COE 1941 Ford COE build

What sort of weight will that 'vette suspension handle ??? I can't see it holding up under a car hauler!

 

I'm not using the Vette suspension, just the drivetrain. The Corvette LS1 will be mounted midship in an F-150 or K1500 frame with stock pickup truck axles.

The final product will be a pickup truck, not a car hauler so my suspension requirements are 1/2 or 3/4 ton truck.

 

FINALLY going to make some progress... Vacation is over and other people's projects have left the garage. This weekend I travel to PA to pick up a Dodge 1500 rolling frame and a Peterbilt sleeper for the COE.

I will start with fitment of the LS1 engine, 4L60E trans and TCase versus the axles, cab and sleeper... Pics will be forthcoming.

Then I'll look at the replacement panels I'll need for the COE cab and order those up.

Rick

 

Frame and sleeper for COE project come home.

 

It finally dawned on me that the engine may need to go further back than I originally thought... I was thinking "under the sleeper" but that's not exactly true. If I want the bump in the floor just under the seating in the sleeper, it's gotta go under only the rear half or so of the sleeper. Gee, how little weight can I have on the front tires and still have it drive?

Torsion bars on the Dodge ch***is may be a challenge also...

 

the fwd will be worthless too u will also have a 7 foot front shaft

 

I figured on a very long, possibly 2 piece front driveshaft, but didn't think it too much of an issue. The stock rear DS is about the length the front will be in the new configuration. Prolly need to be as hefty also.

what are you thinking?

thanks

 

it will be the length of the rear pluse the length of the motor and trans so 4 feet longer mount it low under the cab unless ur gonna off road with it u dont need huge travel up front

 

I may need to do this... It seems I may have "miscalculated" a bit. For 6 months I've been saying "mount the engine under the sleeper" and that would have given me about a 2 foot rear DS. However, now that I'm actually placing pieces next to each other, it dawned on me that "under the sleeper" isn't exactly right. I would only want the floor bump up under the seat in the sleeper, not under the whole thing. You probably see where I'm going here.... That 16-24 inches that would have been the rear DS, gone... opps...

Your suggestion is the first thing I'll look at to see if I can swing that. otherwise I'll have to look at mounting the engine in the stock COE position. I wasn't keen on that as I wanted more than the very small floor space for the driver and p***enger.

Another option is a longer wheelbase, but I'm already at 144 and for a daily driver don't really want to go longer.

Any other options, guys??

 

I know you want 4X4 but have you thought of how much more weight you'll have over the rear with a mid engine configuration? Also you could stretch your Mopar frame or buy one from a crew cab. The crew cab would give you in the neighborhood of 20 more inches for driveshaft lenght

 

cool build how. short is the bed going to be with the sleeper? Did you consider a chevy dually frame? It might give you the space you need and be more proportional. Great idea with the sleeper, I think it will be cool either way.

 

Turn the engine around , v-drive into the transfer case ... ?

With the added benifit of your accessories hanging out the back of your sleeper .

 

I love the VDrive idea!

The current 144" WB gives me a 8.5' bed. My first choice is some sort of pickup bed so I think that would be proportional.

2wd would fix it as that 20" transfer case would be eliminated and could be the rear DS area. I just would really kick myself the first time I get stuck on a boat ramp. I have to admit the idea of more weight on the rear tires as a mid engine is a vey interesting point.

My 144" WB frame is a crew cab, short bed. The same crew cab in long bed is about 160" WB. yeah, that would work, but it's a real long truck.

First I'll try fitting the COE cab and sleeper and see if I can tolerate a raised sleeper floor and a low hung engine... I promise to take pics.

Keep those great ideas coming!

thanks!

 

Use a big block Toronado engine/trans. up front. Front wheel drive! That leaves you with all the room in the world for ramps in the back.

Our club car hauler will be set up that way some day.

 

The GMC Palm beach motorhome had this set up with the Toronado.

No rear axles. Easy to bag for lowering the ramps down.



Bagged stock!

 

Good idea!

 

I think this setup would absolutely require a big blower and scoop also.

 

If you put that COE cab on that motorhome ch***is the motor would be hanging out the front. On the original the engine is still behind the front axle

 

With the Sleeper

 

Sleeper out 6 inches beyond cab

 

Sleeper even with side of cab

 

Well you could always narrow it a bit. Six inches on either side would seem to fit pretty well. If the sleeper is even with the outside of the fenders then it looks pretty smooth.

 

I think the pic with 6" looks pretty right.

 

Yup, the plan is to narrow the sleeper. The question is how much...

In person, I lean towards the "even with the cab" version as it seems to accent the COEs lines more since they aren't interrupted by the sleeper when looking down the side.

However, now that I can see the pics side by side, I'm leaning back towards the 6" version. In that setup the sleeper is in line with the fenders and running boards.

The 6" version also gives me a full 6 foot+ sleeper interior.

 

It seems one thing that does appeal to me on the 6" version is that it sticks out the side about the same it sticks out the top. However, the top is going to drop by 3-4" cuz of the way I had it blocked up on the frame.... hmmmm....

 

cool project

 

I agree, on the side shot, I thought the sleeper looked to tall to the cab.
In the front 6" pic it looks really right, because the same distance top and side.
The sleeper bottom also looks to line up with the bottom of the cab quite nicely.
Wouldn't leaving it at that height also give you a bit more engine/trans room under the sleeper? I know you had concerns with that.

 

6" side shot looks fine. But the bottom of the sleeper is to high compared to the cab when the steps are put on. unless you plan on a valance under the sleeper. Is that the figured ride height?

 

I would attempt to replicate the cab lines on the sleeper as best I can. I would add a valance and hopefully that 2-3" little "body line" (not sure what its called) that runs below the door.

I have the feeling that I'll be pushing him back out to get an eyeball with the sleeper lowered a bit and the 6" side shot.

As for ride height... I think that's about it. I had thought about lowering the cab a bit more to match the space above the tires (5") to the space for and aft of the tires (~3"), then it dawned on me that while I did have an engine in it, I have nothing up front. No interior, gl***, HVAC, nothing... I figure everything that ends up IN it has to be at least 1000 lbs.. That'll probably take care of the spacing difference..

 

This photoshop may help a bit. I didn't change the dimensions of the sleeper and it looks like it'll line up real nice with the lower lip of the fender and top of the cab.