MY 61 ECONOLINE P/U IN PROGRESS

I PICKED UP THIS 61 ON CRAIGSLIST, AND IT'S BEEN FUN SO FAR! I PUT IN AIR BAGS AND DROPPED THE REAR BY NOTCHING THE FRAME BOX AND RE-INFORCING WITH HOME MADE BRACKETS. ADDED POWER BRAKES AND FRONT DISC CONVERSION. I PUT A FORD 8 INCH REAR IN IT WITH A FOUR LINK, AND AM BUILDING A MILD 302 FOR IT. I'M STILL TRYING TO FIND AN ECONOLINE C4 WITH SHORT TAIL ASSEMBLY SO IT WILL ALL FIT IN BETTER. GOT SOME GOOD EXPERIENCE WITH RUST REPAIR. I'TS TAKEN A LOT OF COFFEE, AND MANY BUSTED KNUCKLES FROM ME AND MY FRIEND RIO! WILL POST MORE RECENT PICS LATER. -GABE-[img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img] [img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img]

WOW! Cool project. Love the power brake conversion!

Looks like a lot of good progress! Please tell us about your power brake setup... did you have any clearance issues with shift linkange or anything?

Keep up the good work!

Later,
Rip

Welcome, Love the pics

I PICKED UP THE POWER BRAKE ASSEMBLY ON EBAY. I THINK IT WAS MADE FOR A CHEVY TRUCK. IT ONLY COST ME 100 BUCKS FOR THE WHOLE BOOSTER/MASTER/BRACKET ASSEMBLY. I SAW SOME OF THE SAME ASSEMBLIES SELLING FOR THREE TIMES THAT MUCH. MY FRIEND RIO AND I JUST TAPE MEASURED AND EYE-BALLED THE ASSEMBLY IN PLACE, THEN MADE A SPACER BRACKET TO MOVE IT AWAY FROM THE FRAME RAIL JUST ENOUGH TO LINE IT UP AND SLIP THE MOUNTING NUTS BEHIND AND STILL BE ABLE TO GET A WRENCH ON THEM. I HAVE NOT INSTALLED THE FRONT DISC CONVERSION YET.I BELIEVE I GOT IT FROM "TSM INC." IN CASTLE ROCK, COLORADO. IT USES 78 TO 83 GM CALIPERS. AS FOR THE SHIFT LINKAGE, I DONT EVEN REMEMBER WHERE THEY ROUTED NOW, IT'S BEEN SO LONG SINCE I REMOVED THEM. I'M NOT GOING TO USE THEM, BUT I THINK THEY MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN IN THE WAY. I POSTED A COUPLE MORE PICS OF IT EARLIER. -GABE-

I bet that brake unit could be made to work on an A-100 as well. The underneath is very similar to the Ford.

I TRIED TO FIND THE PART INFO BUT HAD NO LUCK. ALL I FOUND WAS THAT THE LISTING WAS "1955 56 57 58 59 Chevy Truck Power Booster Pedal Kit" AS THE DESCRIPTION. IT HAS A DUAL DIAPHRAGM BOOSTER AND THE MASTER CYLINDER HAS TWO LINE PORTS ON EACH SIDE SO YOU CAN PLUG THE ONES ON THE SIDE NOT USED. OH, BY THE WAY I PAID 180 BUCKS INSTEAD OF 100 LIKE I SAID BEFORE. MY MISTAKE. I WILL POST PROGRESS WHEN I GET TO THE BRAKES AGAIN. -GABE-

Welcome! That's great stuff! You just made a bunch of early owners drool!

Good luck in your battle with the rust!

Looks like Starbucks must love you.

GOT THE CAMERA BACK IN ACTION. SO HERE'S SOME PICS OF MY EFFORT TO LOWER THIS JEWEL AND GIVE IT SOME MORE CHARACTER. NOT FINISHED YET BUT THE MAJOR PARTS ARE FINALLY IN PLACE. THIS IS WHY IT TOOK SOOOOO MUCH COFFEE. I CAN ONLY WORK ON THIS THING AT NIGHT AFTER RUNNING MY AUTO SHOP ALL DAY . BUT IT REALLY PUTS A SMILE ON MY FACE EVERY TIME I GO IN THE GARAGE AND LOOK AT IT. THIS PROJECT HAS REALLY SHOWN ME THAT ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, IT JUST TAKES LOTS OF GOOGLE RESEARCH AND MORE COFFEE. ENJOY! -GABE-[img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img]

Looks great!!!

