59 Apache - Lifelong obsession

[59chev]

Originally Posted by Kim57

nice repair on the floor.
Kim

Thanks Kim!

[59chev]

I built a couple of dollys out of 2x4's to place under the cab steps and dropped the frame out from under the cab. I'm "laying frame" now

[Nut Case]

I just found your thread, keep on keeping on. I support BC, "Goals, we don't need any stinking goals" They just cause hate and discontent. NC

[59chev]

Thanks Nutcase!! The rust repair on the cab seemed to drag on forever, but I was determined to do it right this time so I won't need to fix it for a 3rd time. I don't want to have to do this again another 20 years.

Now that that part is done I've been really excited about my recent progress.

[dsraven]

hey, 59chev, what part of calgary are you in? I am building a 57 gmc (for like, the last 5 years) so it might be nice to trade secrets. I am in the northwest near crowfoot centre.

[59chev]

Hey dsraven, I'm just east of Calgary. How's your project coming along? Do you have a build thread?

[dsraven]

it has been sitting since last Christmas due to work and a kitchen reno. I don't have a build thread, not that tech savie and never seem to have the time to start one. I did try but it never went anywhere. it said I had started one but i could never find it to add comments and pics. pm me and I will send you some pics of what I have done to mine so far.
how far east are you talking?

[elser2]

Awesome build thread 59chev

[JimDirt]

Nice build !! , without regressing too much , i would like to know more detailed info on the gauge setup you did , what you did looks nice because the gauges look like they would be a stock "option" , they have the correct sweep and look "stock" in the instrument panel , and this is what i was looking into doing with my inherited 58 that i will be finally starting on tearing apart in spring , any pics of the setup (with the face of the cluster off , etc ) and any part numbers of the gauge set would be nice , as i want to do this for the Volt/Amp ,Water and Oil gauges on mine

Also , was there a reason you did not swap out the Water Gauge ??

[59chev]

Originally Posted by JimDirt

Nice build !! , without regressing too much , i would like to know more detailed info on the gauge setup you did , what you did looks nice because the gauges look like they would be a stock "option" , they have the correct sweep and look "stock" in the instrument panel , and this is what i was looking into doing with my inherited 58 that i will be finally starting on tearing apart in spring , any pics of the setup (with the face of the cluster off , etc ) and any part numbers of the gauge set would be nice , as i want to do this for the Volt/Amp ,Water and Oil gauges on mine

Also , was there a reason you did not swap out the Water Gauge ??

I didn't use the temperature gauge because it was a capillary tube style and I figured I would probably wreck it trying to cut it out of the housing. With the Oil pressure Gauge you can unscrew the tube from the back of the housing but with the temp gauge, the fluid inside must be kept sealed and if you nick the capillary tube, the gauge is ruined. I have been looking for a similar electric temperature gauge to fill out my cluster. The Classic Instruments Hot Rod Series Looks like it might work. I think from 180 to about 220 would be visible in the stock cluster.

I'll post some more pics of how the gauges fit in the stock cluster a little later.

[Dan in Pasadena]

I see you mentioned on page 1 you like the 60's semi low rider look. I've saved a few pictures of that look and in particular I kept some of someone here (can't remember the screen name right now) that are in line with your preferences. It's a GMC and a Fleetside but I think it looks GREAT. Anyway, hope they provide some inspiration.

[JimDirt]

OK that makes sense , Thanks , and keep the pics and build progress coming !! , the one i will be working on has been in the family since i was 6 or 7 , when i went on trips to Canada to visit our relatives in it then (Ontario , but i do have some relatives in Alberta , and i am still Canadian), it was my dads then , then my older brothers after my dad passed in 2003 , and just last June my older brother passed ,(both brothers and my dad are gone now) the last time my brother had it running was 2005 so its in rough shape compared to when i last saw it running , but now its mine , so now its my turn to get it back going again and modernize it a little more , it already has a 69 350HP 350 and Turbo400 in it , i just have to fix all the mistakes that were done over the years , and get it back on the road (for now) , it will have the stock suspension for a bit , but the body is fair , so its a good base to start with .... anyway ....

And yea i guess the lesser the sweep the more numbers will show in the opening ....Thanks for the info !! , and keep the project progress coming !!

[59chev]

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

I see you mentioned on page 1 you like the 60's semi low rider look. I've saved a few pictures of that look and in particular I kept some of someone here (can't remember the screen name right now) that are in line with your preferences. It's a GMC and a Fleetside but I think it looks GREAT. Anyway, hope they provide some inspiration.

Agreed Dan, That is a great looking truck. Definitely along the same lines style wise that I am going for.

