The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts '59 Spartan 100 questions

I'm new to the forum & trying to get some info on my new project. This site is the best source of info I have found.

It is a '59 Chevy Spartan 100 with a Grove roll back bed that was installed when new. Driveline is a 348, 5 speed w/ 2 speed rear, air brakes & 10.00-20's. It is mostly original & has been garage kept. I searched hundreds of sites & have found very little info on these. It seems that short of the cab & interior everything else is different.

Are there any good books/articles on this vehicle that I should obtain?

My question is availability of the following:

Power steering rebuild parts. Everything works, but new seals would help prevent drips. Not sure what years/models are interchangable. Any ideas?

Air brake cylinders. I did not look for these yet, but I would feel safer with some new items here. Are these interchangable with newer vehicles?

What gear ratio is in the rear?

It has a SW in dash tachometer & rev limiter. Was this an option by chance? It looks like the factory tach installed in the Impala SS of that period.

Trying to get the safety details worked out before I drive it. Thanks in advance for any info you can provide.

do waht you want, but i strongly recommend an upgrade on the brakes to new standards. it requires adding a tank, and check valve along with a push-pull control valve that's dash mounted. at least if you bust an air line the thing will stop, (quickly), and you will have a decent parking brake. the newer style brake chambers should fit the mount the same, you just have to run the air lines. (use plastic, dude. much cheaper, chemical resistant, clean up better, and last a long time). i know the hills arong pittsburg pretty well, and that old truck would make one hell of a battering ram if it ever gets away from you.

i'm pretty sure the tach is factory, and yep, there was a rev limiter (governor) standard. what carb you got?

as for the steering box, if you can, i suggest a rebuild unless you are real good at such things. usually seals can be ordered by number, and cross referenced to later model seals that will fit. check the wear area on the shafts where the seals are. lot's of times they are grooved. c-r (chicago rawhide) makes a stainless steel sleeve designed to restore the wear area to original specs. it's called a "speedy sleeve" and is available from seal suppliers. you might have to look outside of truck parst suppliers because parts guys these days need a damned computer to tell them how to think, and will fart and pop a breaker when you tell them the year of the truck.

around here, napa is pretty good, and they have enough old guys THAT CAN READ A BOOK.


good luck, remember to post your progress, stay awhile, post pictures, and remember we are all afflicted with the same sickness here.

addicted to old iron.

welcome

welcome to the bolt Lonnie - tell us more about the model designation of this big rig - the "Spartan" just means it's in the 21-26,000 GVW range, and a plain "100" is a light duty GMC model - I think yours would be in the 10,000 series, like 10100 maybe, which is a 2-1/2T, and woulda had 22.5 wheels originally

if chev rear it'd be 6.40:1/8.72:1 and if an eaton it'd be 6.50:1 and either 9.04 or 8.87:1 - model and ratio should be stamped on top carrier

Kool covered the other issues, but the shop manual covers the big bolts too, so it'd be a good thing to have for fix-ups - I'll just add we sure like pictures around here! need some more big bolts in the gallery, especially Task Force series!

Bill

Lonnie, & Bill, Starting with the 1958 model year, Chevrolet dropped, one of the numerals, in the series numbers. Prior to '58, series numbers in the, Medium, & Heavy Duty Line were, 4000, 5000,& 6000 Medium Duty. 7000, 8000, 9000,& 10000 Heavy Duty series trucks. From 1958 on, they were, 40 Viking, 50 Viking, 60 Viking Medium Duty trucks. 70 Spartan, 80 Spartan, 90 Spartan ,& 100 Spartan series, Heavy Duty trucks.

Thanks for the info guys. I've been doing a full on study for information. I will get back under it to check on some other items.

It is 25,000 GVW. Bed is fully functional & short of a good pressure washing underneath, it is very nice.

It is coincidental that when I was a child, this truck delivered my fathers Farmall tractor in '74. 10 years ago the trucks owner passed away & my father bought it from the family because it was so nice & unique. It had not moved since. Last fall my father passed away due to cancer and it was then transferred to my name. I recently decided to make it drivable. 3wks ago, after a carb rebuild, some new fuel & a battery it started right up. I'll try to post some pics shortly. Thanks again for the help.

Here are a few pictures.

59 Truck Pictures

wow! ain't you the lucky one! that's one nice lookin truck for years of sittin neglected - interesting it's got the delux trim on a small window cab - you made a real good score there Lonnie!

Bill

Bill, thanks...

That picture is after 10 years of sitting, without even washing it. It's had a pleasant retirement.

What is the deal on the interior color? It is a beige/gold color. I've seen some that were painted to match the exterior & some this way. Was one an option?

Were chrome bumpers, grille & mirrors an option on these or were the big trucks all painted?

Sorry for all the questions, but I am only finding info on the pickups.

WOW !! !, That's a "BEAUTY". Thanks for the pictures Lonnie.

the beige interior started in 58 I believe, but not all were that, at least I've seen 8/9's w/ the gray - only body color interiors I've heard of was the cameo that had a red interior and mostly white outside w/ red accents, tho anything's possible, particularly as the big ones were more likely to have been ordered in fleet quantity detailed to some corporate color specs

the chrome grill/headlight doors/bumper/mirrors were a delux option package, and usually woulda went w/ the chrome around the windows, which looks to me you have on that truck [could be old eyes ] - don't know if the full package was available on the big trucks, but I'd imagine it could have been ordered, the difference being they would have been work trucks where cost was more important than glitter, and those bumpers in chrome prolly wouldn't have been normal stock - chrome dash knobs was part of the delux cab option too

you'd need to find some original sales literature to get an idea on options like that available for the Vikings/Spartans, and period photos of fleets - maybe you can figure out the dealer it was bought thru and find some info there if they're still in business? at least they should be interested that it's still rollin in such good shape!

Bill

The Chevy dealer is no longer in business, but I have the orginal bill of sale from both the Chevy Dealer & also the bed manufacturer. The Grove bed company no longer exists & was aquired in 1972 by the Jerr-Dan corporation. 1959 was the first year for their roll back bed as well.

Good eye on the chrome trim. It has this around the back window area & around the door glass.
You are correct as it also has Chrome dask knobs.

Some other things from the original invoice are HD front & rear springs & cooling system. It has the factory radio, speaker & deluxe heater. The lettering was dealer installed as were the spot lights.

Were all 2 speed rears electrically activated? Seems odd with air brakes?

The Heavy Duty Line Chevrolet trucks, came standard with Eaton electric shift, 2 speed axles. The Medium Duty trucks, were vacuum shift two speeds. Is your truck Full air brakes, or air over hydraulic.

It is full air brake, that is why I thought it was odd to be electrically controlled. It is more typical of the newer trucks to have air brakes & shift or hydraulic brakes & electric shift.

Beautiful truck

Hey Lonnie,

Great looking truck!

Check out my web page, I've got lots of Spec. info on the TF trucks listed by year. http://www.chevytrucks.org/mikesgarage/

Mike

Mike,
Thanks..... You have compiled a lot of great information on your site. I will be decoding over the next few weeks to see what all the parts check out as.

That is one really sharp looking truck. Already having the rollback bed is remarkable. Are those tow hooks original? Were they very comon back then?

They appear to be original the way they are bolted on. I will look in some of the documentation to see if there is an option listing on one of the invoices & let you know.