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Old 04-21-2014, 09:56 PM   #661
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Re: '46 Chevy Shorty

Howdy Jack --- the Dana comes with monster disks as well as a mechanical parking brake system. Will no doubt have to completely rebuild the brakes but now the old girl is in line for disks all around.

As noted...the thing I need most is time to get some work done...and of course, some Bikini Team time.

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Old 04-30-2014, 12:50 AM   #662
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Re: '46 Chevy Shorty

Finally --- picked up my replacement rear side body panels with the "new improved" wheel cutouts! Will post a couple of pix the next day or so to keep Jack happy.
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Old 04-30-2014, 10:42 AM   #663
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Re: '46 Chevy Shorty

Oh boy--pics! Happy Jack
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Old 05-04-2014, 03:03 PM   #664
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Re: '46 Chevy Shorty

Just for you Jack...

The originals...


the plan/template...



The new, improved and ever so Art Deco replacements. Not welded up yet...but soon!

Should at least be a little easier to change a tire.

Onward!
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Old 05-04-2014, 03:40 PM   #665
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Re: '46 Chevy Shorty

Hey Tango, thats stylin" . How did you edge the opening? I'd guess you used split tubing? Do you plan to re use any of the lower rub strip? Jack
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Old 05-04-2014, 09:52 PM   #666
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Re: '46 Chevy Shorty

Roger the split tubing to add some rigidity. The sheetmetal shop did a great job matching the template. And I will be using most of the torpedo belt that was original to the bus. One row all along where the new & old sheet metal come together and another down low. It will be shorter than it had been with none behind the wheel opening this time around.

How about you Jack? Are the rub rails going back on? I kind'a like the look. Seems it just isn't a skoolie without'em.
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Old 05-04-2014, 10:30 PM   #667
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Re: '46 Chevy Shorty

Hey Tango. My bus didn't have rub rails persay--just half round stampings which I incorporated into the dyes when I made up the new sheet metal. So sort of yes and sort of no!?! Jack
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Old 05-05-2014, 09:21 AM   #668
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Re: '46 Chevy Shorty

But the stamped in ribs don't have any place to collect rust behind them like the screwed/riveted kind. What's with that?
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Old 05-05-2014, 10:44 AM   #669
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Re: '46 Chevy Shorty

No worries. There are PLENTY of other spots where the rust worms lurk! . Jack
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Old 05-05-2014, 12:53 PM   #670
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Re: '46 Chevy Shorty

Tango Just a short reply to say I like your build. I would never go into my bus as far as you have. I just don't have the needed skills. Maybe sometime when you are not busy I would like to talk about a 3-71 jimmy with a #2 bell and ford trans adapter. Once again GREAT BUILD. The best of luck the old man Richard
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Old 05-05-2014, 03:46 PM   #671
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Re: '46 Chevy Shorty

Howdy Richard --- and thank you for the kind words but like one or two other folks here...I am in WAY over my head and runnin' WAY behind due to a lack of savvy on many fronts. I have learned a lot but still have a ways to go. But learning keeps you moving. And being another "old man", I need to keep moving too. Heck...this bus is to be my retirement home. Just want one that can move with me when the mood strikes. And being a total diesel virgin, I can't offer much that would be worthwhile.

You might check out a site called "4BT Swaps". The site is mostly about 4BT Cummins but there are a bunch of guys over there who have tons of diesel experience and one or two that have done 3-71 transplants as I recall.

Check'em it out here...http://www.4btswaps.com/forum/forum.php

And I am a fan of your rig. Keep it simple and keep it running. There are a lot of roads out there that need to be traveled. Meanwhile, keep the pix coming.
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Old 05-05-2014, 04:09 PM   #672
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Re: '46 Chevy Shorty

Tango - Thank-you and I will be doing a lot of looking. Again thank-you and sorry for posting this question in your thread. the old man Richard
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Old 05-09-2014, 09:27 AM   #673
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Re: '46 Chevy Shorty

