Great looking Truck, but is cobbed up some. Also a great way to unload it off the trailer!
Don
1967 GMC 9500 Fire Ladder Truck "The Flag Pole" In the Stovebolt Gallery '46 2-Ton grain truck | '50 2-ton flatbed | '54 Pontiac Straight Eight | '54 Plymouth Belvidere | '70 American LaFrance pumper fire truck | '76 Triumph TR-6 Of all the things I've lost in my life, I miss my mind the most!
I'm guessing it doesn't run judging by the wiring in the engine compartment.
Nice attachment for the exhaust pipe.
Is that an AD Big Bolt in the background of that one pic?
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
C-clamp on manifold is to hold a gasket in so it's quiet(er), passenger manifold has a hole in it I plugged with pig putty. No use spending lots of cash until I determine health and direction of project.
Those are the original 265 exhaust manifolds (log type). If you decide to keep a SBC engine you should find a pair of Rams Horn manifolds and replace those...they restrict air flow.
How is the front of the rear leaf spring attached to the frame?
I was thinking that the slipper seems to have shortened the spring and raised the truck somewhat. Perhaps "they" were looking for "increased" load capacity...
Mac :{)
1962 K10 short step side, much modified for rally 1969 T50 fire truck, almost nos, needs a few things
Some trailer suspension designs use a free floating slipper spring similar to what this turned into. As long as the front is secure and the slipper end doesnt allow for much side to side play it should be ok. Slipper design ok, execution of this setup....less than desirable.
One problem with this is the frame has cracked where the shaft point loaded it.
C-clamp on manifold is to hold a gasket in so it's quiet(er), passenger manifold has a hole in it I plugged with pig putty. No use spending lots of cash until I determine health and direction of project.
Guy I bought it from had a coe and a 1952, 4600.
Nice that it runs. I totally understand about the C-clamp. Sounds like something I would do.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
I think there is a U welded on under the spring to contain downward movement. Slippers are usually used to lower a vehicle or cheapen it as on a light weight trailer.
Mac :{)
1962 K10 short step side, much modified for rally 1969 T50 fire truck, almost nos, needs a few things
Some trailer suspension designs use a free floating slipper spring similar to what this turned into. As long as the front is secure and the slipper end doesnt allow for much side to side play it should be ok. Slipper designok, execution of this setup....less than desirable.
One problem with this is the frame has cracked where the shaft point loaded it.
Explains why I didn't have as much tounge weight on the trailer as I thought.
Since the originality of this truck is already gone I don't feel bad modifying it. While the Dana 80 is lighter than what came out it is still plenty heavy enough. Also going to remove the HydroVac system. Not sure if I'm going with a firewall mount or complete under the floor system with a m/c for a disc/drum setup.
The 2nd gen ram I'm dismembering also has a gooseneck ball mount that I'll swap over too. It's a '95 RCLB, Cummins/NV4500 3/4 4x4.
Make sure you maintain the same MC bore size when you plan your brake system, the power brake MC's available from all the vendors is to small for the big trucks...they don't move enough fluid.
Just the rims and tires alone will be over 500 pounds and about 200 pounds wort of springs...adds up fast! The 5.9 should be in the 1000-1050 pound range...so, the rear wins!
Shortened the frame for a 10' flat bed. Starting to mock up the Dana 80 and springs. These are 6" skyjacker springs that gave the Ram a 2-3" lift by replacing the factory lift blocks.
Cut the spring perches off the axle, frame narrower on old truck. Cleaned and painted all hangers from Dodge frame, leafs wider and longer. Moved axle about 4" forward from stock.
Update, using a radius arm kit with coilovers for the front. Axle brackets are from ballistic fabrication, no complaints. Radius arm kit, far from stock....quality control and customer service less than desirable. Upper shock mounts on the way from ballistic.
Steering needs to be sorted out yet, engine cross member has to be relocated for steering box.
TnDan those slipper springs you mentioned are overloads i think here in the corn belt...land of overloads...all the big trucks have em you put gun grease on so they can slide howeveri think GM aimed for leaf springs to stay dry thats what makes em strong especially when they re well arched !learned at the spring shop...fun place
TnDan those slipper springs you mentioned are overloads i think here in the corn belt...land of overloads...all the big trucks have em you put gun grease on so they can slide howeveri think GM aimed for leaf springs to stay dry thats what makes em strong especially when they re well arched !learned at the spring shop...fun place
In this case I was referring to the main leafs, not the overloads. The factory hangers and spring eye were cut off and turned into a slipper design using a axle shaft for frame "pad". I grew up in the land of the "Michigan Specials", LOL.
