Hot Rods Official 1959 Chevy Apache Build Thread

Here are some more. I couldn't decide on which style I liked more; with or without the center cap. But here are some more pictures. It makes all the difference with this truck. Hell, once I get that drivers fender back together I am just going to bolt everything up and scoot around town with it that way for a bit!

 

cool thanks for the pointers, I'll probably take care of that within the next couple days

 

I know you know! haha. Are you ever going to get that thing driving again!?!?! When are you coming up here with it for a little showdown?

 

Thank you sir, I think I will run these until there is no tread left and consider doing a white wall... tough decision though....

 

wheels look good man.

what are you planning to do for gauges? if your truck needs a new speedometer, i would love to see a write up.

 

Thanks Mike!

Since many of the stock gauges work, but rely on different specs (ammeter, water temp for the 6 cyl, etc.) I opted for the tri gauge setup currently under my dash that has water temp in degrees, voltometer, and oil pressure in psi. I still use my fuel gauge that is in the old setup and speedo, but the other gauges are useless to me. Maybe down the road I will do something more fancy, but this will work for now.

That reminds me, I still need to figure something out with the speedo cable! Thanks Mike

 

Here are some pictures of the abortion... I mean bodywork that some local kid did to splice this eyebrow on this fender. I am redoing it so I don't have to cake everything with an inch of filler to hide, plus I learned what I needed to learn and want this truck to be all my work. I'll start by cutting off the left over welds and butt weld to the fender while it is bolted up to make sure everything lines up correctly. Then, if everything goes well, I maybe able to install the hood again!

I am going to try to get this back on tomorrow after working on getting the Plymouth up and running out in the driveway. I think I am also going to flip this truck around so I can work on the tail end easily for the roll pan and oak bed installation. Also, I'll take a couple shots with my camera with the new wheels on it.

 

The Plymouth was not being very nice to me and since I was on a cleaning rampage in the garage I decided I wanted the hood on the truck again. In order to do that I needed to get this eyebrow welded back on, so that is what I did for 6 hours... There was a lot of time consumed by aligning everything so I don't have to redo anything. I am not that good yet on the body work to just do it once and done. I started using the shop light and watched the shadows from the light to align all of the panels. This gave me a good idea where everything needed to go and gave me an idea on how much filler, if any would be needed. Fortunately, I think this is going to just have a tiny bit of filler, maybe even glaze to get it tweaked in so you can't even tell its there.

Here they are, I will try to work on this more tomorrow.

 

Here are a couple more of me moving down the fender. Even though there is a big gap both patches are even and feel smooth when you run your hand across them, so that is a good sign. I will try to get the rest of it tacked up there tomorrow and maybe even welded, but we will see.

 

I went to the swap meet early and scoured the place and finally found a set of people that would be willing to barter instead of having their set price and not budging. Really nice guys if you ask me.

I got my V belt pulley setup to replace the serpentine belt setup in the truck since I am not worried about room and it doesn't fit the build I am doing. I like the vintage look, so that is what I am going to try and go for. Here are some pictures of the parts. I chewed the guy waaay down on all of this stuff, so I got a pretty good deal. I got the power steering bracket assembly for $10 bucks from a different guy, but pretty much everything else for the Plymouth and the truck came from the same guy, so I wound up under $170 spent for all of this stuff, plus most of the plymouth stuff.

 

I got a couple other things too. I will replace the current light for the brights with this stylish LED light and will also replace the current fuel pressure gauge with this good quality gauge to ensure I am getting an accurate reading so I can fine tune the carb. I am probably going to take a break for the rest of the day, 4-5 hrs at a swap meet walking around takes it out of you . Thanks again Dave for all of the help locating parts! I want to hear those cherry bombs pretty soon!

 

Well I have been working a lot on getting some of the new parts I bought installed on the pickup. I installed the LED light, fuel pressure gauge (now it gives me a correct reading so I can tune the carb). I am in the process of installing my V belt setup on the truck too. Here are some pictures.

