The Stovebolt Site Forums Project Journals Archived Journals 1961 Chevy Apache Restomod

Chaz71 started his Journal in the DITY Gallery here.

It all started in the Welcome Center here.

hi gang, haven't been on here for few yrs. still working on the apache .

hope everyone is good. will be posting pics soon of where I'm at.
Been away because of life. lol

thanks

Here are some pics

Work on the frame

got a 4 speed saginaw at a swap meet yrs back. opened it and looks brand new inside. put mopar shifter to it

Keep 'em coming.

I will do my best sir. I drive a mixer and we’re very busy.

Thanks for looking.

OK. Installed k frame (mopar term don't know GM's term). It’s bolted not welded like todays. Torsion bar, just not put in yet.

Also removed right side trailing arm.

new parts for right side trailing arm and spring holders. got the bushing out. starting to clean up parts. springs are good and the amount of driving I'm gonna do they are r fine.

my pics and steps are in no order. its when/where i can work on her.

cleaned up passenger side and painted

ok . right side is done. now the next part should be fun. lol

not much done this week but started cleaning and removed break lines and pan bar . i know the rear is good. i ran the the truck for a while before tear down.

now, what to do? wanted to know what's inside. one legger and I'm guessing it's the small rear. going to think on it for a while.

not much done this week. but did install torsion plate to frame . starting on the a arms.

ok , well the rear end is not working out. it's a good rear. i drove it around for awhile before tearing truck down. can't get parts for it. i would like posi. so im going to ponder on this for awhile.

Anyway, started working on frame. Put the upper a arms on. getting ready for lower ones.

ok . back to the rear. pondering is over.

road trip today. Picked up 12 bolt rear with 3.73 posi . i hafta put new axle pads on it because of their different spaces from each other.

pulled the axles. took out seals and put news ones in. removed brakes . waiting on new ones.

One side now done. New brakes wheel cylinders and put axle back in.

Other side now done. brakes finished axles back in . New pinion seal in.

Now onto the axle pads.

took off axle pads and tacked new ones on.

so the rear axle is on hold for a bit. i hafta move axle from spot to another to finish welding pads on. i bolted the lower a arms on and one torsion bar in.

i have ben waiting for a chance to move the axle from the tool room to other side of garage . tool room has small mig welder . arc welder on others side of garage. So between snow clearing, drying off walks, driveway, took axle off the blocks put on handtruck (one man show here) and moved it.

finished wlding axle pads with arc welder. then moved it to the other garage, which i call the tee pee cause thats where the apache is. Lol.

so good progress.

now both torsion bars are in. Slow progress lately.

some parts ready. Some new parts and !! got the rear end in!!! yay !!!

good weekend!

had to do some work on my other rides non-stovebolts.

Van got painted. tuning stationwagon .

hoping to get some work dun on the Apache.

weather is breaking and that means crazy work hours and yard work. lol

alright! got the rear end painted . also mounted front shocks and a arm. rubber bumpers - they were harder putting on than the rear . lol

been awhile. work . throat cancer treatments. slowly at it again.

New bushings for pan. hard bar

starting on rear fender

(Moved several threads into this one .. Running several different threads in the Project Journals about the same vehicle is confusing. Have one build journal.)

I see the 1961 Apache in your signature line but your username has 71 in it, so could indicate a separate vehicle.
Looks like you are making good progress, keep up the good work.

Tore the e brake down, ordered new cable cleaning up.

installed new adjustable panhard bar


(No picture with this one. Pix came from Chaz's C-drive ~ Peggy)

Pictures of my e brake system from a 61 apache.

Man of few words are ya!

This the e brake system in the frame.

E brake cables to the rear and showing how the sit. Front cable not hooked up yet that will be when cab is on.

A new panhard bar also starting on disc brakes.

Set the air shocks in place and started runing the brake lines.

Installed the lines for the air shocks, and made sure the air valve was nice and tight. Packed the new bearings and put front hubs on.

Chaz,
Those rear springs? Something does not look right. My sense sez they should be much more robust. Did they come with the truck or are they aftermarket and part of the air system you are working?
I may be wrong but they are different enough that I thought I needed to mention.

Thanks hambone I have the shocks most of the way out, once I get everything in place, wheels, on the ground I will adjust the shocks. Disc brake kit was a joy to put on, cpp awesome company.

Brake lines almost done.

Looks like patch panels are in order, so I start stripping in the mean time.

This is as far as I’m going on this side for now.

Patch panels came in.

hey gang its been awhile. summer is winding down, i will have more time to work on the Apache.

i havta touch up under the hood of my superbee 1st. then restart on the Apache.

i did get the glass out of the cab. will be working on that this winter anyway.

good to be back.

finished working on my super bee.

now back to the Apache. just a little time to work on her today

starting to strip the cab.

another picture

Hafta wait in power steering to install. meantime more striping.

Some more pictures.

some more pictures.

still waiting on the steering brackets. so a little more paint striping,

More... striped the inside of everything. Clutch head screws suck. lol

Use this to help with the clutch head screws. https://www.eastwood.com/eastwood-screw-buster.html

There are a few screws loose in the Tech Tips section.

Easy bolt & screw removal and Removing rusty screws! -- two stories in one

Clutch head screw removal

thanks for the tips gang

another picture

getting a little more done. dirty part of the job . am hoping to have it striped by winters end

a little more done, still progress lol

well the power steering box brackets finialy came in. what a pain in but that was. now its like 40 below 0 here , not goin out to the garage this weekend, 50"s next week. probley be very busy at work lol.see what happins.

started on the power steering bracket. temporary mounting

was told to drill out some of the holes. i did, still in the mocking stage

and. more paint removedl

ok!! after i orderd the wrong steering box and brackets(gezzz) got the rite ones. power steering box is mounted yay!!!

finally done with front end. adjust tie rods later

a little more paint remove

ben sick for the week, got that stomic bug thats goin round. got a little mor paint remvel .

made good progress yesterday. now both sides and the the back is striped. some of the dash also, still more to go.but happy with progress. i want to finish striping by spring then move the cab outside to blow all dust off and clean shop before work gets crazy.

had to put jack satands on each side, so wen i go inside it wont tip over

dash striped.

making progress.

more done, im getting close to my winter goal. goal is to have cab inside/outside striped.

more work done

Another pic of the cab

Note by moderator: You've been using the "Insert Link" icon for your pictures which show up in your posts as the numbers, which is kind of distracting. You shouldn't be doing that, but just attach them using the attachment manager. Located below the entry box for your post (when in Full Editor mode.)

almost done with paint striping. workin on roof now, the last part. the red is staying inside , i will scuff it then paint inside .i will have some sort of headliner to cobver that.

Looks good. Your floor is a little rusty, but looks solid. Keep up the good work.

thanks klhansen, floor is pretty solid. thats getting por 15 .

almost there, just hafta finish the red spot and drip edge and my winter goal is met.

i did it. made my winter goal of striping cab and priming it done !!! now onto some body work. couple spots on roof and other places. but first is to blow off dust on cab, then cleen the mess i made in the garage.

Great job on achieving your goal chaz!

thank you Gdads51. im very stoked ! moments like this makes it all worthwile lol

the dirty part is over. blow off cab and cleen garage lol