1958 SWB C4 Fleetside - NZ Build

[QBRacing]

so I finished sanding down the cab over the weekend, all the way back to bare steel.

yesterday I managed to get a coat of etch primer on it which will help protect it until I find some time to apply a skim coat of filled to the firewall and a few other places.

pics as always

[QBRacing]

So I decided to start on the front C4 install again now I've primered the cab.

I started by bolting the front end together with about 6-8 bolts and mounted it up to the cab.

Then I spent about 3hrs moving it forwards and backwards to try different wheel arch locations. Basically on the 58-59 the noted 27.5" is to far forward though it would work.
If I moved it back 2.25" (the extra length over the 55-57 chassis) it was sitting slightly towards the rear.

In the end I settled on 28-3/4" from the front of the rail.

What do you think....

[Advanced Design]

That positioning looks good from the inside. Does it look "right" from the outside?

[58CameoAZ]

Originally Posted by svr

I don't know this for fact but have been told that 58 and 59 frames are about 2" longer in the front than 55-57 because the fenders are longer, somewhere I saw somebody had to cut the cross member loose and move it back, wish old brain could remember the build.

Unfortunately that was me, I had to cut my Flat Out cross member out and move it back 2" on my 58 Cameo!

58CameoAz
Allen

[ChuckDriver]

I think you should roll her outside and get a better look at it to be sure.

[QBRacing]

ChuckDriver / 58CameoAZ

Rolling it outside is easier said than done if you saw the angle and slope I need to obtain to get into the workshop at the back of the house.

Made a quick video to show the final location I plan to mount the C4 Corvette suspension. Shows both the inside and outside guard shots and the length from front of chassis (28.5")

Enjoy and subscribe for more as I progress ....

Q

[58CameoAZ]

Looking good,very nice!

[ChuckDriver]

Nice!

[Advanced Design]

That looks good QB. I couldn't tell for sure from the video, was the suspension set at ride height?

[QBRacing]

that would be a no. if you go back a couple of posts to my front end pic you can see it's sitting on some bricks.
The lower chassis rail is about 150 off the ground meaning the lower arm is about 100 off the ground. I'm running coil overs so should be able to get it at that height.

looking at it the setup however, if I go lower the wheel will move forwards and if i g up the wheel goes back slightly

q

[QBRacing]

Sorry for the lack of updates recently but I was advised by the guy who was going to weld my Flatout C4 front kit that I should contact our Low Volume Certifiers over here before he began.

Just as well I did as I need to submit a full build plan because of the IFS/IRS conversion. I then get an approval and weld and the certifier just checks the weld quality and that I followed the build plan.

In the mean time I ordered the Flatout C4 rear kit (complete with Dana 44 and coil overs) and that is somewhere in the pacific heading towards me (slowly)..

On the upside, the panel at the LVVTA meets this week and hopefully I get the approval shortly (or recommendations) and can begin to weld

Q

[dsraven]

when you set the axle center line ensure you check the truck with the tire size you will be using as a final (diameter) and have the truck at ride height and proposed rake angle. the height and tire size can really have an effect on how the tire looks in the wheel opening because the opening is angled on the rear edge. the lower the truck fits down over the tire the more exaggerated the effect becomes. it looks like the tire is rearward more as the truck is lowered more or the tire diameter is increased more.

[QBRacing]

sorry for the slow replies but not a lot has happened recently. I broke myself and are still waiting for the rear end to arrive in the next week or so.

on the upside the LVVTA (Low Volume Testing Association) or the guys that certify our cars legal for road use once modified have finally met and approved the build submission I sent them. So as long as I stay within the parameters I sent them I'm good to go and start getting the front end welded in.

[QBRacing]

With that in mind i decided to spend some time today finishing of the front c notches as I just kept leaving them in the "round too-it" basket.

while I was in there I decided to cut out the side of the damaged front chassis rail so i can weld a new piece in. As you can see I ended up having to reinforce the chassis rail with a 4x2 as the only thing holding the left front end up was the top of the chassis rail (refer pic)

no problems with the other side however and now I just need to get hold of my pesky welder to get it all in there

[Advanced Design]

Congratulations on the build approval! The notches are looking good.

[CANUCIT]

looking very good, I am enjoying watching the build in progress

Michael

[murd969]

Cool build. I always look forward to see what others do with the C4 suspension. I ran that in mine so I’ll be watching to see how it comes out.

[QBRacing]

Hey guys ... I finally have some progress today.

the Dana 44 C4 Corvette rear end finally arrived today as well as the flat out engineering mount kit and a set of aldin coilovers

everything looks pretty clean (bar rotors which have surface rusting).

couple of pics for ya ... and a short video

[QBRacing]

ok.... so I got bored tonight and decided to remove the diff in preparation for the c4 corvette rear diff install.

only had to Google how to get the rear spring front eyelet locking pins out. I discovered mine weren't even in correct... ie had no nut on the tapered pin and the pins had slid downwards making it almost impossible to hammer it out. a few choice swear words and a big f-n hammer and I got there.

started mocking everything up but had to stop as I don't have any 1/2" or 7/16" drills. grrr.

this is where I left it tonight.

Q

[Scottish58chev]

Nice progress

[QBRacing]

Here is a quick video I made to explain the issue I had with the locking pins not being installed correctly as per my last post Insert Youtube link here.

Struck another issue today (surprise surprise) when I decided to drop the C4 Corvette rear end under chassis (Also mentioned in that video). The rear end went under with some push and shove and didn't take much to line up. However when I went to fit the rims to the diff I couldn't use the old nuts. The old diff had some silly yankee size like 7/8*20 or something weird like that and the newer C4 Corvette rear end uses a M12*1.5, Grrrr rrrrr.

without them I couldn't fit the rims or lift the centre diff housing so I called it a day and come inside to work on my CV (which is what I should really have been doing all day).

Q

[QBRacing]

One Dana 44 C4 Corvette differential installed in the 58 Apache. Man I wish I had a hoist...

Looks fricken sweet too. can't wait to pull it all apart now, remove all the old mounts, blast the rails and cover all the steel in metal prep and POR15.

[Az. Hank]

Oooh yeah, just love that Corvette stuff....

[murd969]

Looking good. I ran the C4 stuff as well and I love it.

[ChuckDriver]

Looks nice!