Hey there,

Haven't posted in a while. I have the '36 Fordillac in my journal (which was published in Rod and Custom last month!), and it's stalled while I finish up our '46 Spartan trailer. As if I didn't have enough to do, I've bought a '46 Diamond T Model 201 pickup. It's a one ton pickup, single rear wheel (not duals) with a flatbed that's definatly getting tossed in favor of a pickup bed.

My original plan was a PowerStroke or Cummins turbo diesel and automatic, but I HAVE an 18,000 mile 76 Chev one ton dually with a 454/400 turbo. Restoring the original Hercules 6 was one thought too, since it's complete and probably runs, but I don't think we can use the truck for what we want with that motor.

Any suggestions, ideas, advice, or just general shooting the bull about this project is welcome. I'm jazzed about this truck, I've wanted one for several years, and the right one fell right into my lap. Let me know what you all think!

Brian

Maybe you know about this site already, but check out the gallery at www.Diamondtclassics.com for ideas. You may have to be a member to look at the pix.

I have a '48 201, '39 406 etc, etc. (Yeah, I got a little carried away.) Parts are a little hard to come by for these rigs, but there's a pretty good listing of parts suppliers on the site, along with a few active posters.

An sbc is a shoehorn fit in a 201-doable but tight. A bbc requires major surgery. If you just want to haul with it, a Cummins 4bt will drop right in. The 400, 500 and 600 series might be more appropriate for the Cummins 6bt or bbc- they have stiffer front springs and a 12" longer engine compartment that would host damn near any engine with room to spare. The hoodline is also longer, and in my opinion, results in more pleasing overall proportions since the cabs are almost exactly the same on all series.

But, you've got a 201. I love mine, it's a real truck (too bad it rides like one) that will haul 4000lbs easily, legally, and slowly. Top speed, wound out, downhill, is about 50.

Anyway, tell us what you have in mind for the truck.

Neil

Thanks Neil. I knew the 201 had a shorter hood, but I didn't know how much shorter. It's going to be here on 4-30, so I'll post some photos of my latest financial misadventure when it gets here!

I'll also have a better idea what I'm going to do with it after I see it and can ***** what'll work. The Herc six is a pretty bulky and long engine, having had a couple of them in Chris Crafts, is it the width of the engine compartment that makes a 454 tight squeeze?

Brian

for some reason, the word "see" was edited out and been replaced by asterisks in my reply. that's weird.

Too bad the Herc won't fill your need, that would be cool.

I am all for the original engines if you can get them running and they are reliable. My old Y-block is nothing special, but it gets way more attention (when I pop the hood) than the modern chromed out engines at the cruise-ins I go to sometimes.

Mine is a driver...not some show truck.

If speed is the issue...why not swap to a different rear end with higher (numerically lower) gears? I need to swap a later model 9" in mine so I can drive highway speeds. I can run 55-60 OK, but above that and she is wound tight.

I am not at all familiar with the vehicle you own. I do not think I have ever seen one in person. It would be cool to have the original drive train in it. I assume it is fairly rare.

Yes, even a small block is tight because of the width. The Hercules is long, but not very tall, since it's a flathead, so any sixbanger with overhead valves needs some firewall work to get it in. Another option might be a turbo- don't know much about it, but have seen pix. The bottom end on this engine is pretty rugged so it could handle the extra power.

Original equipment rears have a 4.62:1 ratio. There aren't any higher ratio stock gearsets available for that rear, but a DT Classics member (I think Bob Askins) has bolted a rear pumpkin from a 1ton Chevy truck into the DT housing. An flat adapter plate and custom axles are needed, but it's rugged enough, goes down the road faster and looks original from the outside.

I agree about the gear ratio problem. How about an overdrive transmission regardless of what motor you choose? I would think that would be far easier & less costly than messing with the differential?



Can I ask a Diamond T favor on your thread, Flynbrian? I "had" a real beauty and let it slip away. Can you guys help look for it? A 47-48 Diamond T 509 extended/double framed straight job, tandem rear axles w/ a weird splitter box with hi-low and 2 driveshafts spinning opposite! The extra rear was "flipped" when new. Ex-fire pumper w/25,000 orig miles. Last known owner was from central CT 8-10 years ago, and I believe his first name was Chris. He ran a family well pump business. I'm trying to join the above Diamond site, but it looks like it will take some time

I miss that truck and wonder if I can buy it back??

