[DOUBLEDICK]

ChevApache59 nice job on the crossmember.Roadkill58 congratulations on the new find.Two projects means twice the fun.Keep us posted

[rwolf]

I have a 59 GMC that orignalyy had a 336 in it and I am going to be switching out my stock 4 speed to a super t-10 when my 421 gets done done but my issue is how can I set up a third member to support the new and longer tranny. The location of the newer brake booster and mount is right at the location where the third member will be to mount to my new tranny. Any ideas?

Thanks
Robert

[57halfton]

Hey , Robert
In your 59 GMC will the 336 Pontiac motor mounts work with the 421 ?
Does the engine sit on 2 motor mounts on the front of the engine and 2 rear mounts at the bell housing ? Or have you changed it to side motor mounts?

[rwolf]

I will be placing them on the side on the motor and on a new third member behind my new tranny. I think that there will be to much torque on just a front mount with my new motor even if I could get it to work.

[DOUBLEDICK]

57 halfton changing the front mounts is a must.I had front mounts on my 427 when I bought this 58 and the engine rocked badly when I revved the motor.I used the crossmember from brothers trucks.I hung the engine and trans in place blocked up the trans so the intake manifold was level(gives the trans a 3 degree down angle)and bolted the crossmember to the motor then used a floor jack on the crossmember till it was supporting the weight of the motor then marked the holes with a sharpie then pulled the motor out and drilled the holes and bolted in the crossmember.Rwolf When I bought my 58 it had a t-5 in it.They used a stock 58 bell housing and bolted it directly to the crossmember in the stock location and the trans had no crossmember just like the stock 3 speed with no issue.With my automatic I installed my crossmember upside down and backwards to clear my brake booster.I just used a piece of thick wall square tubing to make up the difference in hight of the trans mount.

[57halfton]

rwolf
I made the trans crossmember for my pickup to support my turbo 350 out of 1"x2" rectangular tubing, you can make it anyway you need to clear anything. You can bolt it to the bottom flange of your frame or the sides or even the top flange of the frame. Top flange mount makes more room for exhaust pipes. You can even move it back and come foward under the trans mount with a piece of 5/16 plate about 6" long.
If you can show us some pictures of what you are doing, all of us here can help!!!!
Gene

[Roadkill58]

Hi everyone. This is the 58 GMC I should call "LUCKY".
Although I checked the straps on the front wheels several times along the way when I got home they were not even on the tires!

As you can see there is a lot of work to do.
This one will start out as a rat rod.

[DOUBLEDICK]

Roadkill58 it looks like a good solid truck for a project.I just found a 58 long bed that was made into a trailer.I plan to pull the bed off and fix it up and put it on my 1 ton 69 trailer frame and paint it to match my 58 when I am done.I picked it up for 75 bucks.After I swap the beds and take the parking brake brackets off the frame for Gator I will put the 69 bed on this frame and sell it to recoup the cost.The trailer has a original rear end under it so I will see what kind of shape it is in.Anyone doing a stock rebuild that wants a stock rearend can have it for free they just have to come pick it up or pay to have it shipped.Just PM me if interested.They are compete with axles and drums.I also have the stock drums and backing plates for the front for anyone who needs them.I will finally be able to work on my 58 next weekend I plan to pull the front clip and take it down to the body shop and have the frame straitened on their brand new computer controlled frame rack.I will keep you guys posted and will take pictures

[ChevApache59]

Hi guys. I've decided to give some much needed attention to the front end on my truck. The driver's side spindle had some play in it so I'm redoing it, but the passenger's side has no play at all and takes grease, so I'm leaving it alone. Everyone has said taking old kingpins apart is a real bad job, but I guess I got lucky. Everything came off easy, and the kingpin needed some hammering but wasn't hard to get out. I also have the drag link and tie rod off the truck, and I'm waiting on new replacements. I'll let you guys know how it works out.

