The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts 1958 VIKING BUILD

Hello all,

Wanted to share progress with my build.

1958 truck I bought out of Nebraska.

I swapped the axles for a Dana 60 up front and a Dana 70 in the rear.

The rear, I have a parallel 4-link suspension system with airbags.

Up front I am in the process of designing a radius arm suspension system with some coil over shocks, but before I do that I need to mount the engine in place.

I am putting in a 1997 Cummins 5.9L engine, with an NV4500 5-spd transmission. That should be enough to pull the truck around!

**(Hopefully you all can see my attached images)**

So my question for all you guys out there is, who has a matching 1958 chevy suburban they want to sell/ know of? I want to get a suburban to match the truck... It would be killer.

Any help to locate a truck would be greatly appreciated.

can hardly wait to see the progress on this, looks like it is going to be a sweet ride when done! You probably already know this but, if you find a 59 Suburban and just change the fender and hood emblems to 58. The rest of the body should be identical....

I can hardly wait for the progress too! Its a slow build, taking my time and enjoying the ride...

Yes, I'm honestly interested in any 50's or 60's suburban. I need to find time to go hunt for one out midwest somewhere.

Watch for them in mid Missouri and let me know if you find one.
I'll check it out and can get it and hold it for you.
But you'll have to pick it up sometime this summer.
Virginia is as far as I'm going east this year.

Don

Cool build. Keep up the impressive work!

Yes, I subscribing to this, very cool indeed. I love big truck builds.
Sven, make sure you leave enough adjustment in the parallel rear bars for pinion angle to be correct at ride height. It is hard to tell from the picture and dont know if you have finished welding and bolting up the mock up.
Steve

Following!

Thanks 2-ton for the info! I got some good family friends out is Missouri, and I myself have worked there for a couple internships, so I know the St. Louis Area well. I have spent some time online looking for some out in missouri.

sstock, I welded all of my link/bag brackets on with the pinion set at 6 degrees. I have plenty of room on the rod ends to fully adjust the pinion angle to match the tranny. That's the nice part about using links.


I am hoping to mount the engine within the next 2-3 weeks, then I can build the front suspension.

Impressive!!!
Nice work!

So, has anyone made custom mirrors for their trucks? Or has anyone bought replacement mirrors?

I want to get some new ones. I could probably easily re-make mine but I want to see what else is out there. Where is the best place to get new ones?

Any input would be great!

I just put some newer rectangle heated ones on that I had (took off a step van I used for my business 25 years ago). So, they are newer than my truck, but not exactly new! I used the mounts that were o my truck, had top replace a few of the bars to get them adjusted roght, my existing bars were rusted together so, no adjustment. I used some 1/2" conduit, cut to length and squished the ends in the press and rounded the corners.

69Cuda, which truck was this on?

Also, was on your profile and saw the rendering for an extended cab truck. Any progress??? I am dying to do a 4-door 58 with a big flat bed. I would love it. The rendering for the extended cab looks awesome!

my 58 viking 60

I am taking my time with this build which is why I don't post as much as I should... Sorry about that

Anyways, I did make some progress this weekend. I got my engine somewhat mocked up in the truck so I can figure out where everything is going to sit. To do so I had to remove the old transmission mount/cross-member. And I had to take out the original clutch assembly.

I did not cut anything. It is all in decent shape. I ground down all of the rivets and then punched them out with a punch and a hammer. I have already done this in the rear to remove the leaf spring mounts. Knocking out those rivets by hand takes up a lot of energy and it is not fun lol. I should probably invest in an air hammer...

Once I got the transmission mount/cross-member out of the way I was able to slide the engine in place. I got a general rough idea of where it is going to sit. In order to mount the engine, I need to cut a section of the front cross member out of the way so the engine oil pan has some clearance room. Hopefully, I can do that this coming weekend!

I am trying my hardest to mount this engine without cutting up any of the firewall or floorboards. I have seen a couple of Viking builds online and other forums where guys just say, "oh well won't fit," then cut it all up. I do not like cutting up these trucks. I am taking my time. The only issue I see could be clearance between my differential and the oil pan, when the axle or front suspension will be fully compressed. But I guess I will see what that will look like when the engine in perfectly in place.

