The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The HiPo Shop Thoughts, Opinions & Suggestions - 1947 4400 Rat Rod Project

Hello Stivebolt Community,

I want to start off with, I don't know a lot about my truck and how to achieve the end result I am looking for. Hope to learn and get some ideas here. I have a 1947 4400 dually. It was a stakebed farm truck in another life that now gets put in the yard for Halloween and taken on beer runs to the general store.

I really have three goals at this time. 1st is to lower the truck, 2nd is to put a big block in it and 3rd is to keep the original chassis.

Spoke with Sid's Drop Axels and there is no hope for a drop axel to lower the front end. This pushes me towards removing the leaf springs front and rear and adding air bags and trailing arms if that works.

For the big block I am thinking of an older carbureted 454. Dont really care about the horse power as much as reliability and sound. Always loved that sound.

Curious if anyone has taken on either if these and wouldn't mind sharing any thoughts, concerns, lessons learned.

This would be done in stages over the next few years. Should I lower it 1st then motor or the other way around?

Are there any other lowering options out these for a 1.5 ton while keeping the original chassis? I have considered an axel flip but heard that's a no no.

Again, any thoughts, opinions or suggestions are very appreciated,

Curtis

welcome to the site. Assuming by "axle flip" you mean putting the springs on top of the axles instead of underneath. (not actually flipping the axle over). I have gone the other way on jeeps to raise them, and on my travel trailer for more clearance as well. Not done the other way, especially on a big truck.

Appreciate the feedback. Will post my questions there.

Hello Stivebolt Community,

I want to start off with, I don't know a lot about my truck and how to achieve the end result I am looking for. Hope to learn and get some ideas here. I have a 1947 4400 dually. It was a stakebed farm truck in another life that now gets put in the yard for Halloween and taken on beer runs to the general store.

I really have three goals at this time. 1st is to lower the truck, 2nd is to put a big block in it and 3rd is to keep the original chassis.

Spoke with Sid's Drop Axels and there is no hope for a drop axel to lower the front end. This pushes me towards removing the leaf springs front and rear and adding air bags and trailing arms if that works.

For the big block I am thinking of an older carbureted 454. Dont really care about the horse power as much as reliability and sound. Always loved that sound.

Curious if anyone has taken on either if these and wouldn't mind sharing any thoughts, concerns, lessons learned.

This would be done in stages over the next few years. Should I lower it 1st then motor or the other way around?

Are there any other lowering options out these for a 1.5 ton while keeping the original chassis? I have considered an axel flip but heard that's a no no.

Again, any thoughts, opinions or suggestions are very appreciated,

Curtis

I would do the engine swap first to you know what you are dealing with for space and clearances.

Have you considered what transmission you want to run? As I recall, the bellhousing on your 47 will not bolt up to a BBC. Once you have a drivetrain in place, you will inow what you are dealing with for weight on each end and how much space you have for your other mods.

You might run into problems getting a big block engine to fit in there. Mine has a small block and they had to move the steering box over a little to get it in.

Before you open your wallet, verify the title matches the VIN tag on the driver's side door post.
The priority is good brakes and steering. Don't assume, have them checked and fixed. Old 2 ton brake parts can be made of unobtanium.
Identify which transmission you have then go to "https://www.novak-adapt.com" and read about what bellhousing you will need to connect to a 454.
The steering box location may require a steering upgrade. You will also need to convert from 6 volt to 12 volts.
Water temperature and oil pressure gauges are mechanical but the fuel gauge will need adaption (see Tech Tips).
Unless you are good at fabrication and welding, make a list of what you want to do and visit a rod shop.

If you are going custom (see picture), scrap the above and look for a donor chassis that can be slammed to taste.

Your desired results will please you more if you find a late model 1 ton chassis and powertrain and swap the body over. Information on how to do it is all over the internet. That will give you the ride and drivability you are looking for. Good luck and keep us posted here on your progress.

CTrujillo,

Since you have a two ton front axle, you can fit disc brake hubs/spindles from GM P-3500 with tie rod behind the axle to your kingpins to keep your tires inside the fenders. Only need to make new bushings(cheap) or sleeve existing bushings. Use existing 5/10 wheel bolt pattern.

Delphi(Saginaw) power steering also can be fit in there.

