56 task force on 80 1/2 ton frame pictures

[56hotrodred]

Ya I would be interested in seeing your placement. I know the square body rear cab mounts are located in an upper frame crossmember while my Task Force rear cab mounts were welded on the outside of the frame. What amazed me was they were the correct width once welded on the frame. Had to build up the front cab mounts to compensate for the square body frame drop.

I believe I moved ahead about a half inch with my rear cab mounts trying to maintain some space between firewall and distributor on my mock up engine.

[angelobackwards]

Originally Posted by 56hotrodred

Ya I would be interested in seeing your placement. I know the square body rear cab mounts are located in an upper frame crossmember while my Task Force rear cab mounts were welded on the outside of the frame. What amazed me was they were the correct width once welded on the frame. Had to build up the front cab mounts to compensate for the square body frame drop.

I believe I moved ahead about a half inch with my rear cab mounts trying to maintain some space between firewall and distributor on my mock up engine.

Yeah my mounts sit up high as well. This is only picture I could really swing today. Cab is on to mock steering and brake pedal etc. hope it helps. Used stock locations. Using e-z chassis swap kit.

[56hotrodred]

Here are a few pictures of what I have been up to in the shop the last few days.

The first two are where I started today and where I ended up! About 4 hours start to finish - or at least partially welded in! I am only fully cutting out one piece at a time, and then partially welding one in, although I do have to remove some of the other two pieces ahead of time but not enough for any general shape to change. The lower door hinge pocket is composed of three pieces and I think I said before these reproduction pieces fit pretty well.

The final picture is the other side I have nearly completed. Still some welding and grinding to finish but for the most part done! If I had to guess I would say probably 25 or more hours in this first side. Nothing happens fast, good fit is one of your best friends, keeping everything really clean especially butt welding edges and finding the right setting on your welder. So far on both sides I have only burnt a hole through once!!! I am happy with that for sure.

Notice the cab is sitting on its firewall on a dolly.

[56hotrodred]

This is where my firewall clean-up is now at!

[56hotrodred]

Here are a few other things I am working on.

I havde tried the Tremec App to measure my driveline angle. It says the engine is sitting at 5.7 degrees. I can lift the rear trans crossmember to reduce that a bit if needed.Does this look like too much? Its hard using my iPhone to measure angle on rear differential but if I am reading it correct it is about the same.

It looks like I have about 9 inches of clearance between the radiator and the engine block at the closest point. This is measured low on the block and with the VA front runner requiring, at that location, 6.25 inches and the dual electric fan requiring about 2.5 inches, at its widest point, I will just make it!

I have had to switch to an aftermarket rear transmission crossmember that I had laying around after my trans guy suggested I take a 700r4 case to mock things up better. The stock crossmember interfered with the trans pan!

It should be easy to raise this one if I need to raise it up to reduce angle.

[56hotrodred]

So here is how my trans cooler is currently sitting in front of the condenser and behind the grille.

Hope it shows up but I have about a 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch from grille and it sits about an inch in front of condenser. Still partially held in place by plastic zip ties but those will be changed out to bolts.

Pretty tight fit but I really wanted it to sit up front for maximum cooling without a fan required and upon the high recommendation from my transmission guy after I told him that I am not running the transmission cooling through the radiator. This seemed to keep him happy, regarding the upcoming warrantee of the transmission.

[56hotrodred]

So I am getting ready to put my cab back on the frame one more time! This time in order to confirm distributor room near firewall and plan a small firewall modification suggested and shown by Ogre.

This is to allow for room of the distributor module as found on the 350 Ramjet motor I am planning on getting.

Here are pictures of the floorboards and inner fenders which got primer and undercoated at the same time.The bond that you see on the floor boards is a fibreglass reinforced bondo put on over any welding I had to do. The rubberized undercoating is from Eastwood. You can see the epoxy primer on the engine side of one of the inner fender photos and the same undercoating on the wheel side.

I am pretty happy with the undercoating except the economy gun I purchased with the quart cans of primer did not work at all for me. I emailed Eastwood and they knew of the problem and are issuing me a credit right away. Luckily I had purchased enough of the undercoating in aerosol cans to do the vast majority of the job. The engine side of the inner fenders is getting Eastwood underhood paint, I think it is called!

Going to let this stuff sit for a few days then when one of my sons is on days off we will put it back on.