Project: Old Guard - lots of pictures

Master Yota · Post by **Master Yota** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 7:44 pm

Engine was installed today, as I got 80% or so of the engine mounts finished. They are fully fabbed, I just need to finish welding them into the boxed portion of the frame.

I used a pair of GM truck mounts that I had laying under the bench, and they seem to have worked out nicely.

Here is the passenger side mount after the first two cuts. I didn't need the piece on the left.

You can see where I needed to change the angle of the motor mount pad to match the Ford Block

Two small inserts and the gap is filled

Finish welded and cleaned up, and it almost looks like a factory piece.

Bolted up and tacked into place.

The drivers side was basicaly a carbon copy, so I didn't take any pictures of it.

Here is a few shots around the passenger side exhaust manifold. The angle of the pictures dosen't really convey how much room is there, but I might actually be able to squeek the pipe through without too much grief.

I'm thinking a mild body lift of about 1.5 - 2" should make everything work out just fine, without generating more problems.

As for the rad, I'm going to have the lower port moved to the other side of the tank to meet up with the Ford Water pump. If I don't end up needing a body lift, I've got enough room to run a fair sized mechanical fan at the moment, and I'd like to stay away from an electric fan if at all possible.

Here are some shots of various angles showing how the engine is sitting in the chassis at the moment.

The obligatory distance shot...

Lefts side

Right side

Front

And here is my newest issue to solve....Getting the lines to the remote oil filter....

Looks like I'll need to be cutting a little of the frame after all...

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 7:52 pm

ouch.

Thats going to take some creativity. I think I would get some blocks welded on at a 90* angle to that die casting to try to avoid cutting the frame. It would be one thing if it was right in the center, where the beam loading is low, but that one port comes out right at teh channel.

Dont forget to account for engine rock when making clearance.

Master Yota · Post by **Master Yota** » Mon Jan 25, 2010 11:53 pm

I found a solution for my oil filter problem - Transdapt makes an adapter to replace the assembly that is bolted to the block - has the same two ports for the hose's to feed the remote filter, and was cheap too. In the meantime I've been puttering with my power steering setup as I can't finish the transmission crossmember until my tcase adapter shows up.

I plan to run crossover steering on my Dana 60 so that needs a box that swings side to side, instead of front to back. My original choice was this side mounted Saginaw unit that I got from the wrecker. I don't know what it was from, but I'm thinkinig a Gm truck of mid 80's vintage.

The box needed a few casting marks ground flat, and then two 1/2" plates to act as spacers, as the sector shaft housing extends beyond the mounting flanges.

After I had it marked and mounted on the frame where it needed to go, it dawned on me that it hung quite far out from the frame rail.

I started to wonder about turning radius with tires that are over 18.5" wide and discovered that with the box mounted as it was, I would be hard pressed to make any sort of a right hand turn. After pulling out the trusty tape measure and verifying my thoughts I felt I had better come up with another solution.

A lightbulb went off, and I remembered having another steering box on a previous project truck, and after trudging through the snow I had liberated it from its resting place, and had it sitting on the frame for comparison. This box will work much better. Its from a 2wd F250 of 70's vintage, and takes up a whole lot less space.

This should do the trick once I get it mounted. All thats needed now is to figure out how to tap the box for hydraulic ram assist, and then connect it to the coloum, and the truck will be one step closer to completion.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 3:04 pm

Ray, you still have space for your radiator/front cowl sheetmetal with that big beast sitting up there? Just trying to help you troubleshoot along the way... I enjoy reding your build.

Josh

Master Yota · Post by **Master Yota** » Wed Jan 27, 2010 12:47 am

Josh wrote:Ray, you still have space for your radiator/front cowl sheetmetal with that big beast sitting up there? Just trying to help you troubleshoot along the way... I enjoy reding your build.

Josh

In its current position - no. But I did manage to build a 5/8's thick steel spacer to mount between the box and the frame, and that leaves me about 3/16" between the support and the box. I'll need to trim the inner fender, but it should work out ok. Now its a matter of welding up the holes in the frame from the previous box install, and then figure out how to connect this box to the coloum.

Master Yota · Post by **Master Yota** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 12:06 am

Here is a few shots of the final install of the steering box.

This shows that with the spacer, it still dosen't stick out any further than the factory linkage system

This shows the clearance between the box and the rad support - about 3/16"

I welded up the holes in the frame from the first box install, and used 1/2x3 G8NF hardware with stovers to hold this box on. Plus its directly inline with the frame crossmember, so frame flex from steering shouldn't be an issue.

Wayne64 · Post by **Wayne64** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 1:14 pm

Following your build and will make a suggestion on your RS log manifold issue. What I do most of the time with at least the first piece of exhaust tubing is to use the old school flex pipe to get my rolling set right. I then carry the bent piece of flex to the muffler shop and they bend the piece up. It looks by the photos you might get it to fit, even if you have weld the taper onto the tubing to gain more room. The following picture is how I handled the exhaust when I stuck a SBF into a 142 Volvo years ago. Josh, what do you think? It should have had twin turbos

Master Yota · Post by **Master Yota** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 1:33 pm

The flex pipe template is a great idea! I had considered using it as a permanent solution, but then dismissed it as they tend to rot out rather quickly. But to use it as a template is for a solid piece is genius! Thanks Wayne!

