m37 353 detroit / 5 speed progress ( body lift )

[junkyardog]

sorry i have 15 treads going at once... I'm going to use the m37 frame that holds the 353 detroit. it is in better condition than i thought... it cleaned up nice... the tower on the 5 speed sticks up a lot more than the four speed. the floor pan was modified to fit the tower... i have to give that pan back to the original owner along with the cab. I'm going to use my cab and bed to put on that frame.. can i raise the cab 1 or 2 inches so it will clear the tower... i know i have to do the bed also and the radiator support. there is no fan it is electric so there is no issue there... i will be doing my own electric harness so thats not an issue. what other problems might i run into..