My dad and I found a pair of old cast plow handles at a buddys junkyard earlier this year. Turned one of them into a remote transfer case handle via another boat steering cable. I was going to reverse the shift pattern for the trans while I was in there but decided I didn't mind going back to forward, should make it more theft proof anyway. This is 2 hi in park. Transfer case end. I had to eliminate the elbow in the shift pattern but it doesn't really matter unless I really get carried away hitting 4 hi at speed. But once again I have hubs so if I shift into 4wd I'll be at a stop.
Been waiting to get it outta the shop for this update. Dual toolboxes mounted under the bed. Bed is stained, painted and completely bolted down. New (to me) matching rear aluminum wheels, if the internet is correct I just dropped 160 pounds of rotating mass... 4x steal wheels to 4x aluminum wheels, 40 pound difference per wheel... A buddy dropped off a rv front mount propane box a year ago... realized it perfectly fit between the cab and bed! Covers up the back of the engine and keeps it easily accessible. I have some shiny exhaust pieces coming and I'll run it straight up through the lid. Relocated batteries to the inside of the drivers tool box. Gotta finish the steering bell crank and make ramps next. I'll probably throw some 2" lift blocks in the rear to level it out too.
You Sir have completed a nice heavy hauler and raising the bed 2" in the back to level it out may not be enough depending how much weight you plan to haul. Your tail light worries me also with any steep entry they may be torn off. Please look at that or be aware. Other than that, BEAUTIFUL!
Thank you! Tail lights aren't done yet. Those are just some harbor freight magnetic lights so I can drive around the block. I would still like to do triple 59 caddy lights and have them go in sequence like a Mustang or Cougar. I need to get the Nova up there and measure the squat. The junkyard 4runner I put on there made it squat 1.5" with room to spare still. I agree, with some real weight it could be an issue. Definitely might add air bags once I get it to sit level, that way I can customize the ride height.
That is good for what you are doing then. I looked at them and said, WOW, I hope he realized what could happen. Maybe not and is missing something. Glad that you didn't take it as an insult but as a helping gesture and explained. Air bags to compensate would be a good idea and as you said you can customize the height with whatever is on the bed.
Any way to drop the front a bit? Has a gasser stance right now, the smaller tires look even smaller. IIRC, those trucks sat pretty low from the factory.
Watching your progress, great build. Just wondering how you are going to register/plate it? Regular, commercial, historic, year of manufacture, special use? Just curious about the red tape and or hoops you may have to jump through.
Probably not with the 4X4 front axle as it is straight and the original would have been factory dropped. Raising the rear or the bed will help the looks but overall it is a unique build. My own 35 pick up on a OT 1984 Ranger 4X4 frame with the flat head coupled to the C4 and transfer case gives it that Marmon Herrington look even though there never was one. Maybe larger front tires but that would negate the use of the 4X4 option. Seeing it in person would enhance the overall picture rather than a photo.
Dropping the front wouldn't be easy with the steering arm clearances. I'm within 2" of the factory tire size with the 38" tire but they did sit really low from the factory. I'll be adding a little lift to the rear to make it sit level. Bigger tires would help but they would really interfere with the steering and then the bed would need to be raised for clearance. Also keep in mind the ramp angles are already pretty extreme. Being 4wd the tires all have to be the same or regear 1 axle to make up the difference. If the front end was a 3 link and coils it could solve some problems up there too. If it ever really bothers me I could change it but I'd rather drive it and abuse it and not sweat it being perfect. I'll probably just register it as a regular vehicle. For historic or special vehicle plates I'd be worried about getting pulled over for driving it too much. We are building a house this coming year so I will be bringing home loads of lumber plus all the other car moving I do. It'll stick out like a sore thumb in traffic and wouldn't be hard for a sheriff to see it twice in a week in the middle of winter. Hard to tell them you're headed to a car show with your special interest vehicle at that point!
You could put some Marmon Herrington re-pop badges on it or NAPCO since both were aftermarket 4X4 conversions. Back in the 80's I had a 1952 F7 4X4 dump truck. It was ordered as a front mounted pumper truck from Ford through Howe Fire Apparatus Company that had been converted into a dump truck. It was shipped from the Dearborn Assembly Plant without a front axle and driveshaft with 5:14 rear end gears and the 5 speed. Howe installed; the front axle, transfer case and fabricated the driveshaft's. They had bought a railroad boxcar load of; axles, transfer cases, and wheels, WWII surplus. They assembled many 4X4 conversions over the years but in the early 1970's junked the remaining. The later I was told by a long time employee who was retiring in a week when I contacted them about some information on the front axle.
