Legacy 59

[dsraven]

I know what you mean. I work alone as well. I have a garage with a concrete floor and an engine lift. You can easily make a cab lift tool to fit an engine lift. It fits on the engine lift and lifts the cab from the door openings. I'll post a pic of mine this evening hopefully.

[dsraven]

here is a pic of my cab lifter. disregard the other stuff, it started life as a 57 but has had a few mods done. if you need to place the cab on the ground or a low surface you may want to make the part from the engine lift arm to the cross beams a little taller so it doesn't bottom out on the lift arm when you get power. install a couple of stopper parts on each side so the cab can't slip off one of the ends. works great and doesn't take much room to store. one man operation. if you also make a square wooden frame for the cab to sit on, with wheels under it, that will make moving the cab around really easy.

[autowrench]

That looks slick! I have a 2 post lift. I could probably figure out how to make it work. I am going to need an engine hoist later though and that would be much easier to move it around. Time to buy more tools! I'm also going to check your build thread out. I know I looked at some stuff when I first came to this site about a year ago. You used Envoy powertrain as I recall.

[dsraven]

yup, 2004 envoy XUV, its longer than the others. I started out with modifying the original 57 frame with MII front end and ford 8.8 out back. home built rear 4 link with air bags front and rear. then while doing work on my nephews envoy I got out the tape measure and figured it would be a good donor. bought a wreck at the insurance auction and used the floor and part of the firewall from the envoy under the 57 cab. I extended the cab first (part of the original process so I could use bucket seats with integral seat belts and not be forced so close to the dash) then lowered it down over the envoy floor sitting on the frame.
no build thread. sorry. meant to but never got to it.

[autowrench]

Just a quick update. I have acquired a Fatman Fabrications Mustang 2 Kit for my truck! It is in CA at my Nephew Ray's house. I will be travelling out there to pick it up along with other goodies that were included sometime in April. No hurry, because there is still too much snow here to start on such a project. Thank You, Dan in Pasadena! If I hadn't been looking at someone else's build thread and seen his comment, I likely never would have lucked into this deal. He bought it for his 55 from someone on Craigslist and decided to go another direction with his build. I am jazzed to have a starting point for my project and hope to make some significant progress this year! Once I do that, I will have a Camaro clip to pass along. And maybe some other stuff too.

[dsraven]

just so you know, 55 was the transition year from the AD to the Tf trucks. if it was for a first gen 55 it is actually for an AD truck. not trying to rain on the parade, just a heads up.
fatman has a really good tech articles section in their catalogue online, there is a section on understanding indepenent front suspension that is a shoer read but very informative I recommend to read that even if you have mechanical background. also, since the front fender wheel openings are not symetrical, it really makes a difference on how the front tires loo in thw wheel openings when you lower the truck down over the wheels. its always good to have the correct size tire for mock up and also set the truck at ride height and rake angle when you are doing a mock up.
keep posting up pics, we all like to see your progress and sometimes can steer you in the right direction.

[daveshilling]

Originally Posted by dsraven

just so you know, 55 was the transition year from the AD to the Tf trucks. if it was for a first gen 55 it is actually for an AD truck. not trying to rain on the parade, just a heads up.

He said he bought it from Dan, so I'm thinking he was...steered... in the right direction already

[autowrench]

It did come from Craigslist, so there is always that chance that something isn't what it was represented to be. Not on Dan's part. I believe him to be honest and a straight shooter from what I have seen. I figure that even if I can't use all the parts, I will easily be able to use most of them. Or I can find someone who can. If it all works out, I could have a rolling chassis this year. lots of work and a lot of measuring ahead!

