Above 1200 Sq/FT The Salvage Garage
- Thread starter Strouty
- Start date
Wokspaces above 1200 squarefeet.
Now I have to take a harder look at the cement truck and the front axle and transfer case. Might need to get it running again and play around with it to see how well it steer.
My original plan had been to use the axle tech ones from the military, but the gear ratio really messes up the works, it would mean using a 46” tall tire on the front, the best I could do is 70 MPH and that isn’t cool, I want to be able to cruise at 70, not be on the governor the entire time.
My original plan had been to use the axle tech ones from the military, but the gear ratio really messes up the works, it would mean using a 46” tall tire on the front, the best I could do is 70 MPH and that isn’t cool, I want to be able to cruise at 70, not be on the governor the entire time.
xtremek
Well-known member
Wouldn't be that fun to park at home depot though. I am betting there would be lots of people asking questions about it.
For a few years I drove a '56 F-500 as a DD.
I had no problems finding in a packed parking lot. Boy was that fun.1Garageman
Well-known member
That would be a really nice new toy to have.
I spoke with the owner of a company that makes reproductions of the stickers I need, he said no problem, will most likely be under $100. I can have it scaled to any size and he can add or change anything that I need to. Of course this is to replace the illegible one currently on the truck.
Squashfest81
Well-known member
That’s a ridiculous win! Choose you parts combination and get going!
This is going to take a while to get situated and understand what parts will work. I have been collecting VIN tags from 1995 to 1997 heavy duty Freightliner trucks so I can see what tire and wheel combinations were used. In order to make the truck all wheel drive I am going to build an entirely new frame, this way I won’t have to tear apart Perk until I am really close.
mybigwarwagon
Well-known member
I saw a commercial where a fish was driving g a Camaro.
Tomorrow I should be able to finally see inside the white burb’s engine. I take for sure was bad and it looks like the front lifters are toast, I am going to see what things look like. The lifters are the standard hydraulic roller lifters used in just about every engine, being roller, the cam may not be all torn up. If the cam is junk, I am going to pull the engine and then decide what I am doing. If the cam looks ok, I am going to replace the lifters that are damaged and run with it, fingers and toes crossed.
xtremek
Well-known member
I've got my fingers crossed for you.
mybigwarwagon
Well-known member
I would think that would be better than a knuckle boom.
We will see tomorrow, at this point I don’t want to spend a ton of money on the engine because I don’t know enough about it, everything is a guess until you tear it apart and see what it looks like. If I have to pull the motor, I am probably swapping to a diesel and this will be my test truck for the future projects.
racer-john
Well-known member
Tough luck Strouty.
I am not sure that is the bright side. It just means another project. Of course I do want to do this one, but I am not prepared to do it right now. Now the truck doesn’t run, before I could at least drive the thing.
I really was confident that it would be fixable, but no go. Technically it is fixable, but I don’t want to put that much money into it and end up with the gas engine. Not even sure if that makes sense, maybe it is an excuse? To fix the motor or replace the motor would be about $2500 either way. Swapping the diesel will take some serious effort, but should be minimal money. I also want to do it, so that makes things better in my head.
I really was confident that it would be fixable, but no go. Technically it is fixable, but I don’t want to put that much money into it and end up with the gas engine. Not even sure if that makes sense, maybe it is an excuse? To fix the motor or replace the motor would be about $2500 either way. Swapping the diesel will take some serious effort, but should be minimal money. I also want to do it, so that makes things better in my head.
XJSuperman
Well-known member
6.5L crate engines are relatively cheap and easy to do. Cummins is better but that comes at a cost (both cash and labor).
I have a couple good 6.5 engines, so no cost there. My plans just seem too rushed, like I said, I was convinced that the 454 would be salvageable for little cost. Once you jump into a couple grand, you need to commit to that, not sure I want to. I don’t want another situation where I have a suburban on the lift all winter, plugging up the shop. I should take it to the SG and do the work there, more space and if it takes all winter, no big deal. I am not making a snap decision on this one.
jakemac
Well-known member
Hand all the parts to your mechanic to get it done.
Then concentrate on your other projects while someone else does the work on this one. It may cost more, but you save in the end with the time you can spend on ongoing projects.
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Then concentrate on your other projects while someone else does the work on this one. It may cost more, but you save in the end with the time you can spend on ongoing projects.
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I'm with jakemac on this one. You seem to have a good relationship with your mechanic. Take your stuff to him and have him fix it. Then you can work on projects that will make you money and you won't have to stress about this one.
XJSuperman
Well-known member
These guys hit the nail on the head. Take a 6.5 down to the mechanic and let one come back in driving condition for once. The white burb was supposed to be a driver anyways, remember?
