Every Kid's Dream

[Flipper_1938]

I think I'm going to do the pickup conversion on straight frame rails with 4 links and bags. If it needs to go lower, I will deal with that in the future. I need to build something now.

 

[Tripper]

A four wheel version of this is what my mind had been drifting towards. ....not exactly, but more along the lines of this (stupid low with the frame low and the engine raised. And my alcoas converted to 22" for the front).View attachment 181597

WOWSERS!!! That's what I'm talkin' about! Just catchin up with this build... totally bad azzz!!!

BoB

 

[Flipper_1938]

Yeah, to go stupid low would require raising the fenders a bunch. This is a fair amount of drop over stock even in wussed out mode.

I'm gonna have to widen the inner fenders more than I thought. I was thinking 3" per side. I see about 6 per side.

 

[Flipper_1938]

This is closer to where it would be with a big step up front. It would require raising the fenders a bunch and/or going to 22's with lower profile tires.

 

[Flipper_1938]

This ride height is looking better and better. Part of me wants to get the grill shell closer to the ground, but damn that would be a bunch of work.

 

[smallfoot]

I like your choice of the gray one and I'd bet the 8 foot bed would make it just a little more comfy on the ride!

 

[Flipper_1938]

Looking on tirerack this morning....there is a 255/45r22 that is rated for 2,140 lbs and has a diameter of 31".

Paired up with my 40" tall back tires that would be a serious rake.

 

[05snopro440]

4.5" of rubber rake, you'll have that nose-down stance no problem!

 

[Flipper_1938]

Not exactly apples to apples, but not sure rubber bands are the answer

 

[Flipper_1938]

Oops. Another reason not to go stupid low. This cummins 8.3 is too tall to fit between the bottom of the frame and the hood. Part of it has to hang below the frame rails.

Back to sensible we go.

 

[bob w]

Keep that measuring tape handy.

 

[Flipper_1938]

Keep that measuring tape handy.

I thought I had all of the room in the world using this big SOB as a starting point.

RV stuff is even bigger. I think I'm gonna follow you lead Bob and narrow my front axle.

 

[gene49]

Big trucks have big parts. When the big trucks were built, they didn't put much restrictions on the amount of space the truck occupied, it just had to get the job done.

RV's used some big truck parts, but those have space limitations placed on them because they wanted to add a house to the truck too. Compromises had to be made.

Now you want to make the whole deal low to the ground too. Compromises are going to have to be made.

We don't do this stuff because its easy, but we sure want it to look like it was easy when we get done.

Hang in there, its all in the name of fun!

 

[Bamamav]

Please stay away from the rubber band tires. They look bad enough on a smaller pickup , on a vehicle this size you need some tire sidewall showing to make a balanced focal point. Otherwise, like on that yellow Pete, all you’ll see is a shiny wheel that looks like there’s no tire there. I used to see 1 ton pickups with 22.5” and 24.5 wheels with rubber band tires, they look stupid. Can’t imagine how hard they ride, either.

Ground clearance is a good thing! When you think about the mass this truck will have moving, contacting the ground could be catastrophic. That big old boy could dig a long trench!

 

[Flipper_1938]

Please stay away from the rubber band tires. They look bad enough on a smaller pickup , on a vehicle this size you need some tire sidewall showing to make a balanced focal point. Otherwise, like on that yellow Pete, all you’ll see is a shiny wheel that looks like there’s no tire there. I used to see 1 ton pickups with 22.5” and 24.5 wheels with rubber band tires, they look stupid. Can’t imagine how hard they ride, either.

Ground clearance is a good thing! When you think about the mass this truck will have moving, contacting the ground could be catastrophic. That big old boy could dig a long trench!

Yeah. I think I have already talked myself out of rubber bands....and the full blown streetrod stance. It might look cool, but I don't know that I can get there with the pieces that I have accumulated so far.

I'm a little concerned that I have no business narrowing the front axle either. People say the middle part of the axle doesn't see as much stress, but most people don't have 1,500 lb motors. It is a big *** axle with plenty of material to weld to, but I think it might be tempting fate to section it.

 

[Flipper_1938]

Please stay away from the rubber band tires. They look bad enough on a smaller pickup , on a vehicle this size you need some tire sidewall showing to make a balanced focal point. Otherwise, like on that yellow Pete, all you’ll see is a shiny wheel that looks like there’s no tire there. I used to see 1 ton pickups with 22.5” and 24.5 wheels with rubber band tires, they look stupid. Can’t imagine how hard they ride, either.

Ground clearance is a good thing! When you think about the mass this truck will have moving, contacting the ground could be catastrophic. That big old boy could dig a long trench!

If I get a chance to go to dad's this weekend, I'm gonna did out My smoothies and put a Seagrave fender over a front wheel and a rear wheel and see what it looks like.

 

[Flipper_1938]

With a 32" tire, I can lay running boards. This is the rear wheel I had on my flatbed.

Ride height

 

[Flipper_1938]

Yeah. That ain't gonna happen. To get to the ride height picture, the axle would need to be at the bottom of the current frame rail. Aired out our be recessed 6 inches into the frame. It would need one heck of a step for the air bag.

 

[Flipper_1938]

I understand why you don't see cummins 8.3 motors in anything but dump trucks and motor homes. They are too damn tall. From bottom of oil pan to the air intake tube it looks around 43" tall (kinda hard to measure cause it slopes downward). The Allison 3060 trans sump hangs down several more inches more. 4 feet tall overall?

Kinda hard to fit that in something sleek and sexy.

Looks like I'm stuck building something dump truck size. I could slice and dice the body to sit lower, but it might mean a foot of ugly motor poking through the hood and a monstrous trans tunnel in the cab.

 

[Bamamav]

Any thoughts on putting the motor behind the cab?

I saw a 53-56 Ford cab over put on a IH bus chassis. They moved the motor to the middle, right behind the cab and put a sleeper over it. They used the IH diesel bus motor, probably shorter than the Cummins, but even at that they didn’t put a floor in the sleeper. You can still access most of it by getting under the side between frame and sleeper. He has a 20-24’ duck tailed flat bed on it.

Been sitting several years now, the old guy never drives it but won’t sell it, either. I tried to buy it last time I saw him out in it, no luck.