[dsraven]

when I installed the TCI MII on a 57 frame I set the frame up on a modified jack stands. I removed the sliding part of the stands and tacked on a new top part with a 3/4" hole in it and a 3/4" nut tacked on top of that. then I used 3/4" threaded rod screwed into that top adapter to go up to the frame. on top of the threaded rod I had welded a 3/8" bolt that would fit into a hole in the frame of the truck and be secured loosely with a nut and flat washers that would be tightened down once the frame was levelled and set at the correct rake angle desired. when done there was also a jam nut on the lower end of the 3/4 rod so nothing moved accidentally. I found this worked really well and allowed work to be done on the frame, the frame to be checked for square-corner to corner, sag, and straightness before any new stuff was added. I set the frame level side to side using a long level with a shorter digital torpedo level sitting on top of that. the long level acted as a straight edge and the short level gave the digital readout. i thought the long bubble level was usually pretty accurate but when compared to the digital level sitting on top it was easy to be out a few degreees depending on the angle that you viewed the bubble at. the digital level tells the same number no matter what angle you are looking at the screen. I highly recommend the digital method over the bubble level. the torpedo level is also easier to use for levelling the lower control arms so they can be set at the neutral position (ride height position). when levelling the cross member in the frame I recommend to install the long lower control arm bolts into their holes and leave them protruding on the front side far enough so a long level can be placed on top of the protruding part side to side. that way you get a true reading on the side to side levelling of the crossmember as the steel of the crossmember isn't necessarily true with the lower control arm pivot holes and may also not be totally flat and true. then, for a fore to aft levelling, the pivot bolts can be pulled further out of their holes and the level can be placed on that-fore to aft- to get the lower control arm pivot bolt level. this method will level the crossmember side to side and fore to aft with the frame set at the rake angle you want. the crossmember tabs that but up against the underside of the frame can be trimmed to fit tightly at this point so a good weld can be done on the front and rear side of the crossmember. you wll see what I mean when the time comes.
this is just how I did it, there are lots of ways to arrive at the same finish result. some are more accurate than others, but remember when the front end alignment guy is doing his thing it is in tenths of a degree, not eyeballing a bubble level.

[Dan in Pasadena]

Hey Tom, I finally found you! I'm not on this forum as much as I once was but just noticed this thread and will try to check in periodically.

The Fatman's Fabrication IFS kit I sold you was in Orange Country here when I bought it. The guy that had it said it came with an aborted project '58 pickup he'd bought. He planned to put a blown big block in it and wanted a kit he left was better for a heavier, high torque engine than he thought the kit was for. I fully planned to use it myself until the builder I used on my truck suggested I'd like the FlatOut kit better.

At the time I was more flush with cash than I thought I would be and I thought that since he does these mods daily/weekly I should follow his advice so that later he couldn't say, "Well I told you..."

In 20/20 hindsight I wish I'd kept the 283 that was in my truck. It had at least one dead cylinder but also had "camel hump" (fuelie) heads on it with the bigger valves. I know rebuilding a 283 properly can be more expensive than an out-of-the-box 350 short block. I ended up spending way too much money on my truck to make it what I'd always dreamed of. Not that I truly regret it, I love my truck. But I wish I'd built something more daily driver friendly.

I ran into a website last night that had a VERY nice '58 short step side truck in it. It looks like a very high dollar build but the guy kept the 265 V8 in it and it just reminded me how nice my truck could have been without spending as much as I did on the engine. If I find it again I'll post the link here for you to check it out.

EDIT:

Here's a link to the truck I mention above: https://fuelcurve.com/levi-green-58-apache/

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. The color combo is nice and it features a bunch of stuff I sometimes don't care for buy really like on this truck. I'm also impressed with the flipper rear bumper and the nice integration of exhaust tips in the spaces next to the license plates. I still plan to put motorcycle signal lights with white lenses in them on my truck to take up those spaces. Though now that I've acquire '51 era plates there may not be space. Anyway, just rambling now. Enjoy!

[dsraven]

thats a nice looking truck for sure. it may be the pic angle, but it does look a little like the box and the cab are at different angles. by the quality look of the build I gotta say it is likely a pic angle playing with my eyes.

autowrench, if you want that pdf file on the heidts "understanding independent front suspension" I can send it to you in an email, too big for this site to download. just pm me.
this is a pic of my modded jack stands to level the frame and hold it well when doing the MII crossmember. this is a 58 frame with a 57 truck on top of it, so the frame horns look too long out front (because they are too long, haha)

[autowrench]

