| This is a project that I thought about for some time before actually starting. At some point I fell in love with Diamond T trucks. I don't know if it's the styling, or the years they represent, or maybe it's just the name. But I think they are cool. It's probably the styling. This one is a '38 model 406. I think the big front fenders make this truck look powerful, that was the styling of the era. The very low, deeply vee'd windshield adds significantly to this look also. This is definitely a project, although it is running and driveable now, it's obviously got a long way to go. Basically the whole thing has to be completed and then torn down and restored. In other words, you have to build it once to determine where all the components will go. Then you take it all apart to clean and finish everything. The power comes from a Big Block Chevy 454. The transmission is a standard issue Turbo 400. The present rear end is a Dana 70 HD with 456 gears. That's a monster rear end for what this truck will be doing, so it's going to be switched out. The chassis is a '86 Chevy 1.5 ton truck. It is grafted to the original Diamond T frame just behind the cab. I was going to use the whole frame and remount the Diamond T cab, but the front track would have been too wide. Instead I opted for the frame graft. What that did was provide ready made body mounts. Same for the brake pedal as well as the fender brackets and radiator core support. The front end is all '86 Chevy stuff mounted on a ¾ ton suburban cross member. All this works together well and the wheels don't hang outside the fenders. I'm going to make up a set of 22.5" wheels using the existing centers, I think it'll look right and it will leave a 1" space around the tire. I'm going to build a 9 1/2 foot pickup bed. It's got to be pretty big to keep things in proper perspective. The rear fenders are still in the thinking stage. If I find something ready made or original that would be great. If not I've thought about fabbing or hammering out a set, even thought about making fiberglas fenders (last resort). This truck is scheduled for duty as my new shop truck, but not any time soon. -bw |
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