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Teen wanting to Rebuild. Any advice?

Discussion in 'New to the H.A.M.B.? Introduce yourself here!' started by KYle Merriman, Sep 3, 2016.

  1. KYle Merriman
    Joined: Sep 3, 2016
    Posts: 14

    KYle Merriman
    Member
    from Oklahoma

    image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg I'm 16 and my grandma has a 1958 Chevy Apache longbed stepside that I'm wanting to restore. But I have an extremely low budget. Anyone have any tips on what I should pay attention to first? What about being able to expand my budget? image.jpeg
     
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  2. walter
    Joined: Nov 4, 2007
    Posts: 635

    walter
    Member

    Your in the right spot. Spend what $$ you have and make certain safety items are in good shape / tires, brakes, lights. Drive it and have fun! Stick around the HAMB and you will find a lot of parts as well as a lot of information.
    Walter
     
  3. jimcolwell
    Joined: Oct 4, 2009
    Posts: 474

    jimcolwell
    Member
    from Amarillo

    Go buy a three ring binder and dividers
    1. Axle
    2. Engine
    3. Transmission
    4. Brakes
    5. Electrical
    6. Wheels
    7. Tires
    8. Interior
    Now keep your receipts in this order and you'll have a warranty and part number record. May come in handy on break downs and failures. Nice to have records if you sell it.
     
  4. Why restore it?
    You have what looks like a complete rust free truck.
    I have seen many vehicles like this get taken apart and never put back together.

    I would-
    Rebuild the brakes
    Tune up new plugs, wires,points, cap, rotor, ect...
    Flush the cooling system replace the belts and hoses.

    Then drive it and have have with it.
     

  5. ol-nobull
    Joined: Oct 16, 2013
    Posts: 1,655

    ol-nobull
    Member

    Hi & welcome. You did not say what part of the country you live. If we knew likely some of us are not too far away for some help or parts. At 16 you still have a bunch of high school remaining. Does your high school have an automotive class avalible? Many years ago in High school I went to a state Trade school a few hours a day & learned paint & body work while attending last two years in high school. Got school credit for it too.
    As others stated concentrate on it being a safe dependable driver first & then looks later.
    If you were nearby I know I could help expand your budget for this as there is always work needed around here. Perhaps you could work locally a couple of hours daily & weekends to fund the rebuild?
    I think your truck has the 235 engine and my avatar is a 235 with goodies. Parts are easily avalible for these engines.
    Jimmie
     
    KYle Merriman likes this.
  6. KYle Merriman
    Joined: Sep 3, 2016
    Posts: 14

    KYle Merriman
    Member
    from Oklahoma

    I live in north Eastern Oklahoma. This truck is mostly rust free with the exception of the floor pan. It has "rebuilt" brakes. I put that I quotations because I do not know the person who did them. It has a 235 inline six. My school does not have a mechanics class where we can bring in our own vehicles. I also have only one year left in high school and hope to enlist afterwards. It want to have something to look forward to when coming home to work on. Thanks for the advice guys I really appreciate it.
     
  7. KYle Merriman
    Joined: Sep 3, 2016
    Posts: 14

    KYle Merriman
    Member
    from Oklahoma

    Thanks that is a really good idea. I plan on keeping it in the family for a very long time.
     
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  8. Fedcospeed
    Joined: Aug 17, 2008
    Posts: 2,011

    Fedcospeed
    Member

    Fix any and all items if needed to make it safe and get out on the road. I wish I could find something like that !!!!
     
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  9. mike bowling
    Joined: Jan 1, 2013
    Posts: 3,560

    mike bowling
    Member

    There ya go! Nice truck, do it proud!
     
    KYle Merriman likes this.
  10. KYle Merriman
    Joined: Sep 3, 2016
    Posts: 14

    KYle Merriman
    Member
    from Oklahoma

    I plan to do so!
     
  11. KYle Merriman
    Joined: Sep 3, 2016
    Posts: 14

    KYle Merriman
    Member
    from Oklahoma

    Any tips on cleaning the engine bay without pulling the motor completely
     
  12. Truck64
    Joined: Oct 18, 2015
    Posts: 5,325

    Truck64
    Member
    from Ioway

    Don't sell it, don't take it apart. As mentioned a very common mistake is to focus on "go" instead of "woah". Get the shop manual for that truck, and maybe a MoToR's Automotive Repair Manual from copyright year 1957 or thereabouts. You also have access to a huge wealth of data and publications right at your fingertips, use it effectively.

    This gets into philosophy, and it's your truck, but in my opinion resist the urge to turn it into something it never was, and never will be - a modern truck. "Restored" means just that, words mean things. As a side note it is important for you and your credit at some point to keep it insured on a continuous basis. If you enlist and go overseas and all that it will still need to be insured for liability even if it's sitting in a barn. Letting coverage lapse means you will have to pay even higher rates then you already are to get reinstated. Any vehicle is a big responsibility in upkeep and maintenance and repair. Okay sorry for the lecture.

