The Stovebolt Site Forums Welcome! Welcome Centre New guy from Ontario CA

Hi folks.
I'm new to the forum. Don't quite have my truck yet, but it's on the way. The story goes like this.

When I was growing up, my Dad had a bunch of panel trucks for his Electronics business. He had a ’52 Mercury, 57, 59 and 64 Chevrolets. I learned to drive at a very young age, and leaned how to take apart and repair the trucks. When I was 14, I took apart my first 235, from our ’61 Biscayne. So I’ve always had a love for the old Chev trucks.

About two weeks ago, I got an email from my son who moved from our home in Mississauga, Ontario to Seattle Washington area to work for Microsoft. He knew I had plans to restore an old pickup once I retired, and he started to look around. Eventually, he found a '58 Fleetside in restorable condition. It had been licensed up to 2007. It wasn't seized, though he couldn't start it. He bought it and towed it to his house on a borrowed trailer. He sent me an email to introduce me to “Wild Bill” as he called it. He thought it would be best to confirm if I really wanted it, or if it was the right model. I was totally surprised, as I had no idea he was looking.

So far, he has bought a trailer and the Apache is loaded and ready to haul back to Ontario. Now he’s looking for a suitable tow vehicle. He plans on towing the truck to Ontario at American Thanksgiving, and flying back to Seattle. Then flying back here in the spring, and driving the tow vehicle back to Washington along with his girlfriend’s (Fiancée ?) stuff after she graduates from her nursing program.

So now I’m doing my research into how I’m going to restore ‘Wild Bill’. I’m leaning towards an original restoration, though my younger son would like to convert it to a hot rod. My Dad has a late 80’s Impala wagon with lots of parts. Running engine and transmission. Wheels and tires. So that could be an option. I think I’m going to start by doing some simple mechanical stuff to see if I can get it running first. If it runs OK, I think I’ll keep it stock. If the engine is done, maybe I’ll go the V8 conversion and Hot Rod route. I have access to lots of tools. I have a Miller MIG welder, so I can do the required body patching up.

At the moment, I’m needing some advise on what to do with the frame and body parts.
Get the truck dipped, or media or soda blasted?
If I need to upgrade the brakes, am I better off with new 5 bolt disks, or re-use my 6 bolt hubs?
Any recommendations on upgrading the front axle to IFS? Could I use the Impala wagon front frame section be used ?

Hope to meet up with some new folks on this forum .

Regards.

And how do I upload a picture of 'Wild Bill' ?

welcome John, nice son you have. You're not too far from me, I'm an hour north of Toronto. I used to work for Maple, out of Brampton, there was a guy named Das working there.

Good questions you are asking. It's important to make a plan before you start, however, you would be better off to browse through our site and decide where to post your questions. This is the welcome section. I sand blasted my frame and painted with automotive black paint. Others choose POR15 or something different. Many of us put in a new IFS, I kept the old setup.

Good luck!

Leo

Hi John...Welcome,sounds like your early introduction to these old trucks will serve you well.

It is possible to do a sympathetic resto and still upgrade the running gear etc. Kind of a half way house,rather than a full blown Hot Rod.
That should keep you and 'junior' happy!
That way you retain the 'period' look but have the added comfort of knowing it will safely stop and turn,with perhaps a bit more grunt in the engine.
Either way,we look forward to following your progress.
Jock

With the truck being so "new" you can explore lots of options without taking away from the original look. One of the first things is try learn to do a Search in the forums and much much much as been said and written about blasting, engines ect ect ect and most will give you the pro's and cons of each.
When you can get us a pic it will certainly help in maybe trying to determine which is the "best" way to take on the project.

No matter what you decide your in good hands here on the bolt. Ask all the questions you want and there is no such thing as a stupid question... and although the same question gets asked, and answered many times the bolters here are glad to help you out. And as someone else suggested, cruise the site, get familiar with it. Questions in the right forum will yeild lots more responses and information....
Good luck and keep us posted.

EDIT: I'm one of the ones who has sandblasted and used the POR15 and like the way it turned out..... I have also blasted/painted a chassis and it still looks good 10 years later. Depends on your area and the condition of the chassis.

Sounds like you know what you are doing! As the guys said, have a plan but be prepared for changes. Just getting the engine to run will be fun. My 50 didn't run for a long time but my husband got it running and it was great til some one gave him a 235 from the junkyard. You are in a perfect position with two sons and retirement in the near future. You got to keep busy. Good luck!
As for putting in a picture, put your photo in a host like Webshots, or Photbucket and than put the link in your post.

Hi John,
welcome to the Bolt. These old trucks are a lot of fun to restore and drive. When you get around to showing some photos, maybe you could slip a photo or two in of your Dad's old panel trucks.

Fred

Thanks for the warm wecome folks.

It will take some effort to get some pictures of Dad's trucks. But I uploaded some pictures of my future truck.

My 58 Apache Fleetside

John...I had a look at your pics,nice looking truck.

Here's some 'inspiration' for you!

That looks like a great truck. If it is like mine was, there will be lots of hours of intriguing discoveries ahead. I enjoyed every minute of it.

Is that a Dodge Journey that it is hooked up to?

No trukernix, it's my son's "Super Awesome" Saab 97X. It's really a Chevrolet Trailblazer in disguise. It's got air suspension in the back, and it's dropped a few inches. Sort of like the Trailblazer SS, but without the Corvette motor. Some magazines have called it the best of the bunch of the Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, Oldmobile, and Saab versions of the same truck. Has an inline 6 cyclinder engine like the 58 on the trailer

Hi Folks.
Well, my son is on his way.
He left Redmond yesterday, and is now somewhere in Wyoming.

Hope to meet him in Port Huron to get the '58 legally across the border, and into Canada.

Then the fun begins.

Welcome, John...

I bet you're excited right now waiting for the truck to get to you so you can start restoring it... looks great!

Hope everything works out well for you! Keep us posted!

~Trev

My son is having trailer troubles on his cross trip from Seattle WA to Ontario CA.
Seems his front tires on his dual axle trailer are wearing out quickly. Getting flat spots. I think driver side is the worst one. Tires are supposedly at 50 PSI. Carlisle St225-75-15. Fleetside is tied down with two back chains and one front, with only one tensionser. Tied very tight he says. Could it be possible to actually twist a heavy duty trailer (5"C channel) causing axle miss alignment? He says trailer tows perfectly straight.

He says trailer looked quite level, but he's going to flip his hitch receiver and raise the front a 3".

I've suggested that he keep his speed down to 60 Max. He was doing 75 in some places.

Could it be one tire is wildly out of balance, and causing the tire to get into a real harmonic bounce?

I've told him to stop at Flatt tire in Des Moines to get checked out. Web says they are a Carlisle tire dealer.

Hopefully they can give it a quick look and give some advise.

Any other suggestions?

Thanks.

Welcome, As I was looking at your pics, I was reminded of my project. I'm only 2 months ahead of you and loving it. I'm about an hour east from you. Bill's Trucks in Courtice is a great source for replacement panels. www.billstruckshop.com

Gid day John. welcome from another ontario guy. if you have any questions about bringing it into canada. ask ralf (the post before this) we brought his truck up from georgia 2 month ago.
steve

Flipping the receiver can only be a good thing, you may have the front wheels taking too much of the weight. Good luck.

GOOD LUCK ARE YOU IN ONTARIO, CALIFORNIA IF SO IM REAL CLOSE AND IF YOU NEED ANY ELETRICAL HELP LET ME KNOW THANKS ROY GOD BLESS