Todd Build Thread

[ggdad1951]

OK, as I am starting to find and search things for TODD in a few years I figured a build thread needs to get started!

 

For those who don't know, I've been planning FEF's brother for a bit over a year now.  I'll stick in the bar coaster drawing of the original concept here as well as a picture that started my brain going down this road (tow truck).

 

TODD stands for Turbo Diesel Pilot House (TDPH)...or TODD PH for short, or TODD  even shorter.

 

I've got a line on a 1994 4WD Ram 2500 with the turbo Cummins in it for a song, especially considering the tranny has a fresh rebuild on it.  I also would get the performance enhancements the owner bought but never installed.  The truch has ~250k miles on it so an engine rebuild is planed as well.  I've been collecting random parts for the last year+ and need to decide if I should pull the trigger on the 2500.  The picture below of the tow truck is on an 1990 Ram frame. 

 

I plan on a tilting hood like a modern semi to be able to acces the engine area (as the tow truck did) and extending the cab to have a smaller suicide door on each side for behind the seat storage.  He will then finish out in a stake bed to use for hauling.   I plan on roof lights, semi horns and a for "kicks" underslung train horn for those who REALLY piss me off onthe road (or at shows).  I plan a '51+ main cab/front clip and use the older style doors to bring the brake line back further to accound for the flat suicide doors.   About all the farther I've gotten on the overall direction.

 

I called the owner of the tow truck today and he told me it was a pretty easy build, but he used a 1.5 ton cab/front end, and his is running on a 1990 Dodge frame.  He had to cut out the firewall a bit (~4") for the longer engine and of course all the other stuff to acount for the pedals and such.  I plan a trip out there (luckily "local") sometime this summer/fall to take pictures and measuements.

 

Thoughs on the frame swap?  Thoughts on my insanity?

 

TODD:

Tow truck:

[1952B3b23]

All i can say is AWESOME!!! Im the guy whos putting a Cummins 4bt in my 52 B3b so obviously im going to think this is great I'll add to this reply after work with some more if my thoughts, dont want the boss to catch me goofin off lol.

 

-Chris

[Jeff Balazs]

Mark;

Well it ought to keep you outta mischief for a while. Just a thought but wouldn't it be a lot easier if you started with a heavier truck body? 2.5 ton or larger?

Might not have to mess with the firewall at all?

 

Oh yeah........you are a maniac!!!!!

 

Jeff

[ggdad1951]

Mark;

Well it ought to keep you outta mischief for a while. Just a thought but wouldn't it be a lot easier if you started with a heavier truck body? 2.5 ton or larger?

Might not have to mess with the firewall at all?

Oh yeah........you are a maniac!!!!!

Jeff

he already started with the 1.5 ton body...I'd have to go even larger (2.5 ton+ for the extended hood and fenders)...I have limited space in my garage to put a beast like this in, so sadly, the size of my garage will limit the size of this truck. This will be my 3+ season daily driver when it's done, so I have to deal with reality. I will relish the challenge of this project when I can sink my teeth into it more!

Edited March 12, 2013 by ggdad1951

[Dave72dt]

Dually rear axle would look good under a stake bed since so much of the tire is visible from the rear along with a polished saddle tank. to help fill the void between the cab and tire.  It'll be interesting to see what you do with the front fenders.  It's an ambitous project to say the least.  Similar in many respects to the crew cab project I've been planing for a couple years.

[Jeff Balazs]

he already started with the 1.5 ton body...I'd have to go even larger (2.5 ton+ for the extended hood and fenders)...I have limited space in my garage to put a beast like this in, so sadly, the size of my garage will limit the size of this truck. This will be my 3+ season daily driver when it's done, so I have to deal with reality. I will relish the challenge of this project when I can sink my teeth into it more!

Mark;

What I was thinking was making use of the extended hood section........and not necessarily the extra wide fender extensions. I don't know how much longer that would make the truck.......but it seems like it would be just enough to tuck the TD in without messing with the firewall. Also the longer hood section would help balance the looks of the extended cab. Just an idea of course ....... from someone who is not partial to the look of extended cab trucks in general.

Jeff

[Dennis_MN]

Mark,

Let me know when you want to head over to Becker to meet Don. He really has ability as you will see if he shows you all of his other projects.

Dennis Sullivan

[48Dodger]

Now thats a project! How are you gonna approuch the suiside doors?

 

 

48D

[Apittslife]

If the doner truck is an extended cab?  I would look at using it's floor, firewall. It would give you the correct set-back as well as a good solid floor with the proper frame mounts. The fender extensions on the larger tonage PH-trucks would probably be a requirement due to the wider track of the Doner truck?

 

Here is a link to a build on the HAMB that you may get some good ideas from.

 

 http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=457696&highlight=dodge+pilothouse&page=10

 

 I will be keeping an eye on this build

[1952B3b23]

That '94 Cummins would be a 12 valve and it should have the highly sought after Bosch P7100 pump. These motors are extremely reliable and can produce very good power and torque with not to many upgrades. At 250,000 miles its about ready for a rebuild just like you said. At the least it most likely needs new injectors and the injection pump to be freshened up. If you plan on cranking up the power then you'll probably end up installing new injectors and turning up the fuel pump so both issues will have to be addressed. If you can get the truck for cheap enough like i think you said you could then i would do it. Just make the seller aware of all the things that it will needed in order to be back in tip top shape and this should pull the price down in your favor. What kind of transmission is in the truck? The parts truck that will donate its tranny for my 4bt swap is a '92 12 valve Cummins with over 250,000 miles and the old girl needs a rebuild. She puffs quite a bit of white smoke all the time but still drives surprisingly well, by the way is the '94 in driving condition and i dont mean road worthy just moves under its own power? 

