Hi all: I finely found the 1939 Chevy COE truck I have been wanting, for a few years now? It is a 108 wheel base tow truck, a good solid steel cab & box. But I want to up grade every thing. In other words, I want to set this sheet metal on a newer frame & running gear. I've never done this before & I am hoping for ideas on the best economical running gear that will work best in this application??? It must sit very low & be a HighWay driver, possibly air ride? But it must be a good gas user... I'm a low buck car nut & I'm sure there are some good ideas out there...My name is Darrell
Lots of COE experience here Darrell... Let me give this some thought and I will put my 2 cents worth in tonight.
Hi Metaltwister; Here's what I was told by a builder down in LA, he advised an Isuzu COE from the late 1990s or newer. He said that the 1939 cab will fit real good with little re-fab on the floor. That sounded exciting, & with the newer diesel motor with an automatic I will get good fuel millage. Having the heavy 1.1/2 or 2 ton frame/suspension would give me more options what I really want to use the truck for when it's on the road? Those trucks get up to 20 miles to gallon also??? But if I can't get the cab low to the ground, than that won't work. I didn't ask if that was possible with that frame/running gear. What do you think??? Darrell
Mine is a 40 ford COE. To be honest Im not sure how close to interior room they are to each other? I was looking at an izusu motor the other day and it looks rather large? Maybe half in the cab and half in the bed or something along those lines? This might be a good place to ask some size questions http://www.4btswaps.com/forum/index.php
Hey Darrell, Thanks for the props on my 38 GMC. Here are some pics of my 1939 Chevy COE sitting in my back yard as "yard art" it's too far gone to build, super rusty. I love it just as is! Good Luck with yours. See Ya! Randy
Randy, that is what I call A cl***y peace of yard art. The grill looks better than what I have & I like were your head lights are mounted. I see that you have collected a few pieces of yard art. I spotted the artillary wheel right away. Also what looks like a 1939/40 long nose Chevy truck front end mixed in with your cactus bed. Way cool pieces of art... Darrell
Metaltwister: Thanks for the web site, I just took a quick look at the site & I will go back to it later to register & log in to post some questions. The 39 COE's are quite small inside so I will need more room inside to be comfortable. So I am pondering taking the back wall out & adding a small semi truck sleeper behind the cab & making it a Una-body? I have a prosthetic leg that needs more room. I also want it to be a tilt cab for easy maintenance on the motor & such... I am still gathering info & ideas on the coe. I also have a 1939 Chevy two door sedan that I am just now getting back on the road. I pulled the front end off four years ago to swap the 216 motor for a 261 blue flame I built. But one thing let to another, so than I decided to have the straight axle dropped 4"s & go through the rest of the drive train. I kinda drug my feet, having a 51 Chevy to drive. So I sold the 1951 last month just so I would get back into my 39s. The pressure in on now, I got to have an Oldschool Chevy to drive... Oldschool... Darrell
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