Project '53 Truck

Bryan

RMS Regular
Messages
10,022
Location
Tandragee
That is brilliant. I'd love something like that to haul my jeeps. My instagram is full of american "ramp trucks". I'd be converting it to RHD too for easier driving such a big beast. I saw something done before using an Iveco chassis as a base and they ingeniously had the modern gauges hidden in the glove box so the dashboard looked original.
 

Rover Repair

RMS Regular
Messages
14,005
Location
Antrim
Drives
Rover's!
You know, something like this would be fantastic to do a hybrid on.

Retro looks with modern power, diesel engine but also electric 2nd power source. Plenty of room under the bed to store batteries and so on.

Imo retro paint job would be really cool.

001.jpg
 

cauld1

RMS Regular
Messages
5,325
Drives
BMW E34
This is all kinds of cool! Modernising the mechanical side of things is a good shout!

Would be even more awesome left not painted and impractically low :cool:
 

Ged

RMS Regular
OP
Ged
Messages
1,218
Location
Richhill
Drives
sexmo VTS
Start of the heavy work began this week on the GMC.

Getting rid of the rocking horse GMC 2 speed rear end. measured and marked the axle position for refrence later.
68866976_658567777954041_5023253978280886272_n.jpg
68703373_494047984718412_4739413844684701696_n.jpg


More like the stance i want I want to get a rear end in and set the bed height then ill decide weather to step the chassis behind the cab to get the cab level with the ride heght maybe 150mm lower than in the picture.

68748298_1700917866719604_6372771529188442112_n.jpg


Then went for a shopping trip

One low milage 5.9 liter isbe common rail cummins aquired currently calibrated @250Hp at 2500RPM and 700lb/ft @1200rpm. Looking around the 500hp@3500rpm and 1000lbft 1400rpm once all the mods are completed.

I got it running in the truck and pulled the engine taking the time with the wiring loom etc. I will be retaining the air compressor and airsystem to run air brakes and air suspension.

To go behind it i gathered up zf and spicer 5 speed boxes that have a 5th gear with overdrive. Defintaly a requirement for crusing at 70mph.

69522731_495421054593446_7927869532260007936_n.jpg
69452749_363746417898326_3403811343571091456_n.jpg


Cleaned washed and in the shed Still alot more stripping and configuring to do before fitting as well as a decent paintjob and new gasket and seal kit

69089111_2424918881064955_8451896318791516160_n.jpg


The zf S542 and spicer T5x gearboxs both decent medium duty boxes in small packages, ill probably use the spicer as it runs a little quieter but its not as common as the ZF

69092464_2393468587388819_9125896903668531200_n.jpg


Couldnt help but mock up the 22.5"s will look bad ass if i can get the tyres to suit it and a small enough back end.

69037381_2372082576232891_2228081509628116992_n.jpg
68817337_934675776879079_8974172343509188608_n.jpg



Hoping to free the GMC engine and gearbox this weekend and remove the front axle and steering box. Then its time to get test fitting and probably modifying the cab before removing everything to get the chassis blasted.

Ill do a post and go into some depth of the whole driveline soon and get into some of the technical points of the engine and gearbox axles etc.

Cheers,
Ged
 

Ged

RMS Regular
OP
Ged
Messages
1,218
Location
Richhill
Drives
sexmo VTS
I had one of those Cummins engines in my wee DAF45 - great unit

Yes the 4 and 6 pot cummins are rebranded as Paccar but generally bullet proof lumps, the electrics are functional but not too crazy. The only bit i am not totally inlove with is the fact they are mainly rear timing case drive which may require more massaging around the firewall than the older 6bt which is front drive.
 

Ged

RMS Regular
OP
Ged
Messages
1,218
Location
Richhill
Drives
sexmo VTS
Been busy last week and the weekend on the dodge and 53. trying to play with the big jigsaw puzzle and get the plan worked out.

