1958 Apache Big Window Loooooong Bed "Lucky"

[dsraven]

those hinge pillar parts are available but too late now, you got it fixed.
I would spray the area with some cold galvanising, sometimes called weld through primer. high zinc content. then the seam sealer
here is a link to that part that you fabbed up
https://aapd.net/door-hinge-pillar-p...y-pickup-55-59
and the other part
https://aapd.net/door-hinge-pillar-p...y-pickup-55-59
in case a lurker is also needy

[daveshilling]

Originally Posted by dsraven

those hinge pillar parts are available but too late now, you got it fixed.
I would spray the area with some cold galvanising, sometimes called weld through primer. high zinc content. then the seam sealer
here is a link to that part that you fabbed up
https://aapd.net/door-hinge-pillar-p...y-pickup-55-59
and the other part
https://aapd.net/door-hinge-pillar-p...y-pickup-55-59
in case a lurker is also needy

I think I'll be buying one next time, thanks for the link!

[dsraven]

inside the cowl, above the opening for the inside vent, is a built in evestrough looking affair that directs water to each side of the vent opening. this usually is full of dirt, pine needles, leaf compost etc. I usually remove the vent drain plug from the bottom of the cowl, it is sort of a flap of steel screwed on, then i run the garden hose full blast down from the top opening in front of the windshield. you may end up with some water on the floor inside . you can also stick the hose into the cowl from the interior vent and get it to go towards the bottom to flush that drain hole. if you have never seen the inside of the cowl let me know if you wanr some pics with the innee cowl part removed

[daveshilling]

Originally Posted by dsraven

inside the cowl, above the opening for the inside vent, is a built in evestrough looking affair that directs water to each side of the vent opening. this usually is full of dirt, pine needles, leaf compost etc. I usually remove the vent drain plug from the bottom of the cowl, it is sort of a flap of steel screwed on, then i run the garden hose full blast down from the top opening in front of the windshield. you may end up with some water on the floor inside . you can also stick the hose into the cowl from the interior vent and get it to go towards the bottom to flush that drain hole. if you have never seen the inside of the cowl let me know if you wanr some pics with the innee cowl part removed

Hosing it out is a driveway job... and I need to be able to actually drive her first!

[daveshilling]

Since I'm running Hydroboost, I wanted to add a power steering fluid cooler. What better donor than a LS-powered modern Chevy truck?

2000-2006 Chevy truck junkyard coolers are readily available, and they honestly fit very well with our trucks.

I created some mounting points just by welding small tabs/washers to the factory radiator support and drilling a couple of holes in the lower mount of the cooler.

The lines turn into the frame rails perfectly, and already come with rubber hoses attached that fit an LS pump, so it really is a no-brainer to use the cooler GM planned for this engine.

[daveshilling]

I was hesitating on the trans tunnel cover as I figured I may as well just buy a high hump and be done with it, but I decided that since I owned sheet metal and this will get completely covered, it's a good piece to practice metal work.

I cut a hole in the factory piece, made a cardboard template for the sheet, and then spent awhile hammering and bending a gentle curve into the piece so it will be minimally disruptive beneath carpeting when that time comes.

I attached it to the truck, THEN tacked on the new cover so it would fit perfectly, and it seats pretty well!

[Hcb3200]

I noticed on your air intake you have it dumping down. What is the plans for a air box.
In my 56 the heat was insane and that high temp to engine really had fun with LS
I made a airbox just with some basic metal and let the vents next to radiator provide true outside cold air and put a few holes in fender wall just for extra flow like the modern trucks do. Here is a Pic. like well over 40 degrees cooler on air intake on some days.
This build is coming along nicely and you gave me some great upgrade ideas.
Hope your working on truck days are cool and the progress fast.
Enjoy the ride.

[daveshilling]

Originally Posted by Hcb3200

I noticed on your air intake you have it dumping down. What is the plans for a air box.
In my 56 the heat was insane and that high temp to engine really had fun with LS
I made a airbox just with some basic metal and let the vents next to radiator provide true outside cold air and put a few holes in fender wall just for extra flow like the modern trucks do. Here is a Pic. like well over 40 degrees cooler on air intake on some days.
This build is coming along nicely and you gave me some great upgrade ideas.
Hope your working on truck days are cool and the progress fast.
Enjoy the ride.

Thanks for the insight! I have had more than one idea for rerouting the intake but haven't really fleshed them out. I definitely want cooler air than whats underhood...I just figured that would be a 2.0 project that I can do once I'm running and driving.

I LOVE the idea of having the intake being fed from the parking light area, like TDishons custom HammerFab grille but thats beyond my scope of ability. Most likely, I'll end up extending some piping to pick up cooler moving air elsewhere. Definitely open to ideas like your boxing.

[6DoF]

looks like you already have venting from the grill area to the air filter, worst case just a barrier between the rad and filter would help the cooler air get in there.

[daveshilling]

Who says you cant put 15" Wheels on a 96 Vette IFS??

Done and done!

6MM spacers in front, 10mm in back with extra long lugs, plus a 15x7 Wheel Vintiques Smoothies...clearing all calipers!

I was worried that I'd end up with one of those Flatout trucks with Corvette wheels on it...it's fine for them but it's not for me. After agonizing over it for awhile, having a different brand of 15x7 rub... I bought one of these and we cleared!

