Help with my LOW BUDGET Apache build..what would you do if:

Hi guys and gals,

...If you currently had a classic rig, drove the snot out of it and didn't want to tear it down now to lower it, swap engine/trans and rear axle until the heavy rains and darkness are upon you, but wanted to get the " I think I need a classic truck project" out of your system and stumbled upon a 59 Apache that needed saved, what would you do to it?

The truck: 1959 2 owner Apache long wide, stick on the floor, 235 that purrrs like a kitten and drives straight down the road, all the lights/ turn/ brakes etc work. Wipers, heater etc all work. Needs fluids changed, tune items , mabey hoses ( they look good, but how old are they really) a seat re-uphoulstery job and then what?

Would you:

1) Clean it, kill some rust, change the fluds and sell it realizing that the 50 burb needs more love and would look waaay better dropped and the dual carb motor/700r4 rear end and sids axle that you have in the garage are waiting for some attention.

2) Clean it, fix some rust, respray the grille/headdlight bezels, front and rear bumpers etc white and leave the (shhhhh.) PATINA. Roll it on the stock steelies painted gloss black or creme with the wide whites you have sitting around. Drop the front a few inches and rake it. Fix the bed wood, new seat, drive it until you want to refocus on the burb and trade it off or sell it ( would make the wife happy ).

3) Above including a few small body work issues, mask it and respray it flat Hot Rod Flatz tan, gloss creme or black steelies with wide whites and chrome lugs ( mabey stock poverty caps) or Hod Rod Flatz flat medium blue metalic and said wheel options or gloss rustolium job( pick a color). I have the Hot Rod Flatz colors already-both are flat, gloss would be a cheapo Rustolium job and yes, I have read the thread and are prepared for the haters. Rember, any kid in the 50's-60's would have asked and done the same things on a BUDGET. I agree with the down sides of the above mentioned paints, but Chip isn't comming anytime soon to Overhaul me.

It didn't run when I found it, owner said " it ran when parked" but didn't take much other than a battery, carb / fuel system cleaning and scraping some corrosion from the cap. The truck runs and drives great, it was just neglected under a tree most of its life. The upper w/shield brow is clean and rust free, small amount of cancer in the cab corners , a spot on the rocker and the tail gate has some swiss but nothing a weekend wouldnt cure. Those repairs would force the need to be painted instead of leaving the (shhh) PATINA look and although I like the flat color look with gloss bits, the color and aged condition of the truck overall, I could see with some glossy white refreshed pieces on wide whites and dropped a little.

Either way I am torn with what to do, which way to go. After reading and enjoying hundreds of threads here, I thought I would call upon all of those who, like me, have too many projects already. What would you do with it?
Thanks
.
.Fresh from under the tree, drivin 15 miles across town and parked.

 

Neat truck. First off, I'd pressure wash it to see what I'm working with.

 

Yeah, definitely pressure wash it and even use some CLR with a scotch brite pad and remove the rust. Give it a good once over and fix whatever needs to be fixed, paint the wheels, slap some wide whites on it and enjoy the truck. Once it's all cleaned up and running around town, you'll have guys chasing you to buy it. You can decide what to do with it then

It looks pretty damn solid

 

I stopped at the local hardware store and picked up some CLR on my way back to work from dropping the truck at home. Tonights dinner includes; something chicken with a pressure wash glaze and a hint of clr. Pics to follow.

 

nice solid find, won't be hard to get looking good

 

Lose the camper mirrors and give it a bath!

#3- is my vote!

 

I like your ideas on the gloss white and flat medium blue if you fix the cancer.

I think the CLR treatment will give you more to work with imagination wise and you'll have more ideas.

 

'Mo, as much as would love to, my budget and resale potential is restraining me.

Thanks guys for the input. I started the CLR and the dinner bell rang. Headed back out with a flood light and pressure washer after dinner.

 

I would just clean it up and run it. Love those granny-gear 4-speeds too. Fix up the interior, maybe splurge on getting the seat done over by a pro, paint up the dash & door panels too. Work on the mechanicals and have fun with it.

Bob

 

I like your thinking Bob.

Here's after the first CLR treatment with a little Ospho top coat. I have read where some people don't have good results with CLR. I could see why if you followed the directions. I pressure washed and then dried the truck. Using a red scotchbrite pad (several used for the whole truck) I liberally washed the truck with straight CLR and rubbed, rubbed and then rubbed some more. The heavy oxidized spots took the life out of the pad and had to grab new ones for each panel. I think ospho straight and not dilluted works best on the heavy surface rust areas, but don't get it on glass as it will white out the spot. I learned that by mistake a long time ago.

