my metro daily driver


The Greatest Van Ever Made!

Rusty Driver
Rusty Driver

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Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2012 2:36 pm

Post Fri May 29, 2015 9:50 pm

Re: my metro daily driver

Wow quite a lot of traffic in two days for the Metro section. Good info from all parties!

Super sweet daily driver to the OP too.

Yard Art
Yard Art

Posts: 59

Joined: Mon Sep 23, 2013 2:58 pm

Post Fri May 29, 2015 10:42 pm

Re: my metro daily driver

photo 3[1].JPG
photo 2[1].JPG
photo 1[1].JPG


Here are a few more pics of my van. After following Mr Valentinos thread, it seems almost silly for anyone else to brag about their project but there you have it. Its new to me, I'm excited. It will settle down soon.
The interior is just a bare shell. I have bought some rubber diamond plate flooring I will put in the back. If it looks decent I'll download a photo.
Im also trying to figure out a passenger seat. If anyone has an unwanted metro seat post and bracket let me know!

My new metro buddy in Montana who sold me all his original running gear is turning his metro into a 4x4 with suburban axles and a crate 350 chevy motor. I will try to get info/photos of his build to share.
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Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

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Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 10:40 am

Location: Wichita, Kansas

Post Fri May 29, 2015 10:53 pm

Re: my metro daily driver

Mark,
Your Metro looks really nice! That's my favorite Metro grille. I like the wide chrome bars and the big IH emblem.

Dean
Lifelong Kansan
Grew up with red paint
Moved off the farm 33 years ago.
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Freshly Restored
Freshly Restored

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Location: Sunny Southern California

Post Sat May 30, 2015 8:09 am

Re: my metro daily driver

markusg wrote:
Here are a few more pics of my van. After following Mr Valentinos thread, it seems almost silly for anyone else to brag about their project but there you have it. Its new to me, I'm excited. It will settle down soon.


Your fine, your using yours as a daily driver. Mine is for a Museum later, so it has to be at a certain level. I'm never going to really get to enjoy it like you will with yours.
1955 BN2 Austin Healey 100M
1959 AN5 Austin Healey Sprite
The Original "Airport Racer"
1951 International Metro Step Van
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Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

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Joined: Thu Dec 27, 2012 12:45 pm

Location: Canada's left Coast

Post Sun May 31, 2015 12:55 pm

Re: my metro daily driver

COPY AND PASTE: I'm never going to really get to enjoy it like you will with yours
This is the choice one makes for their situation. Say, you did drive and enjoy the METRO, and at some point in the future is needed some freshening, your starting point would likely be at a much better place. But then, I am understanding this with my limited life experience which will certainly be much different than the life you enjoy.
I like your METRO very much.
I would rather have tools I do not need than to need tools I do not have
Thinking risks being controversial and possibly being offensive

Yard Art
Yard Art

Posts: 59

Joined: Mon Sep 23, 2013 2:58 pm

Post Sun May 31, 2015 4:48 pm

Re: my metro daily driver

Ya, in my clumsy way I was really just trying to give Mr. Valentino a compliment. I consider his project the absolute gold standard and wanted to acknowledge his detailed approach, and how nicely he has documented it for people like me to check out. Super cool.
Mine is more of a "middle path"...
Anyway, a good friend of mine is suggesting that if I increase the speed, I had better improve the braking and the steering. Any thoughts? Is there a vaccum assist for drum brakes? A decent steering upgrade that anyone has tried and liked without a full axle swap? Will my wife ever be able to drive this to the grocery store?
Lots of info and opinions out there just thought I'd check here first.

Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

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Post Sun May 31, 2015 6:38 pm

Re: my metro daily driver

Ability to stop is the brakes ability to turn kinetic energy into heat. Power brakes will make it easier for you to make heat. Can your brakes handle the heat and not fade? How good are your brakes now? That's as good as it will get.
I would rather have tools I do not need than to need tools I do not have
Thinking risks being controversial and possibly being offensive
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Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 1887

Joined: Thu Nov 29, 2012 10:40 am

Location: Wichita, Kansas

Post Sun May 31, 2015 9:00 pm

Re: my metro daily driver

Mark,
Power brakes would make it easier for your wife to drive, but as Nikki said will not increase braking capacity. Power brakes were an option as early as '56 on S120 pickups, so they were likely available on 3/4 ton Metros as well. This booster is on top of the frame rail on the passenger side of the engine.

DSC00848.1.jpg


TSM http://tsmmfg.com/internationaltru.html makes disc brake kits that fit 1/2 ton stock axles, but not 3/4 ton as far as I know.

Dean
Lifelong Kansan
Grew up with red paint
Moved off the farm 33 years ago.
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Freshly Restored
Freshly Restored

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Post Mon Jun 01, 2015 7:01 am

Re: my metro daily driver

[quote="markusg"]Ya, in my clumsy way I was really just trying to give Mr. Valentino a compliment. I consider his project the absolute gold standard and wanted to acknowledge his detailed approach, and how nicely he has documented it for people like me to check out. Super cool. quote]

No worries, I knew you you were giving me a compliment. I didn't want you to think that what you are doing is not good. This is the only way I know how to do a vehicle. I like to say I'm detail orientated, my wife just calls me anal!
1955 BN2 Austin Healey 100M
1959 AN5 Austin Healey Sprite
The Original "Airport Racer"
1951 International Metro Step Van
Instagram- snapon.domenic
Image
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Golden Jubilee
Golden Jubilee

Posts: 2048

Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2013 8:49 pm

Post Mon Jun 01, 2015 2:16 pm

Re: my metro daily driver

Mark,before you get too far on the rear here's a couple links with all kinds of calculators that might gibe some insight on a suitable ratio for what you want the truck to do.
http://www.wallaceracing.com/Calculators.htm

http://www.csgnetwork.com/automotiveconverters.html

I doubt the 4.11 gear set will give what you want, I really posted it to make a point.
You also need to take the trucks curb weight into consideration,a ratio of say 3.31 will give a nice top speed but it may take a loong time to get there. Case in point,the Scout Terra company truck I drove for years had a 196 4 cyl. close ratio 4spd and 3.07 gears. It was fine empty,would cruise at 60 nicely,got going pretty quick and got great MPG. Put an engine or 20+ truck brake drums in it and all that pretty went south,it would still do 60 but seemed to take forever to get there and the MPG dropped quite a bit. We had another Terra with a 3.31 rear and loaded the same you noticed the difference and the overall MPG either way wasn't very much less than mine.

I'm skeptical about any axle from a completely different model let alone make being a simple "drop-in",there's a lot to consider,one being the pinion angle.

As for the wheels,if the bolt pattern is the same and the pilot (center) hole is right,they'll fit but one thing I see people seem to overlook is the lug nut taper,it may or may not be the same. Not a big issue but something that should be paid attention to.
12 yrs.exp. in IH dealer parts dept.
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