Dutch '59 Fleetside Longbed

[akdg87]

awesome work!

[Steve-W]

Originally Posted by RockinKees

TGet the towbar yesterday

maybe my english isn't as good as I hoped, but don't you already have a towbar? ("trekhaak" in dutch) atleast I see one on the first pictures you posted?

[RockinKees]

Thanks akdg87!!

Steve, towbar is indeed "Trekhaak".
The towbar the first pics isn't so strong, I wouldn't even put my bike carrier on that thing...

[Kim57]

Looking real good.
Kim

[reaper71]

Looking really nice Kees..

[RockinKees]

Well, got the IRS completed today.
It's in and I hope it's never going to come out

Few pics:

[Katrina/10]

Man, that's awesome work, you really showed how it's done.

[RockinKees]

After completing the IRS, I did a little work on the lathe at home.
As you might know, I'm creating my own rearwheel spacers, at the size I need them to be.

Normal turning is no big deal, but when you have to make big holes which can take a wheelnut and also a socket, a man has to be creative

So i turned my lathe into a self made mill....
I made the milling attachment a few years ago, never used it, but now it comes in very handy





It looks dangerous, but it's going very slow.
The drill is size almost 7/8" (22mm).



The socket is 28 mm...so I have to drill some more.
With no drill at that size at home, I used a chisel in the chuck, again very slow.



Now I have done five holes, five to go in the other spacer.
And then some smaller holes for the wheelstuds at the backside, make them at the right thickness and we're ready to go

[RockinKees]

Thanks Gary!!

But I showed how I've done it

[Kim57]

The rear looks great.
Nice fab work on the wheel spacers.
Kim

[oldman3]

Kees, excellent work, and nice thinking on the lathe...Jim

[Advanced Design]

Great work Kees!

[reaper71]

Nice "out of the box" thinking Kees!!!

[RockinKees]

Thanks alot guys!!

I don't want to be IN the box Mark

Today no work on the truck, been buzzy with pinstripe work for others...
Some cool stuff if I may say so
Maybe tomorrow I'll get the spacers ready, if I have the time.

[RockinKees]

Finally finished the wheelspacers.
Those took a lot of time to make, but who cares??
It's also a lot of fun making them

Here you see the outside:



I don't have the money to buy "real" Spider caps ($140,- !!), so I came up with these.
They are original Stainless Steel Thea Bag cups
It says in Dutch on the cups: Theezakjes Houder.
I found them in a second hand store for 30 cent a peace. I have four of them.



The cups are held by three M3 set screws, or lock screws, don't know how you call them...
They look pretty good on the spacer. Maybe I let the text on the cups, just for fun





Now I have to find out how the put the cups on the front hubs

[Katrina/10]

Leave the letters on! What's the track width of the Jag axle?

[RockinKees]

Track width is 58 inch I believe.
I measured between the tires and the width of the wheel openings in the bed...
I think the tires are scraping, so I made the spacers..

[Katrina/10]

58 is pretty close to the original truck axle, maybe 1 inch less. I guess it depends on the offset of the wheels you will use.

[RockinKees]

I use old Caprice steelies, don't know the backspacing.
I like those rims, so I put them on and modify the truck to it

[Advanced Design]

Nice work on the wheel spacers! The cup caps are a great idea and leaving the lettering is perfect. I like it when we can reuse something in that manner.

[Kim57]

Real nice job on the spacers.
Kim

[oldman3]

Nice job...Jim

[RockinKees]

A.D, Kim and Jim, THANKS!!

[RockinKees]

Wheelspacers fits like a glove!!
Looks like somebody build them for this car



All torqued down



I think the teabag cups do a fantastic job there!
And I leave the lettering on





Rear wheels on, measured the distance between them, and they should be in the middle of the rear fenders. Mission completed!



Next I put the front springs in.
I made 4 threaded bars and pushed the springs in place with 4 nuts.
I find this way easier to do then I had done previous, with one bar through the middle.
The jack is there for support.



When the spring is in its place I put temporarily bolts and nuts to keep the spring there. According to an English forum you can "finetune" the rideheight, you can put bushings between the springplate and lower control arm, each bushing of 1/2" is about 1" lower ride.
So I'm going to try that when all the weight is on....



And while I had the time of my life I also put the engine and trans in, so next time it's motormount and transmount fabricationday

[Katrina/10]

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