COE What chassis are you using under your COE's

All, thanks for the help!! Joyflea, I may hit you up with more questions, since we basically have the same COE. Any chance you have more build pics of your 42 that you could share?

 

AkBillyBow , will try to post some more this weekend on my album . Was holding off to try to do a build sits .

 

Sounds good. Just a couple to wet my chops would be fine!! Looking forward to seeing your build site when it is completed. I am not working on my COE yet, as I have to complete my 56 Dodge 1/2 ton project first. I just figure if I can get a direction figured out and know what parts to look for I can keep my eyes open.

Thanks...AkBillyBow

 

I mounted my 46 chev coe on a 1979 c30 chev dually its is being set up as a car transporter for my hot rod

 

Ist post in this group! Many of you know me from posts in the COE picture thread.
My frame started out as a bare frame from a Continental Fire truck that was based on a 1980 IH truck ch***is. After salvaging the firetruck, I realized that if I cut some off both ends of the frame, I would have the length that I wanted with the original engine and radiator mounted in their original mounts in the correct location. I ended up with 19 ft of frame, which is just right for my cab, sleeper and a 10 ft box/deck/whatever. I felt 10 ft is just about right to keep good proportions and wheelbase
I used the axle/front suspension from a 97 Dodge 1 ton dually and fabbed mounting plates that bolt to my frame, steering box is from the IH set up to cross steer the Dodge axle. I had to fab a new mount for the steering box and a new pitman arm.
I have tandem rear axles. The front one is not powered and mounted similar to chevy truck arm suspension except mine are mounted to the axle with rubber bushings to take up the twisting of the truck arms. this axle is also set up to lift with air pressure AKA liftable pusher axle.
The rear rear axle is a Dana 80 mounted with a triangulated 3 link. I fabbed a 3 link because I wanted the high roll center that it provides. I plan to pull a large 5th wheel trailer and the high roll center will reduce roll imparted by the trailer. All 3 axles are on airbags.
To get the ride height I wanted I had to C notch the frame 4" at each rear axle, and sectioned the front 4ft of the frame a corresponding 4".
The frame is probably overkill, but I wanted the simplicity of straight rails and because of the length I wanted, pick-up stuff would have been to short.
My truck will have a 150" wheelbase measured to the middle of the tandems.

Edit; OK how do I post pictures here

 

Now that I have my 56 coe body in all of its rusty glory, I'm aimed at figuring out the rest. I've previously planned on a late model E-450 or even a -550 which I think comes with a solid front axle. A buddy broke down a couple days ago and we chatted up the roll back driver as he was loading up. He liked his F-650 but felt it was not as stout as his prior international when toting heavy loads. I'm guessing his 650 with the loboy style wheels was power stroke powered, maybe cat?, but his intl was probably dt466e? My end goal is a crew cab coe to pull a 50s styled toy box to tote a crew cab F-100 over the axles but with a modest rev cabin in the front end of the trailer. I also think a motor mounted behind the cab would be helpful for physical logistics of fitting it in, not to mention being able to ditch the dog house, and issues of heat and noise. Question is, has anyone built their coe as a true workhorse on the heavier end of medium duty? If so, I'd really like to hear about it. Otherwise, I hope to be able to share what I learn by Braille. Originally had my heart set on a 56 ***le but without the original frame and the legal platform what it is now, I think a "rebodied" late model intl 4700 sub26k gvwr is going to be the best bet for interstate legality on the road, when I get there (decades from now?)

 

My 47 Cevy COE is going on a Chevy P30 motorhome suspension. 454 behind the cab.

 

Vintage56, does it really matter what the paper says? I understand wanting it ***led as a '56 but it's just a piece of paper and should have NOTHING to do with the direction of your build or the value of it when finished.

I'd like my ***le to say '54 on my COE, but I don't care what the state or insurance company calls it, rebodied or original, in my mind it's just going to be my '54 ramp truck.

Can't help you on the "heavy side of medium duty" as mine will be on a 1 ton ch***is. The rear suspension will be reworked to carry more than 2000 lbs though!

 

Vintage56, see if you can find Wayne Trent's build on photobucket. His truck can handle a load. The only time I've actually seen it he was a few hundred miles from home with a "Wide Load" sign on the front and a darned big boat pushing him. There's also a video of it at 125mph!

 

My '47 Chevy COE is going on a '03 1500 Silverado Ext cab.
Rob

 

CG, this guy? http://www.midfl-aths.org/MemberHome.aspx?m=57

 

daddio, that's the one. That setup means business.

 

I can't find the build thread on his truck. I remember that it was at least part fire truck, a big ***mins, and I think a Dana rear with Allison and (2)? Overdrives.

 

I don't know the truck, but in the pictures I see an 8.3 below the ***mins emblem. I'd say he's close to 20 thousand behind him. I hope to be able to run like that also.

