1958 SWB C4 Fleetside - NZ Build

[57FleetsideC4]

Very nice work!! Steve

[Rickysnickers]

Nice shop.

[dsraven]

always good to have a shop for YOUR stuff.
curious about the weight of the steam line set up. vibration may cause fracturing of the fitting at the head if the system is left hanging on that. it looks cool, just may be heavy.

[Patina56]

I’ve been subscribed to your YouTube for a while and enjoy your videos. New shop looks great!

[QBRacing]

@ DSRaven
The steam lines dont normally sit up like that, I moved them to fit the LS6 valley cover.
I have since lowered them back down so they run flat along the valley cover now.

[QBRacing]

So I just uploaded this Youtube Video showing the mods I did to the front A-Arm wing plates of the flatout front subframe. Don said that the later models already have something like this but I just went really overboard to make sure.

I basically tied the A-arm mounts to the box section to the chassis rail and think that should stop the flex I was getting that the certifier didnt like.

I have booked my next cert check and cant get in until the end of July now so that gives me about 6 weeks to fix the steering column. Plenty of time.

Here are some pics of the plates I had welded in.

[daveshilling]

Originally Posted by QBRacing

So I just uploaded this Youtube Video showing the mods I did to the front A-Arm wing plates of the flatout front subframe. Don said that the later models already have something like this but I just went really overboard to make sure.

I basically tied the A-arm mounts to the box section to the chassis rail and think that should stop the flex I was getting that the certifier didnt like.

I have booked my next cert check and cant get in until the end of July now so that gives me about 6 weeks to fix the steering column. Plenty of time.

Here are some pics of the plates I had welded in.

Well this will be setting my project back now )= How can I NOT add these after hearing about the flex??

[6DoF]

BEEEEEFF, i liiike

[6DoF]

finally had a chance to watch the vid ... i was really hoping for the certifiers flex vids.

[QBRacing]

It has been on youtube for a while but was private while I discussed with Don.

As I said the later model systems come with it because the front plates are higher but given the shallow height of the earlier models (pre 88 i think it was) They werent deemed necessary till now.

Last I heard I think he was going to put the plates on all from now on but if not... i would do it

Here is the Flex Video from 1 min 40 on.


Please do NOT blame Don at flatout. For me he has been great to deal with, he supplied the kit and the suspension components and got them to a freight forwarder in LA for me to get all the way to NZ, nothing was broken, bent, missing and he has always been there when I called him (chassis length issue on earlier video). that said, I hope he fixes the issue moving forwards.

Please note : my fix required welding over the chassis number so make sure thats noted / photographed before hand. In my case I already had a NZ VIN attached so the stamped number is no longer required, TAKE PHOTOS ANYWAY....

Cheers
Q

[G&R's57GMC]

Great fix .

I kind of questioned that single plate design when I saw it but figured it might be ok but still thought it should have more support .

Looks like your inspector thought the same thing and proved it . Nice catch .

I think you did a great fix and I hope Don at Flatout incorporates it in his design and offers the plates to previous customers .

[Kevin_C]

Great Video Q. I had to go back and look at mine. Im running the later 96 suspension and there appears to be extra bracing. That is some upgrade you made. I don't think you will have any issues now.

[daveshilling]

Originally Posted by Kevin_C

Great Video Q. I had to go back and look at mine. Im running the later 96 suspension and there appears to be extra bracing. That is some upgrade you made. I don't think you will have any issues now.

I checked mine too, and I have the same bracing, fortunately, so I think I'll be leaving it as-is, although QB's bracing seems pretty bulletproof!

[6DoF]

wow, you weren't even really getting after it. imagine the flex if you were hammer down around a road track!

Any business that stands behind their work to help, even when you point out a flaw, deserve the business! it's a shame more don't, but it's great to find those who do. Good on Don and Flatout.

[G&R's57GMC]

Hay Dave is your bracing the same as Kevin C’s ?

[daveshilling]

Originally Posted by G&R's57GMC

Hay Dave is your bracing the same as Kevin C’s ?

