Econoline Axle or Something else ? What did I buy ?

I bought this chassis today kinda sight unseen (poor picture quality) and the work is horrible on it. I'm just trying to figure out what I have so I can plan my next move of parting it out or trying to use some of the stuff.
The engine code came back as a 283 with C458 on the back side pass. of the block and it was hooked to a cast iron glide.


the front axle has small ford pattern and has 13 inch steel wheels with sears bias plys




The rear is chevy pattern 4 3/4 and would think it's a tri-5 maybe



the steering box I'm not sure about

 

All that thing needs is a seat.

 

OMG You're right about the work on it.

 

just put a body on it and it could be an OSR cover car

 

Well it does look like an Econoline Axle. Save that, the 283 and what looks like an early Hurst front mount and sell the rest for scrap before someone gets killed trying to make a driver out of it

 

Yea it's an econoline axle.
I suddenly feel very good about my fabricating skill's.

 

The Sears bias ply's may be the good part.

 

Sweet Rat rod, Phil! I saw that too. I was gonna look at it today, but he called yesterday and said it was sold. I didn't know you bought it though! After looking at better pics, I'm kinda glad I didn't look at it though... Does the engine turn over?

 

I especially like the way he mounted the the rear hairpins... now that is engineering! Stout, effective, classy! Did this frame originally mount under a small bus?..... Cause that would make sense! Who gave that downy a welder!

 

You should have beat me on that phone call...lol The guy in the club with the 34 coupe wants to use it as yard art. I told him it'd make a great conversation piece, you could look at it for an hour and just point out stuff and laugh and wonder why. The scarry thing is this thing was on the road at one time, it had a wooden firewall all wired up and even had a drive shaft.

check out the rear shock mounts, smashed pipe with and extra bolt thrown in to take up the space for the weld



it did have a S/W temp guage and this cool electric fuel pump

 

Wow all that needs is 24 inch billet wheels and a boombox

 

Much as we all may hate to believe it, THAT is a truely traditional hot rod. I especially love the way the rear radius rods are wrapped around the axle for more weld strength.

Not a magazine car, but it's traditional. They just don't build them like that any more.

 

They didn't build 'em like that back then either...

 

I'd pull a lot of stuff off there. Spindles, springs, hurst mount, steering box, steering wheel, the 4 rims, rear end, front spindles, all drums & backing plates, motor might be a builder.

The frame tubing looks like just that, rect. tube and not a boxed frame, ......I just bought a 20 ft stick of 2x4 1/4" wall thickness and that tube ran right at $100-. That is 2x4 & not 1-1/2 x 3. So with that in mind, I'd consider keeping the tubing also depending how it looks in person & if you can cut it apart cleanly.

Carl Hagan

 

From the looks of the engine, it's a '58 283. If it's got "770" heads that aren't destroyed by the weather, pull them off.

 

That's craftsmanship that we all can appreciate.

 

When I layed the tape to it it was 1 1/2" X 3", I was thinking of useng the tubeing to build the bottom of my truck bed out of. It would be over kill on that just to hold the bed to the frame but since I got it. I do have an offer to trade the rolling chassis for a model A frame though which is in decent shape, might go that route.

 

It's a pre-65 Econoline axle if you want to get particular. I'll definately take it off your hands if you don't want it, I could always use a spare.

 

Well, the front's a little better than the rear, suspensionwise. Tear it down and redo the redneck construction. Rebuild it as a HAMB rail with a flathead or 6 banger. That's what I'd do. Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

nice....

 

Dude, screw this thing, get the A frame! haha. Cool (?) find and worth the price of admission just for the laffs.

 

wow, just wow, that guy did some hack work on that! im 16 and i weld better than that! that frame would flex like a mother fucker too. but for some odd reason it makes me want to go buy some tubing and make a frame and build a rod from the ground up.

 

How are the welds on the rails themselves? If I had that I'd take it apart and take a torch or a grinder to all the mounts so you couldn't put it back together that way again.

 

Wow phil, thats an impressive find!

Wheres the duct tape and bailing wire?

 

I still think you should have beat me to the phone on that one..lol
I wast just out in the garage putting those new rockers on the T and was looking at that thing some more. The guy wrapped threaded rod around the rear frame crossmember and used those to hold the spring on...lol You guys should see the brake pedal and shifter, I think he was a pipe fitter with all the pipe he used.

 

what are you doing with the motor?

I need the heads, or whole block...

 

So: You say you "bought" this huh?

 

Yeah, barely!

 

now that is a true suicide mount

 

how about the cast iron glide ?...lol
I probably will be parting this out