Register now to get rid of these ads!

Hot Rods Official 1959 Chevy Apache Build Thread

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 1959apache, Feb 17, 2010.

  1. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    Thanks dude! Yeah they had like 3 or 4 of them in the same condition for $10 a piece, I should have snagged more!
     
  2. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    So I got to test fit my new set of wheels... Fit like a charm.. So now I am going to put them away in a safe place that they wont get dented and wait to finish everything else up. I also drilled some of my holes to mount my gauge cluster. Its a good spot if I say so myself. I also picked up a set of tire dollies (the set that was used once for $50 bucks) since I never have room on one side of the truck or the other. So that will be nice to use. :cool: I still have to put the rear ones under the tires, but that is another day.. time for me to relax....:D
     

    Attached Files:

  3. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    I just got my welding gas.... thank you girlfriend for picking that up... So I got the step welded together and got the tab welded up on the front step so I could put the front fender on. So I did that and tried to connect everything, but I need to loosen up the front clip to get it together correctly. Here are some pictures :eek:
     

    Attached Files:

  4. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    Well I got a lot of little crap done today, but will be posting pictures tomorrow or sometime soon. I will get the front right fender on tomorrow I think. I had to do a lot of grinding on it and threw some primer on it. I also had to work on the grill and a couple other things. I am getting ready to take the bed back apart to do some metal work on that and to redo the cab corners because they look like crap and aren't right after I got the good step sheet metal in there... I will be posting pictures soon
     
  5. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    Well it has been about 10 degrees out for a majority of this week so far, but that hasn't stopped me. I was out in the garage and had a little heater going and busted my hump for a couple hours (after an 11 hour day at work).
    I got the other fender test fitted and kinda bolted up. I will have to take it off here, unfortunately, because I have to fix the outer nut that is inside the wheel well for the top hinge and I will also have to weld the tab on the bottom of the truck for the bottom support bolt for the fender. I wanted to get it out of the way so I can work on a couple other things that were still bothering me about the cab corners and the step I just welded in...

    After eyeballing the cab corner for a while with the new, not bent, step sheet metal I noticed that the cab corner did not line up correctly and that bothered the hell out of me so I have decided to grind my welds and butt weld it so it perfectly matches up the way I want it to... It may take a little more work and a lot more time because I should have done it the first time, but at least it will look nice when I am finished instead of the eyesore that it was. Here are a couple pics of my work. I feel like I am not making progress, but I guess it has to be done.
     

    Attached Files:

  6. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    you can look really closely at these things and can see that they dont line up with the door jamb and actually are about 1/8th an inch shifted outward at the bottom of the cab corner... man that would have sucked to try to tweak it once it was ready for paint.... but here it is.....:(
     

    Attached Files:

  7. terd ferguson
    Joined: Jun 13, 2008
    Posts: 3,716

    terd ferguson
    Member

    I know what you mean when you say it feels like you're not making progress! I'm about to start fixing a few holes and old body work and I'm not looking forward to it!! That's probably my least favorite part. At least you're getting it knocked out and out of the way!
     
  8. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    Well I got the cab corner removed so I can tweak it and am doing a lot of bending to get it looking right... what a pain. I also cut out the old inner cab corner and test fit it to see where it sits. I have to a lot of tweaking to get that inner cab corner right. So tomorrow I will go ahead and maybe weld the inner cab corner in and everything should be good to go.:D
     

    Attached Files:

  9. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member


    yeah you better prepare yourself for some heartache. haha. I look forward to seeing your work. Thanks for the reply by the way :cool:
     
  10. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    Well I am still working on the cab corner trying to get it just right. Of course they are not perfect and are needing a lot of metal work to finish. I have the inner cab corner partially tacked in and the outer cab tacked in from the door frame back about halfway to the point of the cab corner... I have a lot of tweaking to do to get it right so I will try to at least get it together this weekend so I can throw the door back on there, which will be nice to get that off the floor. I will try to post some pictures this weekend and have it ready to go.
     
  11. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    here are the pictures that I promised. It is as good as I can get it, so It will just have to do. I think its close enough that I don't have to worry about it. :cool:. There are some UGGGGLY welds going on, but keep in mind that I had to use both knees, a cleco, my welding elbow, my other hand, and a shoulder to get it where it is now. Lordy... it took a while (about 4 hours). I had to weld and cut like 3 or 4 times before I got it where I liked it. :eek:
     

    Attached Files:

  12. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    Here are the last few.. I will clean them up before Christmas. She's getting there... Now I have to fit the door and fix the sheet metal on it.
     

    Attached Files:

  13. Lumpster
    Joined: Apr 2, 2009
    Posts: 38

    Lumpster
    Member

    Nice work man! I'm subscribing & I dont even have a mid to late 50's chevy truck yet....but it WILL be my next project. Just gotta find the right heap cheap enough!
     
