The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs 48 COE front fenders fit to a panel - can it be done?

Hi all. First time on this board.

I have access to 48 COE front end sheet metal (fenders, hood, grill, etc) and thought they would look great on an AD panel or suburban. Has any one tried this before?

I know the cab of the COE is a pick-up type cab so the front end fit should be close. The frame length would need to be shortened a bit. And, the height of the cab, compared to the finders, would have to be worked out just like the factory did with the COE.

Is there anything out there that would be a project killer for this type of mod?

Do you intend to place the engine under the cab?

What transmission and rear end do you intend to use?

I planned to put the engine under the cab. Is there a better place to locate the engine? I haven't decided if it will be an inline 6 or a small V8.

I like the idea of the 6, but size wise it looks like the small V8 would fit just a bit better.

As for the transmission, most likely it will be a TH400 or its later OD version.

Rear end, hmm, I haven't got that far, but would like to upgrade to something with an open driveline and disk brakes.

Welcome to the Stovebolt!

You need the cowl and doors also to make this work. Think of it this way. Cut the cowl free from the COE through the floor just in front of the seat and through the windshield and then graft those parts to the panel or Suburban.

I'm working on a project combining just those parts. I have a '50 COE, a '51 1-ton panel and a '53 Suburban plus pieces of two 1/2-ton panels I'm using as donors on this project.

Where in the Pacific Northwest are you? If you proceed on this project we should get together and compare.

There use to be an AD COE near me that had a panel body blended in with the COE cab, then another pickup cab at the very back, so a really stretched crew cab COE of sorts. The frame was then about twice that long, I cant imagine how he maneuvered it in town, and that could be why I never saw it leave the driveway.
I don't have any pictures, and don't know where it is now...

Grigg

I know the cab of the COE is a pick-up type cab

This is what confused me - the COE cab is not a pick-up-type cab. Do you intend to use the AD panel or Suburban "cab"; otherwise, you will have to do cab graft as either Grigg or Steve describe.

Grigg, was that COE you describe the silver one in this picture?

Super Cab

It was built in the 90's by a guy who at the time lived near me, but the truck since moved to your area. I don't know where it is now.

Or was it more like the one below? I know I've seen one like this one, but don't recall if I took this picture or not.

Car Hauler

Hi Steve,
Like neither of the above.

It had a COE cab with the back cut out, then the straight sided part of a panel truck without doors or windows, and then I think it had another cab with doors at the very back.
I could see it from I-64 near Waynesboro VA, it was interesting, but looked unfinished, and overall it had an unprofessional feel to it, that's my 200 yards at 70mph opinion.
The ones you posted pictures of seem a lot more professional than this one was.
The other thing that I think really took away from it was the extremely long wheelbase, just guessing, but about 10' of cabs, and room for a 12' or 14' flat bed.

Cosmo may have a better recollection of it, as I am sure he has seen it beside the interstate.
I don't remember seeing it for the past few years though.

Grigg

Ya, that’s a great idea. I took another look at the cab and it looks easy enough to do. The front clip, doors and forward part of the cab are in great shape. And they are now mine. Now I just need to find the right panel/suburban.

Just curious, but will you be using the COE frame, or the panel frame?

The cab on the COE sits on a riser piece, so it is a good bit off the frame, unless you do the same the bottoms of the fenders will be ground away as you drive?

So, I guess what I am thinking is you can add the panel or suburban body to the back of a complete COE truck, but you can't add the COE cab and front end to a panel or suburban.

Does this make sense, or is there another way, or am I just wrong?

Thanks,
Grigg

Is this the same '48 I thought I was going to get from a guy up in the Snoqualmie area? Are you collecting it Sunday?

You raise a good question Grigg. On mine I'm not using either, but you probably knew that from my other posts on the subject.

The other issue to think about is what will be done regarding the rear fenders. The front fenders are much lower relative to the bottom of the cab than those of the panel or Suburban.

