The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk help with 3804 chevy truck 1958

my first post here. helping my neighbor work on rebuilding his 1958 Chevy pickup. we first assumed it is an Apache, but it appears bigger than that, looking at many internet sites. we think it is a 3804. "vin" tag says "3G58T 121677". 235 cu in 6 cyl, 12" front brakes, 14 1/2 back. 135" wheelbase. has a dump on the back that appears to be home made with the original bed on it, but we're not sure. many of the parts we find online for the Apache seem like they will be too small. we returned brake hardware kits for the Apache, definitely too small. we've found some sites for Apache parts, but few links for stuff for this bigger vehicle.



Any help sourcing parts for this truck, determining exactly what we have, good sources for parts, etc. will be appreciated! can post some pics if it will be helpful. I am Ken, the guy who will correspond here and search for this stuff, the other guy is also Ken, he an old school mechanic who doesn't do internet, so I am his internet liaison, researcher, purchaser, yada yada. Thank very much for any help you can give!



Ken and Ken.

A photo would be of help!

The "3G" in your vin means its a 1 ton, which would be an Apache. Were you working on the front or rear brakes, or both? The rear brakes are much more beefier being a 1 ton than a 1/2 ton Apache.

Welcome to Stovebolt

Your serial number 3G58T 121677 break down as follows

3G = 3800 (1-ton)
58 = year
T = Tarrytown Assembly Plant
121677 = unit number starting with 10001 (you have the 111,677th unit out of Tarrytown).

If your truck was born a pickup it would be a 3804, the Cab/Chassis (no bed) are 3803 and the stake bodies are 3809. There were no dump bodies offered by Chevrolet, they were all dealer or owner installed.

Mike B

Does it have a pickup box? If not then it is NOT a pickup. Flat beds are called flat beds.

Metlcutr55 (Ken and Ken),

Welcome to the Bolt!

Can see that folks are already working on providing you some answers. Judging from you post, sounds like you have an original 1 ton pick-up truck that has been modified into a "dumper" bed as some folks call them. Still a pick-up, just not quite what it started out as from the factory.

Would make a couple of suggestions to help you with your many questions.

First, make sure you ask questions in the appropriate forums. It also helps to keep questions focused on one (or an immediately related) topic as too many different questions tends to result in a hodge podge of answers. Difficult to sift through and line up the answer to the question at times.

Pictures speak volumes! Any time you can post a picture, please do so. It will help immensely.

Searching for parts and sources is very much tied directly to using the correct make/model/year info. There are tons of free on-line resource links with many original books, manuals and parts catalogs to help you in your search. If you search the various Bolt forums, there is a lot of historical knowledge ready for the reading and using to help you out.

Would also suggest you post in our Welcome Centre. Introduce yourself and your truck to the community as there are a number of folks with trucks just like yours that are willing to help.

Also suggest you post your truck specific questions here Tons of Fun as that forum is specifically about your size truck.

Others will chime in further here I am sure! Glad you joined us!!!

Hey Mike B. Suppose the number is 3280. Is that a flat bed .When I bought my 58 it had a flat bed and a pickup bed was given to me with the truck

Is your truck a 32 Series? That would be a 1/2 ton long bed. They were available as a 3204 Pickup or 3203 Cab Chassis, they never offered it as a Flat Bed, that would have been dealer or owner installed. They did offer a Stake Bed on trucks 3/4 ton and larger.

Mike B

It is a half ton 3100 with a 235 3 speed column shift. Vin is 3A58A103280

So why did you post the 3280 number above? I'm confused...

Mike B

Forget the name Apache when you are looking for parts. Apache was a marking term used by Chevrolet for all of its light-duty trucks, from the ½ ton to the 1.5-ton from 1955-1961. Most aftermarket parts are for ½ ton trucks. When you search for parts, you can search for a 58 1ton truck , a Chevy 3800 truck or 3G. Many parts are interchangeable with GMC.

First I would buy a parts book or a CD for your 58 Chevy 1 ton truck.

The book shows that the front brakes and hardware on a 58 1 ton is the same as the ¾ ton. Shoes old 3703512 new 3703511 P/N
So I google 1958 Chevy 3/4 ton front brakes shoes.

Old Chevy trucks
https://oldchevytrucks.com/me2981.html
chevs of the 40s
https://www.chevsofthe40s.com/detail/9921/Chevrolet_Brake_Shoes_34_and_1_T_Front_34_Rear.html

Google 1958 Chevy ¾ ton Brake hardware
https://www.classicparts.com
Brake Spring Kit Front & Rear 3/4 Ton #71-522 front only
Brake Adjuster Screw #71-611 Front.

Drum Brake Adjusting Screw spring Front & Rear Raybestos H407 EBay

Front wheel cylinder 5455480
Raybestos WC18009
EBay 5455480


The rear brakes 14'' 3742396 New 3703511 Old P/N
The rear brakes and hardware parts are out there. I found everything.
I will let you search for the parts. Used the sites below and google.
Think outside the box.

Search sites
http://www.gmpartswiki.com/query for looking up part numbers
https://www.yoyopart.com/ Cross Interchange Parts
Raybestos
https://www.brakepartsinc.com/raybestos/catalog-part-search/catalog-interchange.html

Good luck and have fun with your project

Starting in 1958 Chevrolet named their trucks, they also dropped two zeros off of the series number making the 1/2 to trucks the 31 Series.

Apache = 30 Series (1/2 to 1 ton)

Viking = 40 Series (1-1/2 ton), 50 & 60 Series (2-ton)

Spartan = 70, 80, 90 & 100 Series (2-1/2 ton)

Mike B

jimGMC -- Please start a new thread with your question. Mixing the two seperate trucks/askers in one post is very confusing It's also frowned upon ...

Thanks!!

John

What question did i ask?

That's what I was wondering. Looks like he was just providing additional information to the OP.

As I was!!

I meant User 6571!