 

Here are some more pictures. Once the water pump is dry (sat it next to a heater to help bake it) I will remove the other water pump and install it. I also need to remove the crank pulley and straighten out the balancer at some point (its not mounted correctly by the previous guy), so I will try to do it while I have everything off.

 

Hey truck is looks great keep it up. About the tires and wheels I ordered everything from paulsen wheels they have custom backspacing wheels are like 75 a piece bare metal and they are nice people to work with...I have a question for you, right now I have fiberglass doors...not by choice, I'm looking for original doors but haven't had any luck just wanted to know how that aftermarket door worked out cuz I know alot of aftermarket parts never fit right.

 

The door I got was pretty nice, the problem is that you get what you pay for. If you go cheap then you will get just that. I got a mid-priced door. Everything fits pretty nice. I have had to do a little tweaking. I would check the door hinge bolts, mine were coarse thread, which blows. Everything else seems to have worked out just fine though. I am just having trouble fitting the door to the hinges and making it hang right (hard to do by yourself) I will probably have a little more to do to it in the future, but all good so far.

 

Scott...truck is looking great. I have my '48 back in the shop installing a 283 and MII front suspension. I put it back on the road after sitting for 38 years behind a barn in Kansas. Original 216 ran rather well after a little coaxing. I am in Greenwood not far from you. Who did you buy your exhaust tubing from?

 

Thanks! I read your blog, pretty cool build.

To your question it depends on what size of tubing you are looking for and how long you want to wait. If you want something local to go pickup I would suggest calling around to muffler shops or if there is a mom and pop muffler/repair shop somewhere you can get it from them (I got mine from a muffler shop, any would do for you I am sure). Just as a heads up, if you go to an autoparts store and they don't carry 10 foot sections what they do is order it from a local muffler shop and tag on extra fees and a markup; it's better to get it from the horses mouth so to speak. I worked at fedex at a time and watched exhaust tubing come out of trucks pretty mangled that were ordered online; so I wouldn't highly suggest that, but I found that EvilBay had some decent prices. I would recommend some aluminized steel or stainless so that it does not corrode. Its worth it to just spend the extra couple bucks for longer lasting steel instead of normal steel that will immediately surface rust after the first startup. Hope this helps.

 

do any of you guys know where the mtr/trans would mount on a bare frame. 327/350. i would like to mount the cross members before i put the cab on it. just not sure where the crossmember for the mtr should be. i don't want it too far back/forward. it would be alot easier if i knew where to pace them. BTW it has a HEI dist.

 

Depends if you like the placement of mine or not. I kind of have it squeezed pretty close to the firewall, but have a lot of room up front so if I have to do something like replace a water pump I have plenty of room. Do you want me to measure where mine is?

 

that would be great if i had those measurements. if you can get them, let me know where you are getting them from, center of tube crossmember to ? i have the same headers, looks like they fit great. glad i found this thread. getting some good ideas for my 59. Thanks, Doyle

 

Okay, try to follow this if you can....

This measurement is from the rear edge of the front leaf spring (where it is riveted to the bottom of the frame) to the center of the tranny crossmember is exactly 17 and 5/8 inches. In order to get the motor mount center I am going to have to crawl under the truck in the morning. I will try to get that to you as soon as I can.

 

Thanks, i'll check back then

 

Well I got a lot of little crap done, I finished tacking the eyebrow back onto the fender. I will remove it sometime tomorrow and maybe get some major butt welding done on it (can't wait).

I tried to reinstall the harmonic balancer after removing it half way, but it wouldn't budge, even with lubricating the shaft with penetrating oil. I removed the harmonic balancer all the way and found my problem... The previous owner who went and installed it didn't clean the shaft so it didn't allow the crank bolt to seat all the way. In addition he painted the inside of the balancer. I will get some steel wool and get my wire weel and make everything smooth as butter for the reinstallation.

