Hot Rod Forum banner

55 to 59 chevy truck owners

935K views 3K replies 212 participants last post by  DOUBLEDICK 
#1 · (Edited)
My name is Richard Johnson and I am building my second Apache truck.I drive this truck every day and am doing everything I can to make it a pleasure to drive and still be a good work truck.I like modern drive trains and stock body and interiors.I am looking for other guys that have and drive these trucks to talk to and share Ideas and designs for custom made parts with.I have sent private messages to a few people on this board and only one person responded.At his request I sent him pictures of my custom sway bar mounts so he could make some for his truck.Without sway-bars these trucks are no fun to drive.I am curious to see what others have done and share ideas.
 

Attachments

See less See more
5
#628 · (Edited)
Yes Riot Racing that is a 64 c10 short bed.Those pictures are from last weekends Valley of Fire cruise.I am a member of Classics And Rods of southern Nevada.I drove my 58 down to Vegas(250 miles)to go on the annual cruise.The road through Valley of Fire is a old 2 lane road that twists and turns through the valley.The speed limit is 45 and if it says 25 on a turn its slow down or leave the roadway.There are picking sites all through the national park so a pot luck BBQ is part of the cruise.After the BBQ we cruise back to town the back way along the lake(Lake Mead) and stop here and there to look around the sandstone rock formations.The cruise ends and everyone goes there own way when we get to Henderson.That C10 belongs to Marcos.It has a 350/350 with 410 gears.You can see more pictures of the truck and the cruise in the photos section at www.classicsandrods.com :thumbup:Here are a couple pictures of the 64 C10 taken at the Pilot gas station were we all met before the cruise.
 

Attachments

#629 ·
Did you guys take a break at a shooting range?
Sure looks like that, doesen't it, RiotRacing? Nah! Valley Of Fire State Park is a really picturesque red rock area about forty miles northeast of Las Vegas, and it sports some really nice visitor amenities, like the shade cover over the picnic site in DD's picture. Check out the links for more info.


http://www.desertusa.com/nvval/

http://parks.nv.gov/vf.htm
 
#630 ·
Looks like everyone is busy either driving or working on your truck. I've been at a standstill for almost 3 weeks now. Looks like the next two weeks are filled to the brim and workin on my truck isn't part of the plan. I did get my gauges in the mail. Gonna have to modify the billet dash insert to accomodate the gauges the way I want them to install. Put in an order for a new solid door window kit from Brothers, along with assorted nuts, bolts and gaskets. Plan on getting the brake lines in next, followed by the wire harness. I did get a mock up of the gas tank going in under the bed behind the rear end. Hope to get back to getting things done shortly.

DD.... I'm doing a cross country Harley ride this coming July. From here to Denver, to Northern California... up the cost.. East and back down to Denver. I've never been out West. Enjoyed your Rod run pics.
Dave
 
#631 · (Edited)
Dave sound like you have quite the pile of parts.You will get them on in time.Sounds like you have a great summer planed.Don't forget to take pictures.If you find yourself in Northern Nevada stop by and we'll burn some burgers and have a Margarita or 2.I think I am going to buy a 68 C10 long bed 3/4 ton truck.It has a 327 and a truck 4 speed.I need something to drive when I pull the 58 apart to do the power steering conversion and the out the fender headers.I rebuilt the Carter AFB on it a couple of years ago.This is the same guy I got my 58 from.The sweet part is I can have it for $2000.I know he has more $ than that in the motor :D he has about 10,000 miles on the motor in 5 years.He almost never drives it :thumbup: I put new ball joints and control arm bushings in it for him last summer.In a couple more years I might be able to get his 62 Corvette from him.He had the body and interior redone then lost interest in it.He starts it once a month and I have only seen him drive it a couple of times last summer.
 
#632 ·
Hey Guys

DD please post pics of your headers when you do them. I want to put fender-well headers on mine also.
I got a little more done on mine. Heres some pics of the bed setting on the frame. Use your imagination to eliminate the buckets the fender is on.
I'm having a real problem deciding what kind of tail lights to use. If you guys have any ideas feel free to make suggestions and post some pics.
Kim
 

Attachments

#633 ·
Hey Guys!

Quick update of the '57 truck I posted a while ago. It won the March meets in Bakersfield for Best "Under Constuction Project"! This is the Truck in Del Mar GoodGuys!



