Thread: 1954 Chevy COE Hauler Build

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I'm really trying to only plan and locate parts for this until just winter. The plan is to have it running and maybe driving next spring. My brothers are wanting to help work on it so maybe we can make it possible. Here are my plans so far. I have a 5.9 Cummins 24v and an Allison 1000 series transmission I plan on mounting behind the cab. I'm hoping the radiator and intercooler will fit under the hood or I will put in front of the engine. I'm going to have to mount the engine and tranny, lengthen the frame, so I can scale it to determine where to put the rear axle. I may even have to add a tag axle so this unit isn't over weight on any axle. It currently has a 14 bolt full floater cab and chassis rear axle in it. My plan was to put in a meritor 2.5 ton rear axle. Those plans changed because that rear end is set up with 19.5 tires and wheels. My goal is to be able to set this truck up on air ride. I want to be able to dump the suspension, have the truck on the ground, and drive a car or truck on the bed. I plan on putting a wedge bed on the back of it. I'm also planning on boxing the frame or sleeving it yet. I can't decide what to do there yet. On semi's we always sleeved the frames after we lengthened them on hevy haulers to make them stronger. I was kind of concerned that boxing the frame will make it to rigid. But, my thoughts are after I make and weld all the bracing to the frame for the wedge bed, this will pretty much act as a roll cage per say and do the same as boxing a frame. So boxing the frame probably can't hurt.

I plan to leave the front suspension and ditch the coil springs and add air springs. 16" tires with maybe aluminum wheels. Cost will limit the shiny stuff. Rear suspension will be a 4 link or a set up similar to a heavy/medium duty truck. I'd like the bed to be about 23-25' long so I can haul an old tractor, a hot rod, or a crew cab long bed pick up.

The body.... The hood is excellent, the front fenders need work. I plan to cut the fenders and obtain some other front fenders and stretch them 2" or so to get the wheels away from the fenders when you dump the suspension. The grill has really grown on me and will be staying. It has some dents and rust, but i'll fix it. The windshield I really am thinking about changing to a split windshield using my donor cab. This is still up in the air at this point. The cab has rust in the lower cowl and needs work. The roof is dented pretty bad, and the back is rusted out below the rear window and along the belt line of the seem for the 2 panels. It is also rusted out at the bottom of the cab. We've already purchased a pick up cab to use the roof and back from. I really thought about making a crew length cab but decided to keep it simple stupid or the truck would never get done.

Do any of you guys have a neat site or calculator to figure axle weight per placement? I found one guide and I'll use it to model the set up after I have it weighed. This should be a cool ride when done.