  14. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    Hey thanks! I am going to start working on it again here tomorrow or the next day. I was out visiting family in California and in the middle of Nevada visiting friends so it is kind of hard to work on the truck when you are 1000 miles away from it! I know of a few of these trucks close by that are going for cheap... you shouldn't have any problem finding one though :D
     
  15. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    I welded up the gap and ground it flush and am still working on the back of the cab part of the cab corner. I will try to get that done tomorrow and then move to the front lip of that cab corner and fix all of that up. Once that is done I will continue grinding the bead of the step until it looks normal. This is my least favorite part of the job... :rolleyes:
     

    Attached Files:

  16. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    Well I have the cab corner and the tank filler hole pretty close to finished or at least as close as I can get it without doing a million things to get it perfect. Here are some pictures.. Now I have to weld up the inner cab corner and attach it to the outer cab corner and this part of the project is complete. YAY!:D
     

    Attached Files:

  17. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    I finished grinding the step so it looks normal. Here are a couple more pictures, more to come soon :p
     

    Attached Files:

  18. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    I just got my new carb in. I will be posting pictures shortly and installing it and seeing how she runs!
     
  19. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    Here are some pictures of my new toy. I need to do some tweaking, but everything looks good so far. :D
     

    Attached Files:

  20. farmer12
    Joined: Aug 28, 2006
    Posts: 7,717

    farmer12
    Member

    Wow! This truck is really coming along! Keep up the great work.
     
  21. LOve what ya got going on here.

    Question to you as you seem to be a bit of an expert on these Apaches.

    I can pick up a reletivly nice fleetside bed for one of these, how would it line up with a 55-57 cab? I'm not wild about the quad headlights on the 59.
     
  22. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    Thanks dude, its getting there. I think I am going to name this pickup the most cliche name ever.. Geronimo..

    I actually had to install a fuel pressure regulator on this bad boy because my psi was jumping from 7-13 psi because of the cam. So I will post some pictures of it installed tomorrow (worked on it for 4 hours tonight after a 14 hour work day).. the Holleys, from what I am told only should run between 4-6 psi.
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2011
  23. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member


    Well I will tell you the beds are pretty much the same from 55 2nd series to 59 (shortbeds at least). The frames are pretty much the same (except for the front frame rails from the engine cross member forward are a little bit longer on the 55-57 for the nose. As you know 58 and 59 chevy trucks are the same. The cabs on 55 2nd series to 59 are exactly similar with one minor difference that I know of... the hood hinges and how they mount to the firewall/front fenders. I know I can put a fleet side bed on this truck without much of a hassle, so I would have to assume since the frames, cabs and beds are similar from 55 2nd series to 59 that you shouldn't have much of a problem with it.

    Oh and I wasn't a fan of the quad headlights on this thing, but the more I get use to it the more I like it. Its a hell of a lot different than what everyone else has (everyone loves the nose from 55-57 and they all convert over to them for these years for the most part). I like to be different... that's why I have a '40 Plymouth Coupe and an authentic '24 Model T Speedster

    Oh and I am from Lake Tahoe, CA and the Gardnerville, NV area... good to see another Silver Stater
     
  24. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    Finally a real update...

    After my week long waiting period for all of my parts for this regulator (bracket and the regulator itself) and After my 2 day hunt for a set of self tapping screws I finally gave up and just modified my bracket with a dremel tool to accept the original screws from Holley. Those bastards really made me work for it on this one... I already installed it and started it up... runs a hell of a lot better... Now I have to tune it in and adjust the psi... I think I have it going around 4... We will see though. :D

    Ill post pictures of the install shortly.
     

    Attached Files:

  25. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    Here are some more pictures of the door back on... I need to do a little adjustments with the patch panel, but that is a different day.:p

    I plugged up some welds on the door from the hillbilly mirror that was on there. I also started cutting my door skin for my patch panel... more pictures to come :eek:
     

    Attached Files:

  26. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    Here are some more pics of the patch panel and my ground welds... Getting there....

    I posted the second picture to show how well I can draw straight lines.. haha
     

    Attached Files:

  27. heatmiser
    Joined: May 6, 2009
    Posts: 253

    heatmiser
    Member
    from mia

    nice work! just started on corners and steps on my '58 . i was planning on just using the lower step and rocker just as you did, so this was really helpful.
     
  28. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    Thanks! if you need any other pictures just let me know.
     
    Last edited: Feb 7, 2011
  29. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    Well I got the door skin off tonight... EEEEEgad it was nasty.. I am still coughing shit up from the dust flying... :( I need to clean out my masks and start using them again....

    Anyways, when I got it off.. go figure.. it was worse than I thought. Good thing I decided to because I found a can that has been in there since the mid to late 70's that was rattling around. (it was carpet cleaner, but this truck never had any carpet...) and I always thought it was the window rattling back and forth in the tracks... :p So I will have to replace the bottom edge of the door as well since I can poke through it with a screw driver...

    YAY more work..
     

    Attached Files:

  30. 1959apache
    Joined: Nov 22, 2009
    Posts: 2,635

    1959apache
    Member

    Well I found out why the truck door would drop about an inch when the door was opened, even after rebuilding the hinges; the bottom hinge bolts on the door were all broken and cracked around each nut and the door would flex when opened. I welded everything up and reinforced the cracks with some more welding. I ground everything down and it should work just fine. I also trimmed the door the rest of the way for my patch panel, straightened out the bottom lip on the inner door all the way around, and patched the lip as well. More pictures to come.
     

    Attached Files:

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.