Gang, Just in - early Christmas in Tampa! We are back from Louisiana with the first two parts of my phantom 27T closed cab pickup project. My rodder buddy Guy Graham was a big help (we used his truck!) and the trip out and back to Russ Nomore Streetrods was a breeze. Almost everything else from this point forward is undecided, from the motor choice to wheels, but as many of you know an I-4 or V-6 are high up on the list as one of the goals is high mpg and light weight. A full lengh Brookville bed is coming late November and I already have a 34 Ford pickup grille for it. So the plan is to have the nose laid back a little in contrast to the mild rake in the roof and the truck to be low with a very slight nose down rake. I probably won't get much else done besides a mock-up until December, so I'm still taking suggestions. Later, Gary
I don't know exactly... it isn't here for me to measure. I sat in the 1/2 shell demo body that had a seat pan and was channelled 4". I'm 5'8" and my feet just touched the firewall with my legs straight. My head was just a few inches from the inside roof. But I'd still say surprisingly roomy. I got my cab with only 1" channel, to get a little more headroom. BTW, Russ Nomore makes a chopped T coupe that is amazingly big inside. But I just HAD to have a truck. Gary
Yes it is a new product. Sorry I didn't mention that that earlier. I saw the body at the Goodguys Atlanta show earlier this year and the price was just too good to resist. I'd give them a call if to get the current cost as I got mine at a special show price back then of just $3K. The body came with manual window regulators, door glass and bear claws. The windshield frame / glass and a few other options are a little extra. The frame was extra, or course. I don't know if the price is still that low, so you had better call them as I can't speak for them here about the current price. The body is made just like their 27T coupe. Gary
Well, Time flies... I was visiting a salvage yard today with a friend and low and behold there was a motor with a price I couldn't refuse. So... drum roll please... I took the plunge and got a the front half of a Pontiac Grand Prix that included a clean 3800cc V6 with supercharger. 27x ought to scoot. This is about 2 months ahead of the time I thought I'd make my motor decision. Sorry to dissappoint the HAMBsters (again) with new tech stuff, but this motor is so well packaged and has more the enough power to do the job. Conventional bell housings for T-5's are available to spin it 90 degrees. Here is a pix of the mill in a Lotus 7 Clone and the spec graph from GM. The intake is at the rear, so I might even try some cowl induction with a scoop at the back of the hood. Should be enough in a 2000 lb car, eh? Later, Gary
I hope you are going to move the cab forward on the rails more. looks like a lot of front hanging out there. Cab looks nice thou.
Boones, The cab is in the right place, it just looks that way because the rear of the frame is incomplete. I just had the kick added to the frame when I got it and the rest will be stitched on as we go. There will be a horizontally mounted, rectangular frame of about 1-3/4" sq tube added to the top of the kick to support a standard Model A bed, so the car will be longer. The kick might have to be shaved a little, it is a tad long, just in case. Others think I should just add a QC, gas tank, and leave it as a modified without a bed at all. But I really want it to be somewhat practical and haul a bunch of stuff for road trips. Gary
3.8 v6 looks good and should get some MPG with the right gear and tire too. Lots of alum parts that can be polished up to look super
Bob, we shall see what a good choice it is, or not. I'm already thinking it is about 2" taller than I wanted... so now all my BSing about hood scoops may go from a fun thing to a requirement. And the intake in the rear is going to be a problem to work around. Either I have to put an air box under the cowl and feed the air back forwards thru the fire wall or find an Eaton part that turns the intake 90 degrees forward. Or perhaps convert the blower drive to the rear if I can, like some other Eaton / Magnacharger units have if I can. I might even have to set the body back further... who knows. Still, it should be peppy - some web sites call it the "SBC of V-6s". Gary
Probably the last update for awhile... A busy week. We got the donor Pontiac L67 out of the junker front clip and remains hauled away. But the motor is just too ugly to post here. I think it will clean up ok... The body is off the high bench and now sits on a fabbed dolly at approximate ride height. I'm a happy camper... Gary
Early Christmas in Tampa, part II. Just got back from Daytona with my new prize... fell off the Brookville truck just for me. 27x has a butt!! WooHoo! Gary
Another mock-up shot, with the bed now propped up on the frame rails and some junk. I think it needs to be a couple inches lower to get rid of the dump truck look, but I'm sure I can get it there. Looking at about 114-115" wheel base now with the rear tire (at approx 30" tire height) up on blocks, too. What think? Later, Gary
gonna be a sweet looking lil truck.glad you said you're going to lower the wellside a bit.does look a little high.you going to run hood sides or be brave and take the flack?i've got a chev 229 v6 which i may run in my 34 pickup.got heaps of stick from others when i bought it.just wanted something other than the common SBC. keep up the posts cant wait to see progress.
Yep, will run hood sides but I plan on a flip forward grille / hood with sides that are fixed to the cowl and radiator. The outside of the truck will look typical of rods, but the engine compartment will be pretty high tech. And so may be the interior, a little anyway. Lowering the bed, selecting a small diff and overall tire size are going to be a careful balancing act. I'd like 32" rear tires if I can pull it off and still get the bed down. BTW, the plan is for a full sized, standard depth, unaltered, tubbed or shallow floor bed. I want the whole enchilada if at all possible. Later, Gary
Neat looking ride you have, should type in commodore v6 (same motor as you have except mounted North South in our cars) into google may give you some ideas on the induction side of things
Appreciate the tips and interest in helping me out. I've been in contact with some folks on another forum about it, too. I just received a photo of a Holden oil pan from a fellow in Australia that has a big, finned extension on the front - but while it looks very cool it is much taller than the stock pan I have and adding to the motor's overall height creates even more problems. As you mentioned, I'd like to try a different inlet on the blower, I'm worried about the small details in installing it, let alone the cost of shipping one from OZ to Florida! Gary
One more time... a couple new shots of the mock-up with the bed a pinch lower and correctly leveled, and the grille / front axle position moved rearward aboout 2" - going for the stubby truck look. The grille shell will need a little section to drop the top and also raise the bottom a tad, too. Gary
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