Is this the same '48 I thought I was going to get from a guy up in the Snoqualmie area? Are you collecting it Sunday?[/quote]

Nope! The truck in question came out of the lower Yakima Valley.

Well that's good. I didn't want to start out not liking you. Actually its the guy who started negotiating with me, then withdrew and let someone else have it that I'm not smiling at this week.

So what are your plans for frame and running gear?

And what do you intend to do regarding rear fenders?

And what wheelbase are you planning? 1/2-ton Suburbans and panels have 116 inch wheelbase. 1-ton panels are 137. There are no 3/4-ton of either, and Suburbans are only 1/2-ton. And of course once you swap to the COE front the wheelbase gets shorter.

steve, was that the one grant was going to haul for you? that was pretty lousy of the guy.

The very same. I think Grant is as disappointed as I was. I'll get over it.

What I really want is a curved glass GMC, so a '48 Chevy is the wrong truck anyway, but parts is parts.

I've been thinking as I cut the cab and splice things together I'll convert my COE cab to a curved glass GMC anyway, so what I don't have is the right paper for a '54/'55 1st GMC COE and that's what I really need.

Ah, the details. My preference would be for the 1 ton panel. Do you know the over all length, bumper to bumper, of both the suburban and the 1 ton panel? It looks like frame length mods are in store no matter which way I go.

I am toying with the idea of making this truck a 4x4. Don’t know if it is easier to put 4x4 under the existing frame (COE or the Panel/Suburban) or going with a later model 4x4 rolling chaises and transplanting the body.

If I go with a frame other than the COE, I’ll raise the body up and fab some running boards to match the COE so the front fenders clear the road. The rear fenders may take a little head scratching to make them look right.

I visited the local tire store to see about a set of wheels that will fill up the wheel well. I’d like to keep this rig looking like bigger truck and not a low slung street rod. No problem at the tire store, all it takes is cash.

Well cash and hard work. And time. Or maybe lots of cash and patience. I talked to a friend today who is unhappy because her bike won't be in the Seattle Roadster Show this weekend. Seems after five years the shop couldn't finish it in time.

My usual source for information such as body lengths is off-line right now. Otherwise I'd have those numbers for you plus the link. If you check the tech tips here you'll find instructions how to get a restoration pack. That will have lots of info including these lengths.

It doesn't matter which frame you choose, the length of the factory frames won't be right for the configuration you are talking about. You'll either be modifying the body to change the length or the frame.

You just want to steel my whole plan don't you... I'm currently planning to put mine on a Chevy K3500 frame. The donor is an extended cab long box with 155 inch wheel base. Thats 22 inches longer than the stock 1-ton panel wheel base of 137 inches. Putting the COE front on the panel shortens the body wheel base by about a foot. Sorry I don't have the exact number at hand, and since I plan to play with the wheel openings I'm not committed to the original positions.

If you do the math you'll see my wheel base and easiest body length don't quite match. Can I keep any parts of my plan secret?

If you were starting with a stock body configuration I'd say easiest approach would be to add the pieces to the stock frame. Since you are already changing the body in significant ways, it may be easier to mount this modified body on a frame that already has the running gear on it.

I'm starting with an IFS 4x4 and swapping that suspension into another frame would be a major project. Swapping a straight axle 4x4 onto another frame would be much easier. Especially if you are swapping it onto a frame that was straight axle in the beginning.

You should go straight axle under an original type frame just so yours will be different than mine... Especially since we could end up at the same truck shows!

This isn't it either, but its the one I was trying to find. Its outfitted like a limo on the inside, and appears to be constructed similar to what you descibed. Certainly long enough to be hard to park!

COE Limo Car Hauler

This one was owned by a Portland based trucking company owner. The guy hosted a show every year featuring his own stuff and inviting others. He had died just before this show in '06 and I don't know if the collection remains together or not.

That's about what the one I saw was, but no bed, no windows other then in the doors. Looked drivable, but not any where near finished.

Grigg