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I think all will agree that the "safe" choice is always the wisest!

If you don't mind sharing, who did you order them from?

Also interested to hear your thoughts on product when you get 'em.

Dan

Sure will. The part s will come from Classic parts.

I plan to put the new ones next to my possible good ones
and the worn collapsed spring for a pic.

Tags arrived. Got it up to around 65mph.
Steering a little sloppy. I have seen worse.
Needs leaf springs. Sway bar..I have.
Power steering box. Just got.

Great, sounds like the weather and the tags arrived about the same time to allow a test drive.

Dan pulled the 327 from my other truck. I will put
a M-22 RC in instead of the 3 speed OD warner. He`ll check some things inside the engine.
Put on a new clutch plate. Maybe upgrade the alt + Power steering brackets.
Its needs wider belts.

The front bushing I cannot seem to free up.
I have the "U" bolts off the frame and the rear bolt bushing out.
This one I cannot unthread.
Does anyone know a shortcut either cut the bolt or the hangers to
remove the leaf spring?

You can cut the shackle bars and deal with the bolts and bushings later. A replacement shackle comes with all that stuff. Once the shackle and spring are out of the way, use a ball joint press (rental/loan from your FLAPS) and push the bolts and bushings out of the frame and spring together.

[on edit} Actually you should be able to knock the shackle bars off the bolts, except the one where the nut is still on it (I assume you can get that off.) Take a hammer and large punch and drive them off the ends.

This is what I am planning.
Cutting the bolt there at marks will release the spring.
With new springs and one new shackle kit, I should be able to keep
both hangers and top bushing bolt.

Just a suggestion, but check those top bushings/bolts to make sure they pivot freely, there is no slop and that they will take grease or you will be having to replace them much sooner than you may like.

Just my $.02, but you are already this far. Go the whole distance and replace them to be sure of safety and longer part life.

The side plates should be able to be driven off the pins, probably just rusted in place. They lock onto the taper of the pins pretty tight by design. Put a punch as close to the pin as possible and alternate hits between the front and back side. Once they break loose they come off pretty easy. Probably best to start with the spring end because once you get the spring released from the frame it is hard to hold things to get the impact of the hammer blow to do anything other than move the whoel spring and whatever it is attached to.

If you resort to cutting anything, the shackle bars would be much easier to cut than the bolts, but as the guys have suggested, the shackles should come apart with a little persuasion by a punch and hammer.
And Dan's suggestion of changing the bushing in the frame (and springs) is one you should take to heart. They'll likely be very worn and deserving of replacement. You won't regret replacing them.

All went well. The upper frame bushing are in great shape and move freely. Its the ones in
the leaf spring eyelet that were rusted solid.
Cutting the bolt and saving the hangers was easy.
Now if the other front one is as bad, using just 1 shackle kit will fix the front.
Shackle kit ...I will not need the hangers or the threaded casing.

The old spring next to the new.
Now thats 4 front leaf springs for 58/59`s in one years time.
the hardest part of this was fighting the old sway bar and shock mount.
That kept slipping off the axle as I jacked it up. Solution was to vice grip them
together just off to the side of where the "U" bolts monut.

I am wondering now if I should have used that small plate
there on the bottom of the old one. It has a second nib .

I believe that "old plate" you are referring to is actual an angled axle "caster" wedge that is required to set the axle position correctly.

It provides a specific degree tilt to your king pin and spindle positions so that steering and alignment function correctly. With out them, you truck is going to really be hard to drive (not to mention kinda unsafe).

Check you shop manual for more details about the wedge and reinstallation of your axle and steering components.

Dan

Easy enough to put back in.

Just an observation on your reinstallation picture.

For safety sake, it is always highly recommended that you use new U-bolts when reinstalling an axle (front or rear). The original/existing U-bolts get stretched when installed (not to mention ours are well aged these days) and additional stretching of old U-bolts could cause a catastrophic failure (think axle separating from spring while driving - yikes!).

Just inexpensive "life" insurance IMO.

Dan

Nothing wrong with these U bolts.

I ran into having to remove the bushing in the frame.

