Suggestions on the 40 panel

As is often the case, time goes by and plans change. I was going to build my tonner panel as a 4x4 and even scored a 76 Scout for the axles. Well, now that I have the 59 F250 4x4, I'm thinking maybe the panel doesn't need to be a 4x4. What's under it now is just junk to roll it around. So the gears are turning on what to put under it. I want it to be a good highway and around town rig. And all the mustang 2 and crown vic car stuff is out. Right now I'm thinking 57-60 Ford pickup front end, maybe do a disc brake conversion, could even do a 2" drop. I'm thinking half ton so I can run 33x9.50x15 tires. You can't really get anything that tall/skinny in a 16" modern tire and I want to keep it pretty stock looking with steelies and hubcaps.
Original frame stays, no frame swap.
It might just be easier to plow ahead with the scout since I have a donor vehicle.
Any suggestions?

I went with a gasser front end on my '41 Chev panel but afterwards wished I had just gone with an axle like you're thinking about. I used the orig frame, an LS1 with a old Cougar rear end & it was pretty good on the road & got great gas mileage. The gasser front end was no fun in the city... always regretted that decision. Panels make great cruisers IMO!

BoB

Tripper, did you have yours well insulated? How noisy was it inside?
I'm also kind of rethinking the 6.2 diesel. The mileage would be great but I'm sure it will be pretty noisy inside. I have access to a 460 with a ZF and with that I could tow if I wanted. I also have a 302/C6 but I think that's a little puny for this big of truck. Then there's that 331 hemi setting out there in the 53 Imp...........

If you went with a F100 front end, you'll definitely want to do the disc swap. You could probably run the 8-bolt with the 11" brakes OK, but the 5 bolt 10" drum brakes won't wanna stop that much truck too well, especially if you use 16" rims.

If you have any good spare 60's F100 axles lying around, I could use one. Mine has a egged out bore in one side - make driving a little more interesting than I'd like sometimes.

There's a couple 57s in the local junkyard and I know where there is a 60 custom cab F250 with the factory radio, pretty rough body. I have considered using the F250 axles too.

Was wondering where the smurf panel was. Happy to to see you rethinking the 4x4 idea. Like the later axles idea and a little lowering. Go ahead and insulate it up. I used one layer of the cheap and easy silver bubble stuff from Lowes in place of the missing headliner in the s10 i had here in Phoenix and it worked very well.

earthman said:

Was wondering where the smurf panel was. Happy to to see you rethinking the 4x4 idea. Like the later axles idea and a little lowering. Go ahead and insulate it up. I used one layer of the cheap and easy silver bubble stuff from Lowes in place of the missing headliner in the s10 i had here in Phoenix and it worked very well.

Click to expand...

I used that foil bubble wrap stuff in 2 vehicles.
Works great and is cheap

I used Peel and Seal from Home Depot on the Olds roof, firewall, and package tray. It really help cut down on the tin can effect. Probably anything to dampen the roof vibration would help. The remaining road hum isn't to bad after killing the roof reverberation.

I would think 1/2 ton pickup stuff would work fine. I would use the 460 if you can get it between the fenders. With the zf trans it will pull good and still get decent mpg.

I think the 6.2diesel would be a cool power train. A bit on the heavier side but different(plus I like diesels) in addition it would get 18-20mpg's all day long. Towing wise though, a bit on the gitless side being only 156 ponies and 200 or so foot pounds but the rpm range is a lot lower. Then they're also a bit cold blooded. I like the idea of the ford power plant just because Chevys go in everything and yet fords seam to only go into fords.

Willowbilly3 said:

Tripper, did you have yours well insulated? How noisy was it inside?

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Insulation, what's that!? Wasn't all that noisy but since I ran Flowmaster 40's it wasn't that quite either! The LS motor hauled azz & got 25 mpg's on the hiway... not bad for a big ol brick!

BoB

endicott_jb said:

I think the 6.2diesel would be a cool power train. A bit on the heavier side but different(plus I like diesels) in addition it would get 18-20mpg's all day long. Towing wise though, a bit on the gitless side being only 156 ponies and 200 or so foot pounds but the rpm range is a lot lower. Then they're also a bit cold blooded. I like the idea of the ford power plant just because Chevys go in everything and yet fords seam to only go into fords.

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HumVee version 165 hp and 330 ft/lbs torque. But I also have a couple trashed 6.5s to get a turbo from and even thought of a water to air intercooler. The ones off the later Ford diesels are real compact and dirt cheap on the used market. Technically it wouldn't be a Chevy engine, it's a Detroit and Ford used Detroits in bigger trucks.

earthman said:

Was wondering where the smurf panel was. Happy to to see you rethinking the 4x4 idea. Like the later axles idea and a little lowering. Go ahead and insulate it up. I used one layer of the cheap and easy silver bubble stuff from Lowes in place of the missing headliner in the s10 i had here in Phoenix and it worked very well.

Click to expand...

It kinda got shoved on the back burner with the free garage I had to move and then this 59 F250 came along and I've been wanting another 57-60 Ford pickup for a long time (didn't plan on a 4x4 though). But when the floor gets poured in my new garage, the panel will be in there.