Well finally got started on the Coe. I dissassemble the cab. Removed the cab from frame using scafold that I built in my garage .Got a s10 frame, Got a 5.7 Vortec that has 13000 miles on a rebuild.Mounted engine mount in frame. Also trying to make the cab tilt so working on that frame work. I tried to add pics but Im doing something wrong.
I though that i should box the frame at the front of the rear leaf spring but there is a crossmeber there if I stop in front of the cross member there are holes on the top and bottom of the frame and thought it may break the frame if I box it. I could remove the cross member But i will need to put it back some how. Maybe someone out there has an Idea. Let me know.
Unless you are going to work the truck, (haul something heavy) why are you thinking about redesigning something that real engineers have already designed? Boxing part of a frame is not a good choice IMHO. If you are going to work the truck, starting with an S10 frame isn't ideal.
I was just going to make a small pickup not really planing on hauling anything. But it will have a 5.7 vortec with alot more power than it originally had. Maybe I should not touch it.
Just a little secret, all the power in the world won't twist that frame, unless you increase traction, so unless you add weight, traction aids and/or big sticky tires, you'll be alright. I know of many V8 S10s that haven't got boxed frames.
I think the tag on the floor that says STOP might be telling. Ditto on lots of S10s with warmed over V8s installed. Maybe check with that crowd on if their trucks come apart. I think I'd be more concerned with the spring hangers and maybe adding a little extra beef there... Coincidentally, I selected a 2002 Dodge Ram chassis cuz it's boxed front to back, but not because of the rear suspension. I did it cuz of the mid mounted engine and trans.,,
Got some things done dissasemble the doors and the 1 door had a lot of mouse stuffing and what looked like tabacco in it. Also got the hydraulic system working but still have more to do there. Also got more of the engine****embled.
Got the cab back on the frame since the hydraulics are working. Also mounted my master cylinder. And I was up in the atic on my garage and found a Cadillac tilt and telescope steering column. I have no Idea when I got it must have been years ago. I never did find what i was looking for in the atic. My biggest concern is the steering from the column down I may have to use some of those steering transfer boxes. Dose anyone know if all the transfer boxes have the same gear ratio I noticed that they come on several different cars.
Nice!! I may need to follow your lead at some point... My linear actuator that lifts the cab seems less and less happy as I add more and more weight to the cab/sleeper... My steering has a Borgeson in just the right place to tilt, the wheels need to be pointed straight ahead. It also uses two Isuzu Rodeo 90 degree boxes that a forum member was kind enough to suggest to me...
Can I get ujoints from borgeson to fit those steering transfer box or will i have to modify the joints that come with the ones that come with the transfer box? I called borgeson and they said they have no idea what ujoint it would take. Do you know the size of the ujiont spline count and shaft size or are they all different?
Mine are both installed so measurements would be difficult... I think all I needed was the spline count and shaft diameter to get the right joints and if the shaft was completely round or D shaped.....
ok as long as i can get ujoints I will probably buy them. I wanted to try something else first but im waiting on parts. thanks
Still chipping away . I got the center piece for my grill made it was gone when i got the truck. Also removed all the stainless that i have so it can be sent for restoration. I was not able to use the original fuel tank But a popular change is to install a s10 blazer tank in the pickup frame. Also installed the grill fender and lower step so I can start to figure out what type of bracket to make for the step. The steering is proving to be a real challenge.
I got some bad news on my stainless Coe grill bars. I sent them out to be restored and the estimate is 5130.00. I am going to have to make something or find another company to restore them. Anyone have any other ideas?
They are made of stainless. Just like car trim of the 40s and 50s. . 3 of the prices have 1 small hole in each like someone drilled a hole in them. But I really don’t think they are that bad just dents and scratches. In the 80s I had stainless trim restored that was much worse and it was about 50.00 a piece these are not as bad a half the length of those and they want about 250.00 a piece. Look at 1 of the first pictures of the truck in this build and you can see some of them on the truck
I used Simichrome on a 1937 ford stainless grille with great results. Here is a demonstration video restoring a 80 year old stainless swiss army knife blade. Note what is said about the preparation sanding procedure before polishing with Simichrome. Restoring a Swiss Army knife with Simichrome polish - YouTube
I will need to address the same issues eventually, but had not obtained any actual estimates... several of my SS grill bars are dented. I even bought a second complete, but very rusty grill sight unseen with SS bars in hopes I might salvage some of them, but they are all very rough... a quote of thousands will send me looking for a plan B. I wish I had the talent to reproduce them... Only the center bar is reproduced for my 41.
ya the price is to much for me. I have some ideas on makeing others. Wetskier I saw someone selling ford coe hoods with grill bars in them maybe yours are being reproduced. Im working alot of ot right now so not much getting done on the truck . But with prices like that I will have to work till die. I also wanted to tell the people on this forum that there is a truck show coming up in Macungie Pa I think its june 18th and 19th. There is useally 800 trucks there. As for now its still on for this year.
My big Chevy hood emblem is in shipping from the chrome shop right now, he charged me time and material so I will not know the price until I get it, hopefully in a few days.
I did all the stainless pieces on my 41 and they look real nice. I started by straightening out any dings, mine must have been hit by something across all the bars on one side. I used a hammer and block of wood and lots of time, once I got the hang of it it went much faster. After that I hit it with a very fine flat file to get the high spots and adjusted as needed. Then I went with progressively finer sand paper until I finally got to my polishing wheel and got it back to a mirror finish with 3 grades of polishing. On my hood stainless the piece that has Chevrolet embossed on it is cracked and I am having a professional welder friend weld it up time will tell on that one. Dave
for the uninitiated, could you expand on how you did this? Block of wood on both sides and hit one side with a hammer?
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