58 Chevy Truck Builds
- Thread starter vanst
- Start date
My favorite truck. I need to do another one cause I had to sell the last one do to being un- employed for a couple of years. One of our members from Down Under is also doing a 58. Here are a few pics of mine.
I will dig up some others if you would like Good luck with your build.
Very nice Derry! Looks simular to what I'm doing including the same visor. Are you running a W-motor in this 58? I just finished the rack set up on the frame and plan on blasting everything in two weeks and assemble the chassis. The 348 mocked in well, I hope no prblems pop up later, they did when I put a 409 in a 55 Chevy Belair. Thank again for sharing.
Hey Terry, no can't help there but sounds like a great project you are on to there
, I have 58 big back window stepside, and i will be putting a ls 6.0 chevy in with heidts front end 9" shifting the fuel tank etc.
What front end and other stuff are you putting in to it. Any pic's you can post! Gav
, I have 58 big back window stepside, and i will be putting a ls 6.0 chevy in with heidts front end 9" shifting the fuel tank etc.What front end and other stuff are you putting in to it. Any pic's you can post! Gav
CDNpontiac409guy
Banned
If you install the engine in the factory location, as it should be of course... there is VERY little clearance between the rights side head / valve cover to firewall. In fact, large port heads would not fit without modifying the firewall.
Sounds like you're probably going to change the steering column / box ? so, maybe you'll side-step the clearance issue that I had at the left rear ( num 7 ) exhaust tube.
Sounds like you're probably going to change the steering column / box ? so, maybe you'll side-step the clearance issue that I had at the left rear ( num 7 ) exhaust tube.
CDNpontiac409guy
Banned
Jack, this truck has had a few engines.
When I first built it in 1989 / 90, I "created" a monster:eek. No literature, no experience, no parts availability... just made it up as a I went along
. 1958 ( I didn't know that that first design didn't even make it through 1958 ) 348. Bored .125". Modified a 427 steel crank, used factory BBC rods... and get this... TRW forged 11:1 standard size 427 BBC pistons !
Internally, this engine was a 427.
On mock up, I determined how much of a little belville I needed at the deck, and milled them with my drill press and an end-mill bit, then filed smooth and flat. At the closest point, the top ring was .150" to the top of the piston on the "squish" side.
Clearanced the block, ect. Because of the heavy piston, and lightened crank, the assembly was externaly balanced.
I fully ported a set of 1958 heads, using 340 HP 409 valves. Intake was also 340 HP 409, using a 700 Holley.
Cam was a peretty strong Crane hydraulic. Actual compression ratio was 10.5:1. I also built my own headers for it.
I think that it was partly due to the absence of the "wedge" at the top of the piston... or something...
this engine was just plain STUPID !!!!!!!!!!!!
HOLY CRAP:eek... at the time, it was uncivilized power
.
That engine was in there until the end of 2002, when I freshened it up, bigger cam, Offy 2X4, and sold it to one of our members in Arizona.
I was supposed to build my new bigger stroker 409 for the truck.
Instead, blew oll the money on building my Stocker.
Ended up re-ringing a budget 59 348.
Hard on fuel, no power.
Ran that until 2005.
2006, I built the current engine.
Ah yes... SERIOUS budget build here ( because again, the Stocker took all my money ) !
It's a standard bore 1965 truck block, that should not have remained standard size. Internally, it is a complete used standard size 1965 340 HP 409 car assembly ( out of the 1965 car block that I use in my Stocker ).
Modest cam, lapped in 340 HP 409 "817" heads, assembled with Felpro gaskets.
In cool weather, I can run regular fuel. In the heat of the summer, or heavy hills, I use premium.
This engine is still in the truck.
I still have visions of building a proper big inch 409 for it... but again, I suspect that my Stocker will take all the money
.
Sorry for the ridiculous post... there was no real short way to explain it
When I first built it in 1989 / 90, I "created" a monster:eek. No literature, no experience, no parts availability... just made it up as a I went along
. 1958 ( I didn't know that that first design didn't even make it through 1958 ) 348. Bored .125". Modified a 427 steel crank, used factory BBC rods... and get this... TRW forged 11:1 standard size 427 BBC pistons !Internally, this engine was a 427.
On mock up, I determined how much of a little belville I needed at the deck, and milled them with my drill press and an end-mill bit, then filed smooth and flat. At the closest point, the top ring was .150" to the top of the piston on the "squish" side.
Clearanced the block, ect. Because of the heavy piston, and lightened crank, the assembly was externaly balanced.
I fully ported a set of 1958 heads, using 340 HP 409 valves. Intake was also 340 HP 409, using a 700 Holley.
