Dutch '59 Fleetside Longbed

[RockinKees]

Thanks Kim and OrrieG!!

Gary, it's not only that a bunch of us couldn't effort the classic cars they like, but also the government brings down a whole industrial branch!!
I think the half of parts suppliers for Classic is gone broke by the new rules.
BIG mistake!! Hope they learn from it.

Oh, you also see it on the meetings we have here, much less American cars from the 70's and 80's, there goes the historical inheritage....

[Katrina/10]

That's too bad for the people who have lost business, at least it seems the older trucks like yours are safe for now. Good fix on the dash!

[RockinKees]

Thanks Gary!

Tomorrow a big meet/swapmeet, let's see what amount of crowd it pulls...

[Katrina/10]

Have fun and take some pics!

[RockinKees]

Meeting was fun!
Only the pics I took are too dark, so it's difficult to see the nice things.

Tried to get a speedocable, didn't get it
So, I made my own from the original and a Chevy Van cable. Hope it works...

I only got the outer cable of the truck and a complete one from the Van.
You can turn the white drive square of off the cable, thus you can make the innercable at the right length.





Plan was to grind the nut or swivel of off the original cable and connect it to the one from the Van. I connect the two to push a 8mm rubber hose over the two parts and set them with hose clamps.
I did it so that I could slide the original nut to the desired length of the inner cable. Not too tight or too loose.
Next to the truck it works okay



So it looks like this:



Screwed into the speedometer:



The speedometer was turning a bit heavy, so I used WD40 to get it loose.
Don't know if it can hurt the speedo, but it went into the drive unit where the cable connects...



Did not test it yet, we will see if it works.

[RockinKees]

Question for you all:

I'm going to run 15 inch steelies, front are 6 inch wide, rear are 7 inch wide.
What is the most common tiresize you would use?

I was thinking, front 205/70-15 and rear 235/70-15.
Does that make sense?

[RockinKees]

Today at home working on the heaterbox.
The heater core seems to leak, pipes are not what they used to be, so decided to buy a new one, only this one is from a European car. If it can heat up a four door sedan, then it can heat up a small pick up too

That's why I had to change the heater box to get the core fit into it.
Also the connection of the hoses of the blower are somewhat crispy...

From this pile of parts I have to make a working heater again:



I first welded a small piece of the box together, so that the mounting bolts for the heater stay at same place. The I grinded the box loose from the mounting bolt


Next I drilled the underside of the box loose and made steel plates to make the box longer




One side of the new heater core is held by two aluminium pieces that I riveted inside the box



The other side is bolted to an aluminium angle piece, that bolts into the original holes of the box



Of course I ran out of weldinggas, so I finish this tommorow.

To get the window defrost hoses connected again to the box I used PVC pipe, that we normally use for plumbing in the kitchen, bathroom etc.
I took two end stops and drilled and turned the nuts on the lathe to get a hole for the much needed air:



To get the hoses connected I had to make a new, metal plate for the box, the old plastic one is broke into many pieces...and I don't know how it originally looked like, so I must engineer something, that I think will work





After filing the two holes from 30mm to 40mm, the PVC end stops finally fitted into the plate.
Time to stop here, because my body hurt so much I can't do no more.
Hope it's get better in the morning so we can build further with a new, fresh sense
I will take the whole bunch to the truck tommorow and will make it all fit and working.

To be continued....

[Kim57]

That's a heck of a lot of fab work. Nice job.
Kim

[RockinKees]

After a short brake I went full on it again

A bit of Japanese Metal Origami and you have a working heater again.
The PVC pieces are fitting like a glove!!











After test fitting I sprayed the heater black, don't know what to do with it yet.





To bolt the heater into the truck I had made a template, because the heaterpipes are in a different place:



As you all know: measure twice drill once...it works





When I went to a friends place to get his '46 Chevy dash that has to be pinstriped, I said I wanted a "new" old bench and get rid of that pimpseat that I have now...My friends buddy said "I have one for you, a 1955 original, take it, don't use it anymore!"
Well, you understand, I am as happy as a little kid!!

Pimpseat finally out!!


Original '55 benchseat in!!


