Projects 1958 apache heirloom build thread

Been a while since I have updated, so here goes.
I tried to make the rockabilly show in Reno. Key word tried. On the freeway my muffler fell
Off. Luckily it was swinging from the mount and I just had to unbolt it. Made it about 3 more miles and it backfired through the carb and died. Couldn't restart it. The wife was following in her daily, so we she taxied my home to grab the car trailer and my tow pig. Winched it up and dropped it in the shop. I ignored it for a week before getting over being mad at it. What a mess that was. More details to follow.

 

When the truck died, I noticed a lack of oil pressure when cranking, and it seemed to have no spark. I was wearing my one and only change of good clothes so I didn't investigate any further along side the road. My assumption was a sheared gear in the Chinese HEI distributor. Yanked it out, and all looked good. Time to keep digging. Pulled the radiator, water pump and timing cover, thinking jumped timing chain or busted cam. Again, everything looked fine. Put it all back together, and with one bump of the key, it fires right up. WTF man! Been driving it ever since. So no clue as to what went wrong.

 

Been a while since I have posted. Today's story is titled. "Sounded like a good idea at the time"
Seems I have had an overheating issue all last year after installing the fresh motor. Under driving conditions up to 102 degrees ambient temp, once I'm moving, no issues. Conversely, at an extended idle, it would always run super hot. Even in freezing temperatures. This tells me. "not enough fan!" I've had an electric fan of unknown CFM mounted since the motorvation transplant. What I really need is a mechanical fan. I detest flex fans and refuse to use one unless no other option it available. I scrounged my parts pile and located an 18" clutch fan. BINGO! Only problem, my shroud opening is 15"

So using a nut driver for a pivot, a sharpie and some string, I marked out a 6" radius (my shroud opening is offset to the top)

Then using a cutoff wheel I trimmed the blades down.
It looks terrible, but it's simply a proof of concept at the moment. I bolted it in, and test fired it. WOW this thing moves a ton more air than the electric fan. I let it idle for a half hour with no signs of the dreaded temp gauge creep. Next step is to mount the radiator lower and redrill the fan shroud to center things up. At that point I can source another fan and trim it more precisely.

Stay tuned for my next installment when time and budgetary constraints allow.

 

So it's been a while since I have posted. These last few months if been squirreling away cash an parts for my next big project on the truck. In the mean time I have found a bit of time for a small project or two. Namely adding an electric choke conversion to the sucky divorced choke setup.
My latest mad scientist project has been to gut the original voltage regulator to hide my relays.
I plan to add some electrified studs inside the box making the original connections functional. One for power input, and other for power outputs and the last being the trigger. The ground will be internal.

 

You said you changed the belt system depending on what belt system you run the water pump pulley is either driven or becomes an idler and the impeller goes opposite direction... May be a source of heat problem .. Fan can also be different direction

 

I thought about that. When I sourced my parts from the wrecking yard I got all the pulleys, brackets and fan off the same 87 suburban. Then I bought a new water pump for the same application. The running hot issue is only at low speeds or a stop. Indicating not enough air. I appreciate the input though.

 

A few updates on the heirloom project. I've been lax on takin pictures so your just gonna have to settle for the old fashioned imagination for now. After all a good imagination is definatly "traditional".

 

Over the long memorial day weekend I got a visit from my dad. He was gracious enough to come down from Oregon to help he on the project.
We pulled the motor and the crash box 4 speed. Replacing it with a fresh 700r4 and a lokar midnight series shifter. No chrome for me! We tossed the front drum brakes and master cylinder in favor of a power disk setup.
I went to summit racing and scored a sweet set of Sanderson ceramic coated headers for the paltry sum of $160 off the discount rack. They retail at $460 so it was a screaming deal. I did some haggling with a friend and had him bend up and exhaust system for me. He had an opening in his schedule and said "I'll get it done if I can, pay cash, and tell your freinds who did the job" In exchange for some monetary discount I did some diagnostic work for him. I was absolutely astonished with the job he did. Kinda felt like I took advantage of him. It was that good! The difference will be made up by sending him customers and beer. It's not often a guy gets more than he's promised.

 

The chrome valve covers will be replaced eventually. I detest them and they need to hit the trash bin along with the gross T-handles.
I was pulling my hair out getting the geometry right for the mechanical throttle linkage so I tossed it and replaced it with a lokar pedal and cable setup. Unfortunately they don't make a spoon pedal in black without holes drilled all over it. Doesn't really fit my theme as well as I like. But it does the trick. I ended up making an angled bung to weld to the firewall out of some conduit after grinding off the zinc coating. while I was in there with the welder I filled in some of the unnecessary holes with filler panels. The trans hump didn't turn out well. Eventually I will replace it with a new one and just cut an appropriate hole and cover it with a boot. For now it satisfactory.

Other things to note;
While we had the motor and trans out, I ditched the biscuit mounts and went with conventional saddle mounts. This allowed me to push the motor forward 1/2" and down 5/8" giving me more distributor clearance for an HEI. I know it's not traditional, but neither is the disk brakes.
I tossed that ugly fan I cut down in a previous post. I scrounged the local you pull it yard with a tape measure and found a perfect fitting 16" fan in a S blazer with an 2.8. That sucker moves some serious air and I can keep my fan clutch. Again, not traditional, but I like trouble free stuff. Took it out in a 100 degree day, and no temperature issues even at an extended idle.

 

I've been looking into power steering kits for my truck lately. It seems the three basic kits I have found are the 70's truck Saginaw 800 box kit that I've heard gives bump steer issues, the Saginaw 400 vega box that retains the factory mounting location and the Toyota conversion. Any thoughts on these three?
I would rather steer clear (pun intended) of the Toyota conversion.
Most of the treads I have read about the 800 box show people having to push them way forward to Up by the radiator to keep the geometry acceptable. This leads to some crazy looking long shaft snaking through the fenderwell with 3 joints and a heim in the middle. Another issue brought up is less tire clearance and or reduced turning radius due to hitting the box with the tire.
I can't find anything about issues with the vega box setup.
If I don't get any responses here I'll just start a new thread on the main board.


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