'55 R-122 rehab

Hey Jake

That is gonna make the ole truck really get up and go now...look out Interstate Highways...the ole 55 is getting some new guts for sure...

Love love love that ole truck.

MikeC

I’ve been accumulating parts for the next iteration of my ‘55.

I’m currently working on finishing the engine stand for my International VT365 (ford 6.0 Powerstroke).
The engine is back from the machine shop- bored .020” over, decked a little over .008” as the right surface was out of level front to back by that much. Heads have new guides/seats/valves and we’re skimmed. I’ve also had them o-ringed. Crank and cam are standard and we’re just polished.

I’ve got a 2004 F250 157” w.b. Chassis and a 2005 coil spring front f250 4x4 142” chassis. My plan there is to use the 3.73 axles, coil suspension, gussets from the ‘05 chassis on the ‘04 chassis. Decreased turning radius, better ride, and numerically lower number axles are all desired for this build.

Yesterday I drug this home:

56/57 S120 4x4

It’s a 56 or a 57 S120 4x4. I wanted it for the cab. It’s not very nice, but I think it’s nice enough for me to use to create my own 4dr R. It’s got a BD220 in it. Not sure on the trans/transfer case/axles yet. I don’t need those things, but I won’t just throw them
Out with the bath water either. I also grabbed an SV392 and what I think is a T-34 (5spd OD) trans w a PTO. I don’t need any of that either, but why let it return to the earth in that field? Lol

Anyway… I’ll post up more pics/etc as I make progress. Hoping to start assembling the engine next week and get outside to clean out/dry-in/evaluate the S as well. Oh, and get the engine/trans inside where I can get a good gander at it too.

Have fun with your project Jake. Looking forward to your build.

Started vac’ing out the S. With little glass left and a few inches of dirt/pine needles/debris inside of it the floors are utter garbage. The BD220 cylinders are filled with atf/kroil. Only a degree or two out of the crank at this point. I won’t give up on it yet though. Rear brakes are seized. One adjuster is completely missing… the other is locked solid. Not sure how I want to proceed with getting it rolling just yet.

SV392 is unstuck now. Again, ATF/Kroil and a breaker bar on the crank but. It only took a few hours of putzing around with it to get it to roll over. I’ve ordered ignition parts and a starter motor that should arrive next week. I hope to fire it up next week or the following to see how good it is. Aside from some sludge on the underside of the valve covers the valvetrain looked pretty nice. The Holley carb is is pretty sorry shape, but I think I can get it working well enough to test the engine.

I modified my engine stand to roll over the top of my engine hoist. Now I will be able to safely pick the that heavy diesel engine without resorting to unsafe “side pulls” and swinging engines. Lol

I modified my engine stand to roll over the top of my engine hoist. Now I will be able to safely pick the that heavy diesel engine without resorting to unsafe “side pulls” and swinging engines. Lol

I'm sorry, I just can't visualize what you are saying here. A picture would help. Inquiring minds want to know!

3pt pins and turning bar

Engine on end

Engine upside down

Stand/hoist legs

Lifted engine stand

So with this stand I can now drive it over the cherry picker. In addition to being able to rotate the engine about the crankshaft axis, I can also rotate the engine end for end. This will allow cams to be dropped into the block instead of installing them horizontally.

I think this will be my “goto” engine stand going forward. I can make new adapters to attach to any block going forward. I like the idea of being able to access both the back and the front of an engine with a few simple twists.

I still want to add a worm drive boat winch to the “crankshaft axis” to allow controlled rolling of the engine for installing heads etc.

Go to a truck repair place and get an old S cam out of a truck drum brake, Weld to the back side of the tube that passes through the upright and use a truck slack adjuster for the cam. The cam shaft is splined and should cost you nothing from a scrap pile and even brand new a manual slack adjuster is under $20 or so. They can handle the load easily and lock at any position and have holes drilled and bushed already in the "arm".
9/16" socket on a cordless drill with release the lock and rotate in either direction with one hand.
I think Nikki posted this idea 1st.
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/TWDCAM1 ... d_source=1
https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/TWDMSA1 ... d_source=1
Just be sure to get the right manual slack aadjuster for the diameter and spline of the S cam, there are many different ones.
You just want the spline portion to weld to the back of the adapter bracket so the slack adjuster can slide on and be pinned to the engine stand frame, then use the adjuster to rotate the engine.

That sounds slick. I’ll have to look for those parts. Thank you for the info

Likely want a "new" Slack adjuster but a used S cam for the spline would be fine. The are more that strong enough for the job.
Truck repair shops (and trailer repair also) will likely have some old S cams they are throwing out and will give you.