I got this 46 Cabover from my grandfather, so I'll never get rid of it. This truck is SOLID. The frame is tweaked(from Gramps getting hit by a train), so a frame swap is definitely in order. The truck DOES run and drive. Some of my earliest memories are riding in this truck sitting between my dad and my grandpa.But what do I do with it? I thought about buildin a ramp truck, but I just don't think I'd use it enough. I thought about putting the cab on a half ton frame with a pick-up box, put I was worried thant it would look WAY to short. My last thought was to put the cab on a long wheelbase E-350 single rear wheel frame with a flatbed with a dovetail. My T only weighs about 1500lbs, so the weight probably wouldn't be a problem. I just scored a low mileage 472 Caddy and tranny for this project. What do I do? ADVICE PLEASE!
Put the back half of a bus on it and put it on a 1 ton chassis with 4X4. You'll be the envy of soccer mom's everywhere.
Probably be easier to un"tweak" the frame than anything else, unlessyour picture is way deceiving about the condition of it. then drop in the caddy and an appropriate truck rear end with some highway gears and clear coat the patina to preserve it. Flat bed it, like it is now, then various options like stake sides, hooped canvas top "camper", car hauling ramps and a winch of course, etc...
Build a 1 ton P/U like the one here. There are several Cab over P/Us that show up at York in June. As you can see, it's not that much bigger than the A that he tows with it. There is another one that uses a late model Chevy 1 ton bed with the dually fender flares. I think most are mounted on late model 1 ton chassis's. I love 'em.
[ QUOTE ] An Eldorodo front wheel drive will fit under it. [/ QUOTE ] And why would you do this? Just curious....
I think you should swap in onto a newer frame (GM is best, so you can get all the lowering parts easy). Either flatbed or an extended stepside bed would work. Then just drive it and have fun. That Caddy engine is a great choice, leave it near stock and run some taller like 3.0 gears. Use the torque those engines have. I want to someday build a ramp truck out of an old cab, either cabover or standard, but a ramp truck for sure.
With the front wheel drive he could put a Low Boy tilt bed behind it using a drop axle. Super slammed but still functional.
I'd make a tow truck out of it. Perhaps lowered and chopped of course. There's an old Diamond Rio down the road here that I would go after if I had the opportunity. 2 speed rear so you can cruise it. Of course I like the option of building it with a late model ton chassis and turning it into a cab over pickup. The Cad Mill is a shoe in bro.
snag a panel truck of the same year(s); graft them together and have a coe panel, slammed, with the caddy engine.
Personally with you saying how your earliest memories are of you with you dadn and gramps in it, I would restore it, it doesn't look very far gone in the pictures. But hey I'm a sentemential guy.
If you've got other projects, then I'm with littleduececoupe. This last year I've lost several close friends and family members so I'm pretty sentimental too.
uh umm cambell's soup can comes to mind.....no um well maybe a 4 by 4 square coffee table.....no no I got it a paper weight. Jest joshing ya don't get bent outa shape ha ha get it bent outa shape wheww thats funny I don't care who you are thats funny rite thare. Anyway what about adding the rear of a 50's model bus turn RV then you can drive to a show and sleep in your ride
Here's a COE done by "Magu", the artist wo did the art work in the Metro rail station on Hollywood & Vine in Hollyweird CA. It's sorta like what you got and you can see what it'd look like shortened, and chopped of course!
I was just actually thinking about how cool a COE would be on my way home from work last night. I thought it would be cool to swap in diesel hardware for high mile stoughtness, add a ramp to hual your favorite custom, and tow your airtream around the country with. -Jeremy
Here is a nice Chevy COE on Ebay maybe give you some inspiration. I don't care much for the yellow color and door panels but otherwise its just about perfect! http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2472342336&category=6173
I had one of those a couple of years ago. It was in REALLY nice shape having been stored indoors for over 40 years. I was going to build a ramp truck and put a Big Block Chevy right behind the cab and under the ramp. That gets rid of the dog house in the cab and really gives you a lot more room. It was one of those rare times in my life when I said to myself "you've got too many projects" and let it go down the road. The guy I sold it to is into buying and selling Coca-Cola collectibles. So he is doing it as a Coke service truck to haul all of his restored Coke machines and large Coke signs to swap meets. Frank
Thanks for all the input guys! I thought about restoring it, but then I end up with a truck with a too tall bed and goes 50 mph tops(even with a 2-speed diff). The frame is bent HARD. Gramps pulled across the train tracks without looking, and got broadsided in the bed(The train was only doing about 10mph, pushed him down the tracks about 75feet). He hammered it out enough to drive it the three miles back and forth from the farm to the grain elevator. The reason I was considering a Ford van frame was that steering hook-up should be a snap, and I really didn't want a dually(very narrow driveway). I guess what I'm saying is that I want to make it something that I would like driving a lot. I think Gramps would've liked that. That man could build anything with a pair of pliers and his stick welder. By the way, the flathead purrs like a kitten!