The Government Mule - 62 c20 with service bed

[jcramsey]

Originally Posted by RDrancher

Looks like it belongs in there.

I've also been thinking about doing the later model front end swap on my boy's '64. Haven't looked into it too much but from what I've seen it seems fairly simple.

Yea from what I've read, its a matter of drilling two new holes, elongating two holes, and the rest line up.

[jcramsey]

Picked up a finned aluminum valve cover this morning. Came off a Mercruiser Chevy 250 based boat engine.

[TJ's Chevy]

Nice!!! The mericruser covers are nice!!!

[jcramsey]

Found a guy 2 hours away with a 3/4 ton square body front clip so made the drive to pick it up yesterday. He had quite the square body graveyard around his house and had just picked up a nice K10 that I would love to have.

Looking forward to getting the old torsion bar setup out and getting this in. Even came with a power steering box so Ill see what it's going to take to swap that in as well. Maybe just a captainfab bracket?

[1971 GMC SHORTY]

*****en Truck i Have 1966 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Service Box. ordered out of California. Built in back east
utility bed put on in Chicago Shipped Back to Los Angeles Ca

[jcramsey]

Originally Posted by 1971 GMC SHORTY

*****en Truck i Have 1966 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Service Box. ordered out of California. Built in back east
utility bed put on in Chicago Shipped Back to Los Angeles Ca

Thanks Shorty! Hoping I can get it going here soon. Love your 66 utility truck. That low profile bed is sweet!

[jcramsey]

Managed to get the old torsion bar crossmember out yesterday. Pretty straightforward....just had to locate a few bolts that were hidden under 50+ years of oil and dirt.

[namloc]

That is great find and you are movin along.The change in frt. end is good upgrade.

[jcramsey]

Got the new crossmember in and some of the gunk pressure washed off the front end when my buddy brought his pressure washer over the other day. Still need to hook up my steering and make sure the motor mounts are going to work. Feels good to be moving forward.

[rusty76]

I'm late. I forgot you picked this one up. It is really cool. Looking good.

[jcramsey]

Thanks rusty! Hoping to have it road worthy by Spring Auto Fair next year!

[jcramsey]

Huge day today....picked up four 9/16-18 lug nuts so I could get back to roller status Didnt want to spend $32 on an entire set and would much rather have some that matched the rest of the ones I've got on the back instead of these shiny new ones.

I did manage to cut off the bump stops and hang one fender just to keep the motivation fires burning.

[rusty76]

Slowly making progress. Thanks for the updates.

[jcramsey]

Nothing like picking up another project to bring progress to a screeching halt. Found a great deal on a 1 owner 67 International 1000B with 39,XXX original miles needing some love and brought it home a few weeks ago. Wanting to get it running and driving and send it on its way to make a little extra money to put some goodies on the Gov't Mule.

[rusty76]

Those old internationals always seem to have a modern classic look. You taking it to the auto fair this year?

[jcramsey]

Originally Posted by rusty76

Those old internationals always seem to have a modern classic look. You taking it to the auto fair this year?

Hoping to have it ready by spring auto fair for sure!

[Palf70Step]

THose Internationals look so good to me.

[jcramsey]

Originally Posted by Palf70Step

THose Internationals look so good to me.

Yea there is something about it that I really like...but I'm not sure what it is. I think it's interesting that the designers made the bed squared off and it doesn't match the tapering body line of the cab at all.

[rusty76]

Cool

[jcramsey]

Made a little progress over the past few weeks.. Made a transmission crossmember and got the motor all wired up. Bent up a new line for my hydraulic clutch and wired it up for an alternator instead of the old generator. Managed to give it a test crank yesterday and it hit on the first try. Started hanging some sheet metal and stuck the radiator back in. Have a power steering adapter plate on the way so that’s next. Still need to figure out a driveshaft and decide on whether to run springs or bags, but it’s getting close.

My 80 year old neighbor stopped by when I was working on it yesterday and asked if I needed any 16 inch tires...and I desperately do! He said he was getting some new ones on his class c rv so I could have the old ones...which I know aren’t that old. Score! I’m hoping they aren’t too tall for the front , but I think they should be alright.

[testerdahl]

Very cool project. Subbed for sure!

What's the plan for the utility bed? Just leaving it alone or doing something with it?

[jcramsey]

Originally Posted by testerdahl

Very cool project. Subbed for sure!

What's the plan for the utility bed? Just leaving it alone or doing something with it?

Pretty much going to leave the whole truck as is....aside from patching up a few holes in the cab. Plan is to have a usable work truck that ain’t scared to cruise!

[jcramsey]

Sold the International so I’ve got room in the garage again. Got my power steering box mounted and cut down the steering shaft and welded it back up. Got a new high pressure hose for the power steering as well. Picked up a dual reservoir master cylinder and made an adapter plate to mount it to the firewall. Just received my CPP proportioning valve and can hopefully run some brake lines soon. Still need a new clutch master cylinder and the drive shaft fixed, but it’s getting close to mobile.

[jcramsey]

Been chipping away at things when I’ve managed to get a few free minutes. Got the dual reservoir master cylinder and clutch master cylinder mounted and got some brake lines bent up as well.

Also swapped in a cable throttle pedal. Need to get a proper stud for the carb side connection but what I’ve got rigged up works for now. Went with an early 90s suburban pedal and an 18ish inch cable off Amazon. Easy to mount, just needed to do a little bending to get everything lined up and the pedal height adjusted.

My neighbor gave me the tires he pulled from his rv. 215/85/16, so roughly 30.5” tall. Load range E which is probably a good thing for this heavy beast.

Measured for my driveshaft and hoping to take it soon to get cut down. After that, I think I just need to bleed the brakes and we might be mobile again!

[TJ's Chevy]

Safety first! lol