T-Man's 58 Apache project

[bensimmons_05]

Wow this is looking GREAT. Can't wait to see more pictures!

[ezekiel]

I'm just asking but why did you cut the Camaro into tiny pieces just to extract the front clip and the rear axle?

Did it put up a fight?

[nuke1]

Hey guys, well over the x-mas holidays we got some more stuff done on the truck, i got tyler to become a member now and his user ID is Tyler58' and for now they will be using my account to post pics., so here are some pics and when he gets registered he can start to add pics, as for the Camaro, that was just fun to cut it up, she went through 8 sawzall blades to do it, so she gave a little bit of a fight, btw she was heavily rusted!

[nuke1]

Here is mre pics

[nuke1]

outer cab corner cut off, front hinge corner not much left of it,front cab brace, whole right side has been removed and ready for replacement, inner corner taken out.

[Daniel U]

This cab looks "heavily rusted". I wonder if someone, in 10 years will read this and cry when they see the Camaro cut up. I'm not saying you should have saved her, just think it's interesting what we save and what we discard. My '54 started out as a 3/4 ton longbed. Most people would have used it as a donor. BTW, you guys are hard core working in the snow! Big props from sunny California!

[STOCKISH]

Cant wait to see more progress. I've always liked the 58s.

[nuke1]

more pics inner, outer corners and running board. Here is James, explaining to Don(the Farmer turned welder) how to do it. Still taking things out of cab

[71'tahoe]

looking good!

[nuke1]

Wlee i just got home from the farm and thought i would put some pics up from the weekend, looks like debbie and don figured out how to put some on, way to go you two. anyways here are some pics, i liked a couple of them, anyways... a couple nice pics after we blasted the cab and one of me and tyler, and the one spot on the truck i am not looking forward to doin.

[renegade6]

Looking good. What media are you using to blast with?

[nuke1]

sil 4 sand, stay away far and turn the pressure down, it will not warp.

[JML55]

Nice work man, my roof was rusted like yours so i decided to replace it, i found that to be easier to do instead of repairing all that rust,

[bensimmons_05]

Do the cleco clamps help out a bunch? Ive got to do all the same patch panels you just did.

[nuke1]

Ben, the clecos help out alot, they do not get in the way like vise grips, are small and can be easily used, one of the better investments i have made in my years as a bodyman.

[Geezer2]

I am finding this very interesting. My son has a 1959 Apache that is probably in about the same shape, the cab anyway. The fenders are pretty poor and so are the doors. Frame ok

We have been toying around what to do with it. I would love to see some text on what other parts you used, like the other trucks and the camaro. The reason for shortenting the bed. If text is coming I would really appreciate it. Any chane of that or am I pushing the envelope too much????

[bensimmons_05]

I'm pretty versed on the process for the cab corners but the only thing thats fuzzy is how to mark the replacement or the cab to complete the cut to make it have a good butt joint. And how did you encorporate the cleco's with the cab corner?

Ive seen one guy tac the corner in place and use a cutting wheel to trim the cab corner (and leaving a scribe mark on the cab)

My welding isnt great so I want to try to set myself up with a good butt joint. any tips for cutting?

[nuke1]

hey guys, i will give you some more info later tonite and ben will try to give you some more explanation also later tonite on how to do it, ok

[82stepside]

Hey Ben, i have seen some old schoolers place the patch panel over the existing sheet metal making sure they overlap each other like maybe an inch clamp securely, then take the thinnest cuttoff wheel they can find or a thin sawzall blade and then cut the patch panel and the existing panel in the overlapping area all the way through at the same time. Then they remove what falls off and they fall into place. As a rule i think the notion is to always trim the patch panel and not the existing, so if you can mark the backside of the patch against the existing and just fit and trim with grinder a million times till its right you'll probably end up with a good fit. Or there is a tool that rolls a flanged bead in the panel thats just a sheet metals thickness that you can then trim to that edge, spot weld the lap and weld the seam, leaving the lap joint it creates. I saw that one on MuscleCar....

Hope that gets your mind thinking!

[Kim57]

Here's a link to the Brothers site that shows how to replace the cab corners. hope it helps.
Kim
http://www.brotherstrucks.com/techar...20INSTALLATION

[bensimmons_05]

Hey 82stepside, thats consistent with one article I've read. Kim57 I appreciate the link, it still lacks a good explination of how the corner was marked to be cut or how it was trimmed at all for that matter. For some reason most of the "How To's" go from the test fit right to tack welding. In my mind there is a very vital step in between!

The article you provided Kim57 is the first I have seen where a verticale relief cut has been executed. I ceartainly hope to avoid that!

I dont intend to take any attention off of your truck nuke1 I promise to better!!

[MrSinister]

Ben I had to make thesame kind of cut when I put the corners in..no biggie just trimmed with a cut off wheel and welded back up. But I've herd that some of the newer corner stampings are better..

[OrrieG]

Not being a super welder I backed my joint up by cutting the patch panel short then using the extra piece behind the original cab and new panel. I used machine screws to hold everything in place (same principle as the clecos). I had some older patch panels I picked up over 10 years ago and the fit needed to be pulled into place. After welding the panel, removed the screws and welded the holes. Also, regarding the referenced article and not installing the inner panels, I made new ones for mine because I am going to be using the truck off road and wanted the additional ridigity they give. In either case I'd recommend putting in the floor closure panels on the inside they refer to. I did look a the "Lurker Orrie" build thread to see what I did.

[nuke1]

the newer stampings are way better, these ones fit like a glove, the best i have ever installed, everything lined up, not sure what is wrong with the ppl making them but they did one nice job for once, way to go guys.

[OrrieG]

Originally Posted by nuke1

the newer stampings are way better, these ones fit like a glove, the best i have ever installed, everything lined up, not sure what is wrong with the ppl making them but they did one nice job for once, way to go guys.

The excuse I heard for mine was they were using the original worn out dies that stretched the metal??? Maybe the current ones are using new tooling made off of very good original parts.