Step one was to make a hole by removing the old 6 cyl and 4 speed.
68988319_2405176573093674_8982567071837585408_n.jpg
69209326_1116180401887925_7302149490801115136_n (1).jpg


First test fit didnt go so well, core support is to narrow and cant get the engine down. more chopping required

69070213_733628580391963_4991824008904179712_n.jpg


Time for more removal wings first with core support. then the steering colum and box
69311760_484805692350906_534617200925868032_n.jpg


Now i can get in but i cant get down due to the front crossmemeber so brace the chassis and remove that.

Braced with 100x8 flat and cut it out rough, ill be making a bolt in crossmember to replace it so i can remove the engine and gearbox without removing the cab from the chassis.

Im planning on making a winch tray for the very front of the chassis to which will help with strength, very impressed with the quality of the 67 yr old chassis made from 1/4" (7mm steel and like new)
69202414_2609541009138494_8620369885605658624_n.jpg
69028328_485278548717125_6167155776688226304_n.jpg
69408936_350175915861128_9135610466129674240_n.jpg


Now i can get the engine into place and start and think about how much room i need for a cooling pack and general fit up. after alot of deliberation it needed to go back about 4" more for the cooling pack to be a decent size so out came some large chunks of the firewall. getting it nice and snug.


68751142_2587656847921238_8685569026757230592_n.jpg
68981720_2355321954735752_3378054386042273792_n.jpg
68983185_1186514991547659_7998336691318292480_n.jpg


Next steps are building the gearbox on and checking lever position then cab removal and continued chassis stripping in preperation for blasting then the fabrication can really commence. Really happy with the room for the cooling pack now ive almost 10" to play with to get a proper sized radiator and intercooler fitted.

Going axle hunting sometime this week to see what i can find for mockup anyways,

Cheers,
Ged
 

FM155

RMS Regular
Messages
8,653
Drives
Alfa 155
Just brilliant, looking forward to continued updates. (y) (y) :cool:
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ged

Bryan

RMS Regular
Messages
10,022
Location
Tandragee
Are you using the original rear axle?

This will be amazing when it's done. What are you going to do for a bed? Beavertail?

I love the faded hand painted sign writing on the doors (y)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ged

Ged

RMS Regular
OP
Ged
Messages
1,218
Location
Richhill
Drives
sexmo VTS
Are you using the original rear axle?

This will be amazing when it's done. What are you going to do for a bed? Beavertail?

I love the faded hand painted sign writing on the doors (y)
Hi Bryan,
The original is a 2 speed gmc axle, like rocking horse poo and prone to implosion and the hydraulic drum brakes wouldnt be great, i am going to replace both with air braked disc axles form an euro hgv, main decision is 10 stud with 22.5" rims or 8 stud with the 19.5" rims. Packaging is the main issue as the 10 studs are massive to handle 40t weights. and 8 studs arnt much smaller.

Body plans at the minute will be either a wedge or bever tail design i want to be able to drive something onto easily if required but still be able to move steel etc.

still alot of cups of tea required to get it all sussed out lol
 

Bryan

RMS Regular
Messages
10,022
Location
Tandragee
I thought that when I saw the new rims in the photos.

I would move the axle back further if you're planning on putting the likes of the Landy on there but then as you say the axles are way over rated anyway so it probably won't matter that much - just less tail swing as well.

You need to start a youtube channel!
 

FM155

RMS Regular
Messages
8,653
Drives
Alfa 155
It would take a fair bit of engineering but a tilt and slide but retro bed would be in keeping with the look but give you the practicality maybe? Some old style drop sides and a wooden deck would help disguise the modern mechanism..
 

Gibonz

RMS Regular
Messages
5,631
Location
Val Verde
Drives
W204
Incredible engineering. Fair play to you

What vehicles do these cummins engines usually come in?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ged

Ged

RMS Regular
OP
Ged
Messages
1,218
Location
Richhill
Drives
sexmo VTS
I thought that when I saw the new rims in the photos.

