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.
evilbeef54, This is how I flipped my rear shackle mounts to get the correct ride height with the rearend on top of the springs. Grind off the original rivets and replace with Grade 8 bolts. I can't remember if I had to swap sides when I did this or not. you will just have to play with it.
Evil
One of the first things I did to lower the rear of my pickup was to use the longer shackle kit from NoLimit. It didn't do much, less than an inch. The shackles can't be much longer than stock because the top of the shackle will hit the bottom side of the bed floor. Save your money don't invest in a dropped shackle kit. I did put mono leaf springs in the rear that lowered my pickup about 5 inches in back. With mono leaf springs you will have to buy a pair of really good shocks like QA-1 adjustable shocks. I think the best bang for the buck would be to flip the rear axle to above the springs but you will have to C notch the frame like Ogre did. Regardless of how you lower the rear you will have to C notch it.
Evil
One of the first things I did to lower the rear of my pickup was to use the longer shackle kit from NoLimit. It didn't do much, less than an inch. The shackles can't be much longer than stock because the top of the shackle will hit the bottom side of the bed floor. Save your money don't invest in a dropped shackle kit. I did put mono leaf springs in the rear that lowered my pickup about 5 inches in back. With mono leaf springs you will have to buy a pair of really good shocks like QA-1 adjustable shocks. I think the best bang for the buck would be to flip the rear axle to above the springs but you will have to C notch the frame like Ogre did. Regardless of how you lower the rear you will have to C notch it.
okay thanks, im waiting untill the good guys show next weekend maybe someone will have what i need cheap, im not opposed to c-notching the frame, mono leaves for the rear will cost me $380. Flipping the rear end will be much cheaper, just want to make sure i have everything figured out that i will need, perches, u-bolts, flat mounting plate for under the springs, i think i can get all that for about $50 from a trailer store, and a c-notch kit. Ogre why do you have 7 leaves? will i need to purchace anything else to properly flip the axel or is it just adjusting what is already there to get the ride height where you want it?
When I did mine, all I had to buy were four Grade 8 bolts and the poly liners and of course C-notching the frame. I dropped it 6 inches. It is by far the cheapest route.
i have an 86 trans am rear end in truk. any 3rd gen camaro, trans am or firebird is the same 62'' width as the 55-59 chevy trucks. trans am and fbirds have disc brakes, maybe some of the camaros too. most camaros have drum. my rear end is geared 3.27 but they offered a 2.73, 3.23 and 3.42. truthfully i'd rather have a 2.73 for mileage (i only get 20.1 mpg now). for more info on rearend swaps go to chevytrucks.org scroll way down.
the trans am rearend has posi, sway bar and disc brakes, i do not know what others came with these options. these are known as 9 bolt rearends, not the stoutest rearend on the list but not shabby, especially in our light trucks. i do know that truk is a tire smoking monster and i have not torn it up yet.
3rd gen also had coil springs and a torque arm. i incorporated the torque arm with my leaf springs to eliminate wheel hop and rotation of the punkin. you can see where the torque arm bolts on the punkin in the first pic. i need to take a picture of the torque arm install i did.
truk axle is flipped on top of stock springs. i remove the 2 heavy overload springs from each side. i re-used on the shock mounts. the spring pads and plate came from a trailer supply house. the u-bolts came from a spring and suspension shop. i think my flip kit cost me $29 in parts. i also replaced my shackles, center bolt and used teflon spring liner for $130 total. rearend cost me $200. new end links for the sway bar cost me $15. i did c-notch 3'' with a slice of 4'' pipe that i had laying around.
Hello, I was wondering if anyone knew the value of a full set of '59 Apache 8' Fleedside bed chrome in good condition? I never see any listed for sale and can't get any kind of reference.
Thanks for any assistance...
