The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Old Trucks for Towing

We have two tow trucks (actually roll backs) under construction that are themed to go along with the business of restoration and street rods. One is a Ford 1T V10 engine with 51 Ford truck sheet metal and the other is a UD diesel with 1937 Chevy 1T truck sheet metal. IMO it is much easier and cheaper to put antique metal onto something that is designed for the intended use rather than to upgrade a cave age vehicle to modern standards. 99.9% of people go by what something LOOKS like rather that what it is. If this weren't so plastic surgeons would be out of the fake boob business.

Mark, I, too, like Option One. Only ... Consider the 4BT instead of the 6BT. The 6BT is a pretty big engine for the Advance Design truck and requires significant modification to make it fit. The 4BT is a far easier upgrade requiring far fewer mods to make it fit. I would think that with the right transmission and rear axle combo, a 4BT would have plenty of torque and power to pull that trailer. One would, of course, also want to upgrade the braking system ... BUT ... if you are upgrading the rear axle to, say, a Dana 60 or similar, you could find rear disc brakes ... and a corresponding front axle mod (to match the rear as far as lugs/wheels.tires/etc) to complete ... and I think, even in the real world, you'd have a capable tow rig for that trailer.

At my day job, we have several pieces of equipment powered by 4BTs and the power/capability they have is impressive. The truck I mainly drive for work is powered by a "Big Cam 400" Cummins which is the Big Daddy to the 6BT (and Grandpappy, I guess, to the 4BT). I am a big Cummins fan!

At several shows in our region, we have run across several Advance Design smaller trucks powered by 4BTs and Detroit 4-53T's -- very nicely done mods on original chassis. Considering the number of bread vans out there that were powered by 4BTs and had automatic transmissions ... I would think that that combo would be very plausible and realistic.

And doing the Dana 60 or even an 80 axle swap (with corresponding narrowed front axle to get disc brakes all around), although expensive and requiring skill in the real world, is very plausible as well.

Good plan!

One can get a D-80 with factory disc brakes from a c and c truck that might be the right width using singles with 10 on 7.25” bolt pattern for the rear axle.

Front axle from GM 2 ton truck-bolted on small hub cap vs smaller screw in small hub cap can use later front disc brake spindles and hubs with 5 on 7.25” bolt pattern without having to narrow axle. Read up on it in Grigg’s notes. If your truck does not have 2 ton front axle, one can be gotten from suitable 2 ton truck.

Springs and steering will likely need to be upgraded to match new load carrying capacity.

Ed

Mark Elias These old trucks are good enough to get you down to the gas station,outside of that your asking a lot. Modern traffic with a load of modern safety equipment are far and away better and safer. Interstate driving is almost out of the question ! However in a fictional setting almost anything will work. If you'd drive one you'd see what it means.

D-70 or D-80 rear axle with modern ratios and disc brakes and P-3500 HD, etc., front disc brake hubs and spindles, Delphi( ex Saginaw) power steering and hydro boost brakes as above can keep any truck with older frame and ‘tin up to modern highway speeds and roads with a little bit of effort.

Ed