51 International Budget Build

Got a brief discription in the newbee area. Got this truck off my retired coworker/neighbor last October. Started a build elsewhere on the web, but didn't feel as much like home as this site. So I am going to try and get some posts up to catch up to where the project actually sits now...Here's where we started, and check out that snake skin interior!

Budget Priorities

Here is the donor truck. 61 Dodge panel that some kids tried to chop El Camino style. They recked it to the point it wasn't salvagable. Frame was solid with parallel leave sprung Ibeam axle up front and traditional steering. Gave $500 for it with the cool 5 slot mags too. There was some serious recycling done with what we didn't use too.

parts

looks like a good start...

chevy truck cab skeleton in the back ground[S

Later

Always love another ih on here. Welcome. RR

Look forward to seeing it i had a 55 ih once

love both the donor and the Binder

Just a work of caution. Glass. I would have built a IH, except I can't find a source for glass. Windshields are apparently hard to find?

If you know a good source, let me know. There are a lot of old IH around Alberta.

Gold03

Try Bob's

gold03 said:

Just a work of caution. Glass. I would have built a IH, except I can't find a source for glass. Windshields are apparently hard to find?

If you know a good source, let me know. There are a lot of old IH around Alberta.

Gold03

Click to expand...

Try Bob's Classic Auto Glass on ebay in the vintage parts section. They have a pretty good listing. The side glass (flat) can be cut locally from 1/4 laminated safety glass at any good glass shop. I am planning on chopping this top, so I may be in need of a windshield or two before it's all over...

Stripped donor chassis

Here is the donor chassis stripped of it's sheetmetal. The other two are of the front clip of the dodge panel wagon that my oldest welded into some patio funiture for her college sculpture class...That clip was too cool to scrap and the rest of the panel too hacked to save. Glad she recycled part of it.

"Try Bob's Classic Auto Glass on ebay in the vintage parts section."

SWEET!

gold03

Nice project, that bench seat is just bad azzz.

the bench seat is a great idea!!!

Thread is still behind

This thread is still behind a little on where I am at, but slowly catching up. Here is the body channeled 5" over the frame and plenty of warped, dented patches salvaged from the panel wagon donor truck installed. Hey, they were free...

Flipped the axles

Flipped both the front and rear axles above the springs.

Pinion angle was pretty good @ 4 1/2 - 5 degrees, so we just welded new spring pads parallel with the old ones then cut the old ones off. Will set up the tranny crossmember to match that angle. Fixed the only rot on the frame now too (driver side shackle hanger).

Pretty much did the same thing up front using 1/2" plate that our awesome local machine shop, Quality Machine, cut out for me on the CNC plasma cutter from patterns I made. Used allthread and jam nuts to line it up. The forged axle welded up nicely. Did a little on each side and took my time to try and keep from pulling or warping it. Still finishing up the front by relocating the tie rod above the steering arms and replacing the worn shackle hanger bushings. May modify the front hangars to take the same bushings as the leaf eyes and rear shackles to keep everything simple/same.

Starting to look more like a rod now that the altitude has been reduced. This has the thread up to date on where the project is currently at.

Catching up again

Home computer tanked and haven't replaced it. My kid is loaning me her laptop for now. Actually have gotten a lot done in last couple months. The biggest item is the top has been chopped and for my first attempt, I feel it came out well. Chopped it at the belt line. Still have to do the doors, but waiting on the engine to come back from machine shop to mount it and tranny and build the tranny tunnel. Thought it might be a good idea to leave cab bracing in from chop to roll the cab over and weld up the tunnel and floor. Here are a few from the chop. While this may be old news to some guys, we used round stock and bent it to conform to the windshield opening and rain gutters. When putting the top back together we clamped that round stock down to help align things. I believe it worked well.

Diggin it!

I'm really diggin this build! Can you post more pics and description of your process of building the new spring pads on the front axel for the flip to wind up with the exact same camber as the stock pads on the other side? I'm getting ready to do this same treatment on my 51 studebaker truck build. So any and all insight and help will be greatly appreciated. [dr

We are back

Computer had tanked early last year but Santa hooked us up. Here are some updates with pictures of the chopped top...Sorry I don't have more on the front axle flip, but as long as your new spring pads are parallel to the originals the camber should remain the same Jcox68rt. We used all thread to keep things parallel. Just measured with a machinists' rule and tightened the jam nuts then welded her up.

Also got the 455 Olds back from the machine shop and put it together. It's 0.30 over, 10:1 compression, mild low end cam, vintage (pre performer) Edelbrock intake, big valves and mild gasket match/port job. My brother did the TH400 for me. The motor is in, cross member welded up for both the engine and tranny.

Cab mounts are also done. Banged out a sheet metal headliner from the old panel wagon donor's roof with body hammers and dolly's (that rusty blue thing). The master cylinder and booster are also mounted under the cab...

Progress, yes. But still a way to go yet...

Hey man,

I really dig your ride and its turning out great. I also like the bench seat your daughter made out of that front clip thats very cool.

I have a question, are you going to C-notch the frame over the rear axle? Since you put the axle over the springs is it going to whack the frame if you hit a good bump? Just curious, anyway looks good so far.

-Chris

Dig it!

Got any updates?

I love the front end bench idea as well! Any updates to the truck?