SGTUSMC '59 build

[Panelman55]

Thank You for what you gave and what you were willing to do for this country!!!
I'm glad you made it, and hope you can keep up the good work. God Bless you and your family.

Panelman55

[71'tahoe]

SGT,
Is a 7" wide wheel the widest you can run up front? I got a spare 95' frame at the farm and Im curious as to how much clearance you have. Id like to run an 8" wheel. You think that would be possible?

Great build you have going on! It has me thinking about an 88-98 swap for my 58'

Thanks for any help you can give me!

Greg "GT" Tholen

[sgtusmc]

Thanks guy's for the positive words.

Fat Mike- Sorry I missed your post about the wheelbase. I'll get that for you in the morning if you don't mind.

71'tahoe- Since the truck will be for my wife I was afraid to run a 7" wide wheel with bags so I went with a 15x5 rims from wheel vintiques. Now if she airs out with the wheels turned she won't kill the fenders. If your not going to lay running boards a 7" will work. I don't have an 8" wheel with a tire so I can't really say it would work or not. If it's low you might hit the fender at full lock (depending on tire size). You'll limit your tire choices with a 8". I'm happy I went with the swap. It's going a lot smoother than I initially thought.

[71'tahoe]

Originally Posted by sgtusmc

71'tahoe- Since the truck will be for my wife I was afraid to run a 7" wide wheel with bags so I went with a 15x5 rims from wheel vintiques. Now if she airs out with the wheels turned she won't kill the fenders. If your not going to lay running boards a 7" will work. I don't have an 8" wheel with a tire so I can't really say it would work or not. If it's low you might hit the fender at full lock (depending on tire size). You'll limit your tire choices with a 8". I'm happy I went with the swap. It's going a lot smoother than I initially thought.

Thanks for the info! Id like to try a 17x8/18x8 . Like I say,I've got and extra 95' frame Im going to try. I would have never thought of the swap if it wasnt for you. Thanks for the project thread!

[slick65]

great looking project! i have a 59 Apache that im building, only problem is its a long bed fleetside. i want it to be a short bed but cant find a bed around here at all. is there anyway that you can send me measurements of your bed so i can cut mine to length? id appreciate that a bunch! thanks again

[sgtusmc]

Here's some measurements of the bed and track width.

This is measuring from the rear stack pocket to the front of the bed. I get 77 1/8".



From the rear of the bed, right at the round tail light pocket (without the tail light assembly installed) to the front of the bed following the body crease is 82"


My track width running a 155/80/15 on a wheel vintiques 15x5 rim (outer most part of the tire to the other) is 68 7/8"


There is 3" tuck from the tire to the wheel well.


Here's the 1988 seat sitting on the 59 seat tracks. It sits right under the rear window. With the 88 seat tracks the top of the seat (about 3") can be seen.

[slick65]

thanks a bunch, your a life saver. now mine goes under the knife next week

[entourageguy]

With the 88-98 seat on it's own track it come up to the bottom of the window on a small back window.

[sgtusmc]

slick65- Your welcome. Let me know if you need anymore measurements.

entourageguy- I love the way your seat was upholstered, It looks great in your truck. I thought about cutting the 88 seat track riser down to lower the seat so it wouldn't be visible out the back window. It wouldn't take much to get the seat to mount to the 59 tracks.

[slick65]

its been like pulling teeth for those measurements or trying to find a bed. i have a nearly perfect long bed. it sucks that i have to cut it but im running out of options, and these long beds are HUGE! it seems way bigger than a normal long bed

[71'tahoe]

SGTUSMC,
Thanks for the track width measurements! It will help me a ton! with those measurements Im sure I could fit an 8" wheel under the front! Thanks again.

Greg "GT" Tholen

[entourageguy]

Originally Posted by sgtusmc

slick65- Your welcome. Let me know if you need anymore measurements.

entourageguy- I love the way your seat was upholstered, It looks great in your truck. I thought about cutting the 88 seat track riser down to lower the seat so it wouldn't be visible out the back window. It wouldn't take much to get the seat to mount to the 59 tracks.

thanks for the comment about the seat.
I'm really enjoying watching your builds. I chuckled to myself about the welded tailgate on your latesed build.
Couple of friends have modified their seats as well by cutting wedges out to change the seat angle. I'm very happy with how the seat turned out. A guy that looked at the truck the other day made the comment " you can tell a boat guy did that seat".

[Kabwe]

Originally Posted by sgtusmc

slick65- Your welcome. Let me know if you need anymore measurements.

entourageguy- I thought about cutting the 88 seat track riser down to lower the seat so it wouldn't be visible out the back window. It wouldn't take much to get the seat to mount to the 59 tracks.

Most people I know cut the 88 seat riser down to lower it for a big back window, but then again most every I know did not have the 55-59 original track or think of using it. Cool idea and cool truck keep up the good work man.

[99 to Life]

that is awesome that seat fits in there perfectly. I used a 73-87 full size chevy bench seat in my 51' I mean it fits by the hair of someones chiny chin chin. I give chevy credit for keeping the same bolt pattern for all these years and also for these damn seats fitting so nicely. You gonna get a serape for it, or get it upholstered?

good work

[Fat Mike]

Thank you for the measurements!

[mr48chev]

Mike, remember that some of the extra length of the longbed is behind the wheel wells. It will have to be trimmed front and back to be right.
I hadn't paid much attention to this thread Sarge but this looks to be one of the better swap ideas around for this model of truck.

[OrrieG]

I thought I had replied on the bed shortening dims too. Here is a photo I attached to someone elses request that show the dim from the front to the wheel well. It shows 23" by my measurement. Like mr48 said, both ends need trimmed to center the wheel and wheel well.

[Palf70Step]

subscribed.

[sgtusmc]

Can I get your opinions on this? It's the stock '88 column with the '59 wheel. It's mounted higher up on the firewall to hide the wires and such. At this point it's just zip tied there. The column is at half tilt right now. At this angle I won't need to worry to much about u-joints. It's a straight shot.

[Fat Mike]

Can you show a picture of where it would come out on the firewall.

[sgtusmc]

Here you go. If I keep it, I'll shorten the column tube and leave the shaft at it's length. Here's a poor paint pic of what I'm talking about. The blue is the shaft, the red is the trans shifter moved up.

[Kim57]

To me it looks fine. I think you're going to have to sit behind it and see how it feels in the different tilt positions.
Kim

[nickp51chevy]

Originally Posted by Kim57

To me it looks fine. I think you're going to have to sit behind it and see how it feels in the different tilt positions.
Kim

I'm thinking the same thing. Looking good buddy!!!

[Kabwe]

Thats about where mine is located and the only reason I was nervous is because I don't have my master cylinder on my firewall. I think yours looks fine.

[JML55]

I have mine come right below the bend in the fire wall and i still have to use one u joint. What ever works for you i think will be fine.