alright well the good guys show today was a bust, couldnt find anything i needed, i ended up ordering the front mono springs from brothers, and after going back and forth a million times i finally decided to just go ahead and try the 2" lowering shackles for the rear, they werent that expensive and i'll give them a shot, plus after looking at it if i do the rear end flip i will have to find different wheels, the tires would hit the fenders if i go any more that 3-4 inches in the rear, i will see how the shackles go and let you guys know what i find... on another note, while i have the front end off (yeah i know that is how it always starts and how all the $$$ goes bye bye) i am thinking about doing power steering, all the front suspension is stock except for the mono leaves going in, 350/saginaw 4spd, i was looking at the "complete power steering conversion kit" that brothers has on sale:
i will google search unless someone has done this and has a quick answer, is this a good deal on this kit and it is really everything besides the steering column, or is there something else i should be looking into, keeping in mind CHEAP is good
grrr... okay so another wrench in that idea, the truck currently has front motor mounts sooooo they block where i would put the PS pump, so i would have to figure out how to do side motor mounts, google search comes up with the mounts for sale but that is it, looks like i would have to do a cross member, further jacking up the price, may hold off
uggg... what an eventful night, soooooo aparently it wont allow me to edit that last post... i was browsing Fleabay and came across what appears to be a good deal on a whole new accesory section for my 350 so i am getting all new chrome alternator, waterpump, and power steering pump, plus brackets and pullys, and it moves everything around where it should all clear the motor mounts, sooo now on to the power steering, it appears that i have 2 options either going with what is basically the first kit i posted minus the pump
either set up is going to require a coupler for the stock steering column, the question is, is the rack and pinion set up worth the extra $300, it looks like it will have more clearance for everything and is an overall easier install, but it is worth the extra $300, im thinking probably, just wanted to get your opinions
I'm thinking that I need to go in a different direction with the wheels on my truck.
Current wheels are 20" and the truck looks like this.
I would like to go with either 15 or 16 x8" 6 lug Corvette Rally wheels.
My truck is a 57 3100 with stock front suspension (want to upgrade to front didks at some point) and a 12 bolt out of a 64 c10 with leaf springs.
Anyone have pictures of their tri-five with this type of wheel?
Any advantage in going 16 over 15s?
Any advice/gotchas when going with this type of wheel?
Also, if any of you photoshop gurus can modify my truck so I can see what it would look like, that would be muy bueno!
thanks i already looked at that, it is for the conversion box, i ended up ordering the rack and pinion steering kit, heard great things about it, it should be here in a few weeks, we will see how the install goes
I bought the power assisted stearing from CCP.I have not installed it yet but it is like the power stearing on the 64 Tbird.I liked it because I could use my stock stearing box and get modern tie rod ends.I wanted something I could just install without allot of work. Since I moved to Vegas I have been working in my yard getting it ready to put up a shop building.I just finished my retaining wall.It leveled off the property and gives me 12 X 75 of useable space.Now I can put in a 24 x 36 shop instead of a 15 x 20 shed.I hope to get back to the 58 by end of may.
that will be nice to have a nice work space going. It will be interesting to head how that power steering conversion works out, with using the stock box will it still be a 20 turn lock to lock or what ever crazyness it is right now? I cant wait to get my truck up and running again, it is coming along, just finished welding up all the holes in the firewall and grinding them smooth, almost done grinding in the cab, about to pull the motor (if i can clear out room in the garage to work on it, lol) and get that all cleaned up and the new accesory drive on when that shows up, probably starting on the electrical soon, lots of work to go but it is nearing completion. Still have to figure out how to rig up the modern style hand parking brake and figure out if this jeep center console is going to work or what im gonna do about a center console.
Anyone know how to go about shipping front fenders, got a call froma guy that wants to buy my old front fenders but he is out in ohio and i am in California
I've been a lurcker for some time now, so it's time to get in. I have a 55 2nd series that has a 78' t/a clip ,self fab rear clip from cab back. Firewall replaced trans tunnel installed, floorboards also replaced along with right cab corner. Just did a 2" chop of the windshield frame as shown in Custom Classic Trucks magazine in the January and December issues. The glass has been cut but should have done that first as it does not quite fit. So alittle more metal work will be necessary. here are a few pics to wet your whistles.
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
Just did a 2" chop of the windshield frame as shown in Custom Classic Trucks magazine in the January and December issues. The glass has been cut but should have done that first as it does not quite fit.
good looking truck hotrodbarn
welcome to this thread too
i cringed when i saw that article in CCT, that chop article will probably destroy more tf cabs than words in the article.
they had a shop and experienced chop people doing that on, they knew where and how to cut.
there's a guy in another forum that just un-chopped his cab and doors for that same reason.
curved glass can be a beotch, cut glass, then chop to fit.
since this thread seems to have died while everyone is cruising trucks instead of surfing the net
truk and i are getting ready to hit the hot rod power tour june 2nd, motown to arlington and back.
i figured i'd post a few pics of my current progress...
i've been driving around on welded angle iron frames under my seats
finally got them finished off, i glass everything these days.
drivers side, the cable loop is for my gas door in the fender
after. i had paint left over from the beige to grey seat side paint job, so everything matches
a few built-ins: little lever is on a magnetic push/push latch
push in to unlatch, pull the lever, gas door opens, push in to latch
and since i'm a gimp... cane holder
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