The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk HELP !!!

YES i'm finally in... hello to all.. this will be my first of many questions and posts here so .. pleased to meet you all... i'm just beginning my quest for my holy grail,, ( 1958-59 chevy fleetside) for once i thought i would do the research before buying the toy.. can anyone recommend the one MUST have book to cover the many basics of restoring these trucks.. i've come across the title ... TOM BROWNELL'S " HOW TO RESTORE YOUR CHEV TRUCK " and was wondering if anyone knows if this is a good starting point or is there a better manual out there.... thanks... NICK P.

First of all let me welcome you to the site. You're wise to do your research up front and using the "search" function will help you gather valuable info from the various forums. The Galleries are also great....lots of great trucks and stories.

Brownell's book has a lot of good information and gives you a broad view of the restoration process. The Shop and Assembly manuals for your specific year truck will help you with the major assemblies and the more specific questions. These are available from most all of the major Chevy truck vendors.

However, you've already discovered the very best source of information on Old Chevy Trucks!!! The Stovebolt forums and the great folks who love these old trucks are the most valuable source of info I've discovered. Hope this helps you get started.

Dave

Nick,

Welcome to the 'Bolt from another canucklehead. You'll meet many helpful folks on this site!

The book you mentioned is a very good read. You may want to read it a few times before jumping into anything.


Lane

Welcome to Stovebolt, I am sure your will find most all your questions answered by experiences. It is very smart doing your homework first. Good luck and have fun with your Toy.

Nicky:
Welcome to the most informative site on AD trucks and those newer models as well. Send pictures as you move through your project.

Nick,
Welcome to the BOLT !! You'll like it here these Folks are the Real Deal !! AND THE MOST INFORMATIVE SITE ON THE WEB !! If you cant find it out here you wont find it anywhere

Good luck and have fun

Todd

Welcome Nick...The book you mentioned is a good one. You're doing the right thing by not jumping right into it, even though it's hard. Remember to think of your truck as a bunch of little projects instead of one big project. Look forward to seeing some pics!

~Ron

Yea I forgot... you got to Post pics !!

Welcome NIcky, Any problems can get solved here.

Welcome to the 'bolt- the place where you'll nearly ALWAYS find a wide range of opinions, and lots of good information.

My opinion: the book is okay, but written very generally. In hindsight, I wish I had checked it out from a library or borrowed it from a friend. I have it, read much of it, and seldom refer back to it. I think the resto-pack and the shop manual are far more informative for model-specific information, and since you have narrowed down your search, I think your money is better spent there. Use the book for general info like body prep how-to, powder coating instructions, or basic "do it in this order" information.

You obviously have excellent taste, judging by your opinion of "holy grail"...but then again, there will be other opinions here!

Bill

Here is a feature we did on Tom's new edition of his book. Maybe that will give you some idea of what's covered.

(I wonder if they have this book at the library?)

And here\'s a good page to read to give you some ideas of *starting* ... once you have something to start on.

And even do a search (from the menu bar at the top of the page) for Fleetside and see what most of the gang are doing with their's.

Welcome to the Bolt ... and definitely keep us posted.

Peggy M

Nicky:
Welcome to the Bolt, a great site for information. Most any question you might have on old trucks can be answered here.
I agree with TxLaTx on the books. Brownell's book is great as you start out and the information there is useful. As you dig deeper into your project you will want something a little more definitive that will focus on the changes you want to make. The shop manual is a must along with my favorite the GM factory assembly manual.
Send us pictures as you progress through so we can give you a pat on the back.

The first book you should get is the shop manual! In the case of a '59. you will need both the '58 and the '59, as the '59 is merely a suppliment to the '58 manual. I would suggest Toms book, too though. I have the older printing of it, and found myself referring to it very often, especially some of the fixes and improvements shown that aren't in the original manuals. If you're into modifying you're truck, I'd suggest that you get the Chevrolet and GMC Truck Owners Bible by Moses Ludel. Very informative, especially if you have a 4x4 model.
And don't forget an assembly manual!!

yes Nicky, welcome to the shop! I'm with the " skip the generic books for wealthy hobbyists" crowd - you can learn about general restoration info right here

"to cover the many basics of restoring these trucks" you'll need to learn: old time auto mechanics [no computers or sensors ], body work, paint, vintage auto electrical, upholstery, and a bit of woodworking .... find a truck that looks solid [little rust], buy it for what it's worth to ya, dive in, and get the appropriate shop and assembly manuals when you understand their usefulness

when ya hit a wall and can't figger somethin out, come on back and ask ..... I heartily approve yer choice and there's a number of us here that'll help you along

Bill