Hot Rods Official 1959 Chevy Apache Build Thread

Here are some more pictures.

 

Well I just got back from a week long vacation at Disney World and boy was it fun. I decided to get back to work on the brake lines and really got some good work completed today. I spent most of the day bending and straightening lines. I will finish my work tomorrow on them and then start working on the big line from the rear axle. Once everything is where I want it and buttoned down to the frame I will go get them double flared and that should be all she wrote

Here are a couple shots

 

Well everything is mocked up and ready to get flared. All I need to do is uninstall everything and bring it down to the shop to get flared for the final time. As long as everything goes to plan I maybe driving this tomorrow (still need to tweak some things before though). I am pretty excited!

 

Great progress! Make sure you make a vid so we can see what it looks and sounds like!

 

Thanks Eric! I will post as soon as I can.

I got the lines flared.... But I had kind of a set back..

the front caliper hoses are leaking from the hose to the hard line, so I spent like 4 hours down at the auto parts store digging through boxes and finally found what I needed. (I need to make sure I write this stuff down!!) I should get the lines in tomorrow morning and they shouldn't leak anymore. Boy I am getting antsy..

 

Success! Brakes do not leak anymore and the bleeding will start tomorrow. Friday maybe the day. The truck was pissing me off today, so I decided to tinker with the Plymouth for a little while. I got a couple things done, I will be removing the headers and plugs and rotate the engine over by hand to see if I can locate the source of the noise and why the engine won't fire.

 

After 30 years and several hours of work today the truck runs and drives! I will post a big video of its maiden voyage soon!!!!!!!!!

 

Congrats man, that makes all the effort worth it !

 

Here is the video! The first drive was me for the first half of the video. My Dad drove all the way from Maryland on business to Indiana for this first drive and is coming down the hill the last couple of times. I need to dial everything in, but man what a fun and busy day!

 

I couldn't agree more! We spent from 10 AM to 4 PM getting everything ready so we could drive this thing. I can't even access all the horsepower from this engine yet, but I can tell just by driving around the loop that this thing is going to be a monster.

 

Congratulations! It sounds good, man.

 

Thanks Saxman! Its just a bummer that it is already November and not the start of summer

 

I know what you mean!

 

Congrats on the first drive, well done!!! Souding good!

 

Thanks Eric! I am tickled to death that it finally was on the road for the short while it was. We wanted to tune it in and drive it today, but the weather sucks and my Dad had to start driving back. Last time my Dad came out like this he drove from Oklahoma to take the Plymouth around the block for the first time in 40+ years. So cool

 

Congrats on the first drive! That must feel great after all the work you've put into this truck!

Your thread is one of the ones that inspired me to buy my 59 f100. I actually got to drive mine about 30-40 miles before the fuel pump quit. Now my engine is in pieces all over my garage, and I have to keep fighting the urge to tear into the truck further. I was just reading about you running brake lines and thinking "Man that looks like fun, I need to do that to my truck."

 

Way to go Scott! I know that drive had to feel real good! We'll be driving both of these trucks to shows come spring.

 

Thanks a lot! Get that thing driving, its a lot more fun to work on a driving vehicle, let me tell you. I wanted to drive it today again

 

Heck ya, that is going to be fun. We will just decide on who is bringing the beer and what kind to bring!

I am surprised on how good it drove up and down the hill. I expected to have to work on a lot of things, but I think it is really close. The alignment is a bit off and I really should look at the front steering components because I feel they should be a little better than what they are. Also there isnt any return on the brake pedal when you push it down, which makes it a little strange to drive, so I will have to look into that as well.

 

Here are some pictures that Shannon took of my Dad and I working the truck:

 

Here are some more

 

great job scott. truck sounds awsome and is really coming along.

 

Thanks riley. My uncle saw your truck the other day (I am sure it was yours). He lives in the same area and has a white 70 camaro ss (white with red stripes) with a 454.

On another note I bought my brake adjustment tool so I am going to tweak those star washers for the rear drums to get those where they should be. I feel that the throw is all taken up and they are barely meeting the drums.

I am also going to install my fuel pump regulator soon to bring down the psi to between 4 to 7 (where it should be) and that will lean it out to where it needs to be as well... for some reason it is wanting to run 8-10 psi, but sometimes drops to 7. I am considering buying my wood bed now and/or going to the swap meet this weekend and picking up a couple things for the front pulley system to make it look more traditional.

Finally I am going to install a return spring for the brake pedal so it will return back to its original position. More to come soon.

 

i've been looking through this thread a lot and it has been great. i'm about to buy a '59 apache myself, so i'm sure i'll have some questions for you a little later.

if you don't mind me asking, what do you have planned as far as suspension/brakes?

 

When I traded for the truck he had a disc brake and power steering conversion loosely installed (finger tight). I am going to have to remove the modern tie rod ends, take the arms down to a machine shop and have them taper them correctly to fit the new rod ends. Before that, however, I am going to have to find a better way to have them mounted so they don't smack into my shock mounts when I crank around the wheel. Other than that I feel that this is pretty much it. I am probably going to look at the hardware used in the front components and may replace with known grade 8 or better for the suspension. I would rather just be safe, especially with all of the hard work I have put into it. It would be a shame to fail in the end game.

 

cool vid dude

 

On your brake adjustment: Tighten them up until you can just get one revolution of the wheel when you give it a gentle spin (with the wheel and tire bolted up) With the wheel off, you should be able to turn the drum easily, but it should stop moving as soon as you pull your hand away.

It takes a bit to get the "feel" for it, but that's how I was taught, and it eliminates the 'pull to one side or the other' problem that everyone has with drum brakes.

 

Congratulations on getting to drive!!! Its a great feeling, don't I know!!!!

 

Well... The Apache got a new pair of wheels! I bought these at a swap meet a long time ago and always thought they were 16" rims... I have 15" tires on the truck as it sits... So debating on what to do.. get white walls, regular tires, or sell the nice rims I remeasured and found out they were 15".. Soooooo. I went over to a buddies flopped the new rubber from the crappy wheels to the new wheels and took them down to get balanced. I am jealous that I own them lol. They look good!

Here are some pictures!

 

I think the wheels look great. They may even look better than WW's, even though both would do the trick in my opinion. Keep up the good work!