Much better!!
Maybe a new seatcover in the future, but for now, it's just right
And that happend in Holland, just 14 miles away from my house...miracles happen!!

[Katrina/10]

you really got lucky finding that seat!

[Kim57]

Nice job.
Kim

[oldman3]

Great score on the seat, nice job on the heater...Jim

[RockinKees]

Thanks guys!!
You must have a little luck sometimes

Did you all see my question about tiresizes in post #106?
I am about ordering some tires but want to know what looks good on these lowered trucks...
Thanks in advance!!

[RockinKees]

Today I had a little fine tune on the engine, set the timing right, tried to tune the carb, but I need a digital tachometer to do it right.
But then again, I'm going with LPG instead of petrol, so then I will be doing it again....
It's running fine now, hope it stays that way to the inspection next week

Before you forget. I'm working on this thing


At home I started with the Jag hubs, machined them down to take a Chevy rim. The center hole of a Chevy is 2,4 mm smaller then the one from the Jag.

I set the hub in the lathe and fixed it, I had 0,1 mm swinging at last. Couldn't get it better.
Thats fine by me



Finished it looks like this:



That's all



Tomorrow we go testdrive the truck, check the steering, brakes, e-brakes and what else we come along.
Then it's waiting for the inspection.....fingers crossed....you'll never know how they look at old cars

[Kim57]

That's pretty slick.
Must be nice to have a lathe.
Kim

[RockinKees]

Thanks Kim!

Yes I'm very happy with the old lathe!!

[Katrina/10]

Originally Posted by RockinKees

Thanks guys!!
You must have a little luck sometimes

Did you all see my question about tiresizes in post #106?
I am about ordering some tires but want to know what looks good on these lowered trucks...
Thanks in advance!!

The tire sizes you mentioned should work fine, but I think a 7 inch wheel is a little narrow on the back. I have 15x8 wheels and 235/70-15 all around on my 55, and think it looks good.

[RockinKees]

I now have 6-lug 8 inch in the back with 255/60-15.
I think that's too wide for a Jag IRS setup.
It just fits right now...

If it's too narrow, I always can widen the rims later, but now I have to work with the ones I have. That's why the question...

[oldman3]

Kees, if I read that correct, then the Jag has the same bolt pattern as Chevy, except center section in different?...Jim

[RockinKees]

Yes Jim, that's correct.

Jag has the small Chevy bolt pattern, 5 x 4,75.
Only the Jag center is 74mm, my Chevy rims are 71mm, so I machined them down with 3mm.
All fits good now

[reaper71]

Nice job on the heater!! seat looks very nice in her new home...

Mark..

[RockinKees]

Thanks Mark!!

Not much to report today.
Went on a little testdrive around the block and everything goes well.
We're ready for inspection next tuesday.

While driving I had a feeling the rearwing doesn't help much

So took it off...



And modified it a little:



No way back now

Nice picture of the '59 next to his big sister the '58 Panelvan:



Without that rearwing I have less downforce, I noticed it at once



Or..... is it my rightfoot.....

I'll be back on tuesday, hopefully with good news...

[RockinKees]

Well, I got my Dutch title

I had to go twice because the first time it was no good....
I had orange parkinglight up front which are not allowed in Holland (must be white, I didn't know that), dimlights had not the right image/pattern and one rearbraken didn't do it's job.

New headlights with internal parkinglights mounted and fixed the rearbrakes, and off we went again!
Now it was good


Just had to wait a few minutes....


First time in, here I'm happy!!


Finally inside, VIN check, is okay!


Measuring wheelbase


Well, here it went wrong.... The second inspection was good!


My buddy Niels was with me, he had a great view with me behind him!


Nice pic!


At the second inspection, this was waiting also:





With my title on hand, I can help my other buddy. He has the '58 Panelvan with broken leafs all around, so he gets mine. I don't need them anymore


So now the fun begins!!
We are building a little shop where I can work on the truck. As soon as it's ready, I'm going to change axles and do all the other stuff that I need to do!
At least no more stress to get a title....I'm happy!!

[Kim57]

Congrats on the title.
Kim

[oldman3]

Congrats, that has to be a big relief, knowing it is now OK...Jim