    Don't forget a good Lincoln grease gun too, and a tube of NGLI #2 lithium chassis grease. Nice truck.
     
    KYle Merriman likes this.
  13. Gunk Engine Degreaser, available in parts stores Walmart,ect...
    [​IMG]
     
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  14. KYle Merriman
    Joined: Sep 3, 2016
    Posts: 14

    KYle Merriman
    Member
    from Oklahoma

    Thank you for the advice. I'm just wanting to be able to do an inspection on parts of needed and the truck looks the same but the engine in a little more gunked up and I would like to be able to find the leak if there is one. right now at this moment I'm just wanting to do a slow rebuild starting with mechanical then moving into the whoa factor with the body. Where I live (Tulsa) people do not care to much about others property. They'll steal or damage anything nice for the most part.
     
  15. Truck64
    Joined: Oct 18, 2015
    Posts: 5,325

    Truck64
    Member
    from Ioway

    I was going to mention that, do you have a garage or barn or some covered area to store it? I would heartily unrecommend parking it in the street if possible, trust me on this. Maybe a relative or close friend of the family? Where has it been stored all these years?

    One advantage to being poor (there aren't many) is that you will learn to diagnose and repair things versus throwing parts at it, you'll gain a much better understanding if how things actually work, and often many times a little TLC and finagling around with the thingamabob and cleaning things up will get things working again. When you do need parts, don't cheap out, particularly with anything electrical. Modern replacement solenoids, starters, switches and cables are mostly junk. If you can get part numbers you can search online over the whole country and get good NOS or NORS parts for not too much money. Remanned starters from the usual suspects are cheap but you won't have saved any money changing it out every year.
     
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2016
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  16. KYle Merriman
    Joined: Sep 3, 2016
    Posts: 14

    KYle Merriman
    Member
    from Oklahoma

    It has been stored at my grandmas and they do not use it for much and I hate it when like you said go with cheap parts or a very bad fix. I just don't want it to go to waste and turn into a pile of rust or they give it away to someone who will not love the truck as much as I would.
     
    jeffd1988 likes this.
  17. jeffd1988
    Joined: Apr 12, 2016
    Posts: 537

    jeffd1988

    Welcome to the hamb. Sorry for the loss and i know how much that truck mean to you. But listen to alot of these guys on this forum they have good advise and experience about almost everything you need to know to get you up and going just remeber one thing though these things require ($ and patients.) And anything you do to it always keep you recieps i put mine in a big yellow envelope but the binder is more profesional. Alot of youtube videos for sure help start calling up for free catalogs like (l.m.c. truck parts, www.truckandcarshop.com, www.classicparts.com. this is were i do alot of searching for my truck parts. But hey good luck with that truck and keep it.
     
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  18. jeffd1988
    Joined: Apr 12, 2016
    Posts: 537

    jeffd1988

    It funny how you have the same story as me. Same truck beside mine is 59 I inherited my truck from my grandfather as well and it been parked at my grandmothers all these years and still does park there ive had mine since the same age as you but back then i lost interest with it and left it sit until recently to get it up and runnen. Waste no time on it. Even with little cash. You can simply buy spray can paint at hardware store and paint the interior and it will help it go a long way. And that engine degreaser. U can use gunk it work good. But if you want to be cheap. Use oven cleaner and then paint the engine with heat paint whatever color you want.
     
  19. Hey Kyle,
    Welcome to the HAMB!
    I will jump in here and ask a question,
    then make a few points.
    You haven't told us if it runs.
    Old cars, and trucks talk to you.
    If you listen they will tell you everything
    you need to know. To me, that truck is talking.
    Just look at it. Somebody got loose with a spray can
    but the body looks straight. The bumper and grill look great.
    In the engine compartment it looks like it was still running
    very recently, and probably will run. It's a farm truck
    and really wants to stay that way. I would just make
    it run and drive safely, change all the fluids, get some
    wax and make everything you can outside and inside clean
    and shiney, then drive it. After driving, the truck will talk to you
    more and reveal more of it's secrets. I'm 4 times older than you
    and I don't hear very well but way up in New York that truck
    is telling me, "Don't restore me, I'm fine the way I am.
    Just get me going and I will tell more.) Even if you get the truck
    for nothing, you will spend more to "restore" it than
    it will ever be worth. The real value of that truck is that
    it already stayed so good for so long! Don't make it wait years
    and you too because it takes years to restore it, and you
    will enjoy it more as it is for a long while. If it's yours and later on
    you still want to restore it you always can.
    Great truck, Good luck!

