My 56 6bt 4X4 build.

[lower50's]

sounds fun

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by 6BT 56

Ever since the rear frame fell out of the wife's 6.0 l burb I have needed to,put that 6.0 somewhere. I haven't done a efi standalone swap before so I thought it would be a good fun learning project . Check out sloppy mechanics on you tube. These guys are building 10 sec cars on junkyard parts and kraft dinner budgets. My kind of people for sure. Can you imagine running 10's in a ford fairmont with no cage and no c clip eliminators . Once would be enuf I think . Lol.

I wonder if these are the guys that did the C4 Vette with a cage? I'm scared to look and get the wheels turning.

[6BT 56]

I don't think so. They have a few fast ford fairmonts, a really fast lx mustang that made 1000 on the dyno and runs in the 8's if I recall. My fav is when they got a rental ford car. Force fed it ungodly amounts of nos made 400 ish rwhp on the dyno then flogged it around town for the wknd . Took out the plumbing and gave it back. Lol. Sure sounds like fun to me !

[stersam]

The guys who did the vetted kart was roadkill on motortrend.

[6BT 56]

So I have been working on this 85 for a few weeks now . Ready for saftey . Gets exh this week I hope . Then it can be on the road and we can go from there to,see how involved I want to get in body and paint .

When I got it

[6BT 56]

Now . Not to sure what to do abt paint . Was thinking abt semi gloss black but it's been done to death . Then I thot army green would be cool but maby silly with chrome bumpers , mirrors and such ???

[6BT 56]

Had a fair bit of bondo,in the right rear where it had been hit . I'm happier to see dents tho,than I was wavy cracked bondo and wonder what was in there

[6BT 56]

The rear corner. Good from far, far from good .

[brimc]

Looking good. I like it

[Luther Grimace]

Looks awesome! What size lift did you put on? I kinda like the dark blue and grey on the bottom. Or you could leave it as is! The bed looks like the old RMS Olympic dazzle camoflauge from World War 1


Also gotta add this...
"Instead, from 1916 to 1917, Olympic was chartered by the Canadian Government to transport troops from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Britain. In 1917 she gained 6-inch guns and was painted with a "dazzle" camouflage scheme to make it more difficult for observers to estimate her speed and heading. Her dazzle colours were brown, dark blue, light blue, and white."

The colors match! I think you could sell this to a naval historian as a special edition!

[Dieselwrencher]

Nice work on the truck! Have you looked at hot rod flatz? They have a lot of semi flat colors to choose from.

[6BT 56]

Originally Posted by Dieselwrencher

Nice work on the truck! Have you looked at hot rod flatz? They have a lot of semi flat colors to choose from.

No I hadn't heard of them before . I will check out to nite. I was thinking the semi gloss blk just cuz it was easy . I would really like army green tho but the chrome on the truck is too nice to paint over or black out. I think the truck will get nice paint someday so I'm kinda fond of the chrome.

I did switch out the doors to nite tho. The passenger side power window was giving me grief and the drivers weren't much better so on went the nice set of roll up doors that came with the truck. Definitely not gm doors as he said . Man they fit crappy. And that's just me trying to mind my words for here ! Lots of tugging and tweaking and yelling to nite . One more to go for tomorrow nite . Can't wate.... Lol..... .

[6BT 56]

Hey I just noticed that my truck made it into one of those truck of the month contests . I came in second to moseus burb. Thanks to everyone that voted for me . That big orange burb is sweet .

[Dieselwrencher]

Originally Posted by 6BT 56

Hey I just noticed that my truck made it into one of those truck of the month contests . I came in second to moseus burb. Thanks to everyone that voted for me . That big orange burb is sweet .

Yes sir. How's boat season going up there? I helped my Dad put hos inboard pontoon back together a couple weeks ago. He got everything done and fired t up the other day but it won't pump water from the lower unit. He just got a reman lower unit too. He was taking it to Branson to go fishing this Saturday but said the heck with it and just rented a boat down there for the week. Also, a few weeks ago my brother took out his new boat and about sank it at the boat ramp. He was trying to get the boat on the trailer and apparently the transom was rotten and the engine broke the back of the transom off and the boat started taking on water. He got it out but isn't sure what he's going to do with it yet.

