I finally "get" the Restomod thing.

[wayner]

The last two posts by NORM and MATT are exactly why I posted this truck.


I believe that even in its day this design was polarizing, much like a slant nose 911 or an el Camino. Such a juxtaposition of eras and ideas, and restomods play into that as well

If a stock fleet side Apache can do that, then a restomodeded Chev Apache pickup truck puts the brain into overload I either direction!

If you take just this trucks wheels discussion, then what is right?
Should it wear 5 spoke cragars or five slot mags?

Heavens, the older steel wheeled crowd would have a caniption with those choices

If we stick with steel wheels, should it wear baby moons or more traditional dog bowl hubcaps, or should it wear Caddy frizby or flat dish hubcaps from the era to go along with all of the other 59 caddy influences that the factory built in?

If you look at the body I suppose many older folks would reject it, because any pickup truck should be a step side, not this crazy new fleet side idea.

So back to Sugarwood:

Originally Posted by sugarwood

A Rover friend sent me this:


...But, with this Rover, I love the restomod. Why the heck not?...

...The difference is that I have no investment whatsoever in the originality pedigree since I have no emotional connection to the Rover or its history. So, with a blank slate, the restomod is vastly preferable to me!

When I apply this reaction to the classic muscle car thing, boom, it’s all clear!...

I love these discussions and such variety of tastes ( which is why I crafted my signature below in the first place.)

[sugarwood]

I personally find the truck wheels hideous.
Look like they belong on a 64 Impala restomod.

[wayner]

.

[targa911S]

Originally Posted by RKDinOKC

My brother finally got the 57 T-Bird of his dreams. It was a super high quality restoration. Couple of years later he sold it. Reason...It drove like a 57 T-Bird.

Yeah nothing says high performance like drum brakes and recirculating ball steering....

[flipper35]

For some of the more petite, that meant ABS you know!

[vash]

that rover...the price is fair right?

[Norm K]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

I personally find the truck wheels hideous.
Look like they belong on a 64 Impala four-door restomod.

fify

[wayner]

You should see the custom machined shift knob it came with!

[wdfifteen]

I like everything about the 58 Chevy except the wheels. Whoever did it did it right - started with the weak points, brakes and suspension. Too many people start with more power and hope it stops and turns. I'm a fan of hot-rodded inlines.
The 58 was indeed controversial. Thrifty buyers balked at paying for all that fancy stuff. Who needs four headlights on a truck? GMC offered a version of the same truck to fleet buyers with only two headlights and a cheaper grille. I don't know if Chevy offered it or not.

[GH85Carrera]

I turned 349,000 miles on my 86 El Camino today on the commute into work. I have had a few kids over the years ask to buy it and then proceed to tell me I need 21 inch wheels and to slam it down.

That will never happen while I own it.



With no doubt the best thing I ever did to it was convert to throttle body fuel injection. It starts and runs like a modern car when it is sub zero or 100+. It starts almost instantly. I did get rid of the tiny Metric 200 transmission and replace it with a built 2004R or is that 200R4? Whatever, it is a strong 4 speed with full lockup. I added a limited slip rear end as well. I still have the OEM radio on the shelf but I replaced it with a $90 stereo that has a 16 gig USB drive playing every song I own is random order. It also syncs to my phone and I can play Pandora and my wife can listen to Sirius satellite broadcasts through her iPhone.

The heater and AC works great, and I replaced the body mounts a couple of years ago since the old ones were shot. That made a big improvement in handling.

After 300,000 miles the original 305 engine was used up. I dropped in a brand new GM Goodwrench factory engine for $1,700 delivered to my door. That is not rebuilt or remanafactured, it is a new engine with a 24,000 mile warranty. That is cheaper than the machine work needed to rebuild the old 305.

We just placed an order for a 2017 Macan. After seeing the space age bells whistles and gizmos on the new vehicles it is astonishing how far cars have come in 31 years. I will keep driving my El Camino. It is going up in price, and it is rare that a week goes by without someone asking about it. There are not many on the road so it is not just yet another econo-box or SUV.

[wayner]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

I like everything about the 58 Chevy except the wheels. Whoever did it did it right - started with the weak points, brakes and suspension. Too many people start with more power and hope it stops and turns. I'm a fan of hot-rodded inlines.
The 58 was indeed controversial. Thrifty buyers balked at paying for all that fancy stuff. Who needs four headlights on a truck? GMC offered a version of the same truck to fleet buyers with only two headlights and a cheaper grille. I don't know if Chevy offered it or not.

One of the reasons I really like the Chev Apache because it came from a time of big fins and automotive art. Cars of that time were extreme in their styling, and sort of a factory restomod style in it's day I suppose. They were art cars.

I bought this one for $7k as you see it sitting on the trailer.
Some would say that is a lot of money but I look at it that what I paid for a solid Arizona truck would not have bought much of my time welding.

Others would say it was a steal.

I saw it as a starting point.

Next I bought a corvette for its suspension. That was job one.
As much as I used to enjoy driving a truck like this in high school, these days I no longer crave the simple pelasure of being challenged to stay in my lane.

