Front track width ???

[Dreamweaver]

As some of you may know I'm building a fenderless 46 GMC pickup (see avatar).

Im ready to order my front end and a design question has appeared.

The cab body is quite a bit wider than your typical early Ford, what would the "correct" track width that I should aim for? The stock axle had a KP width of 52" but I'm going to use a suicide type front end and need to order a new axle. Should the tires be wider than the cab? I realize this is a "do what ya like" thing but what's the spacing on a typical fenderless roadster or pickup? Tires wider or narrwer than the body? Or maybe the same width?

What's the general concensus?

[DrJ]

Without knowing anything else (rear end, wheelbase, choice of front end sheet metal) I'd say keeping the same tread width (center of tire to center of tire) as the rear would look right.
That probably is going to be a couple of inches wider than the stock one.

When you get it set up or mocked up I'd like th see it, because I've been contemplating a Ford style front axle on my '40 for a while.

[Bruce Lancaster]

Can you take the parts you have and block them up into a prototype? If you can get the cab and grill up on stands or something, you could then set some tires out front and move them around until you get the effect you want and a usable dimension or two.

[50mercfan]

i think the tires should be wider than the body. they are stock thats why it has bolt on fenders right? your stock width should be close to right. but i would mock it up before i ordered parts

[Dreamweaver]

Anyone out there with a 28-32 highboy that can give me some insight?

Guess what I'm asking is, on a "traditional" highboy roadster what would the front track width, center of tire to center of tire, be in relation to the body width? ie would a 48" axle have a center of tire width of 54", just guessing, and the body width would be, less, greater than or equal to that?

C9, you out there?

Bill