My Build - 1955 2nd Series Short Bed Stepside

[1959 Apache 3600]

Those doors look terrific! Your project is coming along very nicely. Don't worry about the speed of your progress... at least you're getting stuff done!

[Maximus]

Thanks guys!

Spent this weekend ripping through my under dash harness, after 4 hours, I finally have it just about figured out. Headlight switch is in and working, and my new Tach is in and working! the first gauge is reading out properly! now I need to figure out if im using the stock cluster or an aftermarket...
anyways, a couple pics...

Photo with the headlight switch in, and tack in


Photo of the tach on the column


photo of the tach all light up

[Kim57]

Looks good. I like those Sun tachs.
Kim

[Maximus]

Got some more wiring done!
After sorting out the turn signal switch wiring and testing the headlight wiring, finding out its all working (!!) I decited to toss in my front parking lights in after I got off work, in the half hour of light I had. I hate daylight savings...

Anyways, I was able to install the parking lights, get them wired and test the parking lights/turn signals, and again, both worked!

I think the only wiring question I have left is my brake switch, and that one is only two wires so I am in pretty good shape...

photo is of bad quality, and I need amber bulbs for my clear lenses but here is a little proof for you non-believers!!!!


hah

thanks for reading...

[Maximus]

A daylight pic of the parking lights installed

[_Ogre]

maximus: just read thru your build, nice work.
i'm somewhat envious of the quality metal you guys in ca are able to find.
they salt roads here, everything is gone in a few yrs.

in my opinion the 55-59 instrument cluster is one of the best looking truck cluster out there.
follow the link in my signature to see how i rebuilt my cluster, including converting the amp gauge to volt meter.
for the fuel gauge, there is a way to use 30 ohm gauge with a 90 ohm sender, read this post by docvette on hotrodders.com.
or do a google search for 30 ohm to 90 ohm conversion.
a little paint, new bulbs and some cleanup makes for a good looking cluster.



glad to see i'm not the only guy out there that's been working on my truck for ever.

[Maximus]

Well, I finally did it. I drove the truck to the parts store, about a mile and a half away!


the trip told me four things.
1) I confirmed to myself that I have a terrible exhaust leak out of the y-pipe flange to the manifold
2) apparently my temporary heater bypass line is leaking coolant
3) my brakes may be slightly dragging
4) My truck ISNT quite roadworthy yet.... hah.

my exhaust leak was a great feature for the THREE cops I had to pass on the way to the parts house. luckily the truck is insured and up on registration so if anyone wanted to hastle me it wouldnt be a big deal...

it was a blast to drive for the first time any significant distance. I have driven it up the street and back, but that was when the truck was still in pieces, at least now I have all the proper lights and unlike the last drive, my fenders are even bolted down!!

hah, the good news was, dispite the possibly dragging brakes, my booster worked, and the power steering was flawless. still more work to go but it sure was nice being able to take it for a spin!!!!!!!



now I just need my ClassicParts.com order to arrive so I can take my temporary brake lights off (tow lights ) and install the real tail lights. I may even put my new bed together, but for now I bolted my old bed on just to be able to drive the truck. I have nice primered rear fenders, a brand new repop front bed panel, a repop rear bed support and a brand new GM Tailgate waiting to be used... but I may wait till im closer to paint before I pull out the new parts to get weathered...

I am also amazed at how hard getting my rear window beadlock in was! I spent a solid two hours of painfull inching to get that dang thing in!

here are some pics. P.S. I know the front end sits high, the No-Limit engineering way of using the camaro subframe makes the front end sit a little high, I will be getting lowering springs when everything else is dialed in...

I also am waiting on parts for my gauges - for now ill be using the original cluster.
here are some photos:

Before:

Sandblasted:

Painted:


The '55:

Headlights in, and WORKING thank god...


Since I was planning in driving the truck, i figured I would throw my temporary headlight bezels on, as well as my painted grill so it looked a little more complete while I figure out if im buying chrome or not...

This shot is at the parts store parkinglot, proof it left my house! I know you all are jealous of my magnietic towing lights, i mean my taillights ...

[oldcouple]

No front plate would get ya a ticket here.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by oldcouple

No front plate would get ya a ticket here.

It's a fix-it-ticket here as well in California, but almost none of my vehicles have one. I have been driving my BMW without one for 4 years, I took the front plate off my 65' mustang for about the same time. The only time I got hastled about a front plate was in my Jeep, but it was because I got pulled over for "expired registration" when I really just forgot to put the sticker on, when I explained to the cop that I have like 8 cars and I just forgot to put the sticker on he got irritated with me. When he ran the plates and found out that the reg. was current he was even more irritated so he taged me for a cracked windshield and a missing front plate. At the time it didn't even cost me anything, just had to go to the CHP and have em sign it off.

