The Stovebolt Site Forums Welcome! Welcome Centre Do It Yourself (DITY) Gallery 1958 Apache Stepside - "Musician turned Mechanic"

My first truck I had before joining this wonderful community back in December 2020. I always wanted one of these trucks and although, when I got it, it was painted black. The last thing I will do is paint it. it looks good from a distance.

First thing I did was yoink the 327 and had it rebuilt. The wiring was a rat's nest so while that engine was being tore down, I went to work on the other things.

The truck had a plywood bed and tank behind the seat. Just kinda wrong for what i wanted. I definitely wanted more room in the cab and seats that would adjust for leg comfort. The gas tank relocation for me was the first thing to tackle. That went well. 8AN fittings all the way. No Apache emblems -- that will change.

I put in custom seats, carpet, steering column, new back window. I replaced vent assembly. Put in a long leaf pine bed. Replaced tailgate. Back bumper. Chrome instead of aluminum wheels. All wiring. It had front disc brakes with stock rears. (Still does.) Front leaf springs. radiator. M-22 Rockcrusher. Radio. Headliner. Exhaust.

Other than that, it's all stock -- rearend / differential, frame, driveshaft.

What is nice is that I can compare performance and driveability with the 1959 Panel (see my signature line for that story) which is exactly the same setup only with a M-20.

Here come the pictures.

Great looking truck! Very nice upgrades really added to the truck!

Thanks. One of the best upgrades to the engine was to replace the HEI and getting rid of that mickey mouse belt system. The CVF pulley upgrade.

Nice entry to the DITY Gallery. I agree, your upgrades look great. Do you know any of the history on your truck?

I have watched your previous posts for a long while. What you have done is much the same plan I have for my '59. Great looking Truck.

I do know some history. When I removed the tank, there was a Pheasant Hunt tag from 1959 in California. I found a 1976 truck registration and my truck used to belong to Roy Neal Tillis of N. Highlands CA.

Had to throw a guitar pic or two in. Musician turned mechanic.

I can start with the tank relocation. Good quality aluminum frame mounted tank that was easy to install. It sat well and to keep the fuel travel moving downward, I had to cut part of the bedside flange there and bend it up. That area is now level with the bedwood. Padded it and ended up not using a rollover valve because it would only screw in at an angle to avoid the bed wood. It is required to sit up and down.

Ran a 3/8 ID hose up to the top of the filler neck with another right angle hose fitting. Tapped the filler wall for threads. It`ll take gas fine. Not full open like a new vehicle. Finding the correct depth sending unit and OHM. The mechanical fuel pump worked fine pulling fuel from that distance.

I've read many of your posts and have always liked the looks of your truck. Stock height and six lugs. 👍 That makes it even better yet.

How many gallons does your tank hold?

John

The tank is only 14 gallons. The tank mounted back does add weight where needed.

It handles extremely well. I was lucky enough to have Jeff Kendall help me. (Yeah that Jeff -- he owns a shop close by former (NASCAR) who loves these old trucks.) He did the dual exhaust setup and set the toe on this truck. He drove this truck and I mean scared me!!! I had just put the M-22 rockcrusher in. With me in the passenger seat, he moved that clutch like I had never seen before. I say again: scared the mule out of me.

While driving he said, "This truck drives good." I told him I got lucky getting everything right with what limited tools I have. I think then he saw the look in my eye and apologized for scaring me.

The truck can take it. That was about six months ago.

Recently with this good weather and the need to get out, I drove to get some food at the pizza place. Let's put it this way: I have a 2018 GMC 4WD 2500 Black I bought new with only 15,000 miles on it.

Just noticed the tail lights mounted to the rear fenders, I’m curious. Could you post a picture of that please?

Sure, those are Vega tail lights. Have some driving videos to share. Here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2k18pn_jH0 and here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4am-s8sxhzk

Todays pic of the engine. Everything is staying clean. No leaks under the truck.
When I got rid of the Holley carb the vacuum changed for the front brakes.
I put about a foot+1/2 of smaller diameter tubing in the tube for the brakes to carb. Carb side. That did it.
Restricted the vacuum enough to where is was not so sensitive to the foot.

can`t make that happen again. low rider on the radio as I head out
www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwgTRieUSlE

That WWWWHHHHRRRR M-22 Rock crusher working
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlDaMu1Fcdg

Good as gets for me... www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DwdXkrdEAw

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EWeAox-OOWg Rolling along

This truck and my other 327 in my panel.I have from the beginning ran them with 160 degree thermostats.
If I remember the change happened from 180 after I got this engine back and just did not care for how hot the engine would get.
Probably normal and not overheating, but you could not comfortable having your arm on the hood cowl there at the rad.
It was transfer heat from the rad. So for the past years ,I`ve had a 160 in there. Fast forward to about a month ago ,I switch on a whim to a 180 degree.
Same thing again. too hot. Promptly switched back. Back to normal temps. Engine runs fine. Great really.
I check the heat with a gun, so I know exactly what its doing. It runs at 170-175 at the rad. with a 160 thermo.

I was driving this today. What an unreal vehicle!! It really handles well. Not fast at all .
kinda. But the feel of it. Unbelievable. Having a truck drive like this having done all the work is a great feeling.
All stock cept the power steering and front discs engine and trans.I cannot imagine a truck driving better than this.

I don`t drive fast, but I had this today crusin at 75 mph. Surprisingly ,there was much more throttle
and top end at 75. It would be my hope that everyone's truck out there drove as well as this one. KOW

all 3

Some good reasons to relocate the gas tank on these trucks. One of the best is putting more weight
to the rear of the truck. At least on this SWB with wider tires, it helps I think with the way the truck handles.
The tie rod upgrade from original gives more space between tire and tie rod end.

First truck bath of the year and drove to the lake. Got photo bombed by a deer.

BD - Looking good!

these two spacers 4 inch total got the fan within 1 inch of the RAD.
It will hold up paper at idle.

This was under the fuel tank inside. 1959 California Pheasant License Tag.

I always like finding things when not expected. When I was taking my truck apart 20+ years ago, I lifted the floor mat and found a new pair of 1949 Wyoming license plates being used to cover the battery access hole.

The name on it is H.D. Buchannon