A wonderful difference!!! No more junky truck front end
sounds. Rides smooth on the bumpiest of roads!! Very important
around here. Sits up stronger looking. Like my 58
A must if you have original leaf springs that are worn or collapsed.
That s 7 leafs in a short time.
Note my 58 3100 is minus those angle plates for the spring /axle.
Has handled and continues to handle incredible. I could not imagine
it being any better after new springs and no plate(s).

Sounds great, glad you were able to get your bushing replacement installed and everything back together.

Thanks Wi Crusier!!! Couple other things. I will be
getting a thermal sleeve for the fuel rubber line.
Maybe a thermal shield between carb and manifold.
power steering after I get the black 58 s engine back in and
the M-22 mounted. I have to cut the hole in floorboard and carpet to fit.
I did remove the borg warner 3 speed OD and will sell it.

Got the power steering box in. Tomorrow ...the column and steering wheel. pump and lines.
Painted a spare tire wheel.

Steering wheel and column in. This tent will work for camping.

For those who might seek a bed mat for these.
This one for a 96 inch bed 2007-2018 Chevy Silverado/GMC Sierra 8 Feet (96") fits with little cutting.
Just the end behind the seat. Just missing 3 inches on the side

Got rid of the exhaust infiltration. From behind the wheels to
under the bumper.

Looks great

Thanks Roger!!!! Its coming together.

Really nice to drive. Sits like brand new.

Seats on and the console fit good together. Seats are from a 1965 Chevelle.
I was able to mount the seats back for added leg room. The tracks in the seats allow
for micro distance for pedal. Too close to pedals or too far away.
Nice retrosound radio. Fills the panel cab. Cup holder is crucial.

Drained the tank and ran the fuel out of the 1959 Panel.
Put it on skates and its rolled next to the 58 panel.
I`ll be able to store 3 trucks in the hanger this winter.

Of the 300 different ways to winterize a vehicle, would draining the tank
or keeping full over the winter be best for a POR-15 treated tank?
Keeping stabilized fuel full in a tank prevents rust forming, but need I worry with
a coated tank?
Here they are tucked away.

I have always taken the full tank approach. The normal exchange of air through the tank vent system will result in moisture accumulation in an empty tank. The coating may prevent rust but you still have the moisture to deal with when you put fuel back into the tank.

Hey thanks, we will see. Tanks are dry now.
Being inside ,maybe the condensation wont be an issue.
I don`t know what air can get in thru the vent system. Far as
I know , its sealed at the nozzle and pump. The vent is at the cap
and only unsealed with it off...?

As the temperature of the air inside the tank changes, with colder temperature air can be sucked into the tank through any opening (vent system), carrying moisture with it. Fuel tanks are best stored full, which minimizes the amount of air that can change volume.

The vent system is sealed ,like I said. There is no opening to the tank.
Some people want them full ,some empty. I go empty. We will see....again.
I drain ALL my gasoline engines I dont use during the winter. Always have ,always will. No issues.
I was just wondering about the treated tank(s).

Your tank must have a vent line that is open to allow fuel to be pulled out of the tank. Newer tanks all have a dedicated vent system but some of the older ones had a vent passage built into the cap. I am not sure which is the case for your trucks. The "normal" operation for the fuel tank is to deliver fuel to the engine but as that fuel is removed from the tank air must allowed to enter to avoid a vacuum being developed in the tank that overcomes the ability of the pump to suck fuel out to run the engine.

Storing with an empty tank does eliminate the potential problems of fuel degrading over time. To overcome any moisture accumulation in the tank from empty storage using gasoline with ethanol or adding a fuel deicing additive when you add fuel.

The one panel truck you helped put the body back on the frame, that tank had been treated and
empty for over 3 years now. There was not any moisture in it when I filled it up
and ran the 235 with it.
I`ll be back to this issue come March/April and then we will see whats up. The heat in the panel works great,
but not enough to stay warm up here. The 58 panel had 2 heaters in it.
My black 58 is full with fuel with Stabil, but I will drive it ,if and when the roads dry.

Ok, straight from POR-15 tech.
Water should not form in a empty POR-15 treated tank.
Its like an empty plastic tank(lawn mower/weed eater/snowblower).
Those I drain completely for storage
Now I know.

Happy T-Day!!!

Finished head liner. I will still paint.