New Member, New Rig

[arturo7]

Hello all, first post here.

Today I committed to a 59 Apache panel. No motor or tranny, but the body is in decent shape. I pick it up tomorrow in Central CA, Just need to figure out how to get it home to SoCal. Plan A fell through.

This is easily the biggest project I have attempted. I'm fairly handy with a wrench, but I guess it's sink or swim on this one.

If I may, here are a couple questions...

Can anyone recommend a hauler to get this thing 400 miles home?

I'll be driving this about 300-500 miles a month. Not a daily driver per say, but it won't be sitting idle. Any opinions on dropping in a diesel? Or should I stay with a small block? This will never be a show car, just something to carry my bass fiddle.

Thanks in advance, I'll post some pics tomorrow. I look forward to participating on this board.

cheers,
Arthur

[meter swinger]

Welcome to the best place in cyberspace for old GM trucks.

When you say "hauler" do you mean a professional auto transporter?
If thats what your looking for their are a lot of varibles to deal with. Mostly a combination of how quickly you need it hauled and how much your willing to pay and whether you want it hauled closed or open and if the rig is operable or not.
Last i checked the going rate was around1$/mile.
The bigger hauling outfits can get you a better price but your panel may be hauled to a distrubution center on the westcoast and loaded and unloaded and loaded again. This may or may not suit your needs.
There are some "mom and pop haulers" for lack of a better term that advertise here and websites like the HAMB.
They have good reviews and you can see the feedback from customers.
They usually will pick up your rig and bring it right to you, the downside is your limited to thier schedule.
FYI if you call one of the shipping brokers be prepared for an onslaught of calls and email.
Good luck on the panel. I had a 59 burb that was surrendering itself to the elements
post pics.
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[1project2many]

Howdy.

Congrats on getting a fun truck that will generate plenty of attention.

Depending on how much hardware is with the truck, the easiest route to getting it on the road is likely to be through an engine similar to original. If you're committed to a V8 then a smallblock is probably the cheapest and fastest way to get it running and driving. The more customizing involved, the more skills and tools you will need to DIY or the more you'll be paying out if someone else is going to do the work. And the harder it is to get replacement parts if something breaks.

If you're shooting for mileage then a small displacement smallblock combined with an overdrive trans has the potential to get you low to mid 20's with moderate driving and some very good tuning. If you don't mind a standard shift you can try to find the engine / transmission from a 90-94 1/2 ton truck with 305 and light duty 5 speed. If an automatic is more your style then the the engine / trans from an '80s Monte Carlo can be a very good choice. With a well tuned Quadrajet carburetor on either of these engines you'll have a nice, mild driver that gets respectable mileage with a reasonable investment.

[mknittle]

i agree with meterswinger this is a great place!

[mknittle]

Originally Posted by arturo7

Hello all, first post here.

Today I committed to a 59 Apache panel. No motor or tranny, but the body is in decent shape. I pick it up tomorrow in Central CA, Just need to figure out how to get it home to SoCal. Plan A fell through.

This is easily the biggest project I have attempted. I'm fairly handy with a wrench, but I guess it's sink or swim on this one.

If I may, here are a couple questions...

Can anyone recommend a hauler to get this thing 400 miles home?

I'll be driving this about 300-500 miles a month. Not a daily driver per say, but it won't be sitting idle. Any opinions on dropping in a diesel? Or should I stay with a small block? This will never be a show car, just something to carry my bass fiddle.

Thanks in advance, I'll post some pics tomorrow. I look forward to participating on this board.

cheers,
Arthur

If you want a diesel Abt4 cummins would be the way to go. they are short enough to fit. and they can be found in older bread trucks with the chevy bellhousing. You could propably get 30mpg or better.

[Russell Ashley]

A small block Chevy engine and tranny is a bolt-in and the easiest and cheapest way to go. Most everything you would need for that can be had over-the-counter. I can't offer any advice on a diesel swap.

[Maximus]

I think this goes without saying... but

that being said, Congrats and welocome

[arturo7]

Here are a coupla pics.

[Kim57]

Welcome.
Looks like a decent project.
Kim

[arturo7]

That's her good side...

[Kabwe]

Welcome to the site and that looks to be a sweet project you have there.

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by arturo7

That's her good side...

nice 4 eyed panel

i'd borrow a friends trailer and pick it up
renting a uhaul will cost a couple hundred for the day
but if i were you, i'd haul it the same way as the pictures you posted
google directions, get round trip mileage and call around to a couple of tow services for flatbed hauling
maybe even call towing companies where it's located

[Maximus]

Sweet panel!!! lot of work ahead ... plans? Work truck, 4x4? lowered? hotrod? details!

[RINC]

Welcome aboard !

[Daze57]

very nice !

[arturo7]

This girl has been sitting in a field for the last 10 years. Would it be a good idea to hook up a tow bar and take her for a roll as the first order of business? Probably should inspect and repack the bearings, right? Any other things to look for?

[arturo7]

Got her towed down to LA this week. Here are some more pics.

[Daze57]

good lookin project !!!and welcome aboard

[Divine 59]

Lots of potential there. Don't be slow like me....Get after it! Mine is a career project. LOL

[ET56]

Great find and a fun project. Best of luck to you, I know this is one to watch.

[arturo7]

I might need to put on the big boy shoes...

A couple buddies, whose opinions I value more than my own, have suggested that the first step should be to blast and powder coat the frame. This, of course, means yanking off the body and that's a whole new can of worms.

I should probably abandon the project and go buy a used Astrovan. Save myself the headaches, right? Find a more relaxing hobby like gardening or macreme'...

[Daze57]

well you could always make maceme' curtains for da green machine that way you got the best of both worlds .
Astrovan ? ..............naaaaaaaaaaaaaa
gardening ........ all depends on what ya want to harvest !

[oldcouple]

Wow, and a unmolested dash! And enough room inside for a bread and breakfast.

I had a guy give me one of those in 79, it was in Grantspass, and I was in Medford. No motor or tranny, so I passed as I had no grarage. He scrapped it. Sad.

[arturo7]

Today, someone pointed out to me what a rust bucket this vehicle is. As stated, I'm an utter newb, a lot of the cancerous areas weren't apparent to me. I don't know diddly about body work. I'm wondering how much ugliness would be revealed if I blast the body.

All I want is a driver. My buddy thinks that even with a clean frame and fresh drive train, this vehicle will still need considerable time and expense to make it road worthy.

Guess I need to read all the threads over in the paint and body section of this forum. Anybody know of a entire forum that is dedicated to bodywork?

[Kim57]

Arthur
Try not to get too discouraged. There's a lot of guys here that have started with much worse and no experience and come out with some really nice trucks.
I had zero experience with body work when I started mine and have just learned as I've gone along with my build.
Don't be afraid to tackle new things. Every one here will be willing to help.
Kim