Engine mounts I purchased from diesel conversion specialists. Very helpful over there and they make some quality parts.
https://www.dieselconversion.com/mount-set-1967-1979-ford-4-wheel-drive-with-6-cylinder-cummins.html
The mounts are for a 1967-1979 Ford 4wd truck. The nice thing about them is that they bolt right up to the engine and then sit right on top of the frame rails with bolt center to center spacing of 31.5" or you can get ones for a bolt center to center spacing of 30.75".

I easily could have made some but chose just to purchase these, as it would save a lot of time.

Thats it, for now, I guess, enjoy!

looking good!

That looks good, clean engine as well!

I should have painted it after getting it mocked up and mounted. I cringe every time I touch it with dirty hands... Should be easy enough to touch up.

I trimmed up the original engine mount and made it deeper for clearance of the oil pan. I have plenty of room now.

Sadly I had to cut up the firewall. I knew I was going to have, but never really knew how much I would need to. I definitely cut more than expected. The good news is that I now have plenty of room for the engine and trans and still have room in the cab for the gas and brake pedals. I really want to make use of the original brake pedal and clutch.

I need to clean up the firewall and make sheet metal to infill what I cut out. This should be a fun process, I am definitely going to take my time with it because I want it all to look perfect and I want as much room as possible. I think I am going to plug up all of the factory holes as well and drill new holes as needed.

Before I do the sheet metal work, I am going to fab up a tranny mount and then I am going to make sure the transfer case (NP205) has plenty of room. THEN I can finally get some progress on the front suspension.

Hi Sven,
Nice work , looks great and the motor is looking very nice- did you remove the injector pump for paint?

How are you going with clearance for the exhaust dump pipe? I needed to use the motorhome exhaust manifold to get firewall clearance.

Looks like you are going along at a great pace , nice work man and i look forward to more updates here is a pic or two of my firewall and exhaust mods if they can help with set out.

Yes, I took the pump off for paint.
Thank you!

I am not sure what to do yet for a downpipe. No clue about the manifold yet either lol.

I am just trying to find a good place to mount the engine. I need to move it a little further but I am limited due to the placement of my shock tower mounts and my ideas of where the intercooler/radiator will be.

Sven

Wow, that's a shallow pan for a diesel...btw is it a Cummins plant? That will be some kind of a stump puller when you get done. Nice upgrade.

sorry for the slow reply, not sure why I didn't catch that question earlier when I replied about the mirrors! No progress on the extended cab, probably still a couple years about before I start on it. I am working on drivetrain on the 58 and also my travel trailer that I pull with the truck. I don't get as much time to work on stuff as I would like (or I am too lazy!).

So I finally got the front end kind of built. Made a transmission bracket and installed the shock towers.

My next step is to find a power steering box and then figure out the mounting and drag link. Then I can figure out where I have room to install the Panhard bar. It is really tough to find room for the pan hard bar. I am struggling with that right now.

I am buying an International Scout steering gearbox and a 1977 ford F-150 4x4 steering gearbox to do some test fitments to figure out what will fit best.

Sven

Scout steering box has Pitman arm fwd of the box. If it is turned around, wrong way steering, place in Texas can change gears to correct way. Ford might work. GM box (Blazer, etc.) mounted as far fwd with the arm aft might work. Arms can be moved from side to side to for and aft by filing away the skip spline(s) on the output shaft, good ball game project.

Ed

Have you looked into electric power steering (don't know if they are strong enough for the big trucks)? It might make it easier by keeping the original box...

Mike B

So I bought the Scout box and it did not work. Luckily, the guy I purchased it from also had an F-150 steering box as well. Out of a 1977 4x4 truck. I mocked it up, and it looks pretty good. But I am no expert on steering so not sure if the pitman arm is too far forwards.

Does anyone have any thoughts?


