WC53 Carryall Restomod - Cummins ISB170, Allison, ORI Struts

[backchat]

updates?

 

[AlxJ64]

updates?

Remainder of the seat frames are getting dropped off next weekend to the upholstery guy so that its just a done deal and I can get back to fabbing the mounts for those. I am slated to get the built Allison from Grendel in the next 2 months, finally. Pending no diesel shortage crisis that we are being threatened with on the east coast.

I have been working on my property and still getting the shop setup. With more space I have acquired more tools and also finally have a place to unbox a lot of the hardware, tools, etc that I had been hoarding for the day that I would get more space.

The truck gets driven every once in a while but the insurance company just dropped me on it the other day saying that "Due to volatility and irregularities in the collector and custom car market, they felt that an actual value on the vehicle couldn't be accurately determined and therefore my policy was not to be renewed". I guess they didn't like our agreed value.

Took the Girlfriend and her dog to a Brewery with it one day back in March when the weather was unreasonably nice for that time of year.

Also, my daily was in the body shop for a month after hitting a giant rat with hooves and when it was time to pick it up my ride had bailed, the GF was at work, no neighbors were available, Uber / Taxi wanted $65 and it was a Friday afternoon, my rental had run out already so I was walking and I wanted the damn truck back! The solution was drive the Carryall 30 minutes to the bodyshop, leave the Carryall there, go home and get a trailer, then go back and get the Carryall. Worked out great and one of the employees there even threw up a little IG reel about the truck.

 

[backchat]

thanks for the update!

looking forward to the continued progress.

 

[Tech Tim]

Every time I see this thread pop up, it makes me wish I had never sold mine!

 

[KacksterK5]

I insured my CJ7 through Hagerty for way more than it's worth and they're still fine with it. No questions asked glass replacement, $700 repair insurance to get back on the road if it breaks somewhere and full coverage. Might be worth a shot. Good to see you're hangin in there

 

[Grendel]

I can't wait to get my WC53 going.

 

[vetteboy79]

This popped up on Jay Leno's channel...interesting to look at the difference in proportions, thing is like a roller skate guess it's not much shared between this generation of production vs. what yours was at the time, but it's neat to see the evolution.

Guy said it weighs about 7500 as displayed here, that seems higher than I would've guessed.

 

[AlxJ64]

This popped up on Jay Leno's channel...interesting to look at the difference in proportions, thing is like a roller skate guess it's not much shared between this generation of production vs. what yours was at the time, but it's neat to see the evolution.

Guy said it weighs about 7500 as displayed here, that seems higher than I would've guessed.

Funny that you posted that because this week I am sitting around pouting because a lot of my friends are at the Power Wagon rall... (err, its a reunion this year and not a rally because its not sponsored by VPW this year) and I didn't make it; this is the first one since the one I was last at in 2019.

In 2019 I got to drive a very similar truck. We went and picked up another truck from a campground and I drove the Town Wagon back. They're rather hefty machines. This particular one actually belongs to a friend's wife and was featured in Four Wheeler mag. They're cool trucks for sure but IMO not as cool as the WC series bodies.

^ For scale, the 38.5x11 Skinny Boggers

Been dealing with insurance on the truck and finally have gotten State Farm to work with me on the thing after taking it to a car show that a few of the local businesses sponsored.

Years ago I tried getting Hagerty to insure this thing but the guy literally laughed at me and told me I was dreaming. He said that the second I locked the hubs on the truck that not only was the policy no longer covering the truck, but if they found out, then they'd drop me like a hat and deny any and all claims. This also included the truck staying overnight outside of a "garage or gated parking facility". Ie if it got left in a Walmart parking lot overnight, and something happened... no dice on coverage.
So I had my agent that was underwriting my policy reach back out and she flat out said there was a NOTE IN THE HAGERTY SYSTEM NOT TO INSURE THIS TRUCK in my name... under the grounds I had already mentioned wanting to use the truck to camp in and drive on the beach in Hatteras. She said that Hagerty does not approve or provide insurance of any vehicle used for "Recreational" use such as camping or "cross terrain driving" which they defined as anything off of an "improved surface". I found it interesting that the vehicle and myself had been flagged from 2017 when I first started shopping around for highway use insurance.

