The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts My COE

New here, thought I'd share some pictures of my COE project.

http://www.streetsourcemag.com/ViewOwnerProfile.aspx?ProfileID=47813

Looks good so far! Is it a runner?
Speed

The motor turns freely, but no I have not got it running yet.

Sure looks like a good start on the COE.

COEs are real hard to find around here. Not long ago I bought a 77 GMC tilt-cab, but am still looking for a COE.

Have fun and enjoy your project.

Danny

Youll have to get ahold of Spanky if you need any info as hes the go-to-guy for all the Advance Design COE related stuff. Cool truck, what are your plans for her?

Jeff

Way to go!, Looks to be a '47, or '48 model 5700 series, from first glance. Has a double frame. What type of body, was on the back.

Thanks for the compliments guys.

Spanky, If I must answer what body was on the back, I will. When I bought the truck about a month ago, it allready had the rear body taken off. The guy I bought it from said that it used to be a septic tank pump truck. The guy that i bought it from had converted it to a tow truck to pull stuff around his junk yard. But it was parked years ago and left to sit. The truck is pretty solid except for the cab corners, floor boards and the passenger foot area. The junkyard owner that i bought it from put a 235 in it years ago.

As far as future plans, First and foremost is getting the rust out fixed and getting it running. I want something that I can cruise in. I want it to be capable of highway driving to shows all around the area. I allready have one show truck that I take to shows sometimes up to 3 or 400 miles away from my house so Id like to have the COE be able to do that too. Therefor I am planning to swap out the old transmission to a powerglide and swap out the front and rear suspensions. I really want to keep the 235 thats in it. I also plan on having air ride. I have a corvette as a parts car that I am planning on using the front and rear suspension from. I realize that there are some people that would rather see me restore it to original. Dont get me wrong, I love these trucks in any shape and form, but restoring it to original just doesnt fit what I want the vehicle to do. I have several ideas up my sleeve. I will keep you guys up to date as I go along. Its starting to get really cold here and as you can see,my COE is outside. Productivity will be limited this winter. Plus my dad has 52 chevy truck in his garage that is tore down so that is the primary winter project.

Are you sure that the corvette suspension is up to the job of supporting that heavy truck? (I'm not)

Realize that your truck is heavy, and big, so it pushes a lot of air. With a 235 I would not expect it to go over 55-65 for long trips even if you do find the gears to get there.

If you can be happy with 45-50 mph then I think it will do what you want.

You may find some helpfull or interesting ideas for axles and suspensions on my picture link below.

Grigg

Thanks for the suggestion. I will look in to those pictures. I really want to keep the 235 just to be different. As far as the corvette suspension supporting the truck, I believe it would be fine. At this point nothing is set in stone. Still in the planning stages. Ive got plenty of metal work to keep me going for a while before i have to make any final decisions.

I am going to shorten the chassis too so there goes some weight.

s-102nv if you want to build a really good car hauler the coolest ones that I have seen made from old COE trucks used Olds Toronado FWD transaxle and 455 up front and the rear of the trucks where basically a two axle car trailer grafted to the truck. It sure makes for a low sitting nice driving very cool looking car hauler with plenty of power. May not be the 235 but it's different

Yeah ive seen at least one with the toronado front end. Im not going to make it a car hauler though.

Spanky, or anyone else, do you have a COE door hinge for the drivers side, the upper one that youd be willing to sell?

I've got a parts truck out in the country, that might have one on it. It will take me until next weekend to check it out though.

Thats fine. Also since you seem to know your stuff about the coe's what do you think about using corvette suspension for my coe? I am going to shorten the chassis. I would be clipping the whole front suspension from the corvette and making mounts to mount the rear IRS from the corvette. Once again this is just something I am pondering. I have the corevette so its free just time and labor.

I'm the wrong guy to ask about modifications, or Streetrodding COE's. Even though I've owned close to 30 of them,in one form, or another, I keep them all original. Check out, www.classiccoe.com , & follow the links to the oldcoetrucks yahoo forum. Lots of guys there Streetrodding, & modifying COE's.

Thanks for the advice. keep me updated about that door hinge.

Corvette C2, C3, C4, C5 or C6?

