Re: 1958 Saab story
 

I decided on a tire size for the rear. 245/50r18. I'll see if they clear on the front end and might just run that size on all 4 corners. I pushed it outside to try and get an uncluttered look at the stance, but it's dark so I used the high beams on the station wagon for the picture.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

And, for my next trick........ Harley roadglide headlights and bezels. I spent $65 in these factory lights to see if it would be possible to adapt them to the 58-59 fenders. I might have to cut up a pair of factory bezels to get the HD bezels to work, but I'm up for the challenge. If it works out like I hope it will, I'll get the led versions. They're like $150/ea so I think $65 is a good investment to make sure first

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

I had to trim a bit of the headlight opening to get the headlight high enough in the pocket to make the bezel fit flush, and I'll have to make a small filler piece below the bezel to close the gap, but they'll work.

Also, I included the headlights I want to use. I think they look like cat eyes or alien eyes.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

Wow, that's a great observation that the design is so similar between the two! I wonder how the Harley beams are setup to shine down the road as a motorcycle vs. an auto... should be pretty darn bright!

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

I spent most of today fixing the oil leak coming from the engine oil pan. It's a 2-piece oil pan off a 2004 Corvette. I had to remove the crossmember and let the rack and pinion dangle to remove the pan. The only gasket available was $85.00, but it's a factory AC Delco part, so I have confidence it won't leak

I had to cut the back of the crossmember to access the oil filter and I degreased everything while I had it apart.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

I mounted the driver's side for lights/turn signals. I can't find the other pair I had, so I'll order a new set.

-just

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

I know a lot of things people say can be superstitious, but I swear every time I misplace something, the only way I find it is by getting a replacement. My replacement fog lights arrived today, and no sooner than I walked into the shop, I almost immediately found the set I was looking for. It's been that way with me as long as I can remember

I didn't get pictures of how I mounted the driver's side lights, so here's what I did. Since the inside of the bezel is shallower that the outside, the fog light hits the panel where the grille mounts, I drilled a hole and bent a section down to use as a mount tab for the inner lights. I used a section of radio strap for the driver's side light, but couldn't find any for the passenger side to mount the outer light to the bezel mount stud, so I found a city horn bracket and made that work. I cut a relief hole toward the bottom of the bezel to hide the wiring by passing it into the fender well.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

Here's what they look like lit up.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

dang, all the light

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

So my headlights arrived and they were all black instead of the black and chrome I wanted, so those will have to wait. I decided to tackle the grille and bumper. I made a template so I know where to cut the teeth to fit to the bumper.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

A quick trip to tractor supply for some 5/16 hardware and strap bracket and I made all the bottom mounts to bolt the teeth to the bumper.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

Now the teeth and bumper are one unit. I still have to secure the bracket to the frame, but this is what I ended up with.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

I mounted the power steering cooler and then rolled it outside to get some daylight pictures of the stance and the new grille and bumper

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

that came out sick sir, love seeing something different

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

So I dug the back half of the original floor out of the scrap pile and made it skinny enough to slide through the back door. It'll be easier and faster to fill in the gaps and trim the back of the blue fender wells to maximize clearance to the air compressor and top shock bolts.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

worth it

and the hidden cubby is kinda cool too

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

Before I start filling in the floor panel gaps, I need to locate the fuel filler neck. I've always wanted to do a hidden filler behind the tail light. Since this one is most important because of the limited real estate given by the size of the fuel cap door, it'll dictate where the passenger side lights will go to match up.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

what will you use for lights back there? I was thinking of using lights from a chevy HHR or a chevy cobalt. maybe an old impala with th bullet lens but then I would always be replacing the lens due to somebody bumping into them or "needing" them.
are you planning to repaint the project when it's done? it looks to be in pretty good shape body wise. too bad you had to weld the gas door in, it seems you have been able to get away without disturbing the paint up till now. inevitable I guess.
question on the grill, does the upper ends of the "teeth" get a crossbar to hold them all together and keep their spacing? the bumper fits nice and tight like it was made for the truck.

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

These are the lights I'm using. They're cool because I got a pair where the center LEDs are white for reverse lights, and another pair where they're amber for turn signals. I'll stack them with the amber lights on top and white ones below.

I am planning to repaint the truck when finished. I love the color blue that's on it, so I'll try to stay around that shade, but I also want to do blue flames on it too. As you can see by my fridge in the garage and my dad's 2005 Colorado, I can paint some pretty decent flames. When my dad bought the Colorado, he had a choice between red or black. He wanted me to put flames on it and they'd look better on the black one. It has 726 miles on it when I painted them.