Pictures are of my 55.2 truck.

Ed

I was in your boat a few years ago with my 52 willys pick up. I had the same ideas you have. A reliable original body with a BB that sounded the part. I drove this truck to work today and do quite often. The big factor you're going to face is making something work with your original chassis and making it reliable enough to be useful for any purpose. I highly suggest you forget about the original chassis all together, sell it to someone who wants an original chassis. Get yourself a vehicle with whatever motor you want in it and do a body swap. I stumbled on an econoline camper (the camper portion was already scrapped) with a 460 in it, it's EFI and makes roughly 250hp 400ish torque with 34k miles on it! I have disc brakes all the way around, plenty of power, updated chassis, and didn't have to do too much in the way of fabrication to make it a simple swap... but I did. I cut 56" out of the econoline chassis, boxed the frame front to rear, 4 linked the rear end and put air bags at all 4 corners along with a lot more. It's a rat rod that I've put together using roughly 10 other trucks and wagons.

Moral of the story is pony up some money for a newer vehicle someone wants to "give away" and save yourself tons of time and money down the road. Plus you'll be able to go down to the local parts store and get 95% of what you need off the shelf.

+1 to the suggestion to swap the sheet metal to a more modern chassis. A complete older motorhome can be bought dirt cheap, as the coach has a tendency to fall apart long before the running gear wears out, and old motorhomes can be acquired for scrap iron prices pretty frequently. A chassis from the 1980s or early 90's will be narrow enough for the track width to be pretty close to correct. You'll need to do a little modifying to put the steering column in the right location for a conventional cab setup, but a modern chassis and suspension, plus an automatic transmission will already be in place. I've got a 454 engine Class C motorhome on a 1 ton chassis sitting behind my barn, and another one with a Ford 460. Both of them were able to keep up with interstate traffic without any kind of final drive gearing change, also.

Edit: The old school way to get the "lowered" look you want is to "channel" the body. Raise the floorboard to drop the overall height of the sheet metal on the frame instead of doing massive suspension mods that will destroy the original geometry and make the thing a rolling deathtrap in anything but a low speed straight line. The laws of physics are not "suggestions" where handling is concerned, and you can really benefit by utilizing a major manufacturer's research and development of a chassis that was engineered to handle right from the factory, no matter what kind of sheet metal it happens to have grafted onto it.
Jerry

My thought is, why a rat rod?

At least it's in the hi-po forum- - - - -why not? I'd suggest starting with a project truck that's already been butchered up and abandoned by somebody, instead of trashing another original, but it ain't my circus or my monkeys! Moving the sheet metal to a more modern frame would at least preserve the running gear for someone who needs an original rolling chassis to work with.
Jerry

Since your truck is a 47 second series there is room for a big block. As far as stance is concerned you can set the frame at the desired height and then figure out how to put suspension that will work on it. Probably bags or coil overs are the main options. Any way you go is going to take MAJOR fabrication skill and the tools to do so. Flaming River and IDIDIT offer "shorty" steering columns where the steering shaft can be offset to clear engine. With even a stock BB the entire chassis/brakes/steering need major attention. Good luck.

CTrujillo Dandy truck.your wood pile seems well stocked,on your modifications go for it. After about 30 of these trucks v-8 conversions and original now have a 51 6400 pickup 98 inch wheel base. Best one so far,not awkward,plenty of brakes,8.25 rubber,4 link built at home,10,000 miles so far,235 with fresh bearings turned in there in the truck by me. Best modification is on straight propane,great in cold weather,.it's your truck !!

Here's a picture of a big block in a pickup. Should fit in yours even better.

I'm no expert but i do run a big block n my 40 1/2 ton and it seams to fit pretty well.

The firewall needed a recess for the valve covers to clear at the back corners. I chose to leave the majority of the original firewall in place and created two "pockets" for the valve covers.

I used fender well headers to clear the steering box, which meant my inner fenders needed to be modified and the rear of my BDS style scoop needed to be "flattened" due to my tunnel ram height. I was also forced into using a Suzuki samurai alternator due to where I wanted to place the alternator.

Take lots of measurements when placing the motor mounts and include as many of the engine accessories as you can... mine ideally could have been 3/8 of an inch lower.

That truck is pretty sweat as it is... I'd cruise it just as it sits