If you're talking C2 or C3 the front suspension really isn't anything to write home about and there are probably easier options that would provide at least as good ride and handling.

I'm guessing C4 is what you are considering using. The frame on those cars is made of formed stamped steel that could be difficult to adapt, and which will determine your track width maybe a little narrow for a COE.

If you are using parts form an automatic equiped C4 be aware they used the Dana 36 differential and its not real stout.

While these cars produce some incredible handlng numbers that are impressive even today they have a harsh ride and a significant contributor to the handling is that stiff ride and real low center of gravity. I drive a C4 almost every day. I love and enjoy the car but I'm not blind to its shortcomings.

If you are parting out a C5 or C6 I'd suggest even wrecked its probably worth enough to sell and use the procedes to buy parts that might better work under a COE. Also those later cars have a rear mounted transmission that complicates a project like this.

I'm a hot rodder myself and do not have any objection to this kind of project. I am having difficulty seeing a COE as a sports car. Can you tell more about your intended usage with this truck?

The corvette that I have is a 78. I have measured the track with of the front suspension of the vette and it is only about an inch narrower than the current track of the COE. I plan on using the truck as a cruiser. Just something to take out on pretty days and take it to car shows both local and a few hundred miles away. I will put a bed on it but will not be hauling anything. I am not new to building trucks, just new to COE's . I have another show truck that I (with the help of my dad and friends) built from the ground up. I do not intend on having the coe be a sports car. As i said I would really like to keep the 235 thats in it.

So far, after listening to what you want to do with it,
I think you should leave it stock or just swap the rear axle for one with slightly faster gears.

The whole corvette thing has me worried, and I see no point.
Leaving the 235 means you don't expect it to do much, speed or work, so just leave it as is and drive it.

If you really don't plan to haul anything then faster gears in the rear would make it more drivable, but you can't go too extreme, as you only have a 235....

Grigg

Well a '78 has a real frame. Its been a while since I looked at one but I believe from about the 'vette cowl back to the 'kick-up' the frame is two straight parallel tubes. Wheel base is a bit short for something as tall as a COE, but if you extend it a bit using somethng lighter than the COE frame you could end up with a frame that made us of the 'vette suspension and was long enough for the COE.

The 'vette frame is not designed to take a 235 so you'll need some modifications to make it work.

The COE frame is designed tall and its a lot of thick steel designed to carry a heavy load. That truck is rated at 16,000 pounds. Empty your COE weighs a couple thousand pounds more than the Corvette and reducing that weight will make that suspension work much better.

Make sure you post pictures of this project somewhere. I'd like to watch the project as you proceed.

spanky do you have the "hood latch panel" on that parts coe?

When you say hood latch panel, are you talking about the upper radiator baffle pan?

dont really know missing everything between fenders except grill cant find any pics of it and there is none around here

The corevette suspension is only an idea at this point. Let me clarify. I wouldnt be using the whole corvette frame. just cutting the front frame section off the corvette, cutting the COE frame in front of the motor and welding the whole frame section under my COE. The 235 would stay in place.

This COE is right up my alley. It was built i believe on a 72 chevy truck chassis. which is another option. This truck is on air ride. Which I plan to do also. I will have a bed on it but not like the one on this truck

http://good-times.webshots.com/photo/2611123680037813819uQXsmX


Once again this is all preliminary. Heavy contstruction most likely isnt going to begin until springtime. The winter project is my dads 52 5 window.

Is that Koos Diedel's COE in those pictures. If it is I'm pretty sure its sitting on 1/2-ton pickup running gear with air bags.

You need to crawl under that COE and look at where the 235 mounts. My own COE is 15 miles away so I'm not going to go look to be sure, but I believe the front motor mount is forward of the axle centerline, and the rear mount is behind the axle.

The frame on that COE is probably 8-7/8 channel using 1/4-inch steel. This is huge overkill for a truck that isn't ever going to carry a significant load, and with a 235 you aren't going to want to carry that weight if you don't have to.

If you are welding the front and rear Corvette suspensions to the existing frame the work required is the same as simply extending the frame. The difference is you are not limited to the dimensions of the orginal steel and its original configuration.

If duplicating something like that truck in the photos is your goal, I'd suggest learning how that one was done as a first step.