(If I use the ford box, I will have to grind off the ford logo on the casting)

Just curious, why not a GM power steering box?

I did look into the K20/K30 gearbox but it was too big to fit inside the frame rail. It would be ideal to sneak one inside the frame rail.

Like I said, if you know of any boxes that might fit the build, I'm all ears.

Assuming that the axle is at "normal" ride height and you intend for the drag link to go across to the right side under the vehicle, it looks to me like there is a long vertical distance between the box and the tie rod. That would cause bump steer that could be objectionable. As the axle comes up in a bump, the drag link will push the tie rod to the right, as it falls it will pull the tie rod to the left. They all do it to differing degrees and you do need some clearance. Just my thoughts.

I will try to get a look at my '62 and see how it is set up, it has been a very long time since I did it. I used a box from a Chev pickup and the drag link goes rearward to the top of the left steering knuckle, nearly parallel with the ground. There is enough room in that one so the linkage does not interfere with the tire/wheel.

Any links or pics?

Yes, I am aware of bump steer. It can be eliminated or minimized based off of the design of the pan hard bar. I have not installed a pan hard yet, waiting for the steering to be squared away first. I appreciate the input!

Here are some pictures of my '62 linkage. The arms have been cut and welded for length, I don't remember if I had to clock the pitman arm. I think the box is a '70's 3/4 ton 4x4 so maybe the clocking was OK.

There are spacers under the box to align the steering shaft and a 1/4" plate on the inside of the frame channel. Grade 8 bolts. The bottom of the front of the frame is boxed, side rail to side rail, between the two front cross members so it would be very stiff side to side. The truck was run at high speeds on forest roads chasing sports car rallies for 25 years, never any problem.

This is 90 degrees from the way you are headed but maybe it will be of some use.

Has anyone purchased any parts from https://www.ocautocarpets.com/ ?
It seems like they have decent parts, but you never know until you get the parts in hand and start working with them.

I am also looking for sheet metal parts for the big bolts as well. Does anyone know where to get some?

Sven

The big truck sheet metal is not being reproduced unless it also fits the small trucks...you have to find it randomly one piece at a time at junk yards, swap meets, eBay, Craig's List, Wanted Ad here on the Bolt, etc. or buy a donor truck.

The good news for you is you're only talking about fenders and grille...everything else is small truck also, so it's available!

Mike B

I'm just looking for cab related parts. My fenders and grill are in perfect condition. Couple love marks but nothing crazy.

I'm just trying to find the best place to buy some stuff. Inside the cab, above the windshield is completely rotted out from mice getting up there and nesting. That is my biggest problem. Has anyone else fixed this?

Sven

I'm not a body man so when I find cabs rusted above the windshield I find a replacement cab, as that's cheaper in the long run than taking the roof off to make that repair. I'm guessing there is the normal lower rust to deal with as well, right?

Here's the panel you need to do the interior roof repair...

https://www.classicparts.com/1955-59-Roof-Panel-Skin-Inner/productinfo/44-008B/

This one piece puts you at half the cost of a good solid cab.

Mike B

I would find a new cab if I was going to paint it. I love the color I have with the patina. And the rot up top does not seem too bad. And lower rust as in cab corners??

Tagging along to see where this goes Love the 4-link in the back, will definitely copy that in the future if you don't mind.
keep up the good work, it already looks great.

I love learning and I love passing along knowledge (but I only no what I no, I'm not going to try and act like I no everything). I hate it when you ask someone something technical and they beat around the bush or act like they no everything and don't want to tell you anything. So, no I don't mind at all! I actually copied some stuff from my friend who built a power wagon.

@Steve-W I love how you are building a 58 chevy over there in the Netherlands!

I hate how you chopped the frame tho! If it were me, I would have stretched the wheelbase and put a massive car hauler on the back! But I do respect the build and I know its not mine. just my $0.02 (also a long truck like that in the Netherlands is probably pretty tough to drive on your roads)!

Keep it up!

you guessed it! If I had the space in the garage I'd leave the wheelbase as is. but I had to make an executive decision regarding space and practicality.