Storing Truck Cab/Box On End?

[pope_face]

Hey guys,

 

After almost two years of mucking about with my Subaru, I've finally gotten it to the point where I feel comfortable daily driving it (or at least that's where it was a few months ago). In any event, I've finally got the time/money to start working on the Datsun again... I still don't really know what I'm doing with it, but that'll come. However, I do know it'll require an engine swap, and I want to start fabricating parts (for both the Subaru and the Datsun), so I'll need some room to work.

 

Now, I'm fortunate enough to have access to a garage. So far, it's kept my Datsuns (the project and the parts truck) dry and safe, and it's the perfect place to put together a small shop for a bit of welding/metal working. Unfortunately, it's small... It's 21' deep and 17' wide. It's big enough to store both trucks in there side-by-side, but it doesn't leave much room to work (there's only about 5' between them when they're right up against the walls). The other unfortunate thing is that the garage in on a rental property... While I'm fortunate enough to have sole possesion of the garage, there's tenants in the house, and I can't take over the backyard for storage. I also can't increase the size of the garage.

 

So, having said all that: I'm trying to figure out how to maximize my space. I'm already planning on putting some shelves and a workbench along one wall... I'll have some shelves set up for storage of small parts in bins, and I'll leave space under the workbench so I can push an engine and transmission out of the way. I'm also planning on making a long shelf over the workbench for things like doors, fenders, and other large parts. However, a lot of the space is simply taken up by the parts truck... Currently, it's just a rolling chassis with a cab and bed on it. The cab and bed are empty (save for body panels and a couple bins of parts), and there's no engine or interior in it.

 

Now, rather than leaving the truck sitting as-is, I was considering taking the cab and bed off the frame and turning them on end, then storing them up against one wall. I haven't measured it out yet, but I assume the cab itself is shorter than it is wide, and the bed sides are only a couple feet tall, which might save me some room. Since there's no engine or transmission, stripping the frame down should be easy, and I might be able to turn it on it's side and keep it against a wall, out of the way.

 

The other possibility would be to pull the cab and box, mount the cab to a large rolling frame, and then attach the box above the cab. That way I could just push the box and cab into a corner, although it'd still have a reasonably large footprint (probably something like 5' x 6', give-or-take).

 

So: Does anyone forsee any issues with storing the cab/box in an upright position (on one end)? They'll both be stripped to the bare essentials (no glass, doors, tailgate, etc), and I could build a rolling wooden frame to support them (each would get it's own frame). I'm more concerned with the rear wall or B-pillars of the cab bending under the weight. Alternately, is there another way I could do this in order to gain a bit more room in the garage? I'd love to move the parts truck outside and store it under a tarp in the yard, but that's not an option for the time being. Any ideas? If worse comes to worst I'll just deal with the lack of space, but I'd like to be able to keep the parts truck and still have enough room to work.

[RadioRedline]

Whats on the ceiling?

 

Radio

[pope_face]

Currently, not much... There's 8' between the floor and the ceiling, which is why stacking the bed on top of the cab would be an option. However, the roof uses trusses for support, and they're relatively close together (probably 16-18" between them). I've got a few things stored up there (spare bumpers for my Subaru, some home building supplies), but there's nothing major. However, the ceiling is not tall enough to warrant putting in a hoist or anything to lift the entire truck, as I still wouldn't have enough room under it to do any actual work.

 

I've got a layout of the garage that I could scan and post up, if that helps... I'll have to head out there again and measure out the size of the box and cab and see if I can figure out a better system. My biggest concern is having enough room that I could position the project truck to pull/install the engine, as well as having the room to actually work on the engine. I've got the trucks on casters right now so I can push them around, and most of the open space will serve double duty (for either working on the trucks or doing fabrication work), but there's no way I can do any serious engine work if I've only got 3' of free space around the front of the truck.

[thisismatt]

Take what you will need from the parts truck and scrap it.

[pope_face]

Take what you will need from the parts truck and scrap it.

 

Yeah, I'm really hoping to avoid this... It seems like 521's are hard to come by in these parts, so I'd rather not be too brash in getting rid of it. I've got almost enough parts to build a second one, if I wanted to. I guess I may have to decide whether to keep it all, keep what I need and scrap it, or perhaps put some parts back on it and sell it as a rolling chassis to someone who could use it.

 

Then again, I have considered making an extended cab... It might be a good way of using what I can and gaining some extra room in the process (both in the garage and the truck).

[MikeRL411]

If will notice, yards that specialise in older vehicles instead of scrapping them, store the front ends, beds and frames vertically.  They are paying for the square footage of the property and maximize quantity without spoiling the resale value of their stock.  Store them "on end" and get some restoration work started when you have the time and money to complete the task.

[MikeRL411]

I found a video that seems to have been in a series (kind of like pornstar punishment, how they've made many with different stars). This one seemed to be some type of "contest" 1 female and several males. The objective is to escape from the room without getting penetrated. The only star I recognized in the video was James Deen. Does anyone know the name of the series or DVD?

 

WTF does this have to do with the subject you a**hole?

[pope_face]

I found a video that seems to have been in a series (kind of like pornstar punishment, how they've made many with different stars). This one seemed to be some type of "contest" 1 female and several males. The objective is to escape from the room without getting penetrated. The only star I recognized in the video was James Deen. Does anyone know the name of the series or DVD?

 

I "appreciate" the input, but pornstars aren't going to help my space issue... And I don't want to think of the implications if it could help.

[pope_face]

If will notice, yards that specialise in older vehicles instead of scrapping them, store the front ends, beds and frames vertically.  They are paying for the square footage of the property and maximize quantity without spoiling the resale value of their stock.  Store them "on end" and get some restoration work started when you have the time and money to complete the task.