Howdy Travelingman --- Don't hesitate to ask anything of anyone here pardner. Just wish I could have been of more help. Have a lot to learn about these oil-burners myself. In fact I have a lot to learn about a great many things bus related. Pretty soon I'm going to be begging for experience and suggestions on pulling & replacing a complete rear end that weighs at least a half ton. Yet another thing I've never done before in my life. Ahhh...the joys of higher education...and gearing.
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Old 05-09-2014, 12:44 PM   #674
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Re: '46 Chevy Shorty

Tango - I don't know if you have thought of re-gearing your rear end. It was years ago that I had a 52 chevy bus - six with 2 speed. Top was about 45. A guy at a junk yard helped me re-gear to where I could do 55-60. I am sure that it is cheaper to re-grove an axle then weld new centers and drill. rims. This information is for a dana I sure hope it will help you.

http://www2.dana.com/pdf/XGI.PDF

the old man Richard
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Old 05-09-2014, 01:34 PM   #675
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Re: '46 Chevy Shorty

OMR --- you are right on the mark my friend. I just bought a Dana 80HD and had it re-geared. It came out of a 1-ton Chevy 3500 and has huge disk brakes but was geared way too low (5.13). I ran the numbers on a gear calculator and came up with a 4.30 being about right to make highway speeds at my diesels' sweet spot...between 1700 & 1800 rpm. I am going for mpg & reliability, not speed. Now I just have to figure out how to do the swap and make it all work together. Like I said before...I am in WAY over my head. My last bus conversion included a big roof raise, but no mechanicals. This is all new territory for me.
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Old 05-10-2014, 11:41 AM   #676
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Re: '46 Chevy Shorty

Howdy Nat --- the rebuilt Cummins is a 4BTAA. 130 horse at 2300 and about 330 pounds at 1700 rpm. All the numbers came off QuickServe and I have the full readout. Allison ran the specs and output about 15 pages of data analyzing the performance throughout the full range on the 6-speed 2200MH. Very impressive, right down to fluid temps in different gears. Both Cummins & Allison were excellent to work with and took more things into account than I could ever have calculated. Estimated frontal area, tire size & inflation, engine specs and on and on. I had originally been looking at 1800 as the sweet spot which would have worked out closer to a 5.13, but after talking to long time 4BT owners took the rpm down to the peak torque number which at 4.30 puts it about 69mph at 1800 and 65 at 1700. Keeping the 36 inch tires makes quite a difference.
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Old 05-10-2014, 12:30 PM   #677
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Re: '46 Chevy Shorty

Tango, could you be a little more detailed? LOL!
Good explanation.
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Old 05-26-2014, 09:56 PM   #678
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Re: '46 Chevy Shorty

Tango, I dont know why I thought of you when I saw this:
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Old 05-26-2014, 10:24 PM   #679
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Re: '46 Chevy Shorty

Thanks Opus --- what a fun, funky ride! Gotta love those stacks, they look to be 6 or 8 inches in diameter!
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Old 06-19-2014, 06:57 PM   #680
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Re: '46 Chevy Shorty

Finally...a little progress --- Howdy All. Got to visit my bus for a couple of days. Hardly recognized her it's been so long. And no idea where in Tom Hill I left off on the umpteen-dozen projects that were/are in the works. Maybe Jack can remind me.

Anyway, here's a few pix.


The rebuilt '98 Chevy 3500 rear axle. A Dana 80 HD. The lug pattern matches my original wheels but they need the centers bored out another quarter inch.


I discovered that if I ever had to replace the little quarter round windows in the rear, I'd have to make some adjustments. The one-piece framing also included the small window in front of it that I needed to delete.The answer was to cut the frame then make a support for the steel delete.


Kinda' like this...


...and this.


Also started prepping the new quarter panels for mounting. Here's one with a coat of Quest rust converter applied everywhere on the inside except along the weld lines. They got the weld-through primer treatment. Then...


...two coats of HyTech ceramic insulating paint. All the interior & exterior body panels will get the same treatment...plus...


...a layer of radiant insulation just on the interior panels.

Just hope it's worth all the work.

Onward!
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