Thats a good idea! Check out these vin repops that it came with. There is a guy online that makes a bunch of these different badges, I'll have to see if he has a Marmon Herrington one, they did a little more heavy duty stuff. Here's the site. https://www.nostalgicreflections.com/index.html
Those are not very inexpensive but man the quality is there. Here is more what I was thinking. I do not know who made this one but will do for me if I can find them. They appear kind of like silk screened on aluminum plate.
Great Work. I am currently restoring a 1955 White 3000 but my build is factory stock. The tip above about the repro badges made my day. The photos show a broken windshield which might be getting replaced somewhere along the line. The rubber gasket is not one of the standard available Trimlok types which work on the side windows. Do you have a source for the gasket? I was thinking about a short run extrusion with aluminum tooling. Please feel free to call Paul at 609-882-0366 (new jersey)
I will be taking mine down to the local glass guy in the next month or two, I'll see what they think for a seal. If you need any parts, I have some off of my truck and a bunch of stock stuff off my dad's White. Probably won't use the chassis or suspension on his at all. Hopefully you do a build thread on yours somewhere.
Hey Jamisterl, that site you mentioned above does have the Marmon Herrington reproduction badges in case you were wondering. Pricey but definitely a finishing touch.
In order to cure the rearward rake I did a shackle flip. Gained 4"+ in the rear which makes the bed almost perfectly level. Remade the steering bellcrank out of 1/2" steel. Still waiting on the reamer to create the correct bevel for the ball joint but its done for the most part. Got the rest of the parts for the exhaust installed. 3" outlet at the turbo to a flex joint, 3" round muffler to a 4" pipe with the flapper. Braced it all off the top of the valve covers and cut the diamond plate box accordingly. Added a trailer hitch. Had to make it unboltable from the truck frame so I could still remove the bed. Added a strip of metal at the dovetail so the winch line could have something to rub and it also holds the dovetail boards down. Then I loaded the Nova onto the car trailer and then drove from the car trailer to the bed of the White. Had to break in the bed with some fresh tire marks. Ramps are next.
Today I discovered that cabovers have a crummy approach angle. I apologize to anyone who is a fan of Cadillac's and or the northstar engine.
Couple updates... you know the Cadillacs I ran over? They had a nice built in 3 point seat belt and power seats with leather. I feel a lot more secure perched in their with a real seatbelt! They're a tight squeeze but they'll work! Finally got insurance on it so I could test drive it and for some reason I literally only have 2 forward gears. Probably 1st and 2nd and that's it. I have to manually shift it just to get those. May need to buy a standalone transmission computer for it and get rid of this crummy factory stuff for that 47re unless someone has some tips for me. It was good enough to get to the gas station though! Got some crazy looks from the line of people waiting outside the dmv! On the bright side my home made filler neck took full throttle at the gas pump with no leaks. I though for sure I'd have to babysit the fuel nozzle. It's a little twitchy in the steering but I may throw a bigger steering wheel at it and put the factory f550 front track bar back in place, I'm sure it was there for a reason.
It rides surprisingly good! I hit some of the bumps at speed and it was soft, I need to hook up the front sway bar still but I have the rear one connected. Brakes are spongy but good, I need to bleed them some more, I don't think I had full pedal travel when I did it originally. Its a bizarre feeling sitting so far forward of the wheels, I need to get a passenger mirror on there to see if I am cutting corners too tight. I've had it up to 50mph or so and no vibrations, I really am shocked at how well it drives with only 12 miles of shake down runs. I'll be ordering the transmission controller this week and then the next big thing is a windshield. Starting to build our new house and shop next month so I need it to haul lumber and the tractor. It'll be nicer than towing the car trailer everywhere.
Lol. I imagine it is. My dad had a VW microbus and it too was a bizarre feeling sitting over the wheels. I never drove, but I never got used to the feeling when he would turn around either.
Anyone know anything about windshields? Pulled it out in one piece to use as a template. The rubber doesn't exist for these trucks... why couldn't I just glue a new one in and forget the rubber? The black pieces are the current petrified rubber. Also there isn't a glass guy around here that would install it. Trust me, I asked.
Stacy David on Gearz had a source for the rubber channels when he was building that International wrecker. A check of his web site (I think it was the Heavy Hauler build) may give you some information. Hang on to a piece of the original rubber so you can match the cross section.
Did you check with Steele Rubber to see if they can make one from the example that you have? There are a couple of companies that make rubber products and some special order or may have one close enough to work. I would think that gluing it in with cab flex would just break it with it being solid with the cab. The rubber lets it float for lack of a better term.
That shape is on the market . As far as not using a gasket it’s a bit more than just gluing it in place . Research it , you will be surprised .
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