'46 Chevy Shorty

[sdwarf36]

I picked up some rubber mat from Tractor Supply to do my stairs. This stuff would be awsome for sound deadener if you have the room. Cheap too.

RB Rubber Multi-Mat Rolled Rubber, 1/4 in. Thick, Sold by the Foot - Tractor Supply Co.

Note: its in select stores.Check yours before you go shopping.

[Tango]

Looks like what Jack was talking about as "horse mat". Tough stuff no doubt. My concern with the doghose and firewall areas remains resistance to high heat but I will check it out. Thanks.

[Tango]

In between floods --- I got a couple of small items moved ahead this weekend. Putting shocks on a vehicle where it never had any was fun. Grinding and welding upside down under the bus is one of my favorite pastimes. The smells of burning flesh and fabric are signs of progress.


For comparison...the original dash & firewall...which I loved, but would not accommodate the new engine's placement.


The new firewall/dash. They are now one in the same. Actually, a dash panel will be mounted onto this surface. A doghouse for the engine/tranny are in the works.


Another view of the firewall.


The aforementioned shock mount. This is the driver side. The passenger side should be completed today or tomorrow.

Onward!

[ol trunt]

Looking good Tango. Jack

[Tango]

Thanks Jack --- Still plenty more to do but at least I'm making some headway. Spent most of today wrangling and picking up more parts. The TCM & wiring harness came back to Stewart & Stevenson with what should be the final programming to let it talk to the Cummins. Then drove most of the way out of town in the opposite direction to pick up all the parts to put together a driveline parking brake that will fit on the rear of the six-speed Allison. It was made for an '09 Chevy Kodiak 4500.

BTW...I now have a multi-page "Master Parts List" that will hopefully remind me which parts came from where on this Frankenbus. Which reminds me...I really need to copy it to a disk or some such. If my computer crashed...I'd be in deep doo-doo.

Think I'll do that right now before I forget.

[cowlitzcoach]

Definitely keep a record of your build sheet where it can't be lost or destroyed.

Our church is in the process of trying to determine what to do with a bus that has a tag axle and non-standard parts.

It would be easy if the OEM vendor who supplied the tag axle or the OEM of the bus had build sheets. But it would seem that since it is a church bus it must have been immaculately conceived because neither company has records for our bus.

And without a build sheet no shop wants to take on the task or replacing or the rebuilding of the tag axle brake booster/actuator/vacuum pump.

Product liability becomes a real issue when it comes to transporting people.

I am sure there are at least a dozen people who visit this site regularly who could make the brakes work. I know I am one of those people. But I am not prepared to take on the liability if anything should go wrong with 30 passengers on board.

[Tango]

More baby steps --- Got the second rear shock installed. The mounting bracket was a bear. Also started wrangling with the new park brake. It is a mechanical driveline brake that fits onto the rear of the Allison. As usual, gathering parts without a magic "VIN Number" was a beotch. Still need to get several very special bolts before I can hook it up, but that is the least of the "issues". The main frame crossmember has to go away before it can fit. Gonna' be a chore to remove and even trickier to replace. Have one designed out but I think I'll let my friendly neighborhood metal shop fab this one. It involves bending a couple of sections of 2" x 1/4" wall pipe. Don't want to weld it up so I'll go with bolting it to the upper & lower frame sections.

Mas fun.


As Jack sez..."without pix, it didn't happen...so...now I have two rear shocks. Monroe Gas Magnums.


The main components of the driveline brake. This fits an '08-09 Chevy 4500 which comes with an Allison. Just an old fashioned drum brake that locks up the driveline.


But here is the tricky part. The main frame crossmember is in the way and has to go. Just barely enough room even then, but it should work. The new crossmember will be fabbed with a pair of 2" pipes and plates that will bolt up to the frame just a few inches to the rear of the original but will be a couple of inches higher.

Yet more fun to come.

Onward!

[Tango]

Hey Jack --- this got me to wondering what the park/emergency brake system is like on your Isuzu chassis?

[nat_ster]

As always, great pics and tech Tango.

Tuck tape is far superior to duct tape.

Real men use tuck tape.

Nat

[Tango]

Thanks Nat --- Truth be known, I've been using "Gorilla Tape" here lately. Pretty tough stuff. "Duct" tape being strictly a term for the category. And ditto the "Tuck" tape being a much better product than the generic stuff.