 

[AlxJ64]

Finally back to work on this thing. The GF learned all about PITA torque converter bolts and how hard they are to get to on this SAE 3 housing with a rear gear-train assembly. I had her baring the engine via the drain plug in the flywheel housing and I was feeling for the bolts to line up to pull them out about the starter.

Gonna split the body from the frame, yank the transmission and go visit Grendel here soon to take him his truck and a core and snag the A1000 from him that he had built for this thing. The Red M37 is getting dumped off in PA too along the way. Aiming for a mid September beach trip with this truck, but that's going to be a push.

I know one thing, that I would have been done building this truck a long time ago if I had owned a lift in my previous shop. I also wouldn't be able to work on it now with my health the way it is; getting up and down off of the floor like I used to just wouldn't happen. I can't believe what I accomplished in a 1.5 car garage in a neighborhood on weekends and evenings... no wonder I am divorced.

 

[Firstram]

Girlfriend


















Nice ride too!

 

[shortbus4x4]

I just hit the five oh mark on Friday and hear you all too well on the getting up from the ground. I used to jump up and be going, now it's roll over, look for something to help pull me up and usually lay there for a minute or two wondering why in the hell did I make a career out of being a mechanic.

Can hardly wait to see it going again. I remember this rig from the original builder and then when you got it after it had been wrecked and started your build on it.

 

[Grendel]

The air charge pipe bugs me.

 

[AlxJ64]

Got the body pulled and the transmission out. Only casualty was the EGT probe connection was frozen and broke the probe trying to remove it. I should have unplugged it under the dash so its my fault. Otherwise everything else unplugged and I didn't even have to pull the brakes loose or the hydroboost. The modular intent while building this thing certainly did pay of when it came time for this.

Talking with Grendel I am going to tweak the motor angle a little more to flatten things out. I am going to lose some compression height out of it and need to add some bumpstops because I built this thing to be as low as possible. The oil pan already has a notch I put into it to help clear the diff at full compression and the engine / trans are offset to the passenger side too to help with that issue and to help create a little more driver's floor space. I'm also going to try and raise the tail shaft as much as I can which means cutting out the stock crossmember and re-working that. I've avoided doing that for some reason along the way but now I am just over it and will rebuild something back in its place that works just the same. This also means I need to re-work the divorced transfer-case mounts, again... so that the input angle compliments the transmission output angle. The reason for the above is that the angle of the transmission is beyond the max recommendation for the one being built and if the proper fluid level is run at that angle it will soak the clutches and the rear planetary will churn the fluid and all kinds of bad things start to happen. I had installed a hokie-ass site tube into the side of the pan when I first put this thing together but it had the fluid level window very narrow to allow for proper pickup volume but not be so full that it caused the above issues. TMYK.

 

[Grendel]

Well, it's not how your new trans is built. It's how any auto transmission is built. Proper operating angles (I like less than 5 degrees), proper fluid levels, fluid type and fluid where it's supposed to be. I am sure there are people that will say 10 degrees tilt is fine and others that will say that it must be perfectly level. IMHO, 10 degrees is too much and I think you've seen that now, but it's your truck and the new trans is no questions asked built/warrantied by a very reputable diesel shop here.


Most articles I can find say flat or 1-3 degrees, but that's usually for Carbs (carb mount should be level and the intake is slanted) u joint longevity and they want some misalignment to spin the grease around in the caps.

 

[AlxJ64]

Well, it's not how your new trans is built. It's how any auto transmission is built. Proper operating angles (I like less than 5 degrees), proper fluid levels, fluid type and fluid where it's supposed to be. I am sure there are people that will say 10 degrees tilt is fine and others that will say that it must be perfectly level. IMHO, 10 degrees is too much and I think you've seen that now, but it's your truck and the new trans is no questions asked built/warrantied by a very reputable diesel shop here.