Cam was a peretty strong Crane hydraulic. Actual compression ratio was 10.5:1. I also built my own headers for it.
I think that it was partly due to the absence of the "wedge" at the top of the piston... or something...
this engine was just plain STUPID !!!!!!!!!!!!
HOLY CRAP:eek... at the time, it was uncivilized power
.That engine was in there until the end of 2002, when I freshened it up, bigger cam, Offy 2X4, and sold it to one of our members in Arizona.
I was supposed to build my new bigger stroker 409 for the truck.
Instead, blew oll the money on building my Stocker.
Ended up re-ringing a budget 59 348.
Hard on fuel, no power.
Ran that until 2005.
2006, I built the current engine.
Ah yes... SERIOUS budget build here ( because again, the Stocker took all my money ) !
It's a standard bore 1965 truck block, that should not have remained standard size. Internally, it is a complete used standard size 1965 340 HP 409 car assembly ( out of the 1965 car block that I use in my Stocker ).
Modest cam, lapped in 340 HP 409 "817" heads, assembled with Felpro gaskets.
In cool weather, I can run regular fuel. In the heat of the summer, or heavy hills, I use premium.
This engine is still in the truck.
I still have visions of building a proper big inch 409 for it... but again, I suspect that my Stocker will take all the money
.Sorry for the ridiculous post... there was no real short way to explain it
Since we are on 58's, the 409 in this tired old farm truck was installed in 69. (Viking 60) It originally came with a 261. I took out the 11/1 car pistons and put in 7.75 truck pistons. What would that make the c.r. with the car block and 583 heads?
Firewall clearance was not a problem on the right. There is about 1/2 clearance from firewall to valve cover. Maybe the 60 series has the cab mounted higher. The clearance problem was on the left. I used a 340 exhaust manifold to clear the steering sector, and it almost touches. The right side has the 65 car manifold that came with the engine. Front mount is 409 truck horseshoe. Back in the day, no other truck would keep up with it with 300 bushels of wheat in the box.
Firewall clearance was not a problem on the right. There is about 1/2 clearance from firewall to valve cover. Maybe the 60 series has the cab mounted higher. The clearance problem was on the left. I used a 340 exhaust manifold to clear the steering sector, and it almost touches. The right side has the 65 car manifold that came with the engine. Front mount is 409 truck horseshoe. Back in the day, no other truck would keep up with it with 300 bushels of wheat in the box.
Factory steel shim. One gasket, not 2 like it came with.
CDNpontiac409guy
Banned
No, Ron, you wouldn't have been late with that truck
Gav, first I'm doing a frame off so everything will be gone through. For the frame I installed a rear c-notch and bpxing plates to make room for the axle flip in top of the springs and I was able to find a 56 Chevy car posi rear end and case thats going in. The front I installed a Scott's Hot Rods custom IFS which is a hub to hub set up (weld in 1 piece) and a c-notch for the manual rack.
I dry ran the 348 while the cab was on using the stock engine mounts to the origainal bell housing on the rear of the 348. While this showed clearance at the firewall the LH iron exhaust didn't clear the steering box. So after figuring all the money for a dropped front axle, disc brakes, moving the engine 1 1/4" to the right and so on I decsided for the IFS. The new Chassis Engineering motor mounts on fit great landing on the new IFS x-member with a 3/4" forward offset on the engine mount.
I'm looking a blasting and painting the frame in the new 3 weeks and start putting things together, for the last time I hope....
I was able to find a WCFB this week so i have most to the engine now complete on the stand, I can't wait to fire it.
I'll load some pictures soon.
Terry
I dry ran the 348 while the cab was on using the stock engine mounts to the origainal bell housing on the rear of the 348. While this showed clearance at the firewall the LH iron exhaust didn't clear the steering box. So after figuring all the money for a dropped front axle, disc brakes, moving the engine 1 1/4" to the right and so on I decsided for the IFS. The new Chassis Engineering motor mounts on fit great landing on the new IFS x-member with a 3/4" forward offset on the engine mount.
I'm looking a blasting and painting the frame in the new 3 weeks and start putting things together, for the last time I hope....
I was able to find a WCFB this week so i have most to the engine now complete on the stand, I can't wait to fire it.
I'll load some pictures soon.
Terry
Very Nice Drive em!
VERY nice truck !
CDNpontiac409guy
Banned
Just stunning, drive em... and done in very good taste in deed
Great truck Drive Em! I also have have a few emails with your Dad on the whole 348 thing when I got rolling on H.A.M.B and was very helpful. Best of luck with the truck and keep an eye out here as I hope to post some progress photos as I go. I starting frame assembly this weekend.