Even though I may have a good relationship with the guy, no way would I have him do a swap to a diesel. That would be way too expensive. If I was changing the same engine, then it would be a different story. Even then, I would probably just do it myself, an engine swap is far less work, but will still cost more than I would like to spend. I had figured $1500 was what I wanted to spend, just to find out things weren't so good cost my a bit over $300. I probably need to just swap the 454 with a 454 and be done with it, even though I hate the idea of it.
quattro_sinko
Well-known member
Even though I may have a good relationship with the guy, no way would I have him do a swap to a diesel. That would be way too expensive. If I was changing the same engine, then it would be a different story. Even then, I would probably just do it myself, an engine swap is far less work, but will still cost more than I would like to spend. I had figured $1500 was what I wanted to spend, just to find out things weren't so good cost my a bit over $300. I probably need to just swap the 454 with a 454 and be done with it, even though I hate the idea of it.
How much would the mechanic charge to put a different 454 in? I gotta think you could pick up a running 454 for less than a grand. They're probably out there in the $5-$600 range if you're quick. They all burn a quart of oil every 1K miles anyways.
xtremek
Well-known member
I would think you could get a reman from one of the chain auto parts stores for about $2500. O'Reilly's offers a 3 year warranty, unlimited miles.
Having owned your style suburban with both the 454 and the 6.5 as new vehicles, I’d never even consider that diesel. It was the most unreliable engine I’ve ever experienced. It’s a shame because a suburban is a great vehicle, but GM diesels are junk.
santagary
Well-known member
Mustie 1 on youtube uses inexpensive chainsaw bar oil and then drives on a dusty road and has a lot a lot of video about all of that on his pages.
jack stand
Well-known member
Strouty how much complication is added to this project by the fact that it's a gas chassis? Transmission, computer, fuel system, electrical?
I agree, that's not the kind of stuff you want to pay a mechanic for.
I agree, that's not the kind of stuff you want to pay a mechanic for.
Opinions of the 6.5 diesel vary.
As far as the logistics, the chassis is identical, gear ratio is 3.73 and should be fine as well. The computer and wiring needs to be swapped, but it appears that it only needs to be swapped external of the cab. The transmission is identical, except the diesels uses a separate TCM where the gas trucks have it integrated. The things that may be tougher problems are the AC lines are different, fuel lines may be different, fuel tank and sending unit are different, the dash cluster may be tough to make it “correct” but I think even those things will be fairly reasonable.
On older models or ones that had a 350 engine you would need to swap the torque converter and the brake booster.
The steering column may need to be worked on as well, something keys the column to the computer, I suspect it is some sort of resistance check, but I don’t know yet.
As far as the logistics, the chassis is identical, gear ratio is 3.73 and should be fine as well. The computer and wiring needs to be swapped, but it appears that it only needs to be swapped external of the cab. The transmission is identical, except the diesels uses a separate TCM where the gas trucks have it integrated. The things that may be tougher problems are the AC lines are different, fuel lines may be different, fuel tank and sending unit are different, the dash cluster may be tough to make it “correct” but I think even those things will be fairly reasonable.
On older models or ones that had a 350 engine you would need to swap the torque converter and the brake booster.
The steering column may need to be worked on as well, something keys the column to the computer, I suspect it is some sort of resistance check, but I don’t know yet.
May have found the perfect running gear, well most of it.
Seller says it has high gears, it does 70 on the highway with a direct drive transmission. Seller wants too much, but looks like it would still be my best option, especially if the gear ratio is confirmed to be as high as I hope.
Seller says it has high gears, it does 70 on the highway with a direct drive transmission. Seller wants too much, but looks like it would still be my best option, especially if the gear ratio is confirmed to be as high as I hope.
Two Door
Well-known member
I'm having a hard time imagining how a truck purpose-built to run around an airport would actually have high gears....
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jakemac
Well-known member
Nah, I’m not feeling it.
It doesn’t have a Lift on it ..............
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It doesn’t have a Lift on it ..............
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I wouldn’t be using the cab or anything, just parts. Pretty much front axle, transfer case, and a few other tidbits. I am going to be looking for just the proper front axle and a transfer case to compare pricing. I also need to confirm the gear ratio from the cement truck and what the weight rating is.
harley jim
Well-known member
I was in Monroe wisconsin at the Monroe truck equipment facility back in the 80s they were building an Oshkosh like that, the blade was about 25' wide and it had a tank on the back. I think they said it was going to O'Hare airport in Chicago. They had to be able to run around 80 mph to make a pass in between take offs and landings.
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Sent from my SM-A102U using The Garage Journal mobile app
You have a field of parts and I havent seen you complete one project all of the way. I enjoy all of your exploits and adventures, I just pull my hair out when you have these huge plans of building something and then it gets parked and talked about until you find more stuff to buy. Im not hating, just my ocd wont let me start a new project until I am finished with one. I have sold projects when interest was lost and reinvested that into another project or completed item ready to use.