mytoolman
Registered User
Hi All, I sell tools for a living here in San Diego as an "Independent". I do so in a mobile store just like the Matco or Snap On guy. Except my mobile store is a custom made truck. I am using a truck Ive named "Ethyl" she is a 1955 Ford "C" 600 COE or sometimes called a "Snub Nose" someone on another Forum says that Ford used the designation "Cab Forward" Starting in 1955--so that is that. Ethyl sports the original drive train she came out of the factory with in 1955 to include a 256cid "Y" block V8 gasoline engine,a T98 4 speed transmission and an Eaton 2 speed differential. She was a rare find a time capsule example if there ever was one. She is and was a rust free,dent free beautiful truck.
My previous truck which was stolen was outfitted as a Matco Store since I was a Matco Franchisee. It was a 2006 Freightliner MT45 with a Cummins/Allison set up so I have owned a diesel before.
I am currently building a custom truck that I would like to use as a daily driver and also as a tow rig to tow either a 5th wheel set up or maybe a good size Airstream trailer.
The truck I am building was a complete 2002 E550 Ford that was a "Pepperidge Farms" 18' box truck.it is equipped with the Powerstroke 7.3 and I think a 4R100 transmission. I bought it from an Auction. I flew to Minnesota to get it in July 2016. Immediately as I was previously told by the person who put it up for auction I had to put front brakes on it and did so in the parking lot of a closed Roseville Minnesota Pre school. I had tools and the brake parts sent ahead of me so I was ready for this stuff. I then drove 60 miles to a nearby city and purchased a 12,000 lb capacity 15' trailer. From there I went West to Iowa where months before I had purchased a complete but not running for like 25 years sister to my Tool truck. Her name is "Edith" she is a 1955 "C" 600 also. Not nearly as clean as Ethyl. Edith will donate parts eventually to keep Ethyl all original. I then proceeded to load Edith on the trailer and drove all the way from Dickenson Iowa to San Diego where I live. I am finally now in the process of building this
My previous truck which was stolen was outfitted as a Matco Store since I was a Matco Franchisee. It was a 2006 Freightliner MT45 with a Cummins/Allison set up so I have owned a diesel before.
I am currently building a custom truck that I would like to use as a daily driver and also as a tow rig to tow either a 5th wheel set up or maybe a good size Airstream trailer.
The truck I am building was a complete 2002 E550 Ford that was a "Pepperidge Farms" 18' box truck.it is equipped with the Powerstroke 7.3 and I think a 4R100 transmission. I bought it from an Auction. I flew to Minnesota to get it in July 2016. Immediately as I was previously told by the person who put it up for auction I had to put front brakes on it and did so in the parking lot of a closed Roseville Minnesota Pre school. I had tools and the brake parts sent ahead of me so I was ready for this stuff. I then drove 60 miles to a nearby city and purchased a 12,000 lb capacity 15' trailer. From there I went West to Iowa where months before I had purchased a complete but not running for like 25 years sister to my Tool truck. Her name is "Edith" she is a 1955 "C" 600 also. Not nearly as clean as Ethyl. Edith will donate parts eventually to keep Ethyl all original. I then proceeded to load Edith on the trailer and drove all the way from Dickenson Iowa to San Diego where I live. I am finally now in the process of building this
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resto-mod. I am putting Edith's cab on top of the frame of the E550. For the antique cab to fit over the engine the 7.3 is now moved back and lower about 10" from where it was for the E550 cab. The turbo is needing to be repositioned to have the engine stay where it now is. I havent ever repositioned a turbo before. If you guys have suggestions I am all ears....I and my buddy have good skill...we can weld steel--we have a tubing bender and can bend tubing...he is soon to learn to weld aluminum. I understand there are some kits to allow the turbo to be moved I want to know if anyone has made their own custom pedestal and if they would share their parts supplier/build technique/build ideas....now that the turbo is removed from the top of the engine there is just enough clearance for the antique cab to clear everything and keep the engine under the cab....I prefer it there rather than making a mid-engine thing.
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