Awesome!

Thats some very cool work , I was wondering what your source or inspiration was for the 4 Link and bags.

AFTER I BOUGHT IT AND STARTED RESEARCHING, I FOUND PICS OF A VAN . I THINK IT WAS CALLED SHADOW VAN. IT JUST LOOKED AWSOME LOWERED. HE HAD SOME GOOD PICS OF THE AIR BAGS AND ENGINE SET UP THAT I USED FOR IDEAS. I KNEW THIS THING WAS GONNA NEED A LOT OF RUST REPAIR, SO MY FRIEND AND I JUST GOT CARRIED AWAY. AND PLANS SEEM TO CHANGE AND EVOLVE EVERY TIME WE WORK ON IT. MY WIFE AND KIDS AND I JUST WANT A COOL RIDE WITH LOTS OF CHARACTER, TO CRUISE DOWN CONGRESS. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE ROUND UP COMES TO TOWN. I HAVE NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE, IM JUST RELYING ON MY MECHANIC SKILLS TO HELP ME LEARN. DONT KNOW WHEN THIS PROJECT WILL END BUT IT SURE IS FUN . ANYWAY, IT'S ALL ABOUT THE JOURNEY AND NOT THE DESTINATION! RIGHT? --GABE--

SOME PICS OF THE DISC BRAKE CONVERSION. EVERYTHING FITS GREAT.GETTING READY TO RE-BUILD THE FRONT END ALSO. NEW MAIN LEAF SPRINGS FROM EATON,NEW KING PINS FROM SPICER, TIE ROD ENDS FROM SPICER, AND A DRAG LINK FORM MACS.THE ONLY THING THAT IS A THORN IN MY SIDE AT THIS TIME IS FINDING BUSHINGS FOR THE MANUAL STEERING BOX. HOLY SH@$ THERE IS NO OTHER BEARING IN EXISTANCE THAT WILL FIT. IF ANYONE KNOWS WHERE TO GET A 1 1/4" OD X 1 1/8 ID BI-METAL BUSHING PLEASE LET ME KNOW. -GABE-[img][/img][img][/img][img][/img]

Gabe, always like to see the pics of your progress on your Econo project

JUST IN CASE ANY OF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE INNARDS OF THE MANUAL STEERING BOX. HERE,S SOME SHOTS OF MINE ALL CLEANED UP AND WAITING FOR THE NON EXISTANT BUSHINGS AND SEALS. I FOUND A NUMBER FOR A SEAL SO IT'S ON ORDER AND OTHER THAN A LITTLE GEAR WEAR, ALL THE PARTS LOOK GREAT. ORDERED SOME BRONZE BUSHINGS IN THE CORRECT SIZE SO I WILL SEE HOW THEY WORK WHEN THEY COME IN.OH YEAH! BY THE WAY I FOUND OUT WHEN I RESEARCHED MY VIN # THAT MINE IS A ==1965== PICK-UP! OOPS! SURE HELPS TO KNOW WHAT YOUR WORKING ON WHEN YOU GO TO GET PARTS!! --GABE--[img][/img][img][/img][img][/img]

Be carefull with the ball bearings in the shaft assembly on top! Ron Blachut has a great page showing his sterring box rebuild! He did that reciprocating gear thing (yeah that's my "technical expert name" thing for it )

YEAH, THERE ACTUALLY IS 62 LITTLE BALLS IN THAT THING. LUCKILY I GOT THEM ALL TO COOPERATE AND GO BACK TOGETHER. -GABE-

HOW ABOUT A WIND TUNNEL! THIS IS A GOOD START TO WHAT I HOPE WILL KEEP THINGS COOL THIS SUMMER. THE RADIATOR WILL SIT AT AN ANGLE UNDER THE TUNNEL. AT LEAST THATS WHAT I HOPE. AND THE PICTURE OF THE SPARKS IS JUST COOL LOOKING! -GABE--[img][/img][img][/img][img][/img][img][/img]

Check you out in the Spotlight!