The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts my new project 59 lcf

well just joined as i picked up a 59 spartan 90 lcf firetruck.i picked this up for my 2 yr old grandson.i figure it will take me 14 yrs to get it ready this way i can take my time.this kid just loves trucks.i have an fl60 freightliner and i swear i can not leave the door open or he's in it and truckin down his imaginary highway.so i ran across this truck in my search for an lcf.i wasn't particular in yr but wanted a coe.i cover an area about 1/4 the state of iowa and was driving thru a small town and saw this setting there for sale.didn't think much of it.til about a week later i drove by again and i stopped and after checking it over was hooked,a week later the guy delivered it to me.so the project begins.pics to follow.

Welcome to the Stovebolt

I can't wait to see pictures...I have a soft spot for the TF trucks!!!

Mike B

Welcome to the "Bolt"!! Where are you in Iowa?? I'm in Cedar Rapids. I know a farmer who has a '59 Viking 60 L.C.F. semi tractor. Pretty cool,but too far gone for a restore. Used to belong to Western Freight,and they've been gone since the early '80's. Another friend's got a '59 Viking 60,(Conventional),bus,in great shape cosmetically speaking. Needs some work,but making good progress.

Hey Willy, You have a typo...LCF's were Series 50, 70 & 90, they didn't make a 60 Series LCF in 1959.

Mike B

well my initial plan was.i recently picked up an old school bus with a 24 valve cummins.i wanted to drop the cummins in an hd3500 frame then put the 59 cab on it.BUT beings this has the 348 i kinda want to keep the original cab/engine together on an hd or maybe 1 ton frame.what do ya think?348 or cummins?

Mike,Series 60 Viking is a conventional,as stated. I'd go with the 348,preferably,but with the cost of fuel,you may want to go with a 4BT. With the right trans/rear gear combo,you may achieve up to 30 M.P.G.,(according to "Tango",who's swapping said combo in a '46 school bus). Not sure about the fuel mileage of a 6 BT,but it's gotta be better than a 348. A friend had a 348,in a '59 Impala 4-door,with a factory 4-on-the-floor!! ('57 Pontiac 4:11 rear end) That car would up and boogie,but it got about 6 M.P.G./highway! His '60 Apache 30 with a 235 SM420,got about 12 M.P.G.,so he drove that most of the time!! Hope this helps!

well fuel milage is my last concern.i so want to jam a cummins under this cab it aint funny.but then again the 348 is a pretty rare engine even in the cars.so would love to keep it and maybe put a 700r4 behind it as i happen to have one from an 84 pickup.should help a little on milage.or maybe an nv4500 beings it is a manual AND i happen to have one of those laying around.

The 348 is precious! Keep it. It will also make your life easier! I'm also a fan of the 700R4. Lot's of 348 tri-power manifolds out there....cool for a fire truck, or what???

well if i go 700r4 i will need a flywheel.also i need to get rid of the governor so i would need a distributor too.a tri-power would be cool.

You will need a "flexplate" and most likely a new starter that bolts to the block, if your current one is bolted to the bell housing. The light weight starters are nice, and much smaller, giving more room around the oil pan. Then there's the issue of cross-members, probably removal of the front one and addition of a rear one. Also, the drive shaft will have to be shortened. It's a great change to do though.

long before this project ever came along i was at my buddies junkyard,they had a late 90's baby school bus.it was basically say set on a stepvan chassis.had a school bus looking frontend etc.it had a 6.5 turbo in it.well it got crushed but i thought that would have been the perfect frame for under this truck.well i just stopped by today and he said he's getting another one this week.so looks like i might have a frame that will work best part is i can get it for scrap price.hopefully it's new enough to have rear disc's