feast or famine

Hello all- finally gettin back in the swing here. Business went from nuthin happennin' to holy ----. Got some breathing room now to get back to the 54. You remember- the f100 getting the Isuzu diesel. Was supposed to get you all some pictures to look at. Got a photobucket account but nothing is in it yet. Trying to put together the bed for the 54. Is there anything in particular I need to know about crossmember placement, shims, blocks, or any of that jazz before I have to put it together and tear it apart 6 times? Don't have any of the strips for the floor, or the strip across the back, but I hope to get most everything else in line and ready first- like replacing the rear crossmember, replacing the short strips fore and aft of the fenders below the bed floor, and getting the sides and ends together and positioned on the frame. I'm hoping the wood end of it is relatively easy, am I making this harder than it has to be? I'm thinking to just get everything squared and fastened, then bolting the wood in. Any other suggestions? Thanks.

Sounds like you are worried. Gald to see you have the time to get some stuff done. I know how getting busy can be at times. It doesn't seem like there are enough hours in the day.
Just jump in feet first and it will all come together. If you run into any trouble let us know and we will do our best to help you out.

I'm thinking that if you can figure out how to put an Isuzu motor in that ol' truck you can figure out a little woodwork.

One thing about those trucks; they are like the tri-five Chevys and Mustangs. You can buy every piece for them aftermarket if you don't feel confidant making them. Oh, and if you have the scratch.

The "scratch" ain't necessarily the problem; but you can never have too much, next spring we will be breaking ground on a new dwelling. I want to get my home back- my wife quilts, and there is always a lack of space here due to piles and piles of fabrics, patterns, etc that she uses to do that voodoo that she do so well. If she could just get some more space to be more efficient and creative, I think we will both be happier (and I might have a place to hang my hat when all is said and done). As for the engine part, I have a local machine shop who has taken my piece of 1 inch plate, and is starting to layout the 2 bolt patterns on it, then load the coordinates in his CNC, trial the program, and stick it all together, push the start button, and I hope about 2 hours later I will have an adapter with Japanese industrial on one side, and small block C-6 on the other. He thinks he can hook me up for a couple hundred. Then a flywheel adapter will be needed to connect the whole mess. I think that will be much easier than the bell adapter. Just need to copy the small block crank flange from a 3/4 plate, space it out with a piece of casing, then center it on the Isuzu flywheel with a 3/8 coupling plate. I even found a vacuum regulator from a 86 ford van with 6.9 diesel/C-6 that will modulate the vacuum signal to the trans modulator valve by throttle position so I can get gas engine response from the trans. My Isuzu Alternator has a vacuum pump on it so I have a source of vacuum available since a diesel carries no vacuum of its own. This whole mess won't be cheap, but it's what I want. I want to end up with a cruiser that will run CHEAP. I may even go after the biodiesel thing by refining fryer oil for fuel.

I've had the engine setting in it, and even have a front mount built, so when the adapter assembly gets done, this should go together pretty fast. The truck is still in primer, but to me right now I think it looks pretty cool in red oxide. As far as hookups, not much electrical to do for the oil burner, got a throttle cable from the donor vehicle the engine came from, I see the radiator being the biggest hangup; got the Isuzu rad but it may be too tall. Oh yeah, trying to get a 9 inch grafted into it- that's pretty easy, but the right ratio is a little hard to find. Looking for a 2.79, may have to settle for a 3.25. Got lots of 31 spline stuff, but the fastest one I have is 3.25. Will keep updating as a pile of junk starts taking shape.

dieseldr wrote: Oh yeah, trying to get a 9 inch grafted into it- that's pretty easy, but the right ratio is a little hard to find. Looking for a 2.79, may have to settle for a 3.25. Got lots of 31 spline stuff, but the fastest one I have is 3.25. Will keep updating as a pile of junk starts taking shape.

Try finding a 75 to 78 F-100. Around here a common combo was a 302 with 2.70 something screw. I got one in stock with the 31 spline axles you're welcome to. 'Course it's only like 600 miles away from you.

I'm sure there is one around closer, in fact, I just sold a 71 torino G T that had 2.75. I took it out and swapped 3.91 in to race with, then swapped back to sell it. If I can't find one, I will try the 3.25 I have and see what that does. I think that diesel will do 3200 RPM. Hi gear direct with 3.25 gear and 15 inch rubber should go 70 mph which is plenty fast for stock 54 steering.