MAIDEN Build. 46' IH Rat Truck

[IRON MAIDEN]

Well, finally gonna get back on the Harvester of Sorrow. Like it has in the past, I scored a new part for the build to give me a kick in the ***. I found a beautiful truck posted on Facebook, a Chevy that had an awesome visor on it. Gave it a sick, low brow look. Almost what a chop does for a truck cab. Not really, but the next best thing. lol I don't have the nerve or skill to do a chop so I priced it out and it's not happening. After seeing that photo, I shared it on Facebook saying I'm running a visor! So happens a close friend of mine in Alaska hits me up saying he has a few visors. A mopar he's gonna use on his 41' Plymouth Deluxe, and two others. A phone call later and I scored this Fulton Sun Shield. He's shipping it out tomorrow. Said it's pretty much cherry but doesn't have the center support and center fasteners. I plan on fabbing a custom center support that attatches to the crown of the roof rather than the center strip of the windshield like I've seen others. My windshield cranks out so that wouldn't work.
Might fab different side mounts as well as I hear they are pretty flimsy.
What I am curious on is how they are at freeway speeds. I plan on driving this thing and I'm hoping that freeway speeds of 70-85mph won't be an issue. Any experience out there???

here's one of the pics he sent me.

 

[IRON MAIDEN]

A little snail progress on the truck. Finally boxed in the rear of the frame where the Jag IRS will mount up. While it's not much, it opens the door for me to build up the crossmember for the rear and finally get the Jag setup mounted in the truck. Headed up this week to pick up some parts for the crossmember and order up all the other goodies for the rear suspension. More progress finally to come.

 

[Flying Rat]

I am mostly a lurker here but I will be watching your Jag installation with interest. My corn binder is a '41 and I just got done boxing my rear rails too. I'm still trying to decide on rear end and suspension but am swaying towards an 8 in Ford with an triangulated 4 link. Already did the front in M II. Jags around my neck of the woods aren't an easy craigslist score. Haven't seen one at the "pull a part" yet either. Like your project.

 

[IRON MAIDEN]

Thanks. I'm sure you saw I had an Explorer 8.8 under there for a while. Right track width, 31 spline axles, 3.73 gears and posi, disc brakes. Cheap too.

 

[IRON MAIDEN]

Little direction change. The SJ 327 I have had sitting the last few years for the Harvester is sold. A buddy needed a small block for a truck he's about to finish up and sell. He hit me up asking me what I would part with it for. All said and done, he gave me what I paid for it. Bought the distributor and headers I had for it so I broke even and I'm sitting now with better options. I liked the idea of this motor but I'm now thinking to just pick up an LS turnkey. Will sell the 69' Z28 intake manifold I had for it to rustle up funds for a new motor. So the Harvester will be powered by a modern powerplant now which I'm more comfortable with. Really want reliability and mileage to go with the power and the LS motors have all 3.

The 327 loaded up in my buddies Harvester shop truck. Powered by a 572 Caddi motor. Thing is an absolute beast!

 

[Flying Rat]

I like the LS series of engines. I live a couple hours north of Bowling Green,KY where they have the Holley LS fest in the fall. Last year I went just learn more about these engines. With all the new aftermarket parts and computer stuff available for them you can build a beast that makes huge torque and idles about 700 rpm. The cores are around and the iron block truck version seems like a good choice for a street toy. I'm an old fart so all this computer stuff takes longer to learn as it swims around in my head but I realize its the wave of the future for fuel efficiancy. I'm going with a belly button 350/350 combo on mine for now.

 

[Tyster36]

An iron block 5.3 with a cam and valve spring change with a 750 carb made 427 hp for a friend. That's going to be a cool LS IH fer shur!

 

[IRON MAIDEN]

I have a 97' C5 Corvette. It's the first year for the LS series of engines. I've got a little over 50K miles on the car now. I get over 30mpg doing 80mph on the freeway just cruising. While the LS1 in stock form isn't an absolute beast, it's plenty to be fun. Not sure what I will end up with but I may go with an LQ4/LQ9 iron block LS if the LS1/LS6 is too expensive. Saving the funds now.

 

[tecster]

Iron, what motor did you have in it and do you still have it kicking around the shop?

 

[IRON MAIDEN]

Iron, what motor did you have in it and do you still have it kicking around the shop?

