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InTheGarageMedia.com
A fully restored, high-angle view of a lowered blue and white classic Chevrolet C10 pickup, with wood bed planks and a black spoiler, parked outside the "Old Anvil Speed Shop."
FORM AND FUNCTION, UNIFIED
The 1960-66 C10 Big Window Conversion
By Brandon Gerringer Images by Taylor Kempkes
Keeping with our Old Anvil Speed Shop (OASS) “theme” of tasking the individuals responsible for the work to describe each procedure in their own words, this month, OASS’s Brandon Gerringer gives us his 2 cents-plus on their recent 1965 Chevy C10 big window conversion, where they utilized local supplier Classic Industries for an aftermarket rear backlight panel to ease the process rather than locate and resuscitate an original piece. Take it way, Brandon! –Editor
“This was my first time doing a big back window conversion on a 1960-66 C10 and I couldn’t have asked for it to go any smoother. GM’s rear cab design makes the layout for doing this swap a piece of cake. 

“I started by laying out a new 3/8-inch flange around the outer body line, which is exactly where an original big back window would fit. I carefully ground all the spot welds on the inner panel to the back of the cab and where it met the doors. Since the roofskin was on the truck, you have to cut the top seam where the rear window panel meets the inner roof panel. Once that is cut, you can grind the exposed spot welds and remove the rest of the panel. Then, go back to the outside of the cab and cut to that new flange line.

“After getting everything prepped I did a quick test-fit of the new panel (which came from Classic Industries; fit great!). If I was doing this job on a bare metal truck, I would have spot-welded the entire panel in. In this case, the owner wanted to keep as much of the paint intact as possible. In order to do this, we opted to panel-bond the upper and lower flanges, and spot weld the inner/outer window flange, as well as the flanges at the doors because those get covered with rubber.

“The big back window swap is becoming as common as cutting down a longbed, and I completely understand why. No more blind spots and a much better look! I can’t wait to cut up another one!”

Close-up view of a light blue classic Chevrolet truck bed featuring a custom wood floor with metal strips, and a black tailgate spoiler resting diagonally on the floor planks.
A close-up view of a person's hands installing the sliding glass window into the rear cab opening of a blue and white vintage pickup truck. The person is wearing a black long-sleeve shirt.
Close-up view of the rear cab of a classic pickup truck, showing the white roof and light blue lower body, with the back window opening waiting for glass installation. A black and yellow air hose is visible in the bed.
Close-up view of a person using a sharp utility knife to score a precise black line onto the white upper cab section of a light blue pickup truck, likely preparing for paint or trim work.
A close-up of a person's hands using a red marker and a small metal template to trace a curved line onto a freshly painted white vehicle body panel, likely marking a cut-out area.
A man with a beard and baseball cap uses an air-powered oscillating tool to grind a seam on the light blue painted exterior body of a classic pickup truck in a shop environment.
A man wearing a camo hat and safety glasses uses an air-powered cut-off tool to trim or shape the inner panel of a classic blue and white Chevy truck door opening during customization.
A man in a camouflage hat uses an air-powered oscillating grinding tool to carefully work on the painted blue metal in the door jamb area of a classic pickup truck.
Close-up view of a man with a beard using an air-powered reciprocating tool with a thin wire blade to carefully cut the sealant around the edge of a classic truck's rear cab window opening.
A man with a beard and a camo hat reaches through the rear window opening of a blue and white classic Chevy truck, checking the fit of the rear window garnish molding.
A man with a beard and a camouflage hat is test-fitting the inner trim/seal frame into the rectangular rear window opening of a blue and white classic pickup truck cab.
A man in a camouflage hat and black shirt uses a yellow-handled flat tool to scrape off old sealant and rust from the curved metal flange of a classic blue and white pickup truck's cab behind the driver-side door.
A man in a camouflage hat and black shirt uses a red and black power tool with a cutting blade to trim the seam around the lower edge of the rear window opening on a blue and white classic pickup truck cab.
Close-up view of a man using an air-powered hole saw to drill a circular hole into the painted white inner roof panel of a classic pickup truck's cab, above the windshield opening.
A man's hand uses a small yellow-handled pry bar to pull a metal trim retaining clip from the blue-painted inner panel of a classic truck during restoration.
Close-up of a man using a high-speed rotary grinding tool to smooth a rough metal surface on a blue truck body, producing a shower of bright sparks from the friction.
Close-up view of a man using a small rotary grinder on the rusted metal of a truck's door jamb near the hinge, creating a stream of bright sparks. He is wearing safety glasses and a camouflage hat.
Close-up view of the underside of a sleek, glossy black rear spoiler for a pickup truck's cab, showing its contoured shape and mounting lip.
A man with a beard and a backwards baseball cap is installing a black interior panel, possibly for a rear window, into a light blue and white vintage pickup truck.
Close-up view of a man's hands using a large, specialty metal-bending tool to crimp the edge of a curved, glossy black spoiler or trim piece, likely preparing it for installation.
A man in a camouflage hat and black long-sleeve shirt carefully presses a strip of yellow masking tape onto a freshly painted blue truck panel, just below the rear window opening.
A man wearing gloves and a black hoodie applies an adhesive or seam sealer to the edge of a black plastic or fiberglass body panel using a dual-cartridge caulk gun, with a car in primer in the background.
A man in a black shirt and camo hat is test-fitting a glossy black rear cab spoiler over the back window opening of a blue and white classic pickup truck, with the hood of another vehicle visible in the background.
A close-up shot of a locking C-clamp holding a piece of metal trim onto the edge of a black panel. The clamp is positioned to secure the trim for installation or bonding.
A wide shot of a truck interior showing the cab's bright blue side panels and door, with several horizontal rods temporarily holding the interior panels and a white steering wheel in the foreground.
A close-up of a person wearing a welding helmet and gloves, TIG welding a seam on a metallic surface, with a bright arc and sparks visible from the torch tip.
A close-up view looking into the bed of a pickup truck, showing the white-painted body line and the bright blue inner bed and wheel well. Storage shelves are visible in the background through the open cab rear window.
A man with glasses and a beard is installing a thick, black rubber seal (likely for a window) around the rear opening of the truck cab, which is white above and bright blue below.
A man is carefully installing a large, rectangular piece of glass, likely a side window, into the white and blue cab of a vintage pickup truck. Yellow painter's tape is visible on the upper white frame.
A close-up of the rear window and bed of a classic blue and white Chevy C10 pickup truck, showing the wood planks in the bed and the white steering wheel and dashboard inside the cab.

Old Anvil Speed Shop
(657) 223-9889
oldanvilspeedshop.com
Classic Industries
(888) 821-4795
classicindustries.com/ctp
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