Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

1947 REO F21

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • 1947 REO F21

    My step grandfather's dad bought the truck new and I got it at the farm auction back in 98 or 99 for $600. I didn't need it but man did I want it and spent the next eight hours nursing the thing on the long drive home. At one point while getting gas in central Washington state it wouldn't start, hot coil or starter who knows I was 20 and didn't know what I was doing. Out of nowhere a crowd of guys from a hot rod club swooped in like mothers to a flame and gave me a push start. I didn't shut it off until I got home.
    Last edited by threedoor; September 11, 2015, 10:23 PM. Reason: sidewise photo

  • #2
    It's been languishing at my dad's place since around 2003 and we recently decided to move it up to his machine shop in hopes of halting it's deterioration. The doors have gotten some cancer since I took it out of the barn in Tonasket along with the interior eyebrow above the windshield. I'm no body man so that distresses me a great deal. Over the years I've squired an extra gauge cluster, a factory REO heater, window regulators (one side didn't get a gear from the factory) and a set of fenders from a newer truck. This body style ran from around 1937 to 1950 with some subtitle front sheetmetal changes.

    Comment


    • #3
      At some time in the 1970s the Gold Comet motor and five speed got pulled in favor of an International Blue Diamond six of around 260 ci. It had to have been a job as it was a tight fit. The REO engine ended up in a farm forklift death trap rig that was still around when I bought the truck.
      Over the years I've gotten the same response from my car guy friends and strangers alike, slam it make a ramp truck out of it. I'm a little boy from Idaho not SoCal...

      Comment


      • #4
        Some time in 2003 I learned that a neighboring business owner to where I worked had a trove of junk stashed upriver from us about 90 miles and in the pile was an M54 tractor. I had to have it. $500 of cash and mostly labor later it was mine. I wish I had picked up the Subaru 360 that was there as well. I like big stuff and really small stuff. I'm a weirdo. A year or so later I picked up another five ton front axle, stashed the stuff at my dad's place and wasted 6 years in the army while my junk languished.
        Last edited by threedoor; September 11, 2015, 10:06 PM.

        Comment


        • #5
          Clean slate. I love removing repurposed impliment parts, the two speed rear end shifter had part of a disc as the handle pivot.

          Comment


          • #6
            Sorry about the sidewise and inverted photos.

            Comment


            • #7
              Lots of grinding and beating out big rivets. Had to move the springs inboard 3/4" on each side. The older axle had two 5/8" locating pins which align the spring pad to the axle, while the newer 800 series axle has one locating pin and a vent on the other side. Moving the springs inward caused me to have to do some clearancing on the axle tube for the U-bolts, I cant seem to go a day of play when I don't grab my grinder. Since the tubes are 1/2" thick and 5" on a side I'm not worried about the 1/8" I ground off. I screwed up two of the bolts and had to use the factory style bolts on the driver's side to clear the drop out. Thankfully OES (Oskosh Equipment Supply) had good used ones in stock.

              Comment


              • #8
                The 5 ton springs are a little shorter than the origional REO springs and since I'll be running 1100 20s or larger I had to move the spring pack back about an inch and a half. The spring hangers are a lot taller than the 47 ones as well. This is going to cause problems with the location of the steering box and more importantly where the pivot for the brakes and clutch pedal assembly, of which I'm using one out of an M35 Deuce and a Half. The volume should be about the same as that of the 5 ton minus one axle, that and I have one and they are cheaper than the 5 ton stuff if I need to repair or replace it.

                Comment


                • #9
                  I had a 454 and a NP435 laying around so that's what I ended up choosing. I would have loved putting a 6BT and a 6+1 Spicer transmission, but I don't have the cash. A 6BT would fit with about 1/2" of clearance with the fire wall in its original location. I ended up changing the firewall, which I really hated doing.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    In my quest for a power steering box I stumbled across a REO bus! If you have to have this sweet art-deco breadloaf it is located at Pasco Auto Wrecking in Pasco Washington, Ive got an extra hood and fenders that would make it look like a bus again. 37000 mile Ford cab-over that had a V6 Powerstroke (who knew that engine existed? Not this guy)steering box. I'll make it work. So far the box is the single most expensive part I've bought for this project. I think I'm up to about $2400 including the truck itself.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Ive enjoyed this so far ! But let me ask this for clarification, is it going to be 2x4 or 4x4 ?
                      Previously HoosierL98GTA

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        I think this ought to be "Project Cars"! I don't generally enter this area but I saw "REO" and got interested. If you want to move it contact Monster (our friendly moderator) and he can shuffle it for you. Great project and it's fun to see what you're doing with it.

                        Dan

                        Comment

                        Working...
                        X