Update...The frame is almost complete. The front IFS only needs shocks and to weld in the rear torsion bars sockets to complete. Other wise it's all there. New bearings, seals, brakes, tie-rod ends. It's finally coming together! Just took some pic's and will develop them soon. I'll post here as soon as I can. Still need plain steel rims for the rear tires.
I've also started on the underside of the cab. Somebody decided to put 1/4" of undercoating on the bottom of the floorboards. Luckily it's mostly dried out and is scraping off with some effort. Need to replace the section between the front seat riser to the firewall. The tread plates are shot as well and will be replacing as much of the underside as needs be before the cab goes back on the frame. Later

Here is a shot of my truck when I bought it in March '94. While it looks decent in this picture, TRUST me, it needed lots of work. (Don't they all?) In hindsight I probably shouldn't have bought this particular truck. I discovered during the teardown that it had been wrecked. Looks like it took a hard hit in the drivers rear corner of the cab. That whole section has been replaced with a welded in piece from another truck. Also, the front passenger side frame corner had been straightened out and the pass. side brake hub was ground down pretty flat with left handed studs installed in it. From all the evidence...it looks like that wheel popped off and started the whole thing or was a seperate incident from the cab damage. I guess my eyes were blind to all those bondo cracks.

Anyway it's a 1958 Chevrolet Apache 3100 short-stepside...the VIN number says it was a factory V8 model. It has the custom cab with the wraparound back window and the stainless window trim. It was all stock except for the engine which is a small block 350, four bolt main. Tranny is the stock three on the tree and the factory 3:90(?)rearend. The body is all stock with the exception of 50's passenger car taillights installed below the tailgate.

Currently it is a bare frame sitting in my garage. I wanted this truck to be a late model drivetrain with a 50's body..kinda of a restoration/street rod project. I also wanted to do all the work I could and I didn't like the idea of chopping off the front of the frame and welding in something else.

Now I like being DIFFERENT. That's why I bought a '58. Sure it takes a little getting used to that huge four-eyed front end...but boy it will sure catch your eye when I'm filling up your rear-view mirror with it! And there won't be many like it when I'm done. In keeping with the different theme, I settled on a torsion bar IFS out of a '76 Dodge Coronet. Gibbons in Nebraska (NO I don't work for them and these statements are my own) makes a bolt in/weld in crossmember for this setup that is extremely slick and easy to setup.

As I said I've got the frame stripped down to bare metal and all the old running gear off. I've got the new crossmember bolted in and am waiting to figure out how I'm gonna weld it in. I've got the suspension components rebuilt using parts from Performance Suspension Technoligies(PST).

I've got a completely rebuilt GM 10 bolt rear (4:10 Non-posi) done by my brother (Chris) that sitting on a rear end setup kit from R&B Obsolete Automotive. This gives me new springs with teflon glides..new shocks...new spring mounts, spring perches and "C" notches for the frame. (I like 'em low!) It was a little pricey but from talking to R&B and others I feel like it will make the difference I'm looking for in the stance and appearance of the truck. I've got the C-notches cut out and welded up. The new spring brackets are on as well as the springs themselves. Everything went together very smooth with only very minor problems. It's gonna look great when I get the weight of the body parts back on the frame.

I received the motor mounts that go with the IFS kit from Gibbons so that takes care of that. They are awfull strange looking. The drawing they sent with the kit isn't very helpful. I guess I'll have to spend some time mocking it up to figure out what's needed. I'm still trying to figure out how to put a gas tank under the bed. (Don't like cruising with 20 gallons of high test on my back!) Got a tip from a reader that he used a tank from an '81 Olds Cutlass and it works great. Have to research that one and let you know. Oh yeah...I'll need to have the Dodge rotors redrilled for a Chevy bolt pattern...still looking for a good machine shop for that one.

Motor Rebuild

All the machine work on the block is complete. It cleaned up at .30 over. The crank is back from the machine shop and it is good as new with a .10/.10 grind. Picked up the main bearings and just have to get motivated to install the crank.

|Here is a shot of the machined block. |

FUTURE INSTALLMENT: Body Work! Since I've got the cab off the truck it's a helluva good time to fix the rusted floor pan and to clean off all the dirt and grime underneath. I'll update this area more as I get more into it. |Here is a shot of the bottom of the cab as it was off the frame. |

[Overview] [Frame/Suspension] [Engine/Transmission] [Body Work]

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