1958 Apache 38 Dually Dump Project

[Kim57]

Things are looking good.
Kim

[RockTonka]

Thanks Kim, slowly starting to look like a truck again...just to tear it all apart for paint in a while

Got the rear frame/bed pivot pretty much done...gotta build some feet at the rear like we did at the front, but we were able to cycle it and check clearances...nothing hit or bound up

[Kim57]

Very nice.
Kim

[RockTonka]

Thanks again Kim!

Working on different parts of the truck here and there, but we did finish up the transfer case shifter and linkage, made it a bit taller...more leverage and easier to reach. Made it come up through the E-brake hole...also got a couple "dodge" style billet knobs for both the tranny and transfer case.

[Dieselwrencher]

Very nice work on the hoist mounts and the tcase shifter set up!

[RockTonka]

Thanks DW, we're going to just keep chipping away at it.

Not much to add, but did get the passenger side underbody box mount done

[RockTonka]

How about a too tall shifter? Damn thing is, it actually feels pretty good there Might shorten it, might not.

[Kim57]

I like it.
I think it goes with the truck.
Kim

[Dieselwrencher]

I think it looks great!

[RockTonka]

Originally Posted by Kim57

I like it.
I think it goes with the truck.
Kim

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

I think it looks great!

Well, that's it then! It stays like that

[NEWFISHER]

Its a BeAst! Love it! You do great work and its all comming together.I missed it in tbe build...is that a suspended Bear seat? Nice work.

[Advanced Design]

Just went through your build. Awesome truck and really appreciate your fabrication / design skills. Very nice welding too!

[RockTonka]

Originally Posted by NEWFISHER

Its a BeAst! Love it! You do great work and its all comming together.I missed it in tbe build...is that a suspended Bear seat? Nice work.

Hey Jon, thanks for dropping in and the kind words! The seat is an expanded version of a low side suspension seat from Twisted Stitch that we have on a Rhino. It's a bit thinner and more upright than traditional suspension seats from Beard, PRP, Mastercraft, Corbeau, or whoever, and allowed for much more leg/gut room

Originally Posted by Advanced Design

Just went through your build. Awesome truck and really appreciate your fabrication / design skills. Very nice welding too!

Thanks AD, that means a lot to us!!


Worked a bit on making room for the radiator (really the fan, I guess). We have an inexpensive FSR double pass 31x19 that should provide sufficient cooling. In this application, we really want to use a clutch/fan/shroud set-up to optimize air flow...really no problem once we removed all that pesky stock radiator/core support/body mount stuff up front that was in the way!
I know there's a way we can make this work...gonna try to figure that out this weekend.

[RockTonka]

Did a little trimming and fitting tonight...looks like we can make this work. Cutting the old rad mounting flanges off flush with the core support gave us the clearance we needed for a clutch and fan for a mid 80's C20/30 with a BBC (19", 6 blade steel fan). We'll work on new rad mounts this weekend, but should easily have about an inch or so clearance from clutch to rad. The resulting core support "window" is now the same size as the rad core.

[Kim57]

Nice job.
Kim

[RockTonka]

Again, Thanks Kim! Your taking time to comment on this and so many other threads really does mean a lot me (and other members, I'm sure)...a little bit of encouragement goes a long ways!!

Well, we're not quite done...but did get the hard part out of the way on mounting the radiator. After slimming down the core support, the body mounts were left a bit weak...welded a small section of 2" angle in each corner to reinforce that area.
Then cut down, dimpled, and welded a piece of 3" angle across the bottom as a lower radiator mount...it all barely clears the steering gear box.
We pop riveted strips of 1/4" belting to the inner face of the core support to hold the tanks just off that surface and fit 3/4" thick sections of heavy rubber strip into the lower radiator channel to isolate from that mount. Everything is close, but nothing will rub.

[RockTonka]

We had a few ideas on how we wanted to do the upper radiator mount, but it all actually fell together easier than we had initially thought.
We struggled a bit with a distorted hood latch panel before giving up and chasing down another (good) core support/latch panel today from right across town...I love it when a plan comes together.
A quick bead blast on the "new" old parts and we were done...almost. The inner lip of the latch panel perfectly holds the top of the radiator in place...couldn't have been any better! We ended up with a little less than the inch of clutch to rad clearance we were looking for, but still have plenty of room.
We will fit/weld in a bit of sheetmetal to hide the top of the radiator and then call it done!

[6BT 56]

Looken good guys. very nice to see the nice big fan in there. I only wish I could have fit the proper fan on mine. those 2 pesky cylinders on the front took care of that. Im really looken forward of pics of this thing returning the favour to you guys and getting to work pulling it's weight ! It will look good puling future projects around for years to come . How are you guys going to wire it? was the orriginal harness in good enuf shape to cary over ? I put a AAW harness in mine and have nuthing but good things to say abt it .

Keep up the great work .

[Kim57]

That worked out real nice on the radiator install.
Kim

[Jeff La]

Man just read this whole thread and can't believe I missed it before. You have built a great truck. Hopefully my next will be a 58 as that's the year I was born. You and your son's talent is amazing, can't wait to see more. Great also your son's enjoy trucks also, you are a blessed man.

[ChuckDriver]

Love the long shifter and the rad install looks real nice too!

[RockTonka]

Originally Posted by 6BT 56

Looken good guys. very nice to see the nice big fan in there. I only wish I could have fit the proper fan on mine. those 2 pesky cylinders on the front took care of that. Im really looken forward of pics of this thing returning the favour to you guys and getting to work pulling it's weight ! It will look good puling future projects around for years to come . How are you guys going to wire it? was the orriginal harness in good enuf shape to cary over ? I put a AAW harness in mine and have nuthing but good things to say abt it .

Keep up the great work .

Thanks 6BT! We're anxious to put it to work (and play)...like, yesterday already! We were hoping end of summer, but that's kinda here...now maybe, by Christmas?? We will rewire the truck ourselves (my son enjoys it )...not too much going on that's complicated. We stripped out all the stock wiring...not worth fooling with.

Originally Posted by Kim57

That worked out real nice on the radiator install.
Kim

Yea, kinda fell into place...tape measure said it would fit, just not how.

Originally Posted by Jeff La

Man just read this whole thread and can't believe I missed it before. You have built a great truck. Hopefully my next will be a 58 as that's the year I was born. You and your son's talent is amazing, can't wait to see more. Great also your son's enjoy trucks also, you are a blessed man.

Thank you Jeff, your kind words don't fall on deaf ears.

Originally Posted by ChuckDriver

Love the long shifter and the rad install looks real nice too!

Thanks CD!


Dimpled up a strip of 16 ga. and welded it into the step of the latch panel to cover the top of the radiator, was hoping to get it smooth enough to not need any filler...gonna need a bit of a skim coat though.

[Advanced Design]

That came out really nice and the skim coat would maybe be a hint of some filler, if that.

[Kim57]

I love the dimples you're doing. Looks real good.
Kim

[_Ogre]

panel looks good rocktonka