yamaha
UltraDork
5/1/13 10:32 a.m.
Well, I went off the deep end and now have 6 vehicles again.....I happened across this '63 in town where it had been sitting for sale for nearly a year. Turned out I knew the guy selling it, so after a quick phone call, some voodoo magic with money, and so on....I ended up with it. Runs/drives great, BG I-6/4sp/2sp rear all work, manual brakes and steering is something that makes me laugh, and it bounces like the dickens due to being at least a 2-3 ton capacity truck. It topped out at approximately 50mph though(carb issues) Oddly enough, the hydrolic hoist for the bed still works after all these years.
Anyways, on to the pictures.
My plans, cab off restoration(most likely more of a "restomod"), try to get a taller 2 speed rear gearset, retrofit power/air brakes, new glass, and possibly repower it with some type of semi/industrial diesel(like a 6-71T or something)
Unless you have some real work that has to be done with the truck for it to earn it's keep, leave the motor and just go about life a bit slower. Really cool truck.
tuna55
PowerDork
5/1/13 11:09 a.m.
mazdeuce wrote:
Unless you have some real work that has to be done with the truck for it to earn it's keep, leave the motor and just go about life a bit slower. Really cool truck.
I agree. A righteous find - keep it that way! Is there any rust?
yamaha
UltraDork
5/1/13 11:15 a.m.
In reply to tuna55:
Floors are rusty(like every other IH), and someone did a good job of overlaying patches i'll use to actually fix them.
In reply to mazdeuce:
The problem is, this will end up used around the farm and towing stuff, heck, if I can make it get mid-teens for milage I'd prolly tow with it to FL at some point....
Oh, and it is deceiving in the pictures as to size.....the rear of the flatbed is around my chest(I'm 5'9") and it is pretty high.
yamaha
UltraDork
5/1/13 12:23 p.m.
Also, I am open to other ideas for engine swaps......the first person to say LSX will probably get kicked in the nuts though.
tuna55
PowerDork
5/1/13 12:30 p.m.
yamaha wrote:
Also, I am open to other ideas for engine swaps......the first person to say LSX will probably get kicked in the nuts though.
Seriously, leave it in there. There's nothing even remotely 'correct' about any swap in that. At least with a LSX swap in a chevy truck there's some sort of lineage. I suppose you could get some IH diesel.
According to wikipedia, the Powerstroke is made from a company loosely related with the same name - that could work.
Mid teens on gas...that's fantasy with that truck.
Split rears are nice. But the truck will still top out around 50 mph. You think it's handling is funny now, try it at something like 70 mph.
They are a good farm truck. Always were. They were not ever an interstate hauler or daily commuter.
Enjoy the heck out of it for what it is, don't waste time and money attempting to make it be what it really can't be.
yamaha
UltraDork
5/1/13 12:46 p.m.
tuna55 wrote:
Seriously, leave it in there. There's nothing even remotely 'correct' about any swap in that. At least with a LSX swap in a chevy truck there's some sort of lineage. I suppose you could get some IH diesel.
According to wikipedia, the Powerstroke is made from a company loosely related with the same name - that could work.
FWIW, the 7.3L powerstroke is directly descended from an IHC gasoline 7.3L v8. I question if it could fit between the inner fenders though(same problem nixing the 8v71, 3208 cat, and so on)
foxtrapper wrote:
Enjoy the heck out of it for what it is, don't waste time and money attempting to make it be what it really can't be.
Hey now, thats not the GRM spirit.....
yamaha wrote:
foxtrapper wrote:
Enjoy the heck out of it for what it is, don't waste time and money attempting to make it be what it really can't be.
Hey now, thats not the GRM spirit.....
True, dat. It's the Jealousy speaking.
yamaha
UltraDork
5/1/13 1:11 p.m.
In reply to foxtrapper:
if it makes you feel any better, you're welcome to come take the rather upset hornets. I'll even let those go for free.
Actually, I am planning on an LSx swap into my own IH CO-1600 truck, purely based on fuel economy. In my case, though, I'll also probably swap out axles for motorhome ones for the disc brakes and taller gears.
I am going to keep the old IH stuff, though, and probably toss it in my '40 IH truck instead of the random '50s GM drivetrain in there now, so the karma should even out, right?
6.5LTD That's the solution.
Nice truck just the way it is. I'd fix the floor and the mechanical stuff, maybe put a better gear in it and leave it alone. Although I have a soft spot for the sound of a 2 stroke Detroit, so I can't put up too much opposition there.
yamaha
UltraDork
5/1/13 1:34 p.m.
In reply to oldopelguy:
I am dead set on keeping the 5 on 8 pattern IH wheels, so replacing the axles outright isn't in the cards for me.
In reply to Bobzilla: Ummm, yeah......berkeley no
In reply to bravenrace:
I'm using this to get my fix of modifying things to keep from tearing into the e21, plus in traditional IH fashion, the BG leaks oil from every oriface. I think I'd rather swap it than rebuild it. I have the space to keep all the original parts off of it indoors though.
My FIL has a '48 Chevy one ton that he plays with. In a lot of ways it's like your truck. It's quite well balanced the way it is. More power needs more brakes needs more.......... it's s slippery slope. He's learned to just live in a world of slightly lower speeds and slightly longer stopping distances and find his happy place. My gut feeling is that making that comfortable and safe at modern highway speeds would require swapping out most all of the moving parts. Maybe I'm wrong. I'd actually enjoy watching you prove me wrong in a build thread.
yamaha
UltraDork
5/1/13 1:43 p.m.
In reply to mazdeuce:
If power can be added to these drums, that would possibly do quite well. The only reason I consider a detroit or other OTR truck engine is the Jake brake option as a backup.
And yes Braven, I know about the driptroits stigma all too well.
tuna55
PowerDork
5/1/13 1:46 p.m.
6-71 Detroit Diesel, just to clarify. BTW, that's where the name of the blower came from in case you didn't already know...but I think maybe you did.
yamaha
UltraDork
5/1/13 1:58 p.m.
That is a 6-71 IMHO.....berkeley the superchargers carrying the same name.
on that note, anyone know what the 4-71T made torque wise? I found a 160-180hp rating for them.
Leave that motor alone, it's great farm truck and looks right at home on the farm!
yamaha
UltraDork
5/1/13 2:53 p.m.
In reply to crankwalk:
I want it to be even more capable, and yes it is at home here. I'll probably have it out using it in the next week or so with planting season. Might as well find out what happens when you put 2000lbs of seed corn on it.......
yamaha wrote:
That is a 6-71 IMHO.....berkeley the superchargers carrying the same name.
on that note, anyone know what the 4-71T made torque wise? I found a 160-180hp rating for them.
Here they have the torque around 400 for the 4-71, no listing for 4-71T though.
http://www.barringtondieselclub.co.za/471DetroitDiesel.html
The thing about two speed rear axles is the gear ratios are typically low and real low...finding one with ratios that allow freeway speeds will be difficult. It may be easier to find an overdrive transmission. Very cool truck, though - I like it as is.