Traditional '58 Chevy Pickup Thread

This is a '58 Chevy pickup that I am building for my dad. He has owned the truck since 1965 and it was our family daily driver for years. It will be powered by a 1958 348 with three Autolite two barrel carbs. The chassis is being assembled while my dad finishes painting the body. Here are some pics:

The front of the frame was boxed above the axle because of an up coming C-notch and the motor mount tabs were welded in:


The front axle was flipped on top of the leafs:


The steering box is out of a mid 70's Chevy pickup with a home made mounting plate:


I had to re-locate the shock behind the axle to clear the steering box:


The tranny crossmember is a narrowed '64 Chevelle piece:


Here is the frame with a small block mounted. The mounting positions for the small block and the 348 that is going in it are exactly the same, as I moved nothing to drop the 348 in the chassis:


The gas tank is a 20 gallon stainless tank from Rick's Hot Rods. You have to move the rear cross member all the way back to make it fit:



Since I didn't want a brake booster and M/C cluttering up the bottom of the truck, I mounted the complete brake booster/ M/C, mounting bracket, pedal and brake light switch to the firewall of the '58. This swap is really easy and fits like a glove:



The chassis was blasted and painted with black catalyzed urethane.



We decided that we did not want a "clipped" truck, or a Must II front end and simply upgraded the front axle with power steering and disc brakes.


The front axle was flipped to the top of the leaf springs to lower the truck 4 1/4". A 9/16" thick plate was welded to the bottom of the axle to accept the U-bolts.



A "C" notch was needed in the front frame rails for axle travel. The inside of the frame was boxed for the "C" notch.





The rear end is a 57" wide 9" smoothie with big housing ends and brakes. I narrowed it down from 62" and installed a set of Dutchman axles. The gear ratio is 3.25. The rear end was flipped on top of the leafs to lower the rear down. The back was also "C" notched and boxed.






The left side of the frame was notched for clearance for a 12" linear actuator that raises an oak tonneau cover that allows some storage inside the bed.

 

Very Clean,i Went The Clip Route And Im Happy But Everyonce In Awhile Im Thinkin About The Straight Axle......looks Nice!

 

Looks good. Im rebuilding a frame for my 55 and trying to figure out what i wana do with the rear end. what are you using for wheels. I noticed you cut the rear axle down to 57".

 

Very clean work. Are you sure the axle will clear the oil pan? Looks like it might be a good idea to flop the drag link on the steering box side to cut down on the bump steer.

 

Nice work, here's my old one

 

The wheels are 15" x 8 1/2" Shelby Minilite style wheels with a 3" backspace. The tires are 285-70-15 BFG's. I had to make a small tub on the inside of the bed out of a '70 Chevy pickup fleetside wheel well for the tires to clear.

 

I had to notch the oil pan slightly for axle clearance.

 

nice work

 

i am doing the same thing on my 58 fleetside. The only difference is i am running a straight six. All i had to do was use a 55 chevy oil pan. I dont have them put in but in 2 to 3 weeks it will be in. What kind of power sterring are you using? I have discs on it also.

 

That is some nice work. Just put disks on the front of mine. I've got a 58, and kept the beam axle also. Wish that was my frame. Some day I'll pull the body and really do it all the right way.

 

The only difference is i am running a straight six. All i had to do was use a 55 chevy oil pan.

I have a 1959 fleetside with a straight six and a drop axle but I am also planning to reverse eye and de-arching the springs and notching the frame. Do you know of a source for the 55 chevy oil pan? You would not happen to have a picture of the oil pan would you? Thanks

Dave

 

very clean work! I love the look of the straight axle in the front.

 

Here are some updates:
It is painted in the original yellow/orange color. My dad did all the bodywork, block sanding and sprayed the paint himself:



The firewall was smoothed, and slightly modified with a '93 F-150 brake master cylinder and booster.


The engine is a '58 348 with the three two barrel intake. It is .060" over and has a 340 H.P. 409 cam. It will be getting three 2100 Autolite two barrels, and a Mallory dual point.


I got the carbs mounted and the fuel lines done. I chose the Autolite 2100 because I believe it is the best carb ever built. I bolted the carbs to the stock 348 intake with a simple Mr. Gasket adapter. The carbs are 1.08" throttle bore 287 cfm units. The end carbs will not have power valves, accelerator pumps or chokes. The ends of the air horns had to be cut off for clearance, I still need to cut the last carb.