Yes it is.

[QBRacing]

I will try to remember to make a video this week but what a mission the hood brace swap was, and all because i wanted to run the eddie motorsports hinges.

THE STORY
If you haven't read the rest of the thread my cab is actually a 57 (confirmed via hinge mounts and wiper motor mounting/setup).
Luckily I bought the EMS hood mounts after figuring that out.
The mounts supplied when I bought the truck were 58-59 mounts which had been drilled and slotted to fit to the firewall.

What I did do is find a 55-57 hood locally here in NZ and got it cheap.
After measuring the hoods they are the same width at the rear but the 55-57 is wider at the front due to the single lights.
I cut the rear of hood up to ensure I was able to keep the rear brace where the hood hinges mount as the plate is a different shape
Then I confirmed it fitted

What I forgot to check or factor in was that the middle of the 58-59 hood drops back down leaving the ridges, where the 55-57 stays high, so it wasnt such an easy fix.

[QBRacing]

-So I got a panelbeater (mate of a mate of a mate) who went to work and made it all fit (for a lot more than i estimated but it needed to be done)

He started with my 58-59 hood and removed the stock rear brace without damaging the hood to much.

Then cut the centre sections out of both rear hood support braces.

He then took the outer mount pieces from the 55-57 and started to piece the centre 58-59 section back in using the spare pieces to make it look somewhat factory.

Then he stitched the new rear mount back into the 58-59 hood and got it all ready for painting.....

Now I have a 58-59 hood with a custom rear hinge mount panel to mate to the 55-57 EMS hood mounts into the 57 firewall.

Why is nothing ever easy

[QBRacing]

While all that was going on I also made an upgrade to the CPP undercab brake setup I had previously installed.

While this item was in my prebuild sheet and approved by the LVVTA over here what they couldnt tell was that the pivot pin does not go all the way through the arm, and that the pin ends up sitting in a bush that is welded to the arm.

needless to say they failed me when it was checked and said I needed a longer pin as IF the weld failed I could be left with no brakes. (I call bs).

So back to a member at the local hotrod club who is an engineer and while correct to a degree we come up with an easier and cheaper solution than making a whole new pivot pin..... affix something to the missing bit.

So he drilled and tapped the pivot pin, made a spacer that sits in the hole and installed a grade 8 bolt, now if the weld brakes it cant go anywhere.

Box of piss fix - score.

[Rickysnickers]

Nice

[Rickysnickers]

Congrats! Interesting, NZ assigns a modern 17 digit VIN. Was the original VIN tag on the cab? If so, why don't they use that?

[6DoF]

hell yeah! time for miles!

[QBRacing]

Small update after a couple if thousand KMs.

The door cards rattle like a mofo. Thats because the Altman door catches bolt to a skin that bolts to the door card that bolts to the door. Can YOU see the problem...

So
I stripped it all down,
Cut out the centre section of the factory door card leaving about a 5mm-10mm lip inside the raised swage line,
Spot welded the skin to the card (removed 1 rattle spot)
and painted the inside with a rattle can.


Video Here incase you want to see it, otherwise pics below

I still need to sand and prime the outside of factory metal card but I want to increase the hole size for the electric window switches then cover the factory card with the same material I used for the 1/4 kick panels. this will also stop the main card from rattling on the door itself removing the second rattle.

I have also been trying to find what people with the 1 window conversion have been using for the inner and outer window channels so I can finish the upper sections of the doors so if you have any hints, tricks, tips please let me know.

Q

[QBRacing]

Here is what I tried so far for the door/window weather strips.

Due to the different radius I cant find anything local to fit, so I took to cutting a straight piece of weatherstrip but that didnt work to well and when the window went up and down it pulled the sliced bits and twisted the bent section out of shape.

I am now leaning towards two sets of factory weatherstrips with a cut and join in the middle and a small plate at the front for the larger opening.

Q

[slammed57]

I saw these On a Beautiful 59 .. I took a pic of it because I,ll probably go this route with mine. I believe steele rubber makes them. just another option I thought I,ll share