 

I'm really excited to see your swap progress, now we will have at least two diesel swaps documented here on the forum which is great news. I once saw a picture (i think it was here) someone put a 6bt into a pilothouse and had to cut out the firewall. Basically the last two cylinders where inside of the cab, im sure with better planning that can definitely be avoided.

 

Best of luck

 

-Chris

[ggdad1951]

Actually the current owner of the donor truck is one of my best friends.  He recently paid about 3k to rebuild the tranny.  As I said he has the upgrades for the engine he'd toss in as well.    It's a good deal if you ask me compared to the ones I've looked at online for sale.

 

Rear doors.....my thoughts are to use another pair of doors and cut them apart and use the rear of the front cab, weld them up and reskin them "flat" with no door crease.  I'll have to do some measurments on the track width, that data is hard to find! 

 

I do like the idea of using a 2.5+ ton front end, but I'll have to get some math done to see how it all fits on the frame and still have enough room for the flatbed.  Acording to the tow truck guy it pretty much went right on, knowing its a tight fit for the intercooler and rad.

 

I've thought that MAYBE I make an extension for the flat bed that gets stored vertically behind the cab like a head board on a regualr truck. 

 

I figure to really start on this in 3 years, but know that it will take about that long to plan it out.  I've been watching the build on the HAMB a bit and have learned a bit from that already, I just don' want a full 4 door cab (NO room for a monster that big).

 

Dennis, I'll take you up on any intro more than I gave myself today to him, the guy seems very nice!

Edited March 15, 2013 by ggdad1951

[Frank Elder]

Here's a coachbuilt after maket body.......

[Young Ed]

I've got some windows out of a p15 sedan that look quite similar to the rear window used in that coachbuilt extra cab. They even open.

[ggdad1951]

yah, I've seen that picture before.  I think it'd look similar to that, but have the rears open suicide style.

[Merle Coggins]

I believe that's how this one was done. Sort of like a modern extended cab rear door.

 

Isn't someone here building an extended cab Pilot-House truck currently?

 

Merle

[ggdad1951]

yep exactally Merle!  Except I thougth of that before you had posted that picture the last time, but I'm sure I wasn't the only one to ever think of it.  But it IS good to know it CAN be done!  Now if you just had that guys contact info!

 

The extended cab guy seems to have dropped off the planet.

[Merle Coggins]

Sorry. All I know, from talking with him at that show, is that his name is Berry and he lived in Lannon, which is a northwest community of the Milwaukee metro area. I would have thought that I would see it around town here from time to time, but I haven't seen it since I took that picture at the Iola show. He did say that it is a graft of two cabs to make the extended cab. But you probably already figured that out.

 

Merle

Edited March 15, 2013 by Merle Coggins

[ggdad1951]

Sorry. All I know, from talking with him at that show, is that his name is Berry and he lived in Lannon, which is a northwest community of the Milwaukee metro area. I would have thought that I would see it around town here from time to time, but I haven't seen it since I took that picture at the Iola show. He did say that it is a graft of two cabs to make the extended cab. But you probably already figured that out.

 

Merle

yep,  2 cabs, might even get one tomorrow AM (thanks for the e-mail Ed) if it's in good shape.  The way I figure it: 2 cabs and 2 sets of doors gives me all the parts I need to make the extended cab AND the rear doors.  The rear door jam of the front cab becomes the front of the rear door melded to a cut up donor door.  Opening the rear windows might be tough but I think I might try to hinge them on the front edge and tip open to the rear like my GMC Sonoma 3rd door.

[Apittslife]

Yes I am!

 

 

 

Still haven't figured out the windows yet But I have alot to do yet before it becomes really important to decide.

[Merle Coggins]

Ah yes, there it is. I couldn't remember who was doing it.

 

Merle

[Apittslife]

yep,  2 cabs, might even get one tomorrow AM (thanks for the e-mail Ed) if it's in good shape.  The way I figure it: 2 cabs and 2 sets of doors gives me all the parts I need to make the extended cab AND the rear doors.  The rear door jam of the front cab becomes the front of the rear door melded to a cut up donor door.  Opening the rear windows might be tough but I think I might try to hinge them on the front edge and tip open to the rear like my GMC Sonoma 3rd door.

 

Why Not make the windows roll up & down like the front doors? If you are using doors to cut down & graphed together, You already have the openings & channel, you just have to modify the window regulator.

[ggdad1951]

Why Not make the windows roll up & down like the front doors? If you are using doors to cut down & graphed together, You already have the openings & channel, you just have to modify the window regulator.

might be possible, but they will be not as wide and the regulator might not have the travel it needs.  Unless I design and build something special.

[Young Ed]

power windows buddy!

[ggdad1951]

power windows buddy!

Oh for D-oH! Of course!

[ggdad1951]

Ok I got some details on the RAM 2500 that I'm looking at for the power train.  I'd REALLY appreciate your thoughts on how to handle this wider stance for the PH front end.  I measured FEF's inside to inside wheel at about 51". 

 

1994 RAM:

hub to hub 72"

outside to outside  79.25"

inside to inside 61"

backspace 5.5"

 

with the rims on that right now its about a 10" diffence in width too wide. 

 

do I look for different rims that will bring it more in line?

do I use a 1.5+ ton dog house (wider wheel flare)?

 

thoughts?