1960 Chevy Apache

[donthekawguy]

I would do power brakes and steering and put an auto and AC in it. Just cuz I'm old and too lazy to drive a stick and love AC.

[Rich 5150 69]

Just have a brake shop measure the drums. they might be alright unless they are groved from pad rivets, as far as the rivets to the drums, that was a factory step to make it quicker for the assembly boys, grinding them off is the norm ( easier for you )...glad to see you back and working on it..

[jjzepplin]

I say get her running for Halloween and go scare the shiz out of some teenagers! Can you say=Jeepers Creepers!

[Straw Rube]

Got into the front wheel bearings this weekend, figured I’d get the old ones out and get things ready for the new bearings. Only when I got the old bearings cleaned up, they looked pretty good. LMC sells the outer bearings for $45 and the inner for $90 apiece, so that was nice to avoid.

I went down to the parts store to get some bearing grease and took the brake drums to get them turned. They wanted $30 each to machine each drum. They had new ones for $28 (special order of course)! I guess I’m getting old because I remember spending $10 to get a drum turned. Anyway, looking at the drums, they are really in pretty good shape too. I took the drums home, I’m just going to clean them up, Emery Cloth the inner linings, and reinstall them.

Then there are the brake shoes, they don’t look too worn either, although the front brake pads have some crack marks in them. LMC sells new brake pads all around for $60. I’ll probably do that.

It’s interesting the feelings I get as I start getting into the truck. Dad kept pretty good care of his stuff. He did by a new Ford Pickup in about 1990 or so, but in 1995 I crashed it into a telephone pole. So he went back to driving this truck (when he needed a pickup). If you’ll notice there’s Never-Seez on the brake shoes. I removed on of the rear brake shoe assemblies just to see what the condition they were in. The brake adjustment screw looked like it was corroded into one piece, but when I took a couple of large plyers and broke it free, Dad had put Never-Seez on the treads before he assembled it and once I broke it free, it rotated by hand just as free as you please.

I guess Dad knew what he was doing.

[Rich 5150 69]

You can get your shoes ( linnings) at Napa, just so you know you don`t have to order them...

[Straw Rube]

I don't know why the pictures didn't upload yesterday, here they are:

The front wheel bearings are in good shape.

Brake drums really don't need to be turned, Dad really kept up on the maintenance on this truck. A little Emery Cloth and elbow grease and they'll be just fine.

Brake shoes could be reinstalled, but I will probably replace them. Anybody ever see cracking in the shoe like in this picture?

Note the Never-Seez.

Thanks for the tip Rich

[Straw Rube]

A few of you have mentioned upgrading the master cylinder. I'm not even sure if the truck has a hydraulic clutch. Looking at the picture of the trucks master cylinder, I would say that its a separate front and back brake system.

Any advice? What other master cylinder options are out there?

[Straw Rube]

Found it - yeah its a split master cylinder - brake and clutch ...

[chevy_man5]

Captainfab makes an adapter plate, that allows an upgrade to power brakes, and keeps the hydraulic clutch.

I think there is a non-power brakes option too, but don't remember for sure.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=362375

Eventually, this is probably what I will do with mine.

[Straw Rube]

Okay, Maybe its a little thing, but this week I repacked and installed the front wheel bearings on the truck. I feels like I've accomplished something, got over some kind of hump, I don't know. But here I go ...

[61_FL_Apache]

Cool truck!!

[Straw Rube]

Cleaned out the truck bed yesterday, a little at a time.

[Straw Rube]

Good ol' Sawz All. My wife said I was really getting into my work

[Straw Rube]

Been a few months since my last post, haven't done much to the truck. Pretty excited though about a few things over the last week. I gave my '71 Chevy Truck to my Stepson, now I can focus more on the '60. Went down to the DMV yesterday, when title was transferred to me from my father in 2001, I let it expire and move into a non-operational status since the truck was still in California and I was in Alaska. The lady at the DMV looked in the system and said the truck was still in there, registered non-op. She said she was surprised since vehicles will automatically drop out after 5 years. She processed my change-of-address and said I was good for another 5 years. I asked about the old Black and Yellow '63 California plates on the truck and she said they were still good! Yea, I was really afraid that I'd have to replace them, but now I know I can keep the original plates.

Next problem is the condition of the plates. I found a website, CR8APL8.COM that sells reproduction plates, so I ordered one. Pricey, but no one else seems to have the reproduction plates.

Down the road I'm going to rewire the truck. I've been looking at the American Autowire Classic Update complete wiring kit. It's pretty pricey but it looks like a really nice kit. There are several YouTube videos on their product and I am impressed. Anybody else use their product, or anyone else's?

I feel like I'm moving forward again.

[McCoyAZ]

Cool looking truck and the story that goes along with it.

You have quite a lot of work ahead of you.

You should try buying parts local instead of mail order. Local businesses support all the little things that make a community. School sports, little league, Chamber of Commerce....the list is endless.

When was the last time you saw LMC as a local team sponsor?

Keep it in town so your town thrives.

[oem4me]

Very cool you can keep the old plates ..or what's left of them, anyways. I'm guessing nobody at the DMV looked at your plates before OK'ing them. Let us know how the repro plate comes out .. didn't think this was even legal.
EDIT: I just looked up those repro plate guys and ...um, good luck! http://www.yelp.com/biz/cr8apl8-com-tustin

[61K10]

Straw Rube---if you are still in sac, look up jim's chevy parts. they are local to you in R/C off of sunrise ave. I hope you replace the wheel cyl's and hoses.

[1963chev]

It is quite a controversy whether to stay drum or go disc. I put a 72 front end in my 63 to get discs. I am real glad I got the disk brakes with how people drive their little imports these days but I think i would take the simpler route and just slap on the drum to disk conversion kits if I were to do it again. Just my two cents!

[50bomb]

WOw I have always loved the 60-61 chevy front hoods and grills. They are to die for. Looks good.

[88Lt1wagon]

Cool story, and nice truck, good luck with the rebuild

[Straw Rube]

oem4me,

Ulp! I see what you mean with the Yelp site. I guess I'll see what happens. Thanks for the heads up.

[Straw Rube]

Originally Posted by oem4me

Very cool you can keep the old plates ..or what's left of them, anyways. I'm guessing nobody at the DMV looked at your plates before OK'ing them. Let us know how the repro plate comes out .. didn't think this was even legal.
EDIT: I just looked up those repro plate guys and ...um, good luck! http://www.yelp.com/biz/cr8apl8-com-tustin

Just trying to figure out how the forum works

[Straw Rube]

Just wanted to share a couple more pictures. These were taken in 1973, that's my Dad.

[JWheeler331]

Cool truck and all of the family pictures and memories of the truck make it all that much better.

[Jeff La]

Glad you've got a family truck to restore, wish I could find my 65 that we had when I was in high school. Your doing a great job