Yeah, I'll stuff as many batteries in under that hood as i can too. I'll probably end up with some on my lap before I'm done. Maybe I'll pull a trailer!
As for the engine mount there appeared to be only one way to mount it but I'll take another look and sctach my head some more. It doesn't look quite right to me either.
I (ahem) decided to actually look at the instruction manual that came with this kit and did indeed discover that I appear to have put the engine mount on upside down.
Hey it fits both ways!
Once I have this corrected I will post what the installation is supposed to look like.
-- Edited by 66 Grande guy on Thursday 11th of February 2010 12:14:47 AM
If you use a rigid bed cover, you could cut the bottom out of the original bed (the rigid top would make the unit as strong as an original open bed, with maybe a little reinforcing along the inner bottom walls) then double stack the batteries all back there, avoiding the need to clutter the engine compartment - if you give me the measurements of the bed and of a battery I could sketch an engineering drawing for you, but basically 12 on one level (either 4x3 or 6x2 depending on what would be best fit) and the same on the second level.
I assume you will need a heavy-duty plug-in, to recharge those batteries at night, something like this?
Where the fuel filler would go, install one of these babies - that'll make people do a double-take when they see it (if the hood isn't open)
(available from marine stores)
If you can avoid batteries in the engine compartment, and you smoothed the firewall and inner fenders, especially if you used a hot-rod-type under-the-floor master cylinder, you would have a real WOW factor when you open the hood. Lots of smooth-background space with that lovely motor shining. Even better would be to fabricate a flat firewall cover and inner fenders from polished sheet aluminum.
And yes, that photo I uploaded was a 38
What a cool project. We'll all look forward to updates as you progress!
Dave
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1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod
Hi Dave I like your idea but ideally I'd still like to have a functional box if can. Iwill get in touch to talk drawings if I can't figure out a way to stuff them inside the frame rails. I don't mind having a few up front for weght distribution etc however that radical almost-nothing-under-the-hood look is making me grin too. What a freak out that would be!
Maybe a raised bottom on the box? Just enough to get all the batteries under it. Still functional if you have to haul something, could then use a soft cover to keep the elements out, and not have the raised bottom be apparent to the casual onlooker ...
Dave
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1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod
Hi guys, I will definitely think about the raised box idea. Once I get the body pieces out of the corner of my garage and stuck on the frame I'll have a better idea.
I'm definitely going to get the demensions of the batteries I'm going to use and start measuring and figuring.
I wasn't planning to beef up the springs. The GVW of the Blazer was right around3000 lbs and I'm guessing that the truck will end up weighing about that with the batteries in. However they are leafs so if I need to it would be pretty easy to add a leaf if necessary.
I don't really want to have all the weight in the back though...
OK now the headscratching begins! I spent a good part of the day moving stuff around so I could bring in the body pieces. This is what I have to work with. Torn, tattered tired old tin but still worth the fight!
I didnt bring in the box or the tailgate but they are kind of the same condition. I have two sets of front fenders so Im hoping to be able to make one good set. As you can see the cab floor is pretty much gone but hey I was going to put in a different floor anyway!
The cab side shot I have might look a little weird as it is presently laying on its back.
Doors are not bad.
My prelim thoughts are to cut the cab floor out, bang the fenders into good enough shape so that I can bolt them in the proper alignment to the cab, mount the hood.
I doubt that the cab fenders and hood would weigh more than 3-400 lbs (these things were built light (Flimsy actually)
After that I thought I would dangle the whole assembly over the frame and cut away the stuff from the frame that is going to not allow it to fit. (front bumper mounts etc.) Once I have that done I can maybe lower the assembly down so i can figure the mounting points and the height im looking for The tires I have on now are pretty much the size I will run so once that looks right I should be able to figure out a floor plan (yuk yuk)
I was actually toying with the idea of cutting out the floor from the S10 (Its not rusty) and welding it in as the new floor of the Willys. It would solve a lot of problems at once like seat mounts, tranmission hump, maybe a couple of body mounts etc.
Is that nuts or.....
This is quite a bit more complex than when i fixed up my 39 Buick as with that car all I changed was the front clip. I ended up usng the original frame cause it was plenty beefy. So Ièm heading into some new territory for me.
I'm with Carl, plus unless you have a good use or can sell the S-10 body for some good cash, you already have that floor so take the time and energy to cut it out and see if it will work, eh? Might want to tack weld a couple of small tube crossmembers in the body before cutting out the floor so it doesn't collapse on you?
Always hard to tell from photos but doors look good, does not apprear to have the lower parts rusted away, saving time and money there.
Cabs in old pickups were always too small, if you are 6' like me I would consider changing firewall location (moving it forward) for more leg room, you don't have a big motor in your way
Looking forward to photos with the body hanging in place!
Dave
-- Edited by davelacourse on Tuesday 16th of February 2010 08:54:08 AM
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1956 Pontiac Pathfinder 2dr sedan, 496 - dyno'd 545 hp, stick shift, 4.11 posi - Hot Rod
Thanks for the reinforcment guys. Yeah the doors are pretty good actually which is lucky as they are not quite the same as coupe doors. The cab other than the floor is actually pretty good too except for some pinholes and a big hole rusted through just above and behind the drivers door as a result of lying on its side for about 30 years.
Shouldn't be too bad to fix once I tune my skills up by learning on the floor where nobody will see it!