Never mind the Hillbilly in the background!!!(That's Rodger Lee! The owner of the truck and owner of the shop that is doing my '66 Nova build!)

John
 
#638 ·
Kim57 I think they would look good on the fender.In the Brothers trucks catolog The 54 parking lamp Assembly with a clear lens(pla54xx 1954) would make nice back up lights.I plan to use them for back up lights on my 58 when I do the body work and paint.Hurray my speakers I have been waiting for just arrived.Now I can put them in my truck.I over powered my pioneer 3 way speakers.These Kapa Infinity speakers are 60 watt rms which is a 185 watt speaker.I am running 150 watts per channel and the 120 watt speakers could not take Led Zeplin at full volume.
 

Attachments

#639 ·
Kim, that's the same idea I have been running in my imagination - the 40 Ford tail lights on the fenders; I think of other things, but keep going back to that, for some reason. Other ideas have been to french into the roll pan, some other shape. I had some taillights from a '67 Camaro that would look decent set into a pan; also, the narrow strip style from an early Firebird.
 
#643 ·
I went with the other power steering set up that they sell. (But bought it from Chevy duty due to price) I thought it would be easier and cheaper to buy and maintain if anything went wrong. Also I didn't want all that "stuff" down near the axle for a cleaner look.

In my journal on the 1st page and a few more after that one I show how my install went, the problems, etc, how I used a used tilt column I cut down and the boneyard steering joints I used to connect it all together. It was a fun project and I learned a lot. I leaned on this forum a lot to get it all together.
Having PS made a WORLD of difference...should have done it years ago!
 
#644 ·
I think I will go with the power assist just to be different :D The frame horns on my truck are bent from a accident some time in the past and that is where the steering box would mount to the frame.I have also read that there are some deflection issues with the steering box on the frame horns on the 58 and 59 trucks.I will do some more research before I decide.The other option is a Toyota steering box in the stock location.
 
#647 · (Edited)
Welcome 57chevydog :welcome:

Looks like everyone is busy with other stuff these days. I am busy with work for the rest of the month so work will be very slow on the truck. But I did get my tax refund so I can get more parts! I found a turbo 400 from another truck guy north of me for $150. It came from a 86 IROC Camero. He said he drove the car home when he bought it and stripped it for his truck project. He did say the tranny leaked oil from the pan. So worst comes to worst I can use the case as a core. But If I have to I will rebuild it myself. Guess I will need to get a cross member for the tranny. Now gotta get that line lock...where's my Jegs catalog.....
 
#648 ·
Sway bar bracket

Before the work got piled on I started on the sway bar bracket. I am going to use 1/2" steel as DD did on his. I pretty much just copied DD's design. If you look in my journal the last couple pages you will actually see copies of the pics DD took of his on my bench. I will make a template and save it so if some one else want to do the same then I can copy it scan it and email it to them. DD helped me I'll try and pass it on....

http://hotrodders.com/journal_photos/00026732/11763962150.jpg

Also I found a crack in my lower shock mount that I will have to weld up. I also removed the front end for cleaning and painting. I rebuilt the front end not to long ago so all I really have to do it make it pretty.

I did remove one leaf from my passenger side to help lower the front end just a bit. I will get to the other side later.

Anyway....back to work.

edit...spelling
 
#649 ·
57chevdog welcome to the fun.Post some pictures of your truck.I would love to see the interior as well :thumbup: Kim57 have you done your lights yet.Gator on those sway bar mounts you can put a metal blade in your skill saw and cut those out yourself if they want to much at that place by you.If you don't have a drill press,drill the holes before you cut them out.if you cut them out with a torch you will spend more time cleaning them up with a grinder then if you cut them out with a metal blade.It is snowing up here again today.It makes it hard to get anything done.I have run out of parts and money.Now that The 97 astro van is fixed and Linda is OK and back to work I can line up some carpet work to finance buying more parts for the 58.
 
#651 ·
57halfton said:
Hey Gator
You sure about that turbo 400 , I wouldn't have thought that an 86 IROC would have came with a turbo 400 . Mabey a 700R4 ????
Gene
You are probably right halfton. But either way I am looking for an automatic. Heck even if it was a turbo 350 I would be happy. When the truck is running it will only be used for hauling me all of 3/4 mile to work and back...and an trip to high school when ever my daughter can pry it from my hands.

DD...you have never seen me with a torch.....so I'll use the saw like you said.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top