Francis the Tow Pig - 1949 GMC 250 Dually

[OutlawDrifter]

Originally Posted by lower50's

It sucks working on your truck when it's that hot out, makes it feel like work. We have been having 85-95* with humidity up here. Having the boxes pile up is not a bad thing tho.

I've got a huge order just waiting for me push the button for next week. My best friend pointed out, sometimes ordering parts is just as much fun. I've got a line on some Astro/Safari rear seats when I get back to town, also, need to get that situated before I stuff the steering column in.

[OutlawDrifter]

Family vacation time has come and gone. We went East this year, had stops in Bowling Green, KY at the National Corvette Museum and spend some time in Nashville, TN. We ended up getting home a day early, so I put it to good use.

Friday I went salvage yard hopping and came home with a third row seat out of a 2004 Chevy Astro. Pulled the headrests and trimmed 4" off of the mounts and it was ready to be mocked up in the cab. I will weld some 3x3 3/16ths steel to attach it to the floor.

Saturday I cleaned the entire cab out, washed, scrubbed, gauges, cables, wires, and heater/defroster, removed. I also cut out the seat base for the stock seat. Once everything dried down, I set the cab back on the frame, threw the seat in and tried a fender, running board, and the hood to see what it looked like. Great motivation to keep pushing forward. I also hit the exterior with some purple power and a brush...guess what, I found some pretty decent paint underneath all the oxidation.

I hope to have the inner fenders trimmed up and the rest of the front sheet metal hung this week.





Here you can see the difference after a good cleaning. The majority should buff out well and leave a nice patina with the surface rust.

[iowaboynca]

That looks pretty sharp!

[joedoh]

looking good! I like the wheel color especially.

[lower50's]

Came out really nice. I like your water separator on your compressor.

[oldman3]

Clean up came out nice...Jim

[OutlawDrifter]

Originally Posted by iowaboynca

That looks pretty sharp!

Thanks!

Originally Posted by joedoh

looking good! I like the wheel color especially.

Thank you, it is "Overland Blue", which is the correct factory color for the wheels that came on it new in 1949. Also is the same color as the pinstripe that goes around the cab.

Originally Posted by lower50's

Came out really nice. I like your water separator on your compressor.

Thanks. Hard to beat a black pipe separator, inexpensive and effective, even in our humid climate. I can paint all day with no issues.

Originally Posted by oldman3

Clean up came out nice...Jim

Thank you!

[OutlawDrifter]

Shop time last night went well. I ended up with more accomplished than expected. I was hoping to get the inner fenders trimmed, and ended up getting the inner's trimmed, complete fenders hung, and the core support started for test fitting. Nice to have more of the sheet metal hanging on the GMC...even if I have to pull it all back off again!

Everything is tight in the engine compartment. Looks like I'll have about 3.5" between the water pump and radiator. Need to figure out how I will attach my core support. Not sure if I want to go directly to the frame rails like Skymang or do a cross member with risers like Hussey.

What's the best way or method to "set" the height for the core support? All ideas are welcomed.

[lower50's]

Nice progress!! I mounted my support off the frame rails.

[OutlawDrifter]

lower, thanks for sharing. Hopefully I'll have it all figured out tonight. I've got a bunch of poly "hockey puck" style mounts to use, so just need to see what fits/looks the best, and doesn't eat up too much fab time!

[gigamanx]

Originally Posted by OutlawDrifter

lower, thanks for sharing. Hopefully I'll have it all figured out tonight. I've got a bunch of poly "hockey puck" style mounts to use, so just need to see what fits/looks the best, and doesn't eat up too much fab time!

I'll be interested to see what you come up with. The next few weeks I should have mind tacked in whatever it may be. Haven't started the design thought process yet.

[joedoh]

on mine I reused the stock s10 radiator, so I built a support side to side that went under the cut core support. it mounted to the factory s10 bushings on the factory mounts that I cut off the the frame and rewelded further back on the frame. I never liked the angle iron solution and on the 47 kyle did a setup like Hussey's, which was nice but I found complicated.

the only drawback to this type of setup is it limits radiator height because you have to clear the steering hoses, and only if you are recessing the radiator in the core support. I changed laptops in Jan and archived my photos so I dont have a picture. I did a similar mount on the 41 but the photobucket debacle has also prevented me from posting that photo.

but imagine drawing a line across the top of the frame horns, building mounts on the outside of the frame to hold s10 bushings and support that line, then using rectangle tubing welded to the bottom of the core (I made my own custom rectangle that was 1/2"x3") that takes the place of the line.

my advice to mounting the front end, especially if you use the rubber s10 bushings, is to hold it almost 1/4" higher with the jack/cherry picker, the mounts will squish slightly under the weight of the front clip. I had to raise my mounts, I didnt account for that at first. on the 41 I used poly bushings, no squish.

[OutlawDrifter]

Thanks for the feedback joedoh. I've got a few ideas kicking around now, I just need to get them fleshed out.

[OutlawDrifter]

OK, front sheet metal is mounted. I'll work on the splash pan and bumper at a later date. Fuel tank is arriving today, so I'm going to try and get the tail end wrapped up so I can finalize my bed measurements. Need to get started on the steering column, brake pedal/booster/master, seat brackets, and a transmission tunnel.

I also attached a picture of the "hockey pucks" I'm using for the front sheet metal and the bed. Another member had asked me about my trim lines in the inner fenders, not the prettiest and not perfectly contoured, but it works. Still have some trimming to do and fine tuning with the grinder.

Once I've got the steering column and brake stuff knocked out on the cab, I'll pull the cab and engine/trans back off the frame. Paint the frame, run the fuel lines, brake lines, and get the engine addressed and painted.

