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A '47 1/2 project (A how to do it the hard way guide!)
Thought I'd put together a string of posts on my 47 p/u build. This project started in late fall 1999 when my oldest son bought the truck as a reward for becoming a Eagle Scout. He was 14 and a set of wheels in any shape was "cool". Besides, what a great project to do together.
Now I have been down this road before. When I got married I had a '37 Chevy Cpe. (327/4-spd/Glass tilt front) pictured below. A '37 Ford 4-dr sedan (original), 1969 Road Runner Conv. with a new rag top, all chrome and trim still in Mopar packages, and hood, trunk, front and rear fenders all new. A 383 and a 440, 4-spd and auto. (I bought this car because the guy had a 5-ft 5 ton floor jack! - p.s. I still have the jack! , 1967 1/2 XKE Conv., 1969 XKE 2+2 (Rough), 1975 Jag XJ6C 2-DOOR w/Fact. Black Vinyl top and a 1974 GMC Short bed (fact. wood) 4X4 stepside with a 427 chev wedged into it. As I said, then I got married, but I still have the floor jack! http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...oldengirls.jpg The cars claim to fame was that after every touchdown at Pitt Stadium in 1976 it circle the track with open headers. (Those are the original Golden Girls from Pitt). Anyway, I digress... You didn't really want to see a chev on the site but I did add some "eye candy"...... Here's the truck when it first arrived. My son Sean, was just about wetting his pants! http://www.computerliterates.com/47f.../47ford001.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f.../47ford002.jpg Looked pretty good. We were amazed by how well the primer held together all the small rusted pieces of metal! http://www.computerliterates.com/47f.../47ford005.jpg Well, we stripped the truck, and got the cab up on some saw horses and rolled the remains of the chassis out from under it. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f.../47ford007.jpg That's Sean seeing if he will fit inside when it's done! http://www.computerliterates.com/47f.../47ford011.jpg Now just because it looked complete.. Floor mostly rotted out including back corners, front door post bottoms, back of cab. Running boards were non-existent under the body, upper windshield header rotted out inside from all the holes on the roof above it (hidden by a little bondo). Frame rotted through a rear spring perch, one back fender was gone and the front ones had the usually bottom rot. The cowl vent was tack welded shut and hidden in bondo. We went to Carlilse and got some parts that summer (2000). We ground and sanded and blasted that summer, but then perfume and petroleum caught up with Sean and he started to lose interest. (Too much hard work). Sean turned to the dark side and to get him back on the straight and narrow, he joined the Army Reserve and went to boot camp between his junior and senior year of high school. That was the summer of 2001 and he was BMOC for his senior year (9/11 had him "on call" at high school) He got his own place after high school and after a couple years of sewing the wild oats, he came back and started working for me in mid 2004. He started getting interested in working on the truck again. He decided it was to be black with flames and stock on the outside and crazy underneath. I forgot that we bought a 4.11 69 Judge rear end (right width), ground off the coil towers and mounted the leafs on it. Sean also bought a GM 427 out of a dump truck and a rebuilt Muncie M20 at Hershey in 2001. Sean was killed in a auto accident in 2005 and I decided I was going to complete this for him. Now, I'm a civil engineer, tend to be a little set in my ways (I think anal comes to mind). So I have managed to do things several times, both the wrong way, then the right way, then again after I figured the next part wouldn't fit, and perhaps all over again... I'm going to post the progress here, so you guys (and gals) can criticize, laugh, or learn not how to do something! I'll post progress (starting with pics from 2005 and work forward until today. If I'm an idiot for doing this, I'll do the politically correct thing and ignore you (however feel free to tell me I'm an idiot!:-tap) P.S. It does drive under it's own power.... |
sounds like a nice project... i hope to see more pics...
and im sorry about your son... |
So, here's some pics from 2005 and early 2006. Didn't take many at the time because I thought I'd never get much done. The first is the rear end after install.
