rig truck help

[welder_one]

i am looking at a 1946 gmc coe truck. i would like to modernize it with new model duramax diesel and allison transmission. anybody have any pointers for this?

[fun4now]

i have a 51GMC i considered just pulling the frame out from under t and replacing the hole bottom 1/2 with new frame engine and trany. make a few alterations as needed to get the shell back on and call it done.
might be an option ?? or are you looking to keep the frame and just drop in a new motor?? as i understand it you have to move the steering box outside the frame causing a shorter turning radius to one side. that is you just drop in a V8 although many cut the front of the frame out and replace it with the hole front of another one. mustang 5.0's being a popular choice.
be shore to give us lots of pic's.

[welder_one]

i ahve not ever dealt with the restoration of an older vehicle. it was a thought that i have to pull up to a job with an old gmc, but with diesel power to have the power. you know... it is an idea to use the body on another new truck frame. i don't know, i havent even bought it, just dreaming mostly...

[fun4now]

i have had mine for about 12-15 years now. nice truck, i love the side cab corner windows. i saw one similar to mine with a tool box bed like the phone company uses and it looked sweet. thought about going that wrought seeing as some one rear ended me a wile back and trashed my bed. its a few $1,000 to replace the hole bed. but all the steel is available ready to install.
i was just thinking a cab swoop would be the easiest way to get all the electronics needed with a newer motor. not to mention a new suspension and steering setup would be nice. i do have the original steering wheel in it so its huge and helps with turning but for a cruse around truck i think i would like to go to automatic and power steering. figure if i get a newer donor truck i can possible do a little modification to the power windows and get that set up in my old door's. all the extra parts would come in handy no question about it. i also have a bad spindle on one of the front wheels where the bearings blew out on me and it eat up part of the spindle in the middle. doesn't effect the fit as the bad part is centered but its just one of them things that needs fixing. my front leaf spring is also got a crack in it and part of the mount is in bad shape. its all fixable just a question of how i want to do it ??
its my first real restoration too. all i did to mine when i got it was get it running and start using it as a work truck. now that i am retired i figure it deserve to be retired too, only in better shape than me.

[HMW]

i am looking at a 1946 gmc coe truck. i would like to modernize it with new model duramax diesel and allison transmission. anybody have any pointers for this?

Cool old project. That would be cool to put a new "modern" diesel and trans in an old truck. but...one problem......Both the duramax and the allison are computer controlled. There is a considerable amount of wiring, harness's, PCMs, etc . Not to mention sensors, relays, electric fuel pump and so on, envolved with todays diesels not to mention the cost. An old carburated gas engine or old diesel would probably suffice at way less cost an headache. They do make after market fuel injection kits for older gas engines that from what i hear work well. Unless you could find a totalled truck and use all the wiring and all from it. My opinion would is the project would be cost prohibitive Of course if you have the money and time I would love to see it completed, it would be very cool.

[welder_one]

hmw, it would be cool, but you are right, the cost would overcome me quickly. especially if you asked my wife...lol. i wonder if there is a way to get an older...say john deere or cat diesel to mount to a more modern tranny(would rather a stick anyways) and work it that way. i am grabbing for straws here...

[calweld]

Back in the early 80's, when I was living in San Luis Obispo, there was a guy, had a '46 Mack, with a late model (for that time) Detroit Diesel and appropriate transmission for it (this was hill country). Very cherry rig, he did mostly SS tig work, don't remember what machine he had on the back. Very simple doing the physical retrofit, done it many times myself, especially with forklifts, strip the frame, drop the engine/transmission in, build mounts and driveshaft to fit. Like was said before, better to stay away from newer electronic setups, unless you have previous experience and knowledge.

[PLUMMER]

It can be done, but how deep are your pockets for this ??? You will probablly have to up the rear end as well. Thus a double check on chassis width for the new axle. Full time your looking at 18-30 months if your not a full time mechanic liscensed for the Dmax. I would look at The diesel page.com for some minor technical info on the DMAX. Get an issue of Diesel Power and search some links. This months issue has some nice retro fits with the Dmax,cummins, and powerjoke. Shouldn't be hard to find a good used D&A combo with under 50K and for under 12K. Maybe even under 10K, have heard of some good finds. An easier project would be the Cummins with common rail injection.( milage-power and a true million mile motor) The allison would need a custom program tho.

[BWS29128]

It can be done, but how deep are your pockets for this ??? You will probablly have to up the rear end as well. Thus a double check on chassis width for the new axle. Full time your looking at 18-30 months if your not a full time mechanic liscensed for the Dmax. I would look at The diesel page.com for some minor technical info on the DMAX. Get an issue of Diesel Power and search some links. This months issue has some nice retro fits with the Dmax,cummins, and powerjoke. Shouldn't be hard to find a good used D&A combo with under 50K and for under 12K. Maybe even under 10K, have heard of some good finds. An easier project would be the Cummins with common rail injection.( milage-power and a true million mile motor) The allison would need a custom program tho.

I'm staying out of this conversation for the most part, but thanks for the link...it should help me with a project I've got planned.
~Clint

[jroc]

Don't anybody cut a gas engine short.My rig is a 1990 Ford F-450 Super Duty. It has a fuel injected 460,E4OD trans and a Dana 80 rear I have over 550,000 miles on this truck. I jerked the engine at 325,000 miles and rebuilt it, the rebuild has 225,000 on it now.I had the trans rebuilt at 350,000 and its still going strong. I also put a new cab and front clip on it at about 375,000 miles due to all the salt we use in Michigan in the winter. The cab and front clip came from Alabama. I don't baby this truck one bit. This truck weighs in at close to 15,500 lbs. +/- 1000 lbs depending on what I'm hauling at any given time for a particular job. It runs up and down the road at 70-75 mph. I service the truck regularly at 3000 miles and do a complete oil change on trans once a year, thgats quite easy on this truck because the torque converter on these trans has a drain plug so I can drain all 19 quarts of tranny fluid. This has been a great truck and engine,trans and rear end combo for me. I only need to work 2 1/2 more years and I dont figure on getting a new rig, In fact I figure I'll keep doing a little side work so me and my rig will just be semi-retired. Anyhow enough ramblin, JUST DON'T CUT A GAS RIG SHORT Jim