For those that saw the pictures Kris put up showing the dirt on the air intakes of the truck. This is a link to pictures of the rest ot the truck.

http://pics.livejournal.com/catlinye...llery/0000ep3g

We opted to get the thing clean and the interior redone as step one.

Step two we'll look at the exhuast, gagues, and air intake. (Not sure which Exhuast likely the MKO or the Magnaflow people seem disapointed in the noise level of the Magnaflow making it a good choice for us. Quadzilla Commander has what I want for a gague set. AIS again has what I'm looking for on the air intake.)

Step three Transmission cooler. Exterior fix / repair and chrome.

The bad news is the truck is a chassis body when built I've found that the frame is actually too long for a stock bed. So the flat bed will have to be redone and kept it appears. At some point we'll look to replace the flat bed with a hauler body but for now it stays.

Between Kris looking it over, the alignment guy at the tire shop, and the mechanic who did the PA inspection I have three votes that it's sound just ugly.

Mallo

 

Too bad no side shots.
Bfife took a F550 govt mule work truck and shortened the frame just enough to get a pickup bed to fit. But to work your rear axle needs to be in the right spot. If it's too far back then forget it.

 

i know this might sound crazy but cant u just get 2 pick up beds and hack one up to make one longer bed... then u can add a tool box or fuel tank and still have all the extra room

 

My axle is too far back and my fuel tank is all the way out at the end of the frame so yeah I can shorten teh fram but it triggers a number of other modifications just to get a stock bed. Or I can go with a custom bed.

As for making two beds into one yep I sure can. Wait no I can't I'd have to pay someone to do that. Once I start down that path I might as well get a hauler body or modify the flatbed. In any case its all custom metal work.

Funny you should mention govt mule though the plan had been to go for a PA turnpike truck. Instead we got a truck from a company that contracts to among other places the turnpike commission. But it was just me and a wholesaler bidding on it at the auction so I'm happy.


Mallo

 

Have you considered the idea of a 12ft bed?

 

No I haven't. One of the uses for the fifth wheel is to use it when I'm sent out of town for customers. In that case I'll have to use the truck to see customers in center city areas and the parking garages that live there.

My orginal intent was to get a short bed now it appears I've managed to go the wrong way on that front but 9ft is really as long as I intend to go.

Mallo

 

There is lots of wires behind the dash arent there!? I had the whole interior out of my truck this weekend and wow is it alot of crap! Let me know if you need help because i got it down-pat now.

 

We may have questions the good part is that we don't have to use the truck yet so we have lots of time.

Next set of pictures will be with the seats and the door covers off. Then we can start the soundproofing.

Mallo

PS Why'd you pull your dash?

 

Didn't pull all the dash but i pulled the instrument cluster/radio/outer portion that ive had out several times. Check my other thread.

 

I didn't shorten the frame on my 550. I just bought some fill in pieces that attach to the bed. My truck has the 176 wheel base. only 4 inches longer that a 1 ton. I did have to shorten the rear overhang about 2 inches to get the tailgate to fit. still had to mod the gate but it works. If i ever take time to learn how to post pics I'd love to show off "Tom Dually,the tow bully". Barney

 

Yeah, that's what I meant. You trimmed the back part of the frame down so that it wouldn't be sticking out of the rear, if I remember correctly.
And you have some sort of spacer between the cab and the front of the bed?

As far as posting pictures, its not that hard. You have to click on the "USER CP" at the top of every page and choose "Edit Gallery" in the upper left corner. From there follow the prompts.