I need plenty of feedback on this one.
I am about to mount my 1939 Chevy COE cab on to a 1980 P30 1 ton frame. I want the cab to tilt forward as so to get to the motor compartment easier.
I am building this truck from scratch & doing it all by my self. (first time for me) My reason for wanting easy access to the under carriage is duo to the fact that I have one prosthetic leg. yep, my left leg decided it did not want to hang around any more & just left me one day, about 11 years ago. The problem is, that is my good leg, the other one don't like me much ether. So it ain't easy crawling under trucks any more.
So I need my truck to be as easy as possible to climb up in & drive. Also, easy to do maintenance once i finnish building it.
I drove cab over semi trucks for better than 28 years & I have a good idea of the concept of tilting the cab. I will need a sub frame going the length of the frame rails & ending up near the front bumper, were it will be attached to a hinge type pevet point, off the frame. Than at the back end of the sub frame, there will need be a pad off the truck frame with a locking latch to hold the sub frame secure, so as me & my cab don't go flying one way while the rest of the truck goes the other way. There will also need be two hydraulic or air rams to do the job of lifting the cab. Cus it will be to heavy for me to lift in my condition. https://vccachat.org/images/icons/default/biglaugh.gif.https://vccachat.org/images/icons/default/biglaugh.gif
Since the gas & brake peddle will both be hanging peddles in the cab, they will go up with the cab. The steering may be a problem? That will need a two piece rod/tube. one inside the other, with swivel U joints on both ends, one attached to the steering box, the other end hooked to the steering column. Column will need to go through the cab floor & stop & hook to the, rod/tube, via swivel u joint. So as the cab goes up, the rod will swivel at both ends & the rod/tube will stretch & follow the cab up.
This all sounds good on paper, but has any one here done it before on a vintage COE. Or does any one know some one that has done it. Cus I'm not that bright & building trucks/cars from scratch is all new for me... But I got plenty of time, so long as the GOOD LORD allows me time.
PLEASE, I need plenty of feed back on this concept, so work with me.