 

No, daddio, you're right that paperwork doesn't affect grin factor
It's just one of those things that tends to nag a perfectionist like I tend to be.
I'm getting better at a get it done mentality.
I think I remember seeing that build thread ages ago...?

 

Hey vintage56,
Here's some more pictures and info about my new Ford stripped motorhome ch***is. This is what it looks like when it gets delivered. You can sit on the crate that forms a temporary seat, turn the key and drive her anywhere (as long as you don't need lights, registration, etc.)




That temporary crate seat houses several things like the instrument cluster, manuals, headlight switches, electrical harnesses to finish out the vehicle, etc.

It comes with Ford's 3Valve V10 and the 5-speed 5R110 AOD trans. The ch***is is rated for 22,000 GVW. If all goes as planned, I will bag the whole thing so I can better adjust the ride as the load changes.

She's a long baby (don't remember the dimensions right now), plenty long enough to have a 4-door cab and a 20 ft, bed. And since the frame rails are perfectly straight and parallel, shortening her would be relatively easy.


I have two of these; this one is a 2011 and the other is a 2007. They are the same except the 2007 has 19.5 painted wheels and the 2011 has the polished Alcoa 22.5 wheels. Now I just need to locate that perfect COE body that's looking for a brand new ch***is, on which, to start life all over again!

 

I just remembered... Here's a picture of the steering set-up. It would be fairly easy to change the angle of the steering box if necessary. Since it is mounted with a plate between it and the frame, you could rotate it by making a different adapter plate, as long as you kept the pitman arm's rotating point in the same place. This would even work if you decided to mount a conventional cab, since COEs are so hard to come across.

 

Looks like a nice start. Will that motor leave any leg room ? My powerstroke has to be mid mount. It's way wider than the stock doghouse

 

I got a real dumb question! How does one just happen to have a couple of these laying around waiting for something to do?

 

Wow you skipped a whole lot of dirty with those things! Nice!

 

derrick1032 posted, "Looks like a nice start. Will that motor leave any leg room ? My powerstroke has to be mid mount. It's way wider than the stock doghouse."
Either the cab will have to be mounted high or set back with the steering pod relocated. I will also consider mid-mounting the engine, depending on what cab I can locate.

Wolfcreek-Steve posted, "I got a real dumb question! How does one just happen to have a couple of these laying around waiting for something to do?"
Being at the right place at the right time, lots of searching and the "bay".

LUXLX posted, "Wow you skipped a whole lot of dirty with those things! Nice!"
Agreed!

 

Nice start ! Looks so clean I thought it was a new frame right out of the factory

 

What a great site!! Fantastic projects in the works. I wish I had found this before I started a thread in the general forum. I'm working on a 48 Dodge COE twhich is "sitting soft" on a 77 Dodge Cl*** A (M500) motorhome ch***is, 31 ft long, 440/727 combination, 19.5 in wheels; I'll see if I can stick in a couple of photos, is there any way to move my current thread to this category?

 

I want to keep my 48 ford F6 coe registered as an 48 F6 so living in the Netherland you may only change 1/3 of the truck.
1/3 is the body, 1/3 is the ch***is and 1/3 is the driveline.

I will change the driveline so I keep the original ch***is and going to put a chevy G30 frontend and a Chevy C30 dually rear axle under the truck. Together with a 460 ford bb and I think, but not yet sure, a chevy 4l80 overdrive.

Think this will be a nice combo.

 

2003 Chevy 1/2 Ton, R&P steering, moved engine to mid mount, stock rear drive shaft, stock fuel system, stock exhaust from the muffler back, stock spare tire location, steering hook-up looks to be easy.






Rob

 

Fastoys, that looks great.
I'm quickly concluding that I will be mid mounting a motor.
But I want a 5th wheel / plate back there too.
I'm afraid that even spotting the motor 1/2 under the back of the cab, it's still going to longer than I'd prefer. Hope to keep the bed and wheelbase as short as possible.
Form follows function though!

 

Mine will be the stock wheelbase of an '03 Silverado extended cab. I could shorten it by maybe 2 feet, this would give me a 8' bed but would require a lot of welding, running new brake lines, a new gas tank and some custom exhaust work. I think if I would have started with a regular cab the gas tank would have been an issue also. I am also looking at hauling a 5th wheel in the future but will need to keep it on the smaller side.

 

1994 Dodge 2500 ch***is streched 32 inches... Can't upload photo on my tablet.

 

Can anyone confirm if a ~1990 Ford F350 would work as a donor ch***is for a 1938 Ford COE cab? Seems the width of the cab would be too narrow but I have not been able to measure an F350. Already have the '38 Ford COE and want to build a car hauler. Any and all help is appreciated!