I would move the axle back further if you're planning on putting the likes of the Landy on there but then as you say the axles are way over rated anyway so it probably won't matter that much - just less tail swing as well.

You need to start a youtube channel!

Ill probably be moving it back to keep the addition of a hitch for a gooseneck an option down the road. Shes well plated up herself at 7T but i may try and increase that after all the work.

Just noticed the faded sign writing on the doors. At the risk of repeating myself, that is begging to be lacquered over!

Awesome to see progress on it either way!

I hear ya, still havent decideded yet. :confounded:

It would take a fair bit of engineering but a tilt and slide but retro bed would be in keeping with the look but give you the practicality maybe? Some old style drop sides and a wooden deck would help disguise the modern mechanism..

Yup would be pretty trick, just want to keep it robust enough for moving heavy pallets etc may be tough on a tilt and slid setup also.


Incredible engineering. Fair play to you

What vehicles do these cummins engines usually come in?

Cheers, Gib, They come in all sorts of commerical applications this one was from a BMC truck but DAF and ERF use them alot.
 

Ged

RMS Regular
OP
Ged
Messages
1,218
Location
Richhill
Drives
sexmo VTS
Been another busy week,

Started getting the cummins stripped down ready to be properly test fitted, firstly i removed the SAE 2 flywheel and clutch from the engine.

68866975_2789528064408871_3603640624072359936_n.jpg
68803458_387945801924028_6385653909930639360_n.jpg


Then from a little measruing I knew the SAE 3 housing from a 4 cylinder would fit giving a smaller package and letting me use the smaller gearboxes so i aquired one of those and removed the rear timing chest and what do ya know fits like a glove, its only on with a few bolts for testing as ive ordered a new rear main seal and a special clutch for the torque.

69212139_575234353300464_5652699289688735744_n.jpg
69059522_518098802306984_2451695391301697536_n.jpg


The next job was getting a gearbox i gathered up a couple but ive settled on a spicer t5x for now with a 0.75:1 overdrive top gear. It came with pre cast ears but the 9" made light work of those for a test fit, they are small in HGV terms but big for this application, ill linish up the bellhousing at some stage leaving it nice and neat.

69092464_2393468587388819_9125896903668531200_n.jpg


Test fitting went pretty well im happy with the tunnel situation and ill be able to work with it. engine is nice and snug prop clears the floor pretty chuffed.

69706726_745535755897014_1705016117166080000_n.jpg
69219373_2488186654746982_8883889309153755136_n.jpg
68983185_1186514991547659_7998336691318292480_n.jpg


Then strip cab and all off ready to start getting everything off the chassis thats now surplus and off to blasting.

68943458_2363589147198017_2334084493654097920_n.jpg


Next job is to CAD up the chassis and engine and start getting new crossmembers and engine mounts designed and work out my suspension geometry.

Cheers,
Ged
 
Last edited:

FM155

RMS Regular
Messages
8,653
Drives
Alfa 155
Super quick work and done properly! That dash is lovely but looks difficult to reverse easily for RHD. I wonder was there an Australian version of this truck that might give you an RHD dash?
 

Ged

RMS Regular
OP
Ged
Messages
1,218
Location
Richhill
Drives
sexmo VTS
Super quick work and done properly! That dash is lovely but looks difficult to reverse easily for RHD. I wonder was there an Australian version of this truck that might give you an RHD dash?

Thanks, i had a look rare as anything,modifying will probably be the only option but, i think it may be a job beyond my own metalwork skills. Im hoping to get @mcma1 to lazer scan the dash at some point and try and get a RHD layout mocked up. The fact its all metal and onshow adds another layer of fun lol.

Spent last night nerding out measuring and replicating the chassis in CAD ready to start modifying and drawing new cross members and engine mounts.

69247698_2668472406521032_3146237524855226368_n.jpg


69871197_2317348445021884_8784603589554208768_n.png


70431373_1165831610273829_7084103759348891648_n.png


Alot more detail to add before i can start really seeing where everything is going to line up.

Cheers,
Ged
 
Top