Projects 1959 apache fleeteside, UK young gun build

hey guys, been looking around the forum for a while and though i would post up a thread for my project.

quick into, im joe from the united kingdom, 20 years old and a polisher as a day job, pinstriping since i was 14.
had a vw project but sold it on and bought my apache, heavy influences from dad as since i was born hes always been into the us scene and ive been to shows from a young age.

so here she is, come in from texas a few months back. here in the uk we have silly registration and mot rules, so before i get into this i need t get an mot and then send of paperwork to register the truck as a uk vehichle, the truck has to stay standard for the mot, so been doing a few jobs on it to get it to pass. after this i can rip into it and get it sitting on the floor and start the fun parts! so please bare with me through the "boring" stages.
Plans are mustang 2 front end, 4 bar set up at the rear with a later axle. Skinny steels up front and wider at the rear, idea is to look like a truck that could have been built in the 50s, on the floor with no airbags so will be on coil overs all round. respray in a dark sattin blue with lots of pinstriping and some door signs. loads of nice detaily bits, lots of polished custom parts.
Engine wise im staying original too, all from factory engine and box still in at the moment. Will have a good clean up, offy twin carb inlet and fenton headers, hopefuly get some slight tuning on the go and have it set up properly. (heard bad things about getting them set up)
on with the pics and parts so far
being delivered



new home














and the parts collection has started!
mustang 2 laser cut crossmember, heidts wishbones with all bolts and fixings.

very nice quality and welds looks very neat

got a new stearing rack with all tie rod ends and gators, 11"disk brake kit with all fittings and calipers and 2" drop spindles coming in from the us via jackhammer speedshop, hope to have them soon.
sorry for the huge amount of pictures! still uploading a few too.

 

havent updated in a while so here goes. rear wheel drum brake cylenders new and replaced and front wheel bearings new and replaced, so running gear wise im ready for mot! just need to sort indicatros and new lights with sidelights in and away i go.
due to having plenty of time over the 4 day weekend i wanted to get a tsart on the more detail and painting of my new parts from the states. as i cant fiddle with the shell yet its a good way to get motivated to get stuck in and keep up a steady progression. me and dad took a trip over to Miles at Jack Hammer speed shop to collect the reaminding mustang 2 front set up, new rack and tie rod components, big 11" disk set up and the 2" drop spindle set up. will get photos as i go along of the parts as tehres a load of boxes!
i hate casting marks, even though the drop spindles wont really be seen i thought ide go to the effort while there in my face. so ground the marks out and smoothed out with softer pads ready for paint then pinstriping
before and afters




calipers


after primer, the parts got a base of sattin blue then a 3 coats of blue metal flake and 2 clear coats



then a bit of pinstriping, idea is this theme through out. sattin blue body colour and all running gear and parts will be metal flake blue with white and light blue detailing




and finaly the caliper to spindle carriers. will get some bolted up pics over the weekend

cheers for looking all comments welcome

 

had a play with the new welder yesterday, really pleased how i got on with it. got the cross member welded up through out the day done a few stitches in blocks in stages as i was unsure how hot it would get, welds ground up today and in red oxcide await to be cut into the truck sometime soon.











cheers for looking all comments welcome

 

small update, fair amount of pissing around to get this far though. small details are always over looked ay!
so another mod for the mot to meet uk regulations, side lights a correct dipping headlights, so 4 new headlights 2 with sidelights. and always the way, lets try to fit something somewhere that doesnt normaly fit, the answer GRINDER TIME!
normal headlight holder, black marker is where the side light in teh headlight hits on the holer. so i cut it out, fabriacted a rolled bottmo and rear section then welded it up.
sorry for confusion pics are a combo of the left and right sides





welded


ground



still need to grind the inner side out, will have to get some bits for my dremel for this. will do for mot until i hook them back out and blast them and get them coated so can do the lot at once
new headlights, with side light, i had to cut a bit out of the headlight cup to get the light to fit in


cup in the holder, finaly can see how it all lines up and fits

boom boom pow headlight in with side lights

mot date is in mind and not far away. just need to put the lights in, the wiring is all in place and it all works, just need to have a play with the indicators then all done

 

If those spindles are signs as to how this truck will turn out, i'm subscribed! Welcome to the HAMB!

