The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Looking for ideas for my COE engine cover in my cab

I have a 1950 GMC 450 COE with a V-8 engine in it and I am looking for ideas on what to do about the engine cover(removable) and perhaps a console over that to tie into the dash board. The engine only rises about 10 inches into the cab (top of aircleaner and the gas pedal has plenty of room to the left of the engine.

If anyone has pictures they could forward me of ideas they have fabricated themselves or seen at shows I would appreciate it. I have been working almost every night on this truck for the past 4 months and now have the seat rails in and electrial hooked up so it at least it is ready to go on the road pretty soon. Then I will strip it down to the frame and paint everything bottom up.

I was thinking of welding and using fiberglass to mold a center console. I bought a set of 40/20/40 silverado seats out of alate model truck but the cab is too narrow to put the fold down seat between the other two seats so no longer important to have leg room for third person.

Thanks

Will a remote air cleaner make more room and simplify the situation?

Think of industrial equipment with a separately mounted air cleaner and about a 5" or 6" hose connection between it and the engine.
like this: http://rides.webshots.com/photo/1484038968080251109kOfOcP

The GMC I took apart with the V12 in it factory had a pair of oil bath air cleaners mounted to the radiator support and hoses running to the carbs.
like this: http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2270498890080251109nvTTZj

Grigg

Grigg,

I thought about that and did find a remote air cleaner setup off an astro van or something like at the wrecking yard. I saves me maybe 2 inches but my tunnel is so low and narrow and I am not giving up any leg room for the driver and passenger now.

My right leg is straight out in front my hip sitting square in front of the steering wheel with the gas pedal off to the right and it looks and feels totally normal. I have the floor board 1 inch above valve covers so I could fit a PCV in it. The floor boards still come off as the orginal truck did so the engine is intirely accessible from inside the cab.

My next COE truck will be a mid engine (in the bed) with no tunnel.

That is one wicked looking V12...Maybe I could convert my entire bed on the next truck to hold one of those engines?

hello,

find an air cleaner off of a 1981 turbo trans am. it goes on the carb and dips down to the side. I have two of these and I thing it would work out ok.

Ryan

it seems like something "custom" is in order. from the looks of the project your fab skills you could probably make something out of a combonation of air cleaners. head on down to the local pull a part. lot of the later f.i. stuff has remote air filters and something out of a later vehicle might work.