[joedoh]

nice work! I like when you post pictures because I am eyeing your garage in the background to see what kind of room I will be working with soon haha

[OutlawDrifter]

Thanks joedoh, no matter what, shops are never big enough!

Knocked out the tank mount on Saturday, I had full intentions of getting my steering column and brake pedal situation finished up as well, but I ran out of welding gas. I did enlarge the hole in the floor board and played around with some mounting ideas for the column. I have a drop bracket, but may end up just fabricating something instead. I'm pleased with how the tank mount came out, it really added some strength to the rear of the frame. Note, the shot from the rear makes it look cockeyed...it's just how the frame is sitting with only 1 shock on the right rear.

There should be plenty of clearance to run the exhaust straight out the back. Need to get my steering wheel situation knocked out, I'm running a custom cardboard unit right now...haha. I have another parts order ready to go with fuel lines/fittings, brake hoses, dash lights, electric fan, etc.











IMG_20170805_140225081_HDR

[OutlawDrifter]

I haven't gotten anything done this week, other than spend money on parts.

Ordered most of the fuel fittings and all of the fuel line, picked up stuff to complete the tranny cooler lines, some dash indicator lights, collapsible steering shaft and u-joints, 17" 2-speed radiator fan, some brake lines, and a 40 Ford Deluxe steering wheel.

My custom decals came in for the air cleaner and valve covers the same day my new gauges showed up. I went with Classic's "Hot Rod" edition. I like the nod to the aviation style SW gauges.

[gigamanx]

Very nice choice on the gauges. I just made a big order for myself since I'm a bit stuck on the project at the moment until I can get the engine back in the truck. I guess I better make a steel order too while I think about it. Better to have the stuff you need sitting around than have to wait for things to arrive

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by OutlawDrifter

looks like maybe you have a little "S10 lean", that front left corner always seems to sit a 1/2" lower when you put on lowering stuff


gauges look nice!

[OutlawDrifter]

Thanks for the compliments guys.

joedoh, not sure if it's the front or if it was the fact the driver's side shock wasn't in place. I installed it after the pictures and forget to look to see if it straightened things out. If it has the dreaded S10 lean, I guess I'll have to cut a half coil on the passenger side.

Gathering up some of my components and taking them to "aknovaman" to build my harness. Great guy, has tuned 3 different vehicles for me, about as sharp as they come with harnesses and the in's and out's of tuning.

[joedoh]

in my experience the shocks dont hold the truck up any, but I would love to be wrong.

also in my experience, the lean gets worse when you drive it.

[OutlawDrifter]

joedoh...I guess we'll cross that bridge when we get there. I'll be putting the AC in over the Winter, so any other spring and or spacer mods can be done at that time.

Busy weekend at Aces High Speed Shop. When I started pushing the broom to clean up last night, it felt like 2 steps forward and 3 steps back. Francis is blown completely back apart to a bare frame, cab/front sheet metal, and even the engine/trans is out.

The steering column is installed, the brake pedal is hung, booster/master in place, steering shaft cut, fitted, and drilled. I broke the engine down some more in an effort to get it cleaned and painted. Put the indicator lights in the dash, used some existing holes, that will be less to "hide" later. Drilled 3 new holes for the momentary starter switch, and the cruise control switches.

I had bought a floor mount and a steering column drop that were aluminum, didn't like how either of them worked out, so I fab'd my own pieces.

On to the pictures! Don't mind some of the welds, they will be/or have been cleaned up and done proper.

[gigamanx]

Thanks for the pic of the brake pedal. I'm currently trying to fit mine and it seemed wrong that the pedal arm was on the left of the steering column, but that was the place it seemed to naturally fit with the S10 bracketry.

What is the height you have between the top of the frame and the top of your front cab mount? I just cut mine down again trying to get a good height and I noticed you cut a bit of trans tunnel out. I've been back and forward for a while with my build thread, the s10 thread, and JoeDoh trying to settle on a final height. I'm now at 4" which leaves the running boards about an inch lower than the frame

[OutlawDrifter]

Mine are at 4.5" I believe. I went .5" higher than Hussey's drawings. I also have a 4L80E which is a huge transmission, hence why I had to do some extra trimming.

[OutlawDrifter]

No new pictures, yet, but I have done a little here and there on Francis.

I cut out the factory cross member that held the bearing for the 2 piece drive shaft. Welded in some of the 2x1 1/8" tubing over the top of where it was, will serve the same purpose and give me another point to secure the exhaust. Wire wheeled the back half of the frame and treated it with the Metal Blast again, I let it sit longer this time before washing it off with the same results.

At this point the frame is ready to be painted. Hopefully I'll get that knocked out tonight so it can dry over the weekend. Then I plan on running brake and fuel lines. Final paint and assembly on cab and engine/trans, then they can go back in.

The custom bed drawings are in the hands of my local sheet metal company to slip roll and break the steel for me. I asked him to price both 12ga and 14ga steel sheet. Either should hold up well for what I'm trying to accomplish, but the added structure of the 12ga would be nice.



In other news, I ordered a 1940 Ford Deluxe Steering wheel from Southern Rods. When it arrived I was not pleased at what I unboxed. Not only were the stainless rings poorly attached and jagged on their cut ends, but the lower left portion of the wheel was bent towards center. Not what I expect from a $220 steering wheel. After getting some poor customer service trying to get an RGA number to return the wheel, I was shocked that they wanted me to pay the shipping back to them, and when it arrives, they will refund the costs.....not impressed. I like to give other companies business when possible, but it's just not worth the hassle sometimes. I asked them to just refund all of my money and I will go spend $20-30 more elsewhere for the same wheel and less hassle. I've never had any issues like this with Jegs, Summit Racing, or Speedway.