So 2 weekends ago I picked up these trucks for a project, now the plan is to put the body of one of the trucks on to my old work van ch***is to make a nice old looking truck with all modern running gear. So i get all the trucks home finally after 2 trips to another town and 13 hours later. As you can see from the picture it is basically 2 complete trucks and a spare cab, the red truck has a flat deck so would need the other box for that one. So i start to think how could use the other cab up since nothing to go with and came up with making a crew cab 50's International. Hope this is not to far OT for the HAMB, I just wanted to get your guys input and thoughts. The picture is not that good to start thien just used free picture editor to get idea what might look like. I would keep all the body lines and origionality of truck just ch***is would change, plus with going on van frame there is a space the would need to be filled behind the cab and box. Plus the blue trucks frame is all split in half and horrible welding job so would not be bale to use it. What do you think? By youngadmirer By youngadmirer By youngadmirer at 2011-07-20
It would look kinda funky that way.....but the general idea isn't too bad. I'd probably consider reusing the original front suspension and just changing the engine transmission and rearend? I made an extended cab 59 chevy truck, but I got a 58 suburban to use for parts to fill in the extended part. it's a 2 door, not a 4 door.
The crew cab idea can work, and look good too. It takes a mess of work of course, but you have the needed parts, I think. My thought is that to make it look right, you make the rear door window bigger and more square - the front and back of the rear window are both straight up and down. That way it would match up to the back of the front door window, and the hinges would go in the normal place (behind the front door). Basically, cram the two cabs together and get the door hinges of the rear part as far forward as you can; reinforce the cab at that point to hold the rear doors. Make the rear windows larger & make an opening in the body to fit. You have the third cab so you have spare window frames and door frames that you can cut out and swap side-to side. Make sense? The picture you posted looks hokey / rat-ish. But I like the idea!
Hey thanks guys, Ya i know the picture is not that good. Squirrel- Yes i did think of that to start but to make the project a little faster and cheaper without to much fab work i figured why not do the van frame because thrn nothing for fuel, brakes and driveline have to move, plus always the red truck left to use for a more traditional truck. BuiltFerComfort- That is a good idea ya. But then i would be using up the red cab doors, i did origionaly put the cab the other way but you get this wierd spot between the doors at the top that looks like a big triangle and it stands out that why flip cab around the other way. Thanks for input
You got 3 cabs... so like Builtfercomfort said and use the extra door tops to make the rear doors square... it'll look better that way!!! More like it would've if they made it at the factory!
You don't have to use up the other cab doors if you can (a) bend the front of the rear door window to vertical, (b) get the curve right at the top of the door (make this angle closer to 90 degrees, in the same curve profile as the back of the door), and (c) add some sheet metal in the correct cross-section to fill in, probably on the top of the door. There are lots of top-chopping threads on the HAMB where this is done in reverse - basically you pie-cut the angle you want to change while leaving part of it attached, bend to fit, and fill in. (Sounds so easy The extra piece could be bent up and welded up more easily after you cut into the door, to get the correct cross-section. Or just use the doors, lots easier but more wasteful. The rest of the donor door could still be repaired using the pieces you took off the crew-cab, with about as much work as described above.
Thanks ya that is true would hate to cut up good doors just for that. Here is a quick revised version of your idea and everyone can compare, I know its not photoshop but gives you a idea what to work with.
That's what I'm talking about! It looks as if it could have come from a factory. The rear gl*** looks big but I think it would work, the doors look the same size.
Or other easier option cut and bend the top corner down and leave a small corner of the door at bottom of gl***.
Cool project! I am doing a '57 IH onto a van ch***is myself. About halfway done. I really like your first photo chop best! - maybe its the suicide doors that do it??
I just wanted to point out a small detail regarding the cabs: The red truck cab is a 1950. the other cabs are 1951 or 1952. Look at the hinges: on the red cab, the door hinges are hidden inside the door, much like a modern day truck. the cab on the bed has it's door hinges on the exterior, which really take away from the cleanliness of the lines in an L-110. If you're going to make a crew cab, make sure to decide early on how your hinges will look and work.
Thanks L110Mike thats what I thought then I i reasearched and found this http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/cdm4/do***ent.php?CISOROOT=/ihc&CISOPTR=5529&REC=19 and all my serial number fall into 1950, so not sure but thanks for info. Thanks everyone for input so far good to hear other poeples ideas I have one more to p*** by you just thought of today. I would like to keep the rear suicide doors think would be something very unique but had idea to make the back door gll*** one piece(maybe even front) Tell me what you think.
Man! I like your idea! Maybe even give it a dually rear axle and a 8 foot bed and really make a BIG truck out of it! Klaus
There has been quite the surge of IH pickup projects here lately. It will be interesting to see how many of them get completed. It's not like a Ford or Chevy. I call those mail order trucks. You really have to put in your footwork to complete an L, R or S project. Trust me, I know. Makes it more of a challenge.
SWEET idea, i just got a 51 and 52 im workn on and if u dont use a drivers door off on of the cabs let me know i need 1. thanks
The funny thing is...on some of the larger IH crew cabs for medium trucks, the aftermarket body builders actually used 2 sets of regular doors, so they look like YoungAdmirer's first Photoshop. There's another style where they used 2 sets of doors, but "reversed" the back set side-to-side....so the "slant" is in the back. Probably made it interesting for the guys in back to get out without hitting their noggin.
Baggedimpala63- kk will do, will keep that in mind as project goes. Homespun91- Thats cool thanks for the info and good point on the hitting the head never thought of that, lucky I won't be sitting in back. Thanks to everyone else for support I just got the cab quickly put on ch***is tonight will post pictures either in this thread or start a built thread tomorrow.
Got that right! I have a 1950 Chevy Panel and I can't wait getting to wrenching on that! I know it's not going to be a walk in the park, but at least I can get most of what I need. I have a tendency to make it hard for myself though, like 1/2 ton axles on a 1 ton, T-5 on a 253 and so on! The list is long and I'm sure I'm gonna come up with other stuff. That's what makes custom building so interesting to me I guess! Just go at it a little bit of a time, so it dosen't disombobulate you! Klaus
Kustomklaus - Ya I agree it is the fun part about it. Good luck on yours. I just started the new build thread for those who want to keep track, and if the rain here would let up migth acutally be able to get some work started on it. Thanks to everyone for input really wants to me get going on this project. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6789062#post6789062
This build thread is for a 60's era International pickup, but the idea is much the same. And he dropped it on a 90's GM ch***is.
that idea is awesome !! why not build the cab and swap it onto a newer dodge frame with a hemi . then it will look awesome and have a ****load of power too.
Hey, I saw a turds reference, but no, not about our car group. About an old binder truck, I like what you are doing, here are a couple of pix of a Nebraska custom I shot a couple pix of this summer. Good luck with your project. ~sololobo~
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