The Diamond-T looks great, but it is an old, slow, noisy, rough-riding, cramped, hard-driving truck. I've been there, done that, so my recommendation is either change the rear gear and drive it short distances stock, or jack up the cab and drive your Chevy engine and chassis under it. Anything half way in between is money wasted.

thnx, jack vines

I agree, to a point. A 20% overdrive tranny would yield an effective differential ratio of about 3.7:1- maybe OK for a gas engine but on the slow side for a diesel. That's best case for a 201- for a larger truck the ratios are even less favorable. An OD tranny AND a differential change would give him even more options.

Neil

Wow, thanks guys for all the feedback. I'm not opposed to leaving it original, and yes, I think it's a pretty rare bird (I posted some pics in my Journal here).

The issue with the original is that we'll use the truck to tow our travel trailer, a '46 Spartan Manor. The old Herc is torquey, and having run the same one, marinized, in our Chris Craft, I know they're buttery smooth and sound nice. The down side is they're heavy, thirsty, and underpowered.

Delivery date is firmed up for next Wed., so I'll soon see what I'm in for. I guess if by some miracle the engine fires up with a good soaking, some new fluids and fuel, I'd leave it intact, maybe buff the paint up a little and sell it as a "barn fresh" survivor.

I REALLY had my mind made up to go the turbo diesel route, but that doesn't sound feasable without cutting it up more than want to. The cab is cramped as it is, the only reason I was able to buy it was the guy I got it from couldn't shut the door and move his legs.

I want to leave the original frame under it, it's pretty and I'd like to use the original axles with the heavy truck looking spoke drums and rims. Hydo vac boosted brakes would help a great deal I'm sure. Swapping a late frame, as in the one under my '76 Dually GMC isn't an option, as the front susp is WAY to wide. I don't want the tires hanging outside the fenders. I guess guys have shortened up the control arms, but I don't know how one keeps the suspension geometry intact with that procedure. Maybe some ideas out there on that?

Thanks again for all the intrest in my new project, I'll keep everyone posted here! Meanwhile, the trailer is almost done, our debut show is May 16-18 at the Tin Can Tourist meet in Milford MI. Look for the '51 Tin Woody pulling the (hopefully fully polished by then) '46 Manor!

Brian

Turbo diesel is an option without any cutting at all. The Cummins 4bt is the 4cyl version of the 6bt Cummins diesels that inhabit Dodges, so all the trannies, bellhousings, clutches , etc that fit 6bts will fit 4bts. FritoLay put lots of 4bts into 1 ton stepvans in a company wide repowering program in the late '80s and many of them are now being auctioned off by Dovebid. Complete vans (most with GM automatics, some with Allisons) have been going for 2-3K. Supposedly a 4bt will drop in to a model 201. So I've been looking for one for a while, but they're not too plentifull in Vermont.


Here's the link to Dovebid's next auction. A week or so before it starts, there'll be a catalog available.

For more info, google 4bt. There is a lot of aftermarket interest in them, and prices are going up as a result. Isuzu also makes a 4cylinder turbo diesel, but there are electronics to transplant and the engines aren't as longlived as the Cummins.

here is an idea if you haven't seen it.

Holy ...p, That IS the most creative thing I have seen in a l-o-n-g time! Awesome


I really like Diamond T's a lot, but don't really need another truck here...

Well, the trucks here, and I put some photos up in my journal. It's WAAAAY cool as is. I squirted some ATF in the plug holes, and will let that set for a couple weeks, and see then if it'll turn over. If not, I'll pull the head (I have a new head gasket that was purchased when a Herc occupied the engine bay of my Chris Craft) and take a peek inside.

Meanwhile, I'm in no hurry, as I have to finish up the '36, now that the trailer (46 Spartan Manor) is done. I'd like to be able to drive it (DT) a bit this summer stock if it'll run, then figure out what to do with it. I am going to measure up a Cummins 6 a buddy has from a Dodge, but I'm certain it won't fit with out some major surgery, and the cab is too nice (and too small) for much of that. A 4bt or Isuzu may indeed be the ticket.

Not knowing anything about diesels, I've read that an Isuzu is pretty much the same as the Cummins. Are these reverse engineered copies? I like the idea of the diesel, and purchasing an old delivery truck for the drivetrain and scrapping the rest is would be a good way to build it. The reason I think I'd like a diesel is the possibility of burning reclaimed vegetable oil, fryer oil, in it just for fun.

Anyway, the truck is pretty cherry, and looks like it'll be fun. Oh, and the way cool spoke brake drums and rims are DEFINATELY staying put, so no rear end or front end changes are gonna happen, no matter what goes on under the hood!

Brian