Now most of you would say, hey you.. go with a 9" ford. An I would say, why didn't you tell me that 5 years ago.. ANyway to make a short story longer, we found that a late 60's gto/chevelle etc rear-end was the right width, and we found a guy selling one. His sad story became our gain.. seems he was building a show grade el-camino (69) and he bought a 69 gto judge rear end, put in new 4.11 gears, all new bearing, had it blasted and painted. It was "pretty".. except the coil mounts on the pontiacs were on the reverse side of the axle than from the chevs. Since this wouldn't do for him, he sold it for less that he had in it. By the way, did I mention it was pretty and had coil mounts? Not after I got done with it. Ground of the mounts, welded leaf pads (another idiot story of, if I would just bolt it together and tack weld it I wouldn't have spent 3 days figuring out how to get them on straight, without bolding it together and tack welding them. Hung the shock mounts upside down, boxed the frame to mount the shocks. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00008.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00009.jpg Ground and blasted the frame and painted it red... The realized how stupid this may look on a black truck. Oh well, it only paint ($$$$$$):-banghead Also yanked apart the engine.. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00012.jpg Also my friends the saw-horses survived 5 years and made the move into the basement of a building I was renting.. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00002.jpg Had done the welding. Yes I have a welder, and in Pennsylvania you don't need a license to operate one. (like some of the fantastic work I've seen on this site.) Just a little primer to keep it from rusting again... Stress, bad habits }>, etc. made me take a break in Aug 2006 for quad by-pass surgery. Then I started to get focused. Pics from late 2006 and early 2007 in next update of "How the rotor turns".. |
OK, back in the saddle.... STuff from late 06 early 07.So it's coming up on Christmas and the truck wanted a new IFS. I scrimped and saved and got a Fatman Fabs unit (brake to brake with power MII rack). I did a lot of research as I had the time (the by-pass thingy) and found that Fatman had a 42-47 kit with all the right dimensions without having to fiddle too much. So I hung the front end from the ceiling....
http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00003.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00010.jpg Attached the cross-member and boxed a small portion of the frame above it. (I boxed more later, but I wasn't sure at the time) http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00006.jpg All the goodies came in a bunch of boxes, which really did make it a Christmas present! http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00014.jpg The next job was to trim and weld the shock/spring towers and support brackets (which would get ground down later). For all you purests out their, I ran out of argon in the middle, but wanted it finished!) http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00005.jpg The next pic is a mock up with the spindles in place... http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00015.jpg Not supposed to put the coils in until after the weight of the truck is on it. There was a pipe which sat over the shock to keep it all supported. Mocked up with the rotors: http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00018.jpg Wow! Put on some wheels and to my suprise the entire thing didn't crumble to the ground in a pile of bent metal and bad welds! http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00024.jpg I also bought the tubular motor mounts from Fatman and the next couple pictures show me trying to get the motor and tranny aligned so the tubes could be welded on... http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00028.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00029.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00030.jpg Pleas note how nice and wide the block is. Now envision heads and valve covers and wires and headers... Yeah, it took another year to get to the point that I found how much $ I could throw at this to do the same job 2 - 3 times :confused: Stay tuned - next time Workin' the cab while I save to have the engine done.... Bored Yet... only up to feb 07.... |
Had a couple more minutes.. so here are the pics from working on the cab. Didn't take any pics of the hard stuff (welding, etc. after seeing some of the "artists" maybe I was secretly embarassed.)
Anyway, just the pics and only the pics...... http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00001.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00003.jpg Rebuilt header, looks better in the picture.. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00004.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00008.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00010.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00011.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00012.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00015.jpg Saw horses still able to hold the cab and me at the same time! Coming up - Horse power for Thanksgiving 07...:eek: |
Nice build. I remember reading your story a few months ago on another site. I hope the project turns out good and you have no troubles.
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Had a little time, so here's the next installment...