Got a set of Silvertowns from FB Marketplace, and we FINALLY have wheels and tires! I'm one working transmission and some freshened up doors/glass away from a maiden voyage around the block.

Im just nervous about the 4L60e. So many places are doing ****ty rebuilds and people have lost some $$$ just trying to get a good working trans.

[daveshilling]

I had to get Lucky on the ground and see how she sits... even though I adjusted the Flatout rear to drop it lower, it STILL had a rake to it.. I adjusted the rear coilovers all the way down to their lowest setting and now it looks right.

Dang she pretty!

[6DoF]

[G&R's57GMC]

Gee Dave you’re making good progress, any updates ?

BTW what size tires are on it ?

[daveshilling]

Originally Posted by G&R's57GMC

Gee Dave you’re making good progress, any updates ?

BTW what size tires are on it ?

Those are 225/65/15's on a 15x7 Wheel Vintique smoothie. I've got some updates...

[daveshilling]

To prepare for the maiden voyage around the block, I needed to get these doors on. They still need paint matching on the bottom, but that's future Dave's problem, and they are better stored in this door-shaped hole in the cab (=

I got the passenger side gap pretty nice!! The drivers side.... well it closes nice, at least! I went through my parts bin and got the best door lock bits I had.

I got fresh seals from Seth Doulton/Quality Classic Parts and the doors close easily, no struggle at all..even without any glass (the door is much lighter) they will latch from a 6 inch push.

[daveshilling]

I ordered new vent window seals as well, and got deluxe chrome vent window assemblies. One of the seals was so old it turned to stone, and I had to use a blowtorch to re-soften the rubber enough to remove it from the channel.

The riveting process to reattach the seals would have been simple had the rivets not been too long...I figured it out but some of the rivets aren't too pretty. They wont be seen much.

How about that patina chrome though, eh? I don't care that this cab wasn't deluxe, it's going to get some goodies!

[daveshilling]

Doors and windows are places where you get either a satisfying interaction, or a disappointing one... When a door closes nicely, or a window/door latch works well, it improves the experience for me. Slamming doors and using muscle to roll up a window....not good.

My interior door handle assemblies had issues.. the first being the broken springs. Nobody sells these springs, and I'm not buying a new assembly and tossing good steel in the trash, so I took these out (both sides had the issue) and welded the springs back. They don't have too much travel, so they should survive the heat and stress.

I also noticed how loose the post is, causing the door handle to wiggle in the hand when in use. If I were designing a replacement, I'd improve the tolerance here.... so I found a way.

Using a regular nut, I drilled out the center until it just fit over the post. Then I countersunk one side so it would sit flush against the housing. Welding that together created a more robust channel for the post to turn in, and has eliminated the wiggle/slop that was there before. This was a great $0 modification that I will notice every time I drive the truck!

[daveshilling]

I got the front clip installed, shimmed, and bolted down, and that meant time for some radiator hoses.

I used this site to find the hoses, and it was a HUGE help!

You can search for the sizing and look at pictures to find the part numbers that will most likely fit your application. I ordered a bunch of options from Amazon, and will return what I don't need.

I went to the local Salvage Yard and got some correct GM hose clamps for early 2000's LS engines instead of using the typical screw drive versions. These expand with the hose and they work for GM so they work for me.

[daveshilling]

To protect the expensive 4L60e-to-4L65e Rebuild/upgrade that I had done at a local shop, I installed a Tru Cool 40k Transmission cooler. Since I dont have A/C, I have room for this beast and it should keep my trans fluid nice and cool even if I switch to a 6.0L some day.

They ship it with universal brackets, and I bent those up to get the fins away from the mounting surface. I used the cross-bracing as a mounting point, and used the cardboard the cooler came with as a mock-up piece to find the bracket locations.

[daveshilling]

It was a little too visible for my taste when test-fitting, so I painted it black and now it disappears behind the grille, and also hides my aluminum radiator.

Unfortunately, I mounted it a bit too high and the hood latch interfered... then I noticed that the hood latch handle was bent and cracking at a weak point, so modification was just meant to be!

A piece of scrap and some trial and error later, and I have a new latch setup that looks pretty cool actually, and works great.

[daveshilling]

Got the transmission back from the rebuild with an upgrade from 4L60e to 4L65e to handle more torque later in its life, and painted it with a silver hammer finish even though nobody will be looking at it.

Installed and filled and I have a functional truck!

[daveshilling]

First Drive around the block, then back to bed so I can finish all the little things that make it a drivable truck.

That short trip around the block took me 5 years to achieve!!

[Stepside Jim]

Thanks for all the pics, I enjoy good ole hand fabrication.

[daveshilling]

Originally Posted by Stepside Jim

Thanks for all the pics, I enjoy good ole hand fabrication.

Originally Posted by Rickysnickers

Wow, that's great!! Well done and hope you enjoy it

Originally Posted by Kevin_C

Congrats. that's a big milestone! I don't have far to go on mine to fire but haven't had much time to touch the truck lately.

Thanks, Gents! I'm pretty excited about it. I still have plenty to do and updates to make, but who needs door glass for an October in California, amiright??

[Rickysnickers]

Wow, that's great!! Well done and hope you enjoy it