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58 Apache 1 ton tow rig??

323K views 869 replies 215 participants last post by  v6toy4x 
#1 ·
We were chasing a mid 60's cab for my son's build and found this instead.

Looks to be a fairly clean 58(?) dually with a PTO driven dump bed installed 10or so years ago before being parked. Was "running strong" when parked, oil looks fine. Still on the original rubber.

I'm thinking maybe a good going through, hopefully it'll run, drive it as is for a bit while looking for a decent diesel drivetrain...I don't know.

I haven't pulled the trigger yet, but want to.

What would you think its worth??
 

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#5 · (Edited)
Well I paid $650 or ($850 cant remember) for my 58 back in 05'.

Non running 283, granny 4 speed, 2wd stepside.



Check how bad the rust is in the pockets at the back of the cab (since the cab has raised floors compared to the built in steps when you open the doors) that is the NUMBER 1 place for rust on these trucks.
 
#9 ·
I was told that is a 57 hood in no uncertain terms one time. I'd say 500 to 1000 maybe, depending on how bad you want it.

Edit:58.
A 57 and 58 are two different styles, why would that be a 57 hood?
 
#15 ·
I think my dad paid around 1000 for my 56 swb 1/2 ton about 6 or 7 years ago and it is nowhere near as clean as that truck is. Mine needs just about every panel for it.

Definitely check the cab corners, step panels, lower hinge pockets, floor boards, and tops of the fenders for rust and or half-assed repairs. Good news is they make everything from patch panels to complete cabs for them now.
 
#16 ·
Well, the old guy was set on getting what he had paid for it in the late 90's and not a penny less, which was a bit more than we thought it was worth. We couldn't justify what he was asking without having a better feel for its mechanical condition, but he was really cool about letting my boy and I tinker with it in our spare time in his field.

It was difficult to find time to work on this truck with everything else going on, but it was always on our minds and we were able to find a couple hours here and there to work on it together over the last year or so.

The carb and valve cover had been open to the elements for a while and were the most obvious issues initially. We pulled the valve cover first and were kinda surprised to find it all relatively clean...the carb, not so much. We pulled the carb and brought it home to rebuild. On another visit, we pulled plugs and squirted a bit of diesel down each cylinder, drained the oil, and found that the master cylinder (no brakes) and radiator were dry.
Went back another time and were able to get the motor to turn over...encouraging, at least it wasn't locked up from sitting.
It sat like that for a couple months with us having a rebuilt carb at the house but not being able to find time to go out and work on it.
Fast forward to Father's Day weekend...my son and daughter come in together wanting me to look at a "flat tire" on her truck. I head out to find this...
 

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#17 ·
Absolutely blew me away!! Both kids (17 and 19) have been working full time jobs to help pay for their higher education, fuel, bills, play/project money, and other incidentals and still managed to put their heads together (without Mom or I's knowledge) to make this happen.
They were able to negotiate the price down to 2/3's of where I had been stuck with the ole boy, pull other rigs out of the way, get this flat tired, non-steering, non-braking, heavy-ass, rig up onto the trailer and bring it home without us having a clue!
I couldn't be much prouder of them!

So, a couple hours at the carwash and we had a better idea of what we were working with.
 

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#20 ·
Since it was at home (for the time being), we were able to move through it a little quicker.
New plugs, wires, coil, cables, battery, gas tank, fluids, and the rebuilt carb had it running after a weekend of trying. :grinpimp:
 

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#21 ·
So as it sits now, its running - although quick to start and seemingly pretty smooth, it will smoke quite a bit upon acceleration, has a oil leak or two, marginal brakes, rotted tires with 4 out 6 kinda holding air, but driveable (around the neighborhood), a VERY smooth PTO lift that seems to be in perfect shape, all in all...MUCH better than we were initially thinking.
 

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#22 ·
Our next hurdle was finding some of the elusive 19.5" P30/35 8-lug wheels to adapt over to tubeless radials...if they fit. Lots of opinions there! I really prefer the look of the stock 18 inchers, but the cost/trouble of the bias plys are not worth it.
We will chip away at the leaks and rattles, but don't have a solid direction yet. I would like to keep it as stock as possible and just play with it like that, but the urge to mod it is strong.
If issues with the drivetrain (brakes, clutch, axle, engine, and whatnot) become overwhelming then a later model transplant would make some sense. We also have a tranny/transfer case/front axle from a 4x4 61 GMC that would be somewhat period correct and might basically bolt -in.
So with all that in mind, I've been looking for bread vans for wheels/tires and stumbled across this the other day...a 86 Grumman GMC van with a transplanted 4BT and the standard SM465/C&C 14B (and the 19.5", 8 lug wheels/tires)...bringing it home Sat. :D
Only prob was that the driver filled it with gas and drove it till it stopped:eek:

Hmmm, what to do?
 

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#23 ·
I've been tripping around that site educating myself, but haven't stumbled across that...I'll look for it. Thanks.
Stovebolt has a few threads on the disc conversion for the front...seems pretty straight forward.

Been talking to Mitchell here, http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?t=857770&highlight=19+wheels , who has a few sets available...but they're in GA. I'm waiting on pics from him on a set that supposedly have more of a "balloon" shape to the wheel and may provide more clearance than the somewhat "cone" shape these wheels have??
The only question is the clearance of these wheels over the stock rear brakes, but I'll probably follow your advise and drop the 14B in there either way.
 
#25 ·
Well, the bread van wheels don't fit over the drums. We're thinking of cutting the rear of the bread van frame off, with suspension, axle, wheels/tires, and sectioning it into the 58. This will give us a cleaner frame (original has some questionable scabbing going on) with later model brakes and better suspension. The 19.5" wheels fit on the front with no problems...hub bore was perfect, allowing the smaller 1/2" studs to work with the larger stud holes of the bread van wheels.
That will give me a runner while I chase down a dually front 60...thinking I want to 4x4 it.
Also going to work on the 4BT and see if we can get it running, if it fires up then that and the 465 might find its way into the 58 also.
 

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