[59chev]

Originally Posted by JimDirt

OK that makes sense , Thanks , and keep the pics and build progress coming !! , the one i will be working on has been in the family since i was 6 or 7 , when i went on trips to Canada to visit our relatives in it then (Ontario , but i do have some relatives in Alberta , and i am still Canadian), it was my dads then , then my older brothers after my dad passed in 2003 , and just last June my older brother passed ,(both brothers and my dad are gone now) the last time my brother had it running was 2005 so its in rough shape compared to when i last saw it running , but now its mine , so now its my turn to get it back going again and modernize it a little more , it already has a 69 350HP 350 and Turbo400 in it , i just have to fix all the mistakes that were done over the years , and get it back on the road (for now) , it will have the stock suspension for a bit , but the body is fair , so its a good base to start with .... anyway ....

And yea i guess the lesser the sweep the more numbers will show in the opening ....Thanks for the info !! , and keep the project progress coming !!

You really have some history with your truck JimDirt. I didn't get a chance to get out to the garage last night to snap more pics of the gauges, hopefully I can make it out there tonight.

[59chev]

I haven't posted in a while but I've been super busy on my truck.

As I started to get ready to mount the front sheet metal I realized that I had pushed the wheelbase too far forward, my intended 2 inches forward ended up being more like 3 inches. The core support was ending up right on top of the steering box of the camaro clip. With the 15" wheels bolted up instead of the 14" rollers the wheels looked too far forward in the fenders.





Since I am planning on switching from a longbox to a shortbox anyway I decided the best course of action was to move the cab mounts forward and take that much extra out when I shorten the frame. It sucked but I drilled, ground and pounded out all 20 or so rivits holding the cab mounts and master cylinder bracket on. I ended up mocking up the mounts 1 1/4" inches forward. I'm way happier with the results. Here is the adjusted wheelbase.



I did mock up the a fender initially before I welded in the clip but my mistake was not using the intended wheels and tires. It looked fine with the camaro's stock 14" rims but once I put my intended wheels and tires on it looked wrong. Luckily this lesson only cost me time.

[Kim57]

Nice fix.
Better now than when the frame is painted.
Kim

[ptc]

Nice Task Force Project!!! Ill be checking in on it !!!

I have the Gen 2 Z28 front clip on mine too, I really like the steering box forward of the wheels for room for headers and other stuff.


enjoy!

[59chev]

Originally Posted by ptc

Nice Task Force Project!!! Ill be checking in on it !!!

I have the Gen 2 Z28 front clip on mine too, I really like the steering box forward of the wheels for room for headers and other stuff.


enjoy!

Thanks ptc! I've been following your build. Your truck is looking awesome!! The huge tires look great in those rear fenders.

[dug224]

Originally Posted by 59chev

Hey dsraven, I'm just east of Calgary. How's your project coming along? Do you have a build thread?

Somebody needs to scoot over to DSRAVENS place and help him fire up a thread!!!!

[dug224]

Great build. Love the bed treatment with flat stock. Keep the photos coming.

[59chev]

Got a little more done. I will am relocating the battery under the cab so I needed a battery box. I made a template out of cardboard and cut out a simple pattern out of some 12 gauge with my plasma and welded it together.

I wanted to get mount the battery box as close to the frame rail as possible to line up with the 47-54 battery door I welded into the cab floor. If I sat the box on top of the camaro clip it would be too close to the floor, If I mounted it outside the camaro clip it would be too close to the cab step. So I decided to put a step in the outside of the clip for the battery box to sit on.



With the box bolted to the frame

[Kim57]

That came out nice.
Kim

[ptc]

Thanks for the comments on my build! - Yours is looking pretty nice there.... Keep it going...

[59chev]

I've had a few guys now ask about how I did my gauges so I snapped a few more pics:

I started out by looking for a set of 2" gauges that had a complementary font and needle sweep to the stock gauges in the truck. I purchased an Autogauge by Autometer 3 gauge set. I ended up using the voltmeter and oil pressure gauge. I did not use the tempature gauge as it is a capillary tube style. I may add an electric temperature gauge in the future if I find one that matches.



I carefully cut the Autometer gauges apart by cutting between the gauge face and the glass with a small cut-off wheel on a dremel. Then I drilled out the rivits that held the stock ammeter to the tin backing plate. This is the volt meter mounted beside the stock temp gauge. The Voltmeter uses the mounting studs as positive and negative so I used the plastic insulators from the gauge to keep the studs from touching the stock tin mounting plate.





The text on the Autometer oil pressure gauge was lower on the gauge face than the voltmeter so I had to trim a bit off the top to make it fit and have the pressure increments centered in the cluster.





I also had to clearance the stock cluster just a touch for the oil line fitting to fit ( just to the right of the lower mounting hole )



Here's what it looks like from the back:



And the finished product. I painted the pointers metallic green years ago with Testors model paint because they where so sun beached, so I painted the new gauge needles to match. All you have to do is slide a piece of paper between the needle and the gauge face and carefully paint them with a small brush.

[Kim57]

Nice job on the gauges.
Kim