from work. i dont eat sleep and breathe military. automotive keeps me sane and i gotta have my chevy =)

 

[eloc431962]

I say if you like it get it , Put it in good mechanical condition put some floor pans in it, then do what you can when you can and enjoy the heck out of it. JMO. You sound to me like you already have a plan and have a pretty good head on your shoulders so live it up and move forward in whatever you are wanting to do we all stumble and fall it's the ones that get back up and brush themselves off that move on .JMO :thumbup: ...Cole

 

[pike master]

I say if you like it get it , Put it in good mechanical condition put some floor pans in it, then do what you can when you can and enjoy the heck out of it. JMO. You sound to me like you already have a plan and have a pretty good head on your shoulders so live it up and move forward in whatever you are wanting to do we all stumble and fall it's the ones that get back up and brush themselves off that move on .JMO :thumbup: ...Cole

thanks! ya ive been looking to make sure i can afford floorpans and already looking at rebuild kits for the 283. which is what i believe it has in it. im not sure though. it will prob take me at least 4 months to get it on the road if i stick with it. and thats leaving money in my bank acount for just in case something comes up.

 

[302 Z28]

If it is a 283 and the original engine be wary of letting anyone bore it for you. Make sure you mark it with your identifying mark and make sure that the person working on it knows that your know how to identify it's yours.

That friend I was telling you about with the 57 had his original 283 block taken to a local machine shop for a bore and hone. After several days the shop called and said the block was stolen and there was nothing that could be done about it. Well he wasn't going to put up with that and got the base legal office involved. It was made pretty clear to the shop owner that if it wasn't made right his business was going to take a real turn for the worse. His auto parts/machine shop was right outside the main gate and the overwhelming majority of his business were military. We never found out what happened, but he got the block back and the bore and hone was free.

Vince