Did I mention I was an engineer (and maybe a little anal), and that I learned early on "measure twice, cut once" ? So................. keep that in mind as well journey down the path of doing everything multiple times. When I set the engine location, I measured the location of the cab firewall clearance about twenty times, from every angle. Didn't want any problems when it was time to set the cab! Must have spent two work sessions making sure. (Work session defined - that few hours that you can work uninterupted (by work and honey-do lists) on your "ride") Anyway.................... Took the engine to Bob at ICS in Pittsburgh (Rochester Road) - no adverstising fees paid. Took it to him in April and saved little bits and went over and paid him. Finally paid off and Bob was kind enough to delivery. (Frame on my 96 F150 rotted through and it could not be saved, in the meantime) Talk about the little kid wetting his pants! Here's pic's of it being delivered Thankgiving weekend. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00007.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00008.jpg Threw on the bell housing to make sure it fit.... http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00009.jpg Forgot to mention that I modded the tranny x-member. I cut the center of the x-member out (but left just the bottom "strap") and welded vertical plates on each side from the strap to the top of the channel. I took out about 16". Then a welded a 1/4" "L" to the strap and the vertical plates. In some picture somewhere you might see this.. Anyhow.. couldn't wait, strapped on the tranny, dropped it in and just for effect set the carbs on top. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00011.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00012.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00013.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00014.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00015.jpg Yeah, I measured it, it fits under the hood (height-wise). Things I did over the months waiting for the engine... Painted the frame... and retired the saw-horses.. Hung the cab from the ceiling so I could roll the chassis underneath. Also started to figure out the wood cab mounts... but that's next time.. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00002.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00004.jpg |
SEEM TO HAVE LOST THE PICTURES.. ONE MORE TIME
Had a little time, so here's the next installment... Did I mention I was an engineer (and maybe a little anal), and that I learned early on "measure twice, cut once" ? So................. keep that in mind as well journey down the path of doing everything multiple times. When I set the engine location, I measured the location of the cab firewall clearance about twenty times, from every angle. Didn't want any problems when it was time to set the cab! Must have spent two work sessions making sure. (Work session defined - that few hours that you can work uninterupted (by work and honey-do lists) on your "ride") Anyway.................... Took the engine to Bob at ICS in Pittsburgh (Rochester Road) - no adverstising fees paid. Took it to him in April and saved little bits and went over and paid him. Finally paid off and Bob was kind enough to delivery. (Frame on my 96 F150 rotted through and it could not be saved, in the meantime) Talk about the little kid wetting his pants! Here's pic's of it being delivered Thankgiving weekend. http://www.computerliterates.com/47F...b/dsc00007.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47F...b/dsc00008.jpg Threw on the bell housing to make sure it fit.... http://www.computerliterates.com/47F...b/dsc00009.jpg Forgot to mention that I modded the tranny x-member. I cut the center of the x-member out (but left just the bottom "strap") and welded vertical plates on each side from the strap to the top of the channel. I took out about 16". Then a welded a 1/4" "L" to the strap and the vertical plates. In some picture somewhere you might see this.. Anyhow.. couldn't wait, strapped on the tranny, dropped it in and just for effect set the carbs on top. http://www.computerliterates.com/47F...b/dsc00011.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47F...b/dsc00012.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47F...b/dsc00013.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47F...b/dsc00014.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47F...b/dsc00015.jpg Yeah, I measured it, it fits under the hood (height-wise). Things I did over the months waiting for the engine... Painted the frame... and retired the saw-horses.. Hung the cab from the ceiling so I could roll the chassis underneath. Also started to figure out the wood cab mounts... but that's next time.. http://www.computerliterates.com/47F...b/dsc00002.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47F...b/dsc00004.jpg Next up.. the debacle........... P.S. Didn't like /engine 112007/ in the picture path - changed to /engine112007/ no space <!-- / message --> |
Winter 2007/2008 Stuff....