Next was engine. I almost swapped in the Vette engine but just couldn't bring myself to take something that is becoming unique and turn it into something typical, so hot rod the 6 instead. I think a big inline 6 with dual exhaust sounds fantastic ( and I love the stomp to start and three in the tree for a touch of nostalgia driving. The average person can't even figure out how to turn the engine over, and I like the ceremony involved.)

The wheels? Who cares. The previous owner was going for a goth motif but fortunately hadn't gotten any further than the wheels and shift knob. There are lots of wheels that fit the vette hubs, I'll probably go 17" instead of the 22s, but who knows what direction at this point. We'll see. Definitely not skinny farm tires. Meanwhile, the existing rims, love them or hate them sure draw interest in the truck, and as many people love them as hate them. In fact more women and children love them than anyone, and dogs like to ride shotgun. It doesn't get any better than that

[wayner]

Love it or hate it (in either direction, good or,bad) what a difference wheels make..

[masraum]

Originally Posted by widebody911

Exactly. The fun for me in the anachronism of the experience. I saw what looked like a really nice 1952 Chevy pickup last night, but it had a crate motor and an awkwardly-transplanted late-model car interior - kind of ruined the whole thing.

I could live with the crate motor, but the modern interior is a no go. For me, I want the look of the classic, interior and exterior of the classic, but with reliability and a bit of safety (better brakes and tires). I'm thinking more about old 60s American iron. Something like one of your classic VW or the micro-car would probably be different. About the only interior upgrades that I could see would be things like custom upgraded period-type upholstery (assuming we're talking about a cheap Chevy that came with basic vinyl).

[ted]

I have a stock 70.5 Z28 Camaro, fun to row thru the gears but not so much on long drives.

Instead of resto modding an old car, how about back dating a new car?
My buddy's 76 TA back in High School created some fun memories.

If I were to get nostalgic...
On a new Camaro I'd just do the cosmetics and leave everything else stock.
King's Chariot Of Jacksonville FL Sells A Stock Camaro Trans-Formed Into A Beautiful Pontiac Firebird Trans Am With A Potent 650 HP At The Rear Wheels. FASTEN YOUR SAFETY BELTS! - NO Car NO Fun! Muscle Cars and Power Cars! |

[masraum]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

I think that truck is freaking awesome. So there.

Yep, me too, except the wheels.

Originally Posted by sugarwood

I personally find the truck wheels hideous.
Look like they belong on a 64 Impala restomod.

Um, no.

They belong on a hoopty in the hood.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by wayner

Love, love, love that ^^, engine and suspension. One carb or two, either way is cool.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by wayner

One of the reasons I really like the Chev Apache because it came from a time of big fins and automotive art. Cars of that time were extreme in their styling, and sort of a factory restomod style in it's day I suppose. They were art cars.

Next I bought a corvette for its suspension. That was job one.
As much as I used to enjoy driving a truck like this in high school, these days I no longer crave the simple pelasure of being challenged to stay in my lane.

Next was engine. I almost swapped in the Vette engine but just couldn't bring myself to take something that is becoming unique and turn it into something typical, so hot rod the 6 instead. I think a big inline 6 with dual exhaust sounds fantastic ( and I love the stomp to start and three in the tree for a touch of nostalgia driving. The average person can't even figure out how to turn the engine over, and I like the ceremony involved.)

The wheels? Who cares. The previous owner was going for a goth motif but fortunately hadn't gotten any further than the wheels and shift knob. There are lots of wheels that fit the vette hubs, I'll probably go 17" instead of the 22s, but who knows what direction at this point. We'll see. Definitely not skinny farm tires. Meanwhile, the existing rims, love them or hate them sure draw interest in the truck, and as many people love them as hate them. In fact more women and children love them than anyone, and dogs like to ride shotgun. It doesn't get any better than that

the '55-57 Chevys are iconic, but I prefer the '58-61 and then '65. I think the looks of your truck are fantastic. I would definitely go to smaller wheels with more sidewall. 17" sounds great, although I suspect there are also some 16" that would fit. Hell, I might even like the stock Corvette wheels better than what's on it, but probably wouldn't go that route. OK, the wheels that are on the car aren't great, but aren't quite horrible either. They definitely aren't my style though.

[RANDY P]

Originally Posted by ted

I have a stock 70.5 Z28 Camaro, fun to row thru the gears but not so much on long drives.

Instead of resto modding an old car, how about back dating a new car?
My buddy's 76 TA back in High School created some fun memories.

If I were to get nostalgic...
On a new Camaro I'd just do the cosmetics and leave everything else stock.
King's Chariot Of Jacksonville FL Sells A Stock Camaro Trans-Formed Into A Beautiful Pontiac Firebird Trans Am With A Potent 650 HP At The Rear Wheels. FASTEN YOUR SAFETY BELTS! - NO Car NO Fun! Muscle Cars and Power Cars! |

This is a hell of a lot nicer than the current Z28.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by RANDY P

This is a hell of a lot nicer than the current Z28.

I think that is a current Z28 with a few custom bits, wheels, nose, hood, tail lights, maybe some custom interior.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by masraum

Love, love, love that ^^, engine and suspension. One carb or two, either way is cool.

I think it needs 3. I like the way the upper alternator mount is clamped to the radiator hose - very retro.