Every Kid's Dream

[Flipper_1938]

Unrestored fire fighting bits wouldn't too bad either. A very cool project.

Maybe run the exhaust out of the "suction hose inlet" tubes?

 

[Flipper_1938]

I have issues. I saw this pic of a highboy roadster pickup and thought "I need to build a really big one of those".

I can only imagine how many saw blades and grinding wheels I would go through trying to carve out a monster set of 32 ford frame rails.

 

[05snopro440]

I have issues.

Are you looking for agreement or argument? [ddd

All jokes aside, trying to build something like that would be fun. I think your fire truck has a lot of the styling already, maybe not the highboy part, but it's pretty cool in its own right.

 

[Flipper_1938]

Are you looking for agreement or argument? [ddd

All jokes aside, trying to build something like that would be fun. I think your fire truck has a lot of the styling already, maybe not the highboy part, but it's pretty cool in its own right.

Back around 15 years ago I went on a firetruck buying binge. I bought 4 of them in about a year
$650 was the most expensive one. This one was $450.

 

[05snopro440]

Back around 15 years ago I went on a firetruck buying binge. I bought 4 of them in about a year $650 was the most expensive one. This one was $450.

Awesome! Around here fire trucks don't keep much value because people don't seem to know what to do with them.

I'm not sure if you have seen this thread before, but this one is in my local area. I haven't seen it in person yet, but a friend shot the photos in the thread. Looks like the same make truck as yours.

http://ratrodsrule.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37821

Here are the photos for reference:

 

[Flipper_1938]

Awesome! Around here fire trucks don't keep much value because people don't seem to know what to do with them.

I'm not sure if you have seen this thread before, but this one is in my local area. I haven't seen it in person yet, but a friend shot the photos in the thread. Looks like the same make truck as yours.

http://ratrodsrule.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37821

Here are the photos for reference:

Cool. That is the same body as mine. I wish I could see underneath it.

I'm gonna have to run bigger rear tires for the rubber overdrive. My rear axle has 5.13 gears.

 

[MercuryMac]

Flipper, to give you some speed perspective, my '79 Kenworth had one overdrive in the transmission and 463 rear-ends. With engine speed at 2100, it would go almost 70 miles an hour. It had 11.00 x 24.5 tires. I don't know what an 8.3 is governed at.

Snopro, I recognize that setting, I've been in that parking lot. Spruce Grove, right?

 

[05snopro440]

Flipper, to give you some speed perspective, my '79 Kenworth had one overdrive in the transmission and 463 rear-ends. With engine speed at 2100, it would go almost 70 miles an hour. It had 11.00 x 24.5 tires. I don't know what an 8.3 is governed at.

Snopro, I recognize that setting, I've been in that parking lot. Spruce Grove, right?

Nope, White Oaks shopping centre in Edmonton, 137th ave and about 122nd street. It has been the summer Friday night car meet in Edmonton for probably 2 decades now.

 

[05snopro440]

Cool. That is the same body as mine. I wish I could see underneath it.

I'm gonna have to run bigger rear tires for the rubber overdrive. My rear axle has 5.13 gears.

Yeah unfortunately I haven't seen it in person. Maybe I will this cruising season.

What are the ratios in that Allison 6 speed? Did the motorhome have 44 inch tires? Or are you just needing that size because your target is 80 mph?

By my calcs, if you change your target speed to 75 mph, you can run a 40 inch tire.

I guess for me, the desire to run 80 in something that big isn't as strong as getting the right stance and look. In my 46, a few years ago we were running through Montana on the interstate. Set the cruise at 75 and that was as fast as I wanted to go on those roads (rough and pulled you around, and still making good time). Some vehicles were passing us, but isn't part of the joy of building this stuff enjoying the journey along the way?

Just my thought train.

 

[Flipper_1938]

Yeah unfortunately I haven't seen it in person. Maybe I will this cruising season.

What are the ratios in that Allison 6 speed? Did the motorhome have 44 inch tires? Or are you just needing that size because your target is 80 mph?

By my calcs, if you change your target speed to 75 mph, you can run a 40 inch tire.

I guess for me, the desire to run 80 in something that big isn't as strong as getting the right stance and look. In my 46, a few years ago we were running through Montana on the interstate. Set the cruise at 75 and that was as fast as I wanted to go on those roads (rough and pulled you around, and still making good time). Some vehicles were passing us, but isn't part of the joy of building this stuff enjoying the journey along the way?

Just my thought train.

The motorhome has 285/75/22.5 on it if I remember correctly.

The desire to run a 11r24.5 is for three reasons: 1) I wanna fill up the wheel openings (I grew up in the pro-street era), and 2) I want MPH to spare, and 3) I want to try and get decent fuel mileage out of it if I can (asking a lot from 505 cubic inches)

Actual cruising at 70-75 is probably plenty, but I want to pass somebody if needed or pull onto the interstate without worrying about it.

6th gear is supposed to be .65

This thing should weigh a fraction of what the motorhome does. I'm hoping it will scoot pretty good.

When I start mocking things up, I may find there is no way to do a 44" tire on the back. We will see. I think my front tires are in the 36" range (255/70/22.5)

 

[Bamamav]

There should be a tag on the rear end that tells you the model and what gears it has. It’s possible that the housing is the same as a big truck unit, and if it is, you can get a chunk from a truck wrecking yard in a better ratio. I have 3.47’s in my Freightliner with a 13 speed overdrive transmission. 1500 RPM is about 72 MPH running a 295/75/22.5 tire.

 

[Flipper_1938]

Not having any luck finding out info. Who owns Rockwell now?

 

[Bamamav]

Not having any luck finding out info. Who owns Rockwell now?

Meritor

 

[Flipper_1938]

As much fun as a roadster might be on a pretty day, it is hard to justify using that drivetrain on something that won't be driven much. This thing is going to become a pickup truck with a closed cab. The cab is coming from a snow plow.

 

[05snopro440]

[P[

 

[bob w]

Nice lines on the cab.

 

[Flipper_1938]

Nice lines on the cab.

I thought so. There really isn't much out there that is plus sized that has 30's-40's styling.

It is gonna require some serious rework to the cowl. A Seagrave has a much more rounded hood top/firewall and more length between the firewall and the door (part of the long hood look is in the cowl).

This pickup conversion is responsible for the latest twist. It is wonderful as is, but I need air conditioning.

 

[Bamamav]

Cab looks a lot like a REO or maybe a Western Star.

 

[Flipper_1938]

Cab looks a lot like a REO or maybe a Western Star.

I was told it is an Oshkosh.

 

[Flipper_1938]

Seven more days and I get to drive to Nebraska and pick up my snow plow cab.

I am really anxious to start figuring out what it will take to blend this cab into the seagrave.

Y'all think it needs a pickup bed or a flatbed?