Dropping the cab This describes the saga of trying to find cab mounts for a 42-47 Ford Pickup. Some say the 40-41 mounts that can be purchased may fit, others say they are completely different. With my luck, they would have been completely different. Besides, if they fit, the guys who know and sell these parts would have included those years. <br><br> I had the two front and one of the rear mounts from when we pulled the cab. I started asking around and surfing for answers about the middle mounts. When I came up dry, I was at the point of lifting the cab off of the sawhorses and suspending it so I could roll the chassis back under it. To my surprise, I found that the front-to-back pieces of support wood had actually been covering the other rear mount and the two middle mounts. One of the folks that I have been talking to was in the same boat as me, so when I measured and cut new oak mounts for myself, I made him a set out of pine, so he could have the correct dimensions. The following pictures shows the original mounts. The front ones had their backs rotted off and should have actually been about 1.5" longer. http://www.computerliterates.com/47F...b/DSC00029.JPG http://www.computerliterates.com/47F...b/DSC00031.JPG The next pic shows the placement of the mounts under the cab.. http://www.computerliterates.com/47F...b/DSC00017.JPG By the way, I found a pic showing the Fatman tubular engine mounts and the mod to the tranny x-member.. http://www.computerliterates.com/47F...b/DSC00010.JPG Now the Fun Part I measured and measured. But I didn't properly account for the overhang of the valve covers (a lot more than the factory ones) and the ribbing of the firewall. So, after all my care, I had to slide the cab back, pull the engine, cut (grind) off the tub engine mounts, set them 1.5" further forward, grind off the paint, reweld, adjust the tranny mount, repaint, wait and then put everything back together. Now, I was ready to set the cab. It took about 5 hours of wiggling, adjusting, swearing and banging my head off the wall to get it.:-banghead When I finally did, all the bolts just magically fell in place. It's amazing how much being a 1/4" off translates 3 feet away. I knew we took them (the bolts) out of those holes, and the holes through the frame hadn't moved so I figured it should go back together. I did have a lot of thoughts about the frame twisting after 8 years and redoing the rear end and installing the IFS. I also feared that because the structure of the cab had been so deteriorated that the repairs had deformed its shape. Here's the cab hanging about, ready to drop .. http://www.computerliterates.com/47F...b/DSC00019.JPG http://www.computerliterates.com/47F...b/DSC00020.JPG Did the brake lines while it was still apart. (Almost made that a pain in the behind - did it after I repainted, but before I put the engine back in.. :-X18 ) Here's the front wood mount up close.. http://www.computerliterates.com/47F...b/DSC00024.JPG AND FINALLY... Cab back on the chassis.......... http://www.computerliterates.com/47F...b/DSC00025.JPG Next up... workin' the doors/glass/cut & buff cab |
It is TOO bad the administrators deleted the picture with the marvelous golden girls! It was so cool, and they were awesome! Didnt see the car so who cares? I have a couple pics that have a similar meaning to me too, so thanks a lot for sharing it!
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They didn't pull it.. I broke the link myself and just fixed it, thanks for noticing.....
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Little more time, a little more stuff...
