Tilt frontend, ever see one?
01-05-2009, 07:40 PM
#1
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Tilt frontend, ever see one?
My brother had a 78 chevy truck & It had the tilt frontend on it. [front clip tilts forward like a big rig] I was thinking of possibly doing this to my truck so that it would be easy to work on the engine. I would have to figure out some things & It would take alot of time, but I'm considering it. Ever see a Dodge with the tilt front end?
01-05-2009, 10:15 PM
#2
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I haven't seen anything like that, seems like you'd have to clear eveything off the fenders (batteries, air filter, PDC, ABS junk, etc.) so it would tilt up freely. Yould be nice to work on though, unless you are pulling a cam.
01-05-2009, 11:04 PM
#3
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Well, good point. Maybe make the front be able to detach also? HMMM.
01-06-2009, 12:40 PM
#6
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I did it to my brothers '84 F150 SC back in '85. Cut the steel fenders, fastened the hood to the fenders, made new rad support, relocated everything on the fenderwells to the firewall. Used pillow blocks for the front mounts for the tilt. Used a convertable top set up to tilt the front end. I'll see if I still have some photos to post.
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. I guessed on where to cut by looking at pictures in a mag of BIGFOOT. 
01-06-2009, 11:19 PM
#9
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01-07-2009, 07:22 AM
#10
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From the others I have seen, they typically weld a flange of sheetmetal at the meeting points, and then use a thin layer of closed cell foam to keep it from vibrating. The good ones look factory.
I looked at mine, and I am not sure how you would handle the inner fenderwells. Darn it, now you have me thinking.......
I looked at mine, and I am not sure how you would handle the inner fenderwells. Darn it, now you have me thinking.......
01-07-2009, 08:44 AM
#11
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From the others I have seen, they typically weld a flange of sheetmetal at the meeting points, and then use a thin layer of closed cell foam to keep it from vibrating. The good ones look factory.
I looked at mine, and I am not sure how you would handle the inner fenderwells. Darn it, now you have me thinking.......
I looked at mine, and I am not sure how you would handle the inner fenderwells. Darn it, now you have me thinking.......
01-07-2009, 12:10 PM
#12
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I used a small funnel on the inside of the fenders (cab side) and a hood pin that would go inside the funnel to align both pieces and hold it in place. I also used Jeep hood hold downs inside on the fenderwells when traveling to shows as added security. As far as the inner wheelwells, I cut them at the same place as where the fender ended.
10-21-2015, 05:29 PM
#14
Yeah I know I dug this up from the past..
Sure would be nice to service a truck. I thought my cummins van was limited space, but my cummins 98 2500 I just got running isn't much better.
If I do another swap, which truck chassis would allow the most room, or best design/kit for a tilt front end?
Sure would be nice to service a truck. I thought my cummins van was limited space, but my cummins 98 2500 I just got running isn't much better.
If I do another swap, which truck chassis would allow the most room, or best design/kit for a tilt front end?
10-21-2015, 08:59 PM
#15
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No offense, but if this was easy, cheap or practical they would come this way. If you have a lot of free time and love a challenge, go for it.
You would have to remove the fender liners and then support the items in/on/around them or relocate them..batteries, horns, power center and other stuff. You would also need to connect the hood fenders and grille, move the bumper forward and/or connect it to the whole tilt operation and devise a hinge and possibly hydraulic assist cuz it'll be heavy for one guy to tilt...a scoop out behind the grill would be nice, like on the big rigs...
You would also need to locate the headlights and find a good cut line so it wouldn't look hacked, a solid latch up/security feature etc.
Most show trucks and race rigs I have seen didn't need to worry about weather so that cut out a lot of shielding and walling off stuff that could be damaged by pebbles flying off the tires, like a/c lines, cooler and oil lines, filters etc....
Sounds like a fun project though......just my .02
You would have to remove the fender liners and then support the items in/on/around them or relocate them..batteries, horns, power center and other stuff. You would also need to connect the hood fenders and grille, move the bumper forward and/or connect it to the whole tilt operation and devise a hinge and possibly hydraulic assist cuz it'll be heavy for one guy to tilt...a scoop out behind the grill would be nice, like on the big rigs...
You would also need to locate the headlights and find a good cut line so it wouldn't look hacked, a solid latch up/security feature etc.
Most show trucks and race rigs I have seen didn't need to worry about weather so that cut out a lot of shielding and walling off stuff that could be damaged by pebbles flying off the tires, like a/c lines, cooler and oil lines, filters etc....
Sounds like a fun project though......just my .02