I double flared 3/8" copper tubing and used brass fittings because it looks like it belongs on the engine. I have used copper tubing for years with no problem.


I used a simple Purolator dial fuel pressure gauge mounted on the Holley fuel pump just in case I need it.

 

I got the Rick's Hot Rods stainless steel gas tank mounted. It holds 20 gallons and it is an awesome piece.

I also plumbed the fuel line.

...and installed the frame mounted Fram fuel filter.

The brake lines were also plumbed to all four wheels.


We got the Performance Automotive 700-R4 tranny bolted in:

Time to install the cab on the frame:


Here is the cab on the dolly it is bolted to:


Here it is lifted up on the lift, and the chassis is rolled under it:

Now it is lowered onto the chassis:

 

I wish my truck was that clean!! VERY VERY NICE!!!

 

Here are a few more details:

Since the power steering box is mounted outboard of the frame rails, I had to build the power steering lines from scratch:


I also built the progressive carb linkage from scratch, as well as the T.V. cable bracket. The gas pedal and cable are from a '73 Torino:


The aluminum radiator is from Cool Craft and it is a double pass unit. These radiators are really nice and in-expensive, plus they bolt right in place:


A buddy of mine built the fan shroud:


Since I am using a '76 Chevy van tilt steering column that has no provision for a neutral safety switch, and the 700-R4 does not have a safety switch either, I built my own using a starter button and a custom bracket. The truck will only start in Park, but I figured that was better than no safety feature at all:




The battery was mounted on a stainless steel tray in the stock position:


The wiring harness is an old Painless Wiring universal kit that is pretty nice:


I added a couple of relays to operate the high and low beam functions on the headlights:


The plumbing from the M/C to the booster is also done:


We used a one piece window kit from Brothers Truck Parts to eliminate the vent windows:



This is a truck I built for a buddy of mine. The wheels are not Hamb friendly, but the truck has a 6-71 huffed small block, and is driven hard every day, to the tune of 20,000 miles last year:

 

that turned out pretty nice and great choice on the W block

 

The bed floor is oak with golden oak stain. It uses stainless strips with the hidden bolts. The oak was sealed with two coats of sanding sealer followed by five coats of automotive clear coat which is much more durable that any wood varnish:

This bed has a hidden trick to it, the entire bed hinges up to reveal a 9" tall storage space for a secure place to put tools, luggage etc:


The original bed floor is underneath and is also oak with the same finish. The mini-tubs are '67-'72 Chevy pickup fleetside tubs that were sectioned into the original bed to gain clearance for the 285-70-15 BFG's:


A 12 volt linear actuator lifts the upper bed floor:

One entire lower floor piece is hinged to gain access to the gas tank filler:

 

looks great. your dad will be real happy.

 

That bed rules,the best one I have seen hands down.I wish I would have put that kind of thought into mine.

 

I got the tranny oil cooler mounted. I mounted it on the passenger side frame rail and mounted a nice rock guard in front of it. I have mounted several coolers this way and I have had no problems with the transmissions they cool:

 

I see that you did a "spring under" and notch the frame. But in one of you pics, it looks like the drag link will hit the frame first while cornering left. This could just be the angle of the photo. Nice build, keep up th good work.

 

Probably the angle because everything clears fine.

 

That bed does indeed rule! It looks killer, then you open it up. What is it? More killer! You guys are doing some quality, good looking work.

I'd like to hear how it rides up front with the axle flip.

 

Very nice detail!!

 

Any issues ? Re: axle flip, seems that not too many feel its a good idea. I myself don't know but am interested pros/cons ?
In the end would you do it again ?

 

Very nice work. I had the same thought as Dave K on the drag link flip. If the drag link is not parellel with the frame rails you'll get bump steer and in the picture it looks like it angles up toward the steering arm. Like he said, just flip it at the pitman arm.

Great engine choice, I love the original big blocks and that home brewed Park safety switch is killer. Great job.

 

Sweet truck. I like it a lot.

 

Lookin' good amigo

 

I saw this truck in person recently. Tom hosted me a couple of times while I was in his neck of the woods. It is every bit as nice in person as it looks here. He just does good work.

What's really amazing is the he is a self professed Ford guy, and he builds such a nice Chevy!