Got a couple of more PITA framing pieces done for the doghouse/firewall today. Can't believe how much time gets sucked up by quirky little stuff like that. Also relocated a couple of body mounts that were in the way of the new frame crossmember I'm working on to replace the one that has to go. Will drop the drawing for it off at my friendly neighborhood sheetmetal shop in the morning. Precision bending 1/4" wall 2" pipe is a bit beyond my humble expertise.

[ol trunt]

Hey Tango. I refrained from sending you this pic----but since you asked---[b] You can just see the driveshaft "E" brake that CAME with my Isuzu Ha, Ha!

Also, I found a cartoon that just about says it all. Jack



[b][\b]

[Tango]

Thanks Jack --- I know what those guys feel like. And I don't even have any gold teeth to fall back on.

Your E-brake looks like a pretty typical set up. Just wish installing mine didn't requre replacing the main frame cross brace. I looked into some mechanical disk systems that mount on the rear axle ahead of the U-joint but fabbing the mount & lever would have been about the same amount of hassle plus running a really long cable.

There are also some stand alone hydraulic park brakes but anything bigger than a Ugo really needs an old fashioned mechanical drum. Heavy duty trucks are required to use all mechanical systems. DOT doesn't trust hydraulics not to leak or lose pressure it seems. Something about the idea of a loaded tanker truck parked on a hill made'em queezy I guess.

Ah well...one more argument for going with running gear less than a century old.

[Tango]

Does anyone else go through design session down time periods? --- The last several days have been spent designing both a replacement for my bus's main frame crossmember...and, a rear folding deck. Two utterly unrelated items but both taking up a fair amount of time. The crossmember required it going to a sheetmetal shop as I have no way of precisely bending 2", schedule 40 pipe. The rear deck I can handle, but I had to do a fair amount of pencil work just to get a materials list worked up. At least the steel is on order, even if it will be next week before I see it.

All this comes with the nature of my build, so I am trying to be philosophical about it all. But, just about once a day I remind myself that had I gone with a late model shorty instead of a WWII pin-up...I would probably be on the road by now.

So...I'm not really complaining, just musing about what I hope will someday be all worthwhile.

Back to the drawing board. There are still a few major systems to be drawn up...and cut...and welded...and fitted...and...

Onward!

[opus]

I come in the house and hide if it gets above 70!

[M1031A1]

Tango,

My wife and I have been working on the blueprints for our bus for FIVE YEARS . So, no it's not out of the ordinary. Heck, one of my favorites folders has over 500 sources for all the different parts/ideas we have for our build. My only concern is finding a good carpenter to help me with some of the finishing details on the interior of the bus when I get to that stage. Right now I have my son, his girlfriend, her two younger brothers and a good friend getting ready to help me with demo and basic mechanical/electrical/plumbing work when we get the bus.

We've changed the plans so many times I've lost count... Just sayin'......

[ol trunt]

My advice? Stop measuring and get cutting! Jack

[nat_ster]

Wahoo, page 100.

This thread has been going on for a bit.

Nat

[REDD]

Originally Posted by Tango

Does anyone else go through design session down time periods? --- The last several days have been spent designing both a replacement for my bus's main frame crossmember...and, a rear folding deck. Two utterly unrelated items but both taking up a fair amount of time. The crossmember required it going to a sheetmetal shop as I have no way of precisely bending 2", schedule 40 pipe. The rear deck I can handle, but I had to do a fair amount of pencil work just to get a materials list worked up. At least the steel is on order, even if it will be next week before I see it.

All this comes with the nature of my build, so I am trying to be philosophical about it all. But, just about once a day I remind myself that had I gone with a late model shorty instead of a WWII pin-up...I would probably be on the road by now.

So...I'm not really complaining, just musing about what I hope will someday be all worthwhile.

Back to the drawing board. There are still a few major systems to be drawn up...and cut...and welded...and fitted...and...

Onward!

Haven't even got my project yet [couple weeks] and I've change layouts on the doors, beds, washroom, walls, lights on and on.... draw/layout, sit back with a few beers, a couple days go by, look at it again, change mind, couple more beers, better idea, couple more beers, check out forum see what others have done....trying to do something original, which is hard at this point. There's a lot of clever people on this forum.

[M1031A1]

Originally Posted by ol trunt

My advice? Stop measuring and get cutting! Jack

Need to buy one first.... Just a small technical difficulty..... Hopefully remedied in about 2&1/2 hours or so.....

[M1031A1]

Originally Posted by ol trunt

My advice? Stop measuring and get cutting! Jack

Now give me about a week to get her home!!!!

Check out my post in the conversion thread Trunt