Gonna pick up a mexi blanket to zip tie to the seat cushions tomorrow ( nice seat and headliner to come next month) and then start prepping the bumpers, grille and headlamp surrounds for white paint after work. Wheels and white walls on Saturday with a nose dive and some blocks next week.
I drove around tonight checking out the little things and so far no blower fan or heat control, but the dome and glove box lights work! All other lights, flashers, turn etc work great along with speedo and all gauges! Holy cats, its like a new truck.....only cooler
.

 

Looks cool!!! A new set of tires and some cool hubcaps would go a long way on it!!

 

looks like a solid parts hauler. i'd just do maintenance to make it reliable and leave it the way it is

 

Looks good just as it is. Radio delete is a hard to find item - do not bin it !

Can someone tell me what CLR is - not familiar to me.

Thanks

Bob

 

Looks good

 

CLR = Calcium, Lime, Rust a mildly acidic household & bathroom cleaner.

 

Cheers treb11 - I know the sort of thing - all makes sense now !

Bob

 

I wouldn't get too carried away with it for starters. Look at my build thread... 3 years and still haven't taken it to a show. Learn from my mistake and make it a driving restoration. Looks great though!

 

Now that you've got the surfact almost prepped, I'd have to go with a brush paint job to make it presentable. Sand the existing surface with a little 400 and pick out a gallon of the finest Rustoleum enamel of your favorite color and buy a "Purdy" soft brush...ad a little hardener [or not, I didn't] and pick out a spot with no trees overhead and a day with no rain in the forcast. Paint the truck from top to bottom and include the wheels.
Find a decent set of stock center caps and pop 'em on.
I know this approach works in southeast Portland because I've used it on a scabby red 62 ford shortbox. Kept the truck for 3 years afterward and occasionally did a little touch-up with a brush..sold it for twice what I paid for it.
Your results may vary.

 

Looks great!!

 

There was a truck under all that shit! Looks awesome. I'm with the el-cheapo Rustoleum paint job, in as close as possible to the Chevy dark green. I've done old trucks before with 3" disposable rollers. You can thin the paint a little with some lacquer thinner (just a splash in a quart can) if you want it to flow better.

Bob

 

Looks awesome. I'm in Springfield, we should meet up sometime.

 

Yeah.. agree with others. Do maintenance, new tires, some moon caps.. or whatever.. and call it good. Looks cool as it sits. Lowered would be cool too.. either or... just drive and enjoy it!

 

Looks better already!

I'm with Rocky, on this. That mint green would be a neat color, too.

 

I had read your build, good job and stay focused....you WILL get it done! That's going to be a nice Apache when you finish it!

 

Tossed some love at it in the last 5 days of ownership ( minus this weekend with family here). Dropped the nose with 3 leaves removed, pulled 1 from the rear. painted up the grille, headlamp surrounds and bumpers. Slapped some whites on satin steelies and now going to focus on the interior and bed. Plans this week are to clean up and hopefully repaint the interior the stock fawn color. Its a work truck/driver until my Burb gets its drivetrain completed so I am not going for the super fancy wood bed kit, but will toss in some plywood and line-x the ply and inner bed areas. Changed all of the fluids and have been driving it last night and today. so far so good!

 

Snuck over to the shop after work and painted the wheels the original body color. Thinking of the stock poverty caps painted white and some thin ribbed rings. What do you think?

 

Cool truck

 

Let's not get too carried away fixing it up. It looks NEAT as it is.

 

I think it needs a set of spider caps to set the wheels off now. That truck has taken a drastic turn for the better in only a matter of days

 

Thanks guys, as much as I would like a taildragger I need to haul rear axles, transmission etc for the 50 Suburban project and this one will get sold as soon as the 50 is back on the road ( I miss driving it already while I have been working on the Apache).
Ol dawg - your right. I'm done with the outside. I will be cleaning and repainting the inside alonf with a new seat and matching headliner. I'm thinking a distressed dark tabacco brown? I'm either going to Line-x bedliner the door step wells and across the floor to the other side or do just the steps and toss a factory rubber mat in it. It's a work truck so no pretty wood strips in the rear on this one either.

Dubie- Spiders would be cool if they made them in 6 lug and it didn't have the obnoxious front bearing hub sticking out like a 1 ton 4x Ford! I have to find something to cover the clip style wheel centers and reduce the amount of aqua color. I have the stock poverty caps and thought of repainting them white. A polished cap and thin trim ring would look good , but like ol dawg mentioned..leave it as is or keep it simple.

The tailgate is hammered, literally. If patina was a song, this thing would be AC/DC. Its rusty, its painted, its worn and tells stories...its bad ass, but the CHEVROLET letters are gone. I ordered a new vinyl set and am going to put those on and a couple peep mirrors on my lunch break. Tonight I'm going to start cleaning the nasty inside of the cab.