-Matt

[DOUBLEDICK]

Keep up the good work Matt I finally have a few days to get some work done around here.It snowed again last night so I will lose half the day shoveling snow again The only shop up here with a frame rack estimated $400 to $600 to straiten the frame so before I pull the front clip off the 58 to have the frame straitened I am going out to the wrecking yard and see if I can get the frame off one of the 58's he has.The 58 I want has no bed or front clip and the cab is striped.It sure would be nice to have a bare frame to box in then assemble a rolling chassis.I don't have room for all the parts in the garage so I would have to leave the front clip, the cab and the bed on the ground out in the snow to work on the chassis.I don't want to do that if I don't have to.I will post up later to let you all know how it works out.

[ChevApache59]

I took the Apache to have the toe-in set after getting it all back together, turns out I had it pretty close already. They checked out all the front end parts and said all was well, charged $40 and they were done in about 15 minutes. The shop owner liked the sway bar up front too. I've got a rear sway bar but my exhaust is too close to the axle to mount it as intended...when I can get the '50 out of the garage I'll see if I can get it to work. I'm having to stick to the free work I can do on the cars lately, since full-time school doesn't give me much chance to make money...although there is a big machine shop I can use .

[DOUBLEDICK]

Sad day in Ely.I finally got a break in all this snow and went to the wrecking yard to see about the frame I wanted.Due to health and financial issues they crushed everything They even crushed the 71 road runner they had with a original stock drive train They are now just a scrap yard that crushes everything.

[ChevApache59]

Sure is a drag about the junkyard, DD. None around here that I know of are any good either. I was at one local one (it since has closed) and found some small block Mickey Thompson valve covers, asked what they wanted for em and they told me they were keeping them to put them on somebody's big block. Needless to say I never went back there. Anyway, my truck's got a mess of wheel hop and I can't afford Brothers traction bars, so I've been looking at all different kinds for ideas to make my own. DD if I remember correctly, I think you've got the Brothers traction bars...if so, would you happen to have any pics of them? I'm just curious how they look installed. The thing I'm wondering is how traction bars mount when the leaf springs are above the axle. Thanks in advance

-Matt

[rwolf]

Not sure if this is the same traction bars that Brothers sells but here is some pics of the ones that I got from No Limit Engineering. I am in the process of test fitting everything on my 59 GMC.

Robert

[hardhatz]

Gene,

I would use Gougen Bros West System epoxy next time.
westsystem.com/ss/

I would fit the wood, disassemble it, and saturate it on all sides with the WEST. The epoxy is not UV stable, it has to have a topcoat.

A couple of notes about varnish: There are 3 basic types.. Standard, Marine, and Gym Floor. These descriptions mainly define hardness.
The Marine formula is soft, leave it to the boats. Gym Floor is the hardest, and probably the best of the 3.
Also, urethanes always yellow, Polyurethanes are better, the best would be an Aliphatic.

If you are more familiar with it, a better choice for the topcoat might be a good automotive clearcoat. Do several coats & treat it like paint, meaning you can color-sand, buff, wax, etc. if you want to take it to that level.

I restored a 1948 wooden boat using WEST System, and I found the result remarkable.

BTW, I have built some decks & bridges with such composites as Trex, and they left me rather unimpressed. They have about 20% of the rigidity of your oak.

Ken

"recession" is when your neighbor loses his job
"depression" is when you lose your job.
"recovery" is when Obama loses his job.



See

Originally Posted by 57halfton

Good to see this thread running again. I got a question , what are you guys doing with the beds of your trucks ? I put new wood and stainless strips in my pu about 6 years ago. The finish I used lasted 1 summer and over the next five years the oak wood took a crap so a year and a half ago I put new oak wood in it again , this time I used an expensive marine finish , it lasted a year and a half and started to peel so I took the wood out before it turned to poop. Any way I was figuring on stripping the wood and finishing it again and putting it back in this time after I make some kind of hard tonneau cover to keep the elements off the bed wood. I have thought about other things besides oak wood bed boards. What do you guys think , any suggestions ?
Happy New Year , Gene