Dan, That is a nice truck! Lots of nice features. Too low for me to have where I live, but a lot of good ideas. Love the color! I'm still undecided on engine choice. I'm leaning toward the Vortec 6.0. But if the right deal came along on a SB or BB Chevy I could easily be persuaded.
Tom

[autowrench]

dsraven, I PM'd you! I was going to get a set of trailer leveling jacks, but I think I like your solution better. Because they are attached to the frame and not just resting there. I will need to contact Fatman and find out the specifics of the kit components. There is a possibility I may Get a Chassis Engineering bolt in crossmember and use the parts from this kit to finish it out. We will see how that plays out.
Tom

[dsraven]

I'll get that info to you tomorrow.
if looking to power up your ride i suggest to look for a donor vehicle that has the stuff you need. like an insurance write off lot or a deal from the classifieds locally. a donor gets you the engine, trans as a unit. starter, alt, computer, all the wiring, rad, steering column, seats, etc etc. if the body isn't too bad some of it can be sold to recover some costs. i recommend an LS engine just because it is the new small block and also because it ia fuel injected right outta the chute. yes, carbed engines are retro and cool etc, but the fuel injected engines start easy, have computers that are already set up for the peripherals, like engine fans, fuel pump turn on/off, trans shift points etc. lots of guys will tune it for you but they can also be ran in the stock format and will have lots of juice to run a light truck. if you can find a camaro it will already have the oil pan and exhaust manifolds you know will fit. trucks are cheaper but the oil pans are too low so a bit of money needs to be spent on some upgrades.
anyway, your truck do what you like. it might be good to start a list of doing a repower a few different ways.weigh the costs and time to finish. lots of guys are using the small block chevy because the TF trucks came with the sbc so engine mounts are easy. thats good if you don't plan on doing a different trans or if you can come up with the correct bellhousing to support the rear of the engine on the stock cross member, otherwise it is a new style of trans cross member.

[autowrench]

Thanks for the information! I will be reading it in detail pretty soon. Yes, lots of plusses to the LS style powertrain. I'm not afraid of the computer controlled engines. I started working with them in the 80s when I got hired as an automotive mechanic. A few classes at a local junior college set me up to start understanding the newer cars and trucks. I see a lot of positive things in the newer engines.
Tom

[dsraven]

there is also the GM electronic small block crate engine. check ogre's build to see how they fit
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=501998

[autowrench]

I have the Fatman Fabrications kit here now and it appears complete. I got the instructions from them too. I still need to repair the frame and check it for straightness. I have a oxy-acetylene setup now to heat things up and for any cutting I have to do. The instructions were not clear on locating axle centerline, just to find it and install the crossmember centered there. Tack it in and mock up the wheels and fenders to make sure they look right. It came with the stock height spindle which is what I wanted. I expect it will drop the height somewhere between 3 to 5". I'm still not to clear on setting the ride height and whether I need to notch in the upper hats or how much that changes the height. They do suggest putting a 2" piece of pipe over the shock rod to lock in the length while test fitting. Anyone feel like commenting on how easy or difficult the process is? Thanks!
Tom

[autowrench]

Just a quick update with pictures to follow. I spent about 2 hours this morning and stop drilled and ground out the cracks in the frame. Then I used a 1/4 plate for backing and hammered them flat.. Next, I used a flap wheel on my grinder to clean the metal. I am happy with the results and glad that I did not have to resort to heating the frame in order to move the metal back. Next order of business is to move it over to the better garage and weld it up. So, finally some progress this year!

[dsraven]

Nice to have forward momentum, but, no pics....didnt happen. Lol.
Be careful not to put too much heat into the frame at any point. It tends to warp things.

[autowrench]

Back to it today. I welded up the areas and started the process of grinding it flat. I also welded up the grooves in the front crossmember where the harmonic
balancer wore into it.

[autowrench]

That was the" before" pictures obviously. I have one of the 95% finished repair of the outside frame rail. Also, I think maybe the cab mount on the front passenger side needs attention. I think you pointed that out, dsraven.

[autowrench]

I will need to remove the steering box and column before I weld in a doubler plate on the driver's side. Probably will make it easier to do a better job of grinding in there too.

[dsraven]

some guys get all the fun jobs....