Good luck on your build...

 

thankyou, yes there the only parts i could paint up that are finished! gutted i cant touch anything until its registered!

 

Looks like you do some good work. Wish I had something that cool when I was 20. Good luck man and keep the updates coming

 

Looks like quite a project! gonna be nice with that detail on the suspension

The plastic parts that hold in the headlight adjuster screws probably need to be replaced, they are available in the states. It's difficult to get the headlights adjusted when the plastic bits are split at the threads. There are not very many things made of plastic on these trucks, but that is one that always causes problems.

 

Nice job, this thingnis gonna be awesome......I always wanted something American when I was in the UK but never had the balls to dive in......your gonna enjoy this, those chevy trucks are so easy to work on..........

Cant waitnto see the details coming together....welcome aboard from a fellow Brit....

 

Hi Joe, I'm just on the flipside of Cambridge, just north. Nice to know there's someone around who can lay lines ... Good luck with the project
cheers
Bill

 

thanks mate, hope to have some better updates soon.

cheers mate, ah those little plastic bits are a right paint, two are stripped threads and one snapped, i will get an order together and get a few bits from the us to make it more worrth while.

cant wait to drive this man, drove it on and off the drive a few times and just cant wait to have a propper drive!

hey Bill, pop over some time if you want! be good to have a mini meet sometime with a few of dads mates and there cars too!

 

Sounds good Joe... PM on the way ; )
cheers
Bill

 

duxford hey...im just down near linton lol

doesnt have to be standard to pass a mot btw

 

looking forward to seeing this get built up
looking great so far

 

Wow, looking good. Can't wait to see this on the road.

PS Welcome from another limey.

 

Nice start Joe! I look forwards to your updates, you've got a nice eye for details. Keep up the good work, Cheers!

 

Awesome project for someone on either side of the pond! I'm impressed that you chose something from our shores.

 

I'm looking forward to this build!

 

cool truck,like the blue.watching this build

 

wow thankyou for the positive comments fella, hoping mot will be ina week or so. will get a few more pictures up of the parts ive been collecting!

 

Really a nice Apache, I love the torpedo box sides and the dual peak hood with the cut outs in front. You are going right after it, judging by the other Chevy pu in the yard , this one will be kick ass. Rock on bro, thanx for sharing the build with us. ~sololobo~

 

cheers mate, thats dads 66 c10. cant wait to get that stripped down in the winder and lower it some more!

still await a definate mot date, so to keep progress going i welded up teh bed stake holes, not much but keeps the ball rolling.









had a mock up of the brakes spindles and wishbones, cant wait to get the front end in now!





cheers for looking all comments welcome

 

WOW!!! I am envious....That is great work so far.. Subscribed.

 

Looks like a nice start. I love those 58 & 59 chevy trucks. keep those pictures coming. welcome aboard mate.

 

Very cool. Keep up the good work. I'm 23 and do 99% of the work on my 59 El and have been since I was 18. You get alot of respect from the old heads for preserving old skool ways and doing quality work. Can't wait to see this progress!!

 

Keep up the great work!

 

cheers for the great feedback again guys!

big progress, MOT PASSED! last weekend, registration papers on there way. cant wait to start getting into this properly!





got a new toy or two, should be nice and handy for teh build, mainly to start my own small buissness over time but still handy to have!

 

not done much recently, got a spare few hours today so me and day got to work in the bed, cut all the bolts out holding the slats in, got teh braces off the wings to cross members and took those out. looks much better already. cant go crazy as registration isnt complete yet. until then ile keep cracking with teh small jobs, next up is the wheel tubs out and mock up the rear end notches and collect the bits to get the rear end on the floor.




and some nice friends we found a while back i forgot to add pictures of.

 

hi is this the 66,i had it a few years back,its a c20,does it still have the 292 i6 in it,it drove nice,good luck with your build,cheers bob

 

thats dads truck, change a bit since then but not much by the looks of it. still has the multi coloured 292 in, coming out in the winter for a fair bit of work. done a few interior bits and bobs since he's had it. bring on the changed for the winter though. will get hi to do a build thread when the time comes so you can follow progress