[6BT 56]

Hey everyone . I haven't posted in forever . I hope everyone is well. My truck uses a 1 st gen ram steering box. It's pooped. Any recommendations for a new box ? Just go to napa get a reman ? I need to swap in a new box and I would like to switch to a crossover Y steering design. The old girls is a bit of a handful sometimes. My son wanted to take it to prom and I decided to drop it off at a friends house close so he didn't need to drive it to far. That's not how it should be..... If you can't drive it easily what's the point .

[Luther Grimace]

Originally Posted by 6BT 56

Hey everyone . I haven't posted in forever . I hope everyone is well. My truck uses a 1 st gen ram steering box. It's pooped. Any recommendations for a new box ? Just go to napa get a reman ? I need to swap in a new box and I would like to switch to a crossover Y steering design. The old girls is a bit of a handful sometimes. My son wanted to take it to prom and I decided to drop it off at a friends house close so he didn't need to drive it to far. That's not how it should be..... If you can't drive it easily what's the point .

I know our trucks are very similar. Mine just has a reman 1st gen 2wd steering box and the crossover steering. I can drive it with one finger at 70 mph.
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[6BT 56]

Hey Luther . How's things.? How's the truck working ? You get the d max chevelle on the Rd ? Thanks for the reply abt the steering box. The way the leaf springs are on my truck I can't do a true crossover . Thinking I will try a y set up . In the long run I think I would have been better to do the swap your way just for driveability and handling .

[Dieselwrencher]

A Y should still work alright. Ford trucks run it like that.

[6BT 56]

So I need some input from whoever wants to chime in . I'm thinking of going thru a few updates on the truck this winter. When I built it I kinda had the it's new power , but kinda looks period correct theme in mind. Now I'm spoiled by all the new truck around me want this old girl to drive , steer , stop better . It's ok but it's still not something I would let the wife drive. Thinking chassis swap , Maby 80 s gm? Maby 90s dodge ? Maby 2 Nd gen dodge ? Then I think for the money a different chassis would cost and the work involved I could take that money and put it into 4 link parts n stuff Maby coil overs ? Maby air ride ? I'm behind on here as to what everybody is up to . Anybody want to point me to any builds that are worth a read let me know .

[Dieselwrencher]

IMO older bodies on newer frames just don't look right. Also, with as much stuff as you want to change, you might as well build another truck. Keep this one so you can enjoy it while you build your fluffy truck.

[6BT 56]

Fluffy truck ???? That's not very nice . Lol... I have been thinking abt it . I think I'm going to switch it to crossover type or actually y style steering. Get a new steering box as well then see where I end up in the handilng dept. I also have been following another guy on here , 57 olds I think , he has done a great job with his pedal set up , brake booster etc. I think I will try to get the same parts he has done. I thot it would be fun to put a bigger chassis under the truck so Maby I could tow my flat bed around with it many a boat or two. The reality is I have two dodge duallys a now so I have no need to do that . If I can just get it driving nice and update a few things that is likely a better decision .

[brimc]

"Fluffy truck"
I would keep the truck as it is and just modify/upgrade the steering, suspension and brakes to make it safe and enjoyable to drive.

[dieseldude4bt]

Since you already have latter model steering and brakes, what are you planning to upgrade to that is better than what you have?
I have a 1984 Dana 60 and 14 bolt with hydro boost and push pull steering and mine is fine at speed and will put you through the windshield in a panic stop, so I think you need to adress what you have and find the problem.

[6BT 56]

Originally Posted by dieseldude4bt

Since you already have latter model steering and brakes, what are you planning to upgrade to that is better than what you have?
I have a 1984 Dana 60 and 14 bolt with hydro boost and push pull steering and mine is fine at speed and will put you through the windshield in a panic stop, so I think you need to adress what you have and find the problem.

You are correct. The more I think abt it the more I'm quite happy with how everything sits on the original frame body wise. I think the route of my problem is that the 56 front springs are held at the rear. With shackle at front . Every other push pull steering truck is mounted at front of spring and shackle at rear. I think my push pull and the fact that the leaf is mounted at the back is my trouble . Just wondering if I should update to newer leaf springs and change mounts around or should I try crossover steering ?

[dieseldude4bt]

If it were me I would upgrade to newer springs and rear mounted shackles, designed for the weight of the motor in the truck.
And add a sway bar even if that required keeping the push pull steering.
Potentially it could ride better corner better and steer better.