 

Yeah, that's what I'm considering... I wasn't sure if it could damage the body if I store it like that though. If the yards do it though, it might work out...

[MikeRL411]

I "appreciate" the input, but pornstars aren't going to help my space issue... And I don't want to think of the implications if it could help.

I "reported" this and suggest you do the same!

[thisismatt]

Yeah, I'm really hoping to avoid this... It seems like 521's are hard to come by in these parts, so I'd rather not be too brash in getting rid of it. I've got almost enough parts to build a second one, if I wanted to. I guess I may have to decide whether to keep it all, keep what I need and scrap it, or perhaps put some parts back on it and sell it as a rolling chassis to someone who could use it.

 

Then again, I have considered making an extended cab... It might be a good way of using what I can and gaining some extra room in the process (both in the garage and the truck).

 

Yeah, understood.  But if it's too nice to be a parts truck, then it's not a parts truck :P  What do you really need to complete the main truck?  I also have a "parts truck", but it seems most of the parts are about the same condition as my main truck, so now I wonder why I picked it up at all?  It may be more efficient to sell the parts truck and buy individually the parts you need.  I may do some mock-up work with my parts truck, plus I have a good place to store it.  Is there anywhere else you could store the parts truck?

[pope_face]

But if it's too nice to be a parts truck, then it's not a parts truck :P

 

Haha, yeah, I know what you mean... To be honest, I think the "parts" truck might actually be nicer than the project truck. The parts truck had a bit of work done to it (the cab was stripped, had some body work done, and was primed), and it's '72 (so it has the mounting points for the shoulder belt). I've actually considered swapping the cabs over and using the '72 cab on the '70 frame instead.

 

As for what's needed to finish my truck: Nothing really, other than an engine. I bought it as a running vehicle... I actually insured it so I could get it home, and it drove on the streets just fine. Only issue is that it's a manual transmission, and I have trouble using the clutch pedal. I've been toying with the possibility of making some sort of hand-operated clutch, but haven't had the time (or space) to really put anything together to test out yet.

 

I actually bought the parts truck because it was cheap and loaded with spare parts... I think it cost me about $1100 in total to get it back to my place (including ferry costs, truck and trailer rental, and the truck itself). The body was in good shape, it had lots of extra body panels (fenders, doors, and tailgates), a reupholstered seat, a bunch of small parts, and a good windshield (which I managed to crack... speaking of which: Anyone have a line on a good windshield?). Aside from an engine and transmission (and now a windshield), I've got enough parts to complete the main truck, and build the parts truck (and actually, I've got a rotary engine and transmission sitting in my garage, waiting to be installed).

 

But, as for storage: I doubt I could store it anywhere else for the long term (maybe a week or two, at most). I had my Subaru in the yard for a year and a half (first due to insurance issues, then doing modifications), and that won't fly with this one. I think I'll see if I can make it work by putting the cab and box on end, or by stacking the box and cab over each other. Does anyone know the weight of an empty cab or box? I'm wondering if I could lift it with a couple people, or if I'll need a hoist/jacks to pull it off the truck.

[pope_face]

Alright, good news/bad news time...

 

The good news is that I think I may have figured out how to make some room. The bad news is that it involves cutting up the parts truck.

 

I went out to the garage today to measure the cab and box of the truck, as well as clean a few things up (there's a lot of other stuff in there that needs to be moved or tossed out). There was a stack of plywood blocking access to the parts truck for a long time, so I finally moved it out of the way (a bunch will get used for shelving/workbench) and got a good look at the side of the truck. The upper part of the cab seems decent, but the entire rocker panel on the driver's side is rusted out. I won't be able to get a proper idea of how the rest of it looks until I build some more storage and get some room though, but it's not looking good. There's a bit of rust on the main truck too though, so I may just figure out which one looks more solid, then cut out and replace the rusted sections from the other cab. Building an extended cab is starting to look like a good option too... I could use the extra leg room.

[]2eDeYe]

Here is how I've been storing my long term project.

 

 

 

This is what happens when you pull all the parts off of the parts trucks and end up with about 1 1/2 worth of truck in pieces. :lol:

 

 

 

Edit: Shed is full too... 

[Figbuck]

I'm a big fan of dollies. Everything that can possibly roll needs to be on a cart of some kind. 

 

 

Can roll them outside to make big messes and be in fresh air.  Good luck on that.

 

Ten buck worth of pullies, hooks and rope for a one man system to remove and replace the bed. 

 

 

I think you are a little bit optimistic about how much room you will need. Every time I did something, I had to clean up, put away tools, cords, hoses, lights... then set up for the next operation and go through the same procedure. You can never be too rich, too thin, have too much horsepower, money... or room to work. Good luck on that. On that.

 

[pope_face]

Hey guys,

 

Thanks for the support. Redeye: That looks like a good way of doing it... Nice to know the cab's light enough to put on the wall.

 

Figbuck: I agree about the dollies... I've got both trucks on dollies currently to move them around. If I take the cab and bed off the parts truck, I'll make little dolly frames for them too (I was thinking something pretty much exactly like what you've got your bed on).

 

As for room: Yeah, I know it'll take a bit more than I've currently got, but that's why I'm trying to make room there... I took some measurements of the cab and box the other day, and I think if I stand them up on end, then I'll be able to get them up against the wall and out of the way. I'll probably end up cutting up the parts cab anyway, so it'll be more of a temporary solution.

 

But, I'll be heading out there again in a little bit to try and make some room... I'll start working on storage and a workbench today if I can clear the space.