Scroll up a few posts, the motor I had sitting for this truck is shown in the back of my buddies Harvester shop truck. I ended up selling it to him so he could finish a truck he is trying to finish and sell.
I decided to part with it and go with an LS motor and trans.

 

[IRON MAIDEN]

Progress report.....

An iron block 5.3 with a cam and valve spring change with a 750 carb made 427 hp for a friend. That's going to be a cool LS IH fer shur!

Like the last few times, no work has been done to the truck. Behind the scenes though..... making huge progress! My buddy who has the tow business, he's hookin' me up! since I recently sold the small journal 327 I had sitting here, rebuilt and ready. I needed a new drivetrain and an LS series motor is what I wanted.
I asked my buddy to let me know when he had a full size Chevy truck, Suburban..... or possibly a Camaro/Firebird for the motor and trans.
Hoping to just plant the seed in hopes he gets something at some point. He ended up just getting an 04' GMC Yukon XL. 70K miles but beat to ****. Has the 5.3L Vortec ; )
He had no clue what it had in it. I looked up the year and thought it only came with the 4.8L and was gonna just roll with that. Happy it's a 5.3L. I can always score a 6.0L from him later.
And still trying to work a deal for the posi 3.54 Jag gears. The guy wants a bit too much for them but I'm in a bind as I sure need them.
Hopefully pics soon of the new powerplant ; )

 

[IRON MAIDEN]

Update

Well, made a deal for those Jag gears. Paying a bit more than I wanted to, but since I'm getting the motor and trans for free.... still ahead ; )
And got good news on the Yukon I'm gonna gut out, it only has 48K miles on it. So I am getting a good low mile drivetrain.
Now I'm trying to figure out the wiring of the truck. Do I just order an EZ harness or something like that? Or do I pull the entire harness out of the Yukon, label every plug as I remove them, then adapt it to my Harvester using as many components as possible??? Any thoughts on something like this?

 

[earthman]

Some one else will have to advise you on the wiring but thanks for the update IM. [P

 

[Dirtyrat]

If someone makes a harness, I'd say yes that would be easiest.
I would still run the motor and trans first off the stock harness, in the donor vehicle if you can, make sure everything is good.

 

[IRON MAIDEN]

If someone makes a harness, I'd say yes that would be easiest.
I would still run the motor and trans first off the stock harness, in the donor vehicle if you can, make sure everything is good.

I plan to use the factory engine harness. It's the harness for the rest of the truck I'm curious about. (body harness)
I emailed Painless, Rebel, and EZ about my project. EZ was the only one who actually spent a few minutes to give some advice and what harness they have that will work for me. Rather than just say their harnesses will work.
The truck will be here this week. No key and the battery terminals were snipped off. Not sure if I can rig in a battery and somehow hot wire the car to run. Would love to get it running to verify the condition of the motor.
If not, I will have to wait.

 

[IRON MAIDEN]

OK. Photobucket is charging now! Lame. Guess my pics will only show on the first half of each month.

OK, progress report. Finally made it over the my local Off-Road shop for the parts I wanted. RuffStuff Specialties.
Picked up all my Bushed DOM sleeves, DOM tubing, Frame tabs, and some really nice cryo treated Stainless Heims. Still need 4 clevis rod ends and 4 poly bushed rod ends. As well as a few other important bits but I'm on my way!

Mocking up to see how long of rods I need..

 

[IRON MAIDEN]

Now with the good stuff! 1.25" OD DOM tubing. All the threaded bungs are 5/8" with RH/LH threading. Bushed Dom Sleeves use a 9/16" bolt. All frame tabs are 1/4"

 

[IRON MAIDEN]

Making the crossmember. I'm sure there are better ways to achieve this but it worked and turned out well.

 

[IRON MAIDEN]

A trial fit and it sits perfect. Now on to the coilover mounts!

 

[IRON MAIDEN]

Well, after spinning my head on ride height and spacing of the coilover top and bottom mounts.... I realized they won't work mounted from above the Xmember. So I pulled the tabs and tacked them to the other side and now it is perfect. I have my 11" spacers I made and the half shafts are level. Another positive is that it allowed the coilovers to mount at a little bit more of an angle. The factory cage had the upper coilovers spaced 29.75" eye to eye. My setup has the 28" eye to eye. That should reduce the spring rate a bit and maybe work better for my lighter truck. Fingers crossed.