Since I don't drink or do drugs, I really have nothing to hide from police, so if they wanna pull me over for the plate, ill just bolt it on, have em sign it off, and be on my marry way.

But you are correct, it is against California law as well...

[Kim57]

That's very cool that you were able to drive it. Good luck getting all the little things taken care of.
Kim

[71'tahoe]

Very cool build! Even cooler that you are driving it!

[OrrieG]

In Idaho you can run vintage vehicles with a year of registration (original 59 plate in my case) without a front plate. If you run vanity or current plates you need to run the front one. If registration is current you will get a ticket but can take it to the clerk of the court (not dmv) and get it dismissed. That takes mimimum 3 hours with travel time, finding parking, going thru the metal detectors and waiting for the clerk to be available.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by OrrieG

In Idaho you can run vintage vehicles with a year of registration (original 59 plate in my case) without a front plate. If you run vanity or current plates you need to run the front one. If registration is current you will get a ticket but can take it to the clerk of the court (not dmv) and get it dismissed. That takes mimimum 3 hours with travel time, finding parking, going thru the metal detectors and waiting for the clerk to be available.

California has a "YOM" plate program, or Year of Manufacture. Its a tedious process, you have to have the correct plate AND sticker... so if you have a 1965 vehicle with non-original plates, you can get the plate it would have had, in this case it would use a 1963 California plate, but you have to get a registration sticker for 1965 its very strange...

but again, you have to have both plates for any of that stuff to be valid...

I had black plates for the truck, but since the DMV couldnt authenticate that they went with this specific truck, and the black plates were from 63-later, I couldnt use them. I thought about getting "Custom" plates with the exact reading that my black plates have and use the black plates but it all became too complicated, so this vehicle gets the new plates.

My caddy and mustang both have original 60's Black california license plates (in the 50's/60's the state made people turn in their old plates, or my caddy would have had a Yellow/black plate instead of a black/yellow one...

[OrrieG]

Idaho thru the 60's had a new plate each year is different white/green combinations. The year is stamped on the plate. Looking at it I can see places for the metal later year renewals, but I have not seen the renewals for sale anywhere.

[lowdownstar]

the old girl looks good and bet it was looking cool going down the road!






Ray

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by lowdownstar

the old girl looks good and bet it was looking cool going down the road!

Ray

Im not sure how it looked form the outside but the inside was nice, except after I was done with my drive I noticed that I shook more sand out of the hidden crevices of the cab form the sandblasting! that stuff will haunt me for a long time i presume...


But, I would rather have minimal rust and leftover sand then the ladder...

[Maximus]

Got my new gauge lens today so I threw my new lens and bezel on my freshly painted gauge face and screwed it together.

[Kim57]

looks good.
Kim

[57truckguy]

54000 miles, I hope it is orginal.. Mine had 74000 orginal miles and still had the orginal paint when I got it.

[lowdownstar]

I remember those days of sand blasting, i don't care what you did sand got everywhere, and i mean everwhere lol

Dash looks great



Ray

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by Kim57

looks good.
Kim

Thanks!

Originally Posted by 57truckguy

54000 miles, I hope it is orginal.. Mine had 74000 orginal miles and still had the orginal paint when I got it.

This dash came out of a 1959 1-ton Box truck, My friend whome I bought my 55' from 10 years ago pulled it out of his 1-ton for me, It was interesting too because the '57 I bought for parts had the bezel held in by standard screws (flathead), but the '59 bezel was held in by 1/4" socket head screws...

weird... but the speedometer is totally free on the newer gauge cluster, which is why I chose this one.

Originally Posted by lowdownstar

I remember those days of sand blasting, i don't care what you did sand got everywhere, and i mean everwhere lol
Dash looks great
Ray

Thanks,
About the sand - I cant agree more, I am glad now that on small stuff I can throw them in my small cabinet and contain the sand. The cabinet has saved me hours and hours of cleanup when blasting smaller parts! A MUST for any hobbyist!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[57truckguy]

I sometimes wish I had went with the orginal gages and had them upgraded for modern alternator and oil pressure, I went with Autometer gages work but not the orginal look .

[_Ogre]

that is sweet! amazing how a little elbow grease makes that bezel shine.

[Maximus]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

that is sweet! amazing how a little elbow grease makes that bezel shine.

I wish... the bezel is a repo. hah... bought it years ago and finally got to pull it outta the box.

funny thing, i had 4 huge shelves full of new parts, now i only have like 5 things left on the shelf...

that's how I know I am almost done with the assembly lol...


The bezel and plastic face were replaced, the metal background was repainted and the gauges were just dusted off/cleaned lightly.

[57truckguy]

I remember u said you were going to have the gages work as new ones. If you do that,and get gages from a jy vehicle , do u get the sending units also, and if u do what vehicle or vehicles do/would recommend to get them,the gages, from....????
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