Most articles I can find say flat or 1-3 degrees, but that's usually for Carbs (carb mount should be level and the intake is slanted) u joint longevity and they want some misalignment to spin the grease around in the caps.

I did some measuring late last night as I couldn't sleep with this on my mind. It was actually closer to 7 degrees and not 10. It was originally at 10 degrees but I was able to raise the tail shaft some from my original design notes. I used internet information from the Allison swap thread on the 4btswaps forum where they had stated it was good up to 12 degrees in the industrial applications... wrong... should not have done that. I believe I can get it to 3 to 4 degrees by the measurements I took last night and reworking the motor mounts.
In order to do this, without having to rebuild the entire front crossmember, etc, I think I am going to mid engine mounts and going to a tailhousing mount. Is there any reason that I can't / shouldn't do that with this Allison? The GM units are mounted this way but the industrial units are just hanging off the end of the bellhousing. I'd use the parking brake mounting flange to bolt to a bushing mount.

 

[Grendel]

Industrial applications don't change much, like driving up and down hills while running under load, which also moves it around.

Industrial applications are typically static...

I like how GM mounts them... and SAE3 mounts are no joke.

 

[WaterH]

Nice build. Interesting experience with Hagerty. I have them. They told me up front no coverage off road, but it sounds like if you drive off road, they don’t cover it on road. I need to look in to that.

 

[06h3]

I know one thing, that I would have been done building this truck a long time ago if I had owned a lift in my previous shop. I also wouldn't be able to work on it now with my health the way it is; getting up and down off of the floor like I used to just wouldn't happen. I can't believe what I accomplished in a 1.5 car garage in a neighborhood on weekends and evenings... no wonder I am divorced.

This speaks to me lol I’d travel all week for work, get home, wrench like a son of a bitch from morning till night all weekend long in the driveway in 100* heat and do it all again the next week.

I don’t even know when I spent time with my GF back then and I’m shocked she even married me because of that shit. We’re still together and now I have a garage to work in and I don’t travel nearly as much and somehow get less done

But I may not be alone here from this post.

Badass build and love all the Eaton tech you have provided over the years.

 

[granitestatedestroyer]

Dang, just got back to Virginia from a week in NH for a family visit.

I've got a goose ball and would have dragged all that up for you. I was even looking for an excuse to drive the pickup instead of the car.

 

[Firstram]

I had installed a hokie-ass site tube

This has been a great build from the beginning and nothing has been "hokie-ass". We all are our own worst critics, the 2nd round is always better!

 

[McBastard79]

Sick rig!

 

[Mr. Mindless]

Glad to have caught this thread and to follow it here now 👍

 

[Grendel]

Said trans:

Started with a 2005 Kodiak 1K Allison: It got a bit of goodies while it was built: Transgo , Ratiotek, etc.

 

[AlxJ64]

Transmission is now in my possession and Grendel has a Carryall; dumped the M37 off in PA on the way up as well.

Thanks again so much to Grendel for the help with this. This is quite the awesome and very nice Transmission! Got caught by some rain on the way back so it got a trashbag wrap to stay dry. I threatened to kick the GF out into the bed and put the transmission in the back of the cab, lol.

 

[Grendel]

Is it in yet? (that's what she said!)


I am fighting myself.
I promised myself I would not touch my Carryall until the other projects were running/driving:

1. Pinky
2. Big Ugly, the 2nd War Pig of it's Name.
3. Audie, the G506
4. Dodge WC53
5. Vulva, the 263C (which may just stay a 262C, but still gets an L33, 4L60E and 8.8 with suspension and brakes to smoke the unsuspecting)
6. Vulva Four <-- This one's a cheat, it already did it.