Spring/Early summer 08.. Finished working the doors and got them installed. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00019.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00024.jpg Now, I always "sucked" at painting. Not the equip., just me. But I wanted this build to be great looking. So, I spent some time with some old body work guys and the taught me the technique of "cutting and buffing". I posted the experience on here somewhere under "Cutting and Buffing your paint." Anyhow.. It worked out great, and only had the repaint about 4 places. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/dsc00050.jpg Had the original glass shape (mostly cracked and broken) and went to a local shop who had been cutting glass for vehicles for a number of years. The were thrilled, because the didn't have the pattern for the 42-47. Got the rubber from Carpenter and used the technique of tying a cord through the channel and pulling it as I pushed in the windows from the inside. Worked like a charm. (Although I did fight with the center channel a bit.. It popped at the end just when I finished the second half of the windshield, and you don't want to be jammin' in the rubber with a screwdriver on your new glass!). Now I was gettin' excited... Next project was the gas tank.. Didn't want to ride around on top of the gas tank, besides, I tore out all the framing. I looked around for a tank to put in. I wanted to maintain the original filler on the cab. I decided on a Tanks, Inc. UG3 17 Gal tank. I was going to mount it inside the frame and drop the filler tube through the floor into the tank. Here's a pict. of the tank as I was trying to fit it toward the back of the truck. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0071.jpg After fartin' around, I realized it would fit better towards the front. (I thought I didn't have the room). http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0076.jpg Here's the ground clearance.. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0075.jpg This shows the tanks filler tube attached so I could measure and cut the hole in the cab floor.. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0077.jpg I fabbed some "L" brackets to mount the tank, welded them to the frame and the welded 45 degree rebar from the bracket to the frame for added support. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0078.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0080.jpg Here's the hole in the cab floor.. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0079.jpg Pulled the tank out, painted everything pretty (so I could scratch it all up putting it back together!) Installed the float (Dakota Digital) and gas and rollover vent hoses. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0083.jpg Had to cut a small hole in the floor to clear (and access) the connectors. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0085.jpg And the fill tube inside the cab.. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0087.jpg Thanks it.. Next is Steering and headers. Or Headers and steering.. I still am doing it the hard way!!:-X09 |
[QUOTE=COMPLIT1107;7769952]
http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...oldengirls.jpg Anyway, I digress... You didn't really want to see a chev on the site but I did add some "eye candy"...... I don't see a Chevy:) |
Summer 08 Stuff..........
By now you can see this ain't going to be no "Trailer Queen". She's (gender assigned) going to take me around - fast, whenever and whereever I want to go. (P.S. I probably wouldn't let a "guy" kick my a.. as much as this has!). Soooooo........ More doing it the hard (wrong) way. Got a decent set of headers, measured all over so they would fit (sort of). Had to compress some of the tubes to clear the frame properly. (Compress defined - bang it with a hammer until it fits - but gracefully). http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0033.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0036.jpg After I got them fitted I needed to wind the steering linkage around them. Began installing a column from a 92 GMC Sierra P/U. The price was right, it had the key and the wiring wasn't all hacked, and it looked like it should fit without much hassle. Here's some picks installing it. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0041.jpg Classy seat, huh ? Also made a bracket to hang the column. It bolted to the firewall and to the dash. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0039.jpg Steering mounted.. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0044.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0045.jpg Then I tried to finish the linkage to the M2. Not so much, either headers or steering.. the headers gave in. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0042.jpg Back to the drawing board on the headers. Found the best chance was a set of Sanderson "Block Huggers". Couldn't really afford them, but a guy on eBay had a set, never used on a display motor for sale. Yea!!!!!!! http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0066.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0067.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0068.jpg Linkage fit, no rubbing or contact. Finally something worked on the second try! Next time I have some time.. Brakes and pedals and some hoses... P.S. No one has said I'm a frickin' idiot yet, so I'll keep puttin' up the picts in hopes of diverting some poor soul from my mistakes. |
Back Again !!:-X10
Now that I had the steering and headers roughed in, It was time for the pedals. I early on decided on going with Wilwood pedals and cylinders. After talking to their guys, they said that the design of the dual master cylinder brakes (independent front and back) and the pedal geometry would pretty much eliminate the need for a booster. (Note: In a couple of recent trials around the parking lot, they were correct). Here's a shot of the cylinders installed (before plumbing). Hydraulic clutch as well (The slave was from Novak Conversions for the old GM bell housing). Shown 2ND. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0088.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0067.jpg Slave is to right of header..... After getting the pedals installed, I found that there height made them uncomfortable for driving. So, I had an old gas tank from the truck and I cut it apart, welded it back together to make a raised floor under the pedals. That made it comfortable to have your heal on the floor and ball (of foot) on the pedal. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0095.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0093.jpg Sorry for them being dark...8D http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0131.jpg Also saved up some $$ and got gas lines, plugs & wires. http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0096.jpg http://www.computerliterates.com/47f...b/100_0097.jpg This took me to early fall 2008. Needed a source for spark and some wires to carry it!:-hair |
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