    Just my $.02.
     
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  20. KYle Merriman
    Joined: Sep 3, 2016
    Posts: 14

    KYle Merriman
    Member
    from Oklahoma

    Thanks for the advice it does run but
    it does run. But it very sluggish and I'm wanting to leave the body like it is or take some spray cans and make sure the paint is the same color I'm thinking black. I'm wanting to make it like the farm truck off of fast n loud I'm wanting to leave it looking rough but make its insides beautiful and powerful.
     
  21. mike bowling
    Joined: Jan 1, 2013
    Posts: 3,560

    mike bowling
    Member

    If you have a place to keep it, great. If you don't, whatever you do DON'T leave it out on the grass somewhere! Keep it as dry as possible underneath- I used to drive my El Camino over 3 sheets of plywood that were overlapped 3-4"-- moisture from the ground will CROAK a car.
    Get the brakes working, then yard drive it and figure out what else needs attention. If the body is solid and has paint on it ( even if it's a mess) leave it for now and concentrate on getting it running well ,driving, and stopping. ( and keep it protected from the elements).
    Worry about the "whistles and bells" later. "Chrome won't get you home!".
    It's a beauty! Have fun, be safe. ( NO bumper jacks!!)
     
    Tony Martino likes this.
  22. Don't get to crazy with the engine.
    Many people fall in this trap.
    Everyone wants 400 plus horse power, however many times an engine that makes that kind of power is un-streetable, and you maybe very un-happy. It is very easy to get yourself in trouble with that much power.
    My avatar is a 261 Chevrolet 6 the two ton truck version of the 235.
    It has been bored .o40
    Dual carbs.
    Good Isky cam.
    It is making in the range of 200-225 H.P. in a in a 3000 pound '53 Chevrolet car it has more then enough power to pin me back in the seat and embarrass modern B.M.W. and Audi owners.
    Ask @Tony Martino he's seen it in action.
     
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  23. Kyle,
    Listen to Robert!
     
  24. KYle Merriman
    Joined: Sep 3, 2016
    Posts: 14

    KYle Merriman
    Member
    from Oklahoma

    My dad has a 383 in his 71 and I love the engine and its not to bad on the street. It also sounds really good. But I do plan on keeping the inline to start with.
     
  25. racer_dave
    Joined: Nov 16, 2012
    Posts: 206

    racer_dave
    Member

    Lots of great advice- so I'll just leave it at welcome. Sweet truck.
     
  26. I would advise against oven cleaner, will agree on how well it removes grease off parts but it will not be nice if you get any on wiring and any electrical components. Check your local dollar stores mine on occasion has engine cleaners. At a very reasonable price.

    And don't hesitate to ask questions here, whatever you want to do has already been done and advise is always available. At a great price I might add.
     
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  27. KYle Merriman
    Joined: Sep 3, 2016
    Posts: 14

    KYle Merriman
    Member
    from Oklahoma

    What should I rebuild to help it run better ?small things
     
  28. First and foremost check and repair,if needed, your brake system. Doesn't matter how great everything works if you can't stop it safely all other work is of no use.

    Also check all fuel lines specially any rubber lines. Myself wouldn't hesitate to change them out right away. And be sure to use hoses rated for fuel. Be sad to lose granpas truck to a fire.

    After that just follow what others have mentioned. If it's new sitting a long time an oil and filter change would be high on my list and expect to do it again after a few days of driving.

    Do what you need to make it safe and reliable first and once that is done its time for bling. Enjoy it and thank you for your future service.
     
    Tony Martino likes this.
  29. Truck64
    Joined: Oct 18, 2015
    Posts: 5,325

    Truck64
    Member
    from Ioway

    That's a good point. Everybody hates a lecture but there's a method to the madness. They are trying to help you with the benefit of their experience. ALWAYS carry a fire extinguisher with you in the truck and have one available in the garage or shop. And not one of those cute little jobs that go on your keyring, get a real one.

    Get a MoToRs Automotive repair manual from about 1957 and study it. A good set of hand tools, grease gun, test light and voltmeter/DVOM, a tach, a timing light, and a mechanics vacuum gauge will put you in good shape.

    Learn good habits of safety. Wheel chocks. Jack stands. Keep parts bagged and tagged as much as possible. Use the shop manual at least as a guide. I've been wrenching since I was a little kid and still learn things, better methods, time savers etc.
     
    jeffd1988 likes this.
  30. jeffd1988
    Joined: Apr 12, 2016
    Posts: 537

    jeffd1988

    Agreed. Brakes. And fuel line. And use one of those wix fuel filter because i heard those nice looking glass ones will explode or just leak and that gas will catch onto the exhaust and catch fire. After all of that then tune up. Timing spark plugs mayby if needed carb rebuild. Pretty much those things make it better
     

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