That includes collecting parts.
But she calls... and as it turns out, I already own most of the hard stuff, if I want to restomod it. SD Dana 60 front, Stirling 10.5, Isuzu 4.8L and 6 speed auto, divorced 205.

This is also the last post on this truck in this thread. It has it's own now.

 

[AlxJ64]

Is it in yet? (that's what she said!)

Last week was a bunch of long days at work and prepping for the upcoming weekend out of town. Was at a wedding out of town all last weekend and finally the fluid I ordered for this thing showed up. I got the converter primed and installed. The flywheel adapter is bolted on and bolts all lock-tited and torqued.

I decided to go ahead and turn down the yoke as much as I could to get as much clearance out of it as possible; every little bit will count with adjusting the angle of this drivetrain to a better flatter plane. I didn't take a before picture but I have this old photo from 2018 from under the truck. This yoke originally started out as a 1480 parking brake drum type yoke with the big threaded flange. I had turned it down a good bit on my old and rather small Atlas lathe so chucking this thing between centers on the Colchester was rather satisfying.
I know these are miniscule updates but this place is now my archive of the process and might help someone later on with ideas of what or what not to do.

 

[shortbus4x4]

Good to see you have your priorities straight, girlfriend in the back in the rain while the trans rides up front in the dry.

 

[AlxJ64]

Ta Da...

Bolted up after a little bit of a fight but nothing too challenging. Rolled the chassis back under the body and got it mostly lined up. I'll want another set of eyes helping to lower it back down. The intent here is to check for clearances. After trimming the yoke more, and pushing my limits, I gained some more clearance and have the output closer to the middle cross member which is the hump there over the output shaft. That was the original transfercase mount plate. Once I set the body back down, I am going to check my floor clearances and such, even though already I know that I am going to have to re-work some stuff. Once I get the body down, I'll measure for how much room and I may cut the center out of the original transfercase support to give myself a little more room. I'll incorporate the transmission tail-housing mount with the repair / reconnection plate for the support. After that is in place, I'll lift the engine and pull the front engine mounts and then lower it down some to get the whole drivetrain closer to level. I'm ditching the front mounts and will be building some mid-engine mounts. The way the front mounts are designed theres no more room to drop the engine down... aside from ditching the big Anchor mounts and going to poly mounts and I don't really want to do that with this thing. Its much smoother than a 4BT but it still rattles the truck good at an idle.

The photo of the upper coolant hose shows how much I've already lifted the tail housing to get things more level. The change is showing up things like the hoses and such.

It was just installed too steep from the start. I took advice from the wrong people on the 4BT swaps forum and now I am fixing it. The whole thing was at 7 degrees and I need to get it closer to 5 or ideally less. Was the 7 degrees the cause of the transmission failures, no... not in 250 miles on the first one, but its also just not the right way to do it and I don't want anything in the back of my mind to risk this issue again.

 

[WaterH]

Love this thing.

On your driveline level issue, does that transmission have specs on that? On my truck, I didn’t even check. (I have a Ford C-6) I think it’s less than 5 degrees, but I need to measure.

 

[AlxJ64]

Love this thing.

On your driveline level issue, does that transmission have specs on that? On my truck, I didn’t even check. (I have a Ford C-6) I think it’s less than 5 degrees, but I need to measure.

Depends on who you ask. I was provided a spec of "up to 12 degrees" from the Allison "Gurus" on 4BT swaps back when I started building this... well, thats all great but was obviously in a reading comprehension failure on the tech's part who I asked to look at the upfitters guide book.
The spec is max 12 degrees decline... and Max 5 degrees incline for continuous operation. The "guru" only saw the 12 degrees part I guess and never informed of the difference between decline and incline. So it can operate with the tail shaft facing up at a 12 degree incline, which evidently there are some operating in mining equipment, etc in that format, however the tailshaft down is max of 5 degrees. I was running at 7 degrees thinking I was perfectly safe. Oh well. I want to get this thing to 3 or 4 degrees if I can.