Here are some pictures. Tomorrow I am going to remove the water pump and get that over with. I can also instal my water temp setup.

 

Well I pounded on the fender eyebrow to get it closer and it is really coming along. Once I get to where I want it I will post some pictures. No sense on taking a picture of every tack weld.

I also made a funnel to make sure I don't spill too much coolant (it worked great). Probably the cleanest water pump job I have ever done ever (maybe a half a cup on the ground due to the block draining after the water pump was pulled. I will let it drain/dribble for the night. Tomorrow will come the installation and maybe even a startup, depending on how far I get

 

dew468 if you are still following this my engine mounts are 1 1/2 inches behind the centerline of the front axle. so measuring center to center is 1 and 1/2 behind the axle.

Well I bought all of my hardware to mount everything up, but didn't get around to installing it today. I decided to take a break from it and started working on the front fender again. This time I am just going to weld it up, grind it down, and find out where I am with it since I got it pretty close. Here are some pictures of it roughed in:

 

i really appreciate your trouble your going thru. this is exactly the measurement i was looking for. Thanks, and i'll be keeping up with your thread, Doyle.

 

With the stock 265 V8 and mounts mine put the passenger side valve cover so close to the firewall it got tricky when I installed my Corvette valve covers, about 1/2 inch. V8 trucks have a relocated radiator (rearward to compensate for the shorter engine) and there is less room than you would think, although there is still a lot.
Awesome progress, it's got me all fired up to get my 55 rollin again.

 

Keep in mind I have an aluminum radiator and it is no thicker than the 235 radiator, but is a 3 core. My engine sits about an inch to an inch and a half from the firewall, so yeah very close quarters here too. Thanks for the compliment, nice looking 55 by the way.

 

Thanks! She's a long way off but gettin there. Plans are to have her at least roadworthy, ugly or not, in time for Road Rocket Rumble 2013. She hasn't been there since '08, as a total stocker.

 

Awwww make it a real goal and get there in 2012! I am going to try to take this one there for sure, maybe even my '40 Plymouth. We will see though.

Well the usual morons at autozone managed to screw up majorly three or four times in one week. I am going to shoot myself in the face lol.

First I ordered a water pump for an SBC. I waited two days for it to get there because someone forgot to order it the first day. I finally get it after chewing a manager out because he was the one who ordered it (first kick in the balls).

Then I find out the mounting to the power steering pump is funky and won't accept my pre-86 brackets and V belt pulley off of my old setup.
So I go back down there and they were supposed to have the pump to me 5 PM that day. Low and behold they failed to order it again and have to wait until morning. So I get it in the morning and the one that I received was used. Didn't know it until I got it home and started pulling the plastic plugs they insert into everything. (kick in the balls number two). I went back and they failed to order a new one that was supposed to arrive that day to replace it.... Day 3 rolls around and I get a call that one is in. FINALLY I go and swap out the used one I had (that has threads stripped and was full of old dirty fluid). I thought it was over with.... NOPE

I get the water pump, paint it, bake it overnight next to the heater, go to install it and the pulley will not work (mounting holes are off). Again kicked in the nuts because I thought I got ripped on the pulley, which now I know I did. SO I go to mount it without the pulley and the mounting holes are not in the right place.... WTF. So I just called them up and they said that I ordered a water pump for a 396. I don't know how I could confuse my two vehicles, with the same engine mind you, with a BBC, but was under the assumption that they had the same pumps. What a fooking mess.. So I am supposed to have one down there right now that I am going to go exchange. Turns out it was boxed wrong....

So I decided to weld the eyebrow on and painted the harmonic balancer as well as a power steering bracket. I also polished the harmonic balancer mounting surface (very much needed). I will install the water pump at a different time, but in the mean time I will polish the end of the crank and slide that harmonic balancer on and with any luck get a couple other things installed. Maybe even the water pump!