The Stovebolt Site Forums Project Journals Project Journals 1958 Chevy Apache 1/2 Ton Panel Truck

Looks good!

I also ,after replacing the floor and all took the time to move the throttle linkage under the pedal
as far to the right as possible. At least the base. For me the foot will get too close to the brake pedal.
And a solid brass hinge under the pedal

More room to push the "Go Fast Pedal"!!! LOL I like it!

LOL, when I was drag racing, I used to comment about denting the firewall under the go pedal, so you could get more travel and speed.

Whew! with this truck, if I can get 65mph out of it I'll be happy.
My issue with the stock location is my foot would travel upward on the "go pedal" and get caught under the "stop" pedal.

Does anyone know where the stock location for the exhaust on these Panel trucks would be?
If I were to guess from looking underneath , it piped to behind the drivers side wheel.
Searched pics of trucks and most have been altered.
I have it now out under the bumper.

Every "Stock" panel i have seen from 50s or 60s has it dump out on left side of rear under bumper. More to left that your picture has it.

A few I found online sales has it this way. Unless someone has modified the engine or done a complete rebuild

Then do you know if there was a bend to the left after the bend up away from the pumpkin and towards the bed?
There almost would have to be. I can take some pics but to clear the shock bracket ,it has to run more towards center.

BD, Check out the below extract from the 1955-59 FAM. Upper left corner red box is the main diagram for the exhaust at the rear 1/2 of the pickup and Panel/Suburban vehicles. Blue circle is the detail for the Panel and Suburban (Models 3105/3106/3116) tail pipe. Diagram shows the pipe heading straight back and out under the rear bumper, just below and on the outer side of the left frame rail. It appears the pickup had a shorter tail pipe with a turn down (ending just behind the rear cross member), while the Panel/Suburban pipe was a straight shot back. You can see the bends of the pipe as it goes up and over the axle hump area, then bends outward/turns below the frame rail before running parallel to the rail and out. Hope this helps.

I see that. Nice. Id like to see a live shot of that pipe setup. But it is the only way it could be with whats left on my truck.

I think the dump runs out even with the frame rail. That would put it under the 2 stacked bumper bolts.

Pillar repair. I cut the old out at a diagonal above the hinge pocket + left some of the inner sheet metal that runs down. Cut the new pillar long and kept fitting/grinding till the slopes on the outside matched. Old to new. Keeping the inner metal lip to use as a guide upward. Thats the only way I knew to do it with what I have. Worked out very well, just took me a while going slow.

Transmission in the truck. 3 speed. OD

Found this pic of preinstall. New everything cept the fork.

I`ll be waking up this truck after about 5 months of sitting soon. I`ll try and film it all.

My tool bench from last fall. Just like I left it.

Unfortunately those elves do not clean and organize for you over the holidays, sometimes I think they add to the mess we left for them.

Thats right. Funny thing is it keeps my mind sharp remembering what and where those pieces and parts belong.
But the time will soon come to organize. and start a new mess.

It works the opposite on me, as it jumbles my mind. When my bench looks like that and I spend more time looking for my tools or parts and less time doing actual work on my truck, I know it’s time to clean it up!

I hear ya. I got an unorganized formula that works very well. For me I guess.
I get alot done. Thats the mess from what I did with that 1958 Panel over the summer.
I`ll take it!
All I have to do now, pretty much is get someone to help me bleed the brakes proper.
Adjust. And secure the exhaust system mo better.
Maybe the horn. Only thing I have not been able to do with this truck is get it up to highway speed. dirt road is one thing.
Reaching the end of an off frame project that I kicked into high gear a month after spending 3 nights in the ICU with heart issue and divorce last year.
I will say I don`t spend my time being OCD or whatever about keeping my workspace clean and organized. Its just me working alone.

rear shackle. originally I put the earlier version of this shackle w/o threads on the ends.
The earlier one ...when using on these trucks with a bucket. The lock nut is tedious to tighten with little room there between the bucket and frame.
The carriage bolt will not fit there to go away from the frame.
The carriage bolt does not seem to be enough to hold the shackles together and little for them to hang onto.
Mine was already moving off on one side.
This design with nuts/threads is much better.

Shifter placement in neutral. The handle was too short ,so I added. 3 speed OD

Fired right up. Over 6 months since cranked last.

Video 1958 Apache Panel. www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9feXmuDL1E

This ALT works! The other failed.

It'll work as long as you keep it shiny.

Oh no!! Slim chance I`ll keep it shiny. For 9$ more I could get chrome.
It will match the old side cover and valve cover soon enough.

I`ll be working on this trucks driver side front very soon. One leaf I did not replace early I should have
done will get replaced. The drag link. I would say someone at some point hooked up to the steering arm
and bent it out a little. When it turns there over the axle it just misses the shock. I have an adjustable drag link.
I`ll look at bending it back or possible to deal with it?? My other trucks miss the shock by about an inch 1/2.

Torch breaking bar etc. I should have got that one leaf spring I thought was good out when I had the body off.
But its out now and the new one in ,waiting on the shackle kit. Need a pry fork to separate the drag link from the pitman arm
and steering. At least I got those old rusted nuts off everything.

Got that old drag link out. Drivers side leaf spring.

Got around to repair that support rod from the firewall. I had a section of a carriage bolt and welded it to the old rod.
My reclaim tank was in the way so I took the opportunity to bend it and weld again to clear the tank.

original steering wheel back in. I have all the components, just wondering how and where the horn wire goes.
Is there a wire that runs up the column?

Yes. One end of that wire is supposed to be permanently attached to the steering column upper bearing.

Thanks Bill. Can I fabricate that wire? How does it attach to that upper bearing?

I don't remember, but I don't think it is a screw terminal. New bearings (with wire) are available here for $50 and $hipping.

BD - If you look at this zoomed in pic you can see the wire is soldered to the brass ring in this view from Bill Hanlon's vendor source. You might be able to get your upper column bearing assembly out without damage (maybe) and you could try to solder on a replacement wire. If the existing bearing is original, it's probably worn enough to warrant a full replacement so might be easier to just replace with new.

Thanks Dan, I'll have a look at it. I`d sure rather save the money. I still need a horn. I have the original but she no want to work.
mama she`s lazy. Lazier than me.

I looked into cig lighter voltmeters and found this one that matches the knobs close.
The million dollar idea is to make one that looks exactly like the rest of the knobs with a voltmeter.
Since alot of these have ALT conversions. Key on and charging at 14.2

The wheel had some hairline cracks in it that I cleaned as well as I could and filled with
this black glue. It has the consistency on a thick syrup and will fill these up gradually with tapping the
wheel and reapplying about 10x over 6 minutes. So far so good.

Finished, Looks OK.

A little sanding and a bit of paint, it will be like new!

Thanks! That glue sure migrated down in there. I was able to flex in the wheel as it ran
down and push the glue in and out. Then tap around the wheel and the glue would settle.
72 hours in, the glue seems like it will hold up. Chances are the wheel will stay just like that for awhile.
I`ll be able to monitor for any cracks as I drive it more.