Originally, the teeth mounted lower on the bumper, through the holes you can see in the center of the bumper and had a plate that kept them lined up that bolted to the bottom of the teeth. Now, the teeth mount across the bumper bar, and the bumper is bolted to the bottom of the teeth. And I put a carriage bolt on either end of the bumper, attaching it to the fender. That helps secure the bumper ends so they for with the lines of the front fender, and adds more rigidity to the front sheet metal.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

Flap yeah dude

;)

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

I cut the ends off the bumper support braces that go to the ends of the bumper and slid them inside frame to secure the front bumper.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

So, after cutting the outer skin off the fuel door, I had to make a reinforcement brace from the articulating arm to the edge of the lid to make clearance for the light. I repurposed the metal skin from the fuel door and triangulated a rigid support as best I could and then cut away the webbing and put a few more tack welds on it.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

Here's the light just set in the hole so I could post pictures, but you get the idea. It turned out pretty nice, I think.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

Clever fab work!

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

Very slick way to conceal the Gas hole....

Marc

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

I cut out and mounted all the tail lights. I still have to wire them up, but I was anxious to see what they look like.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

I stitched the original floor pan back in, cut an access hole and mounted the fuel filler neck. I bought new carriage bolts and modified a bracket to mount the rear bumper. I'm working on the headlight mounts right now.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

Well apparently the lights I wanted don't exist, so I went with the chrome lights with the halo/angel eyes. The angel eyes will be the parking lights.

Here's a comparison to what I installed on dad's 59. I made a mount tab to hold the bezel. I'll have to build out a little bit to fill in the gap, but I'm up for it.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

I got out of work early today, so I went to the metal supermarket on the south side of Atlanta and picked up some sheet metal to make floor pans behind the fender wells. The plan is to make these removable to access the wiring and such.

I also used a hole saw to make a path for the intake to breathe inside the fender, behind the headlights. I need to take the pipe to a muffler shop and have the end expanded to 3 1/4 inch for the air filter to seal properly.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

Ran over to the muffler shop and got the end of the aluminum pipe expanded to 3 1/4 inches. He was afraid it would split the pipe, but he took his time and it came out great. I cut some old fuel line and used it to cushion the edges of the hole through the fender apron and secured the air filter behind the headlights.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

Not a lot of progress today, but it's still progress. Connected the fuel filler neck with a longer fuel hose and breather hose. That hose was $40!!!, but I'd rather pay up front and do it right the first time.

Then I bought a packet of cage nuts to reattach the lower dog leg of the front fender. I can't get to the driver's side until I reset the arm on the lift. It's blocking the fender just enough that I can't pull it away from the truck.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

i have that same fender mount issue, but i'm missing a little more metal ... solid fix though, should work great

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

the lower fender mount fix is pretty common. now they will be nice and tight.
just wondering if you need to think about water getting into the air filter if driving in rain. did you leave the trailblazer inner fender liner in there to "strain" that?
that inner fender strip is pretty much gonezo on my fenders. they are available aftermarket though. some say 58-59 some say 55-59. I can't really see that there would be any difference between the rear parts of the fenders for the different years since they have to fit the contour of the fender which has to fit the contour of the cab and also bolt up in the same place for all years. I'll probably just order a set when ready and modify them if they don't fit the 57 fenders.

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

I have the Saab inner splash fenders as well as the 58 fender aprons. I have to secure the front of the splash fender front just like I did on the rear, but I have to finish wiring up the lights first. The splash fender will block any direct spray off the front tire to the air filter.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

Hey I was just looking back at posts, did you make sure to protect your fuel tank from getting dirt on it incase of a non paved road?

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

I tackled the filler panels around the driver's side Harley headlight.

I also went to the paint store and had them match the paint in single stage urethane so I can just spot repair the existing paint job instead of repainting the whole truck.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

your still crazy, i still like it! once body worked that should be sweet

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

And I finished the passenger headlight install. There's quite a bit of body filler at the top edge of the fender above the headlight. I'll have to sculpt the to ridge body line back in as best I can when the time comes.

-Josh

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

shoot, save some light for the rest of us

Re: 1958 Saab story
 

I wanted a deeper exhaust note without the obnoxious drone in the cab, so I installed a 50 series flowmaster. Has a great idle and let's everyone know it's got something under the hood when you step on it.

-Josh