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 3:08 pm

I agree Wayne, it needs blowers! that must have been a fun little toy! I love those vintage volvos. I want a 1983 242 GT turbo... same model year as me!

Ray, that box mounting turned out slick, good thinking.

Wayne64 · Post by **Wayne64** » Thu Jan 28, 2010 5:05 pm

Damn I'm old Josh, you fall between my oldest and youngest Son's. I have owned a 83 242 turbo, story at another time.
Master Yota, The photo I posted was not to Hi-Jack the thread but to show what can be done. The Volvo in question got almost the same X-member rework to clear the pan as you did. But for others doing swaps always think out of the box. The 142 was unibody so no frame. Therefore I couldn't fab up motor mounts as was shown here, which look good I might add. That 302 Ford is actually being supported by mounts bolted to the heads as I have seen in boats. The engine also was off center because of the master cylinder and steering box. Bottom line is I put 50K on that combo and taught both sons how to drive in it.

Master Yota · Post by **Master Yota** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 11:40 am

I've been puttering with a few other projects lately but managed to get some more stuff done to the M37.

I've been in the process of converting the truck from "through the floor" pedals to the more common "Hanging pedal" setup. This will move the Master Brake cyl. from under the floor to the fire wall, and allow me to run a hydraulic clutch.

This is the hanging pedal kit from Heli Tool - it was originally designed for a WC series Dodge truck, and the early civillian Power Wagon. With a few mods however they work just fine in the M37. These pedals are almost to nice to hang and rest my feet on!

The pedals need to first be swapped side for side - the straight pedal clears the steering coloum where the bent pedal doesen't.

Then its a matter of measuring where the plate will fit on the fire wall, and where the brake pedal sits so that it clears the coloum.

Had to make a few cuts as the WC and Civy 'Wagons have a taller fire wall than the M37

Mark out where the coloum hole needs to go.

Test fit the pedals for alignment with the originalls - looks pretty spot on to me.

Don't forget the cab has a body lift - the orriginal pedals are 3" lower than usuall.

Drill out the remaining mounting holes for the power booster and the Hyd. Clutch Master Cylinder (some clearancing of the fire wall (upper right) for the hyd. clutch MC is needed.

Time to test fit the booster - it clears everything - but its close!

Need some 1/4" spacers on the back of the plate to accomodate the rib in the firewall.

Looks like I'll need to modify the steering coloum mount as its too wide to fit between the pedals

I can also finally finish putting the driveline together as the adapter showed up yesterday to attach my Early Bronco dana20 to my NP435.

This was a good deal for the cost of the part - but I didn't consider how much it cost to ship 50lbs of cast iron! From now on its Aluminum only!

I also managed to get the 3" body lift installed - Now I have clearance for everything! I used some 3" diameter UMHW that I cut into 2.5" lengths and then used a 3/4" rubber body bushing that I compressed 1/4" to give the total 3" lift needed.

Josh · Post by **Josh** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 4:29 pm

looking good Ray! is that a lift I spy under it in the last picture?!?!

W_A_Watson_II · Post by **W_A_Watson_II** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 7:00 pm

Master Yota,

I'm installing one of Ray's hanging pedal setups in my Power Wagon right now, I hadn't thought of the conversion you are going trough to use it in an M. Probably would have been cheaper than the route I went I installed a Kugel Komponents Hanging Pedal Assembly in my M. the only changes I had to make (other than the steering column notch) was to add my own pedal pad. the Master Cylinders that come with the Krugel had to be swapped out for the proper larger bore units though.

Master Yota · Post by **Master Yota** » Thu Feb 11, 2010 11:54 pm

Will - I can't take the credit for figuring out the pedal swap; that idea came from the fellow that owns the M37 called "Bandit". His web site is here - http://imageevent.com/moosecreekmaple/m37project - lots of good stuff on this site covering a wide variety of our favored Dodge trucks...

Can you tell me Will what you used for a Clutch Master cyl.? The recomended 62-68 dodge truck units are almost unavailable up here and are stupid expensive. I'm trying to come up with an alternative unit... Did you use the Dodge slave cyl. as well?

Josh - you are correct, I did decide to go the route of the body lift. I used some 3" diameter UMHW that I cut to 2.5" long. Then I used a 3/4" this rubber body bushing to provide a little cushion and vibration resistance. I compressed the bushing about 1/4" to get a total unit height of 3". This has solved my exhaust problem, but evened out the steering rod angles (coloum to box) and made more room for the transmission shifter (between the shift tower and the dash).

I redesigned the steering coloum mount today to work with the pedal assy. so now that can get put back in once the engine is in for the last time.

W_A_Watson_II · Post by **W_A_Watson_II** » Fri Feb 12, 2010 5:17 am

Master Yota wrote:Can you tell me Will what you used for a Clutch Master cyl.? The recomended 62-68 dodge truck units are almost unavailable up here and are stupid expensive. I'm trying to come up with an alternative unit... Did you use the Dodge slave cyl. as well?

On my M, I went with a Wilwood High-Volume aluminum master cylinder (260-6766). It's a 1" bore unit. The tight fit to the M's radiator brace caused me to not even look at the wide case Dodge unit. It operates the stock Dodge slave cylinder just fine. Your comment on the availability, now has me worried about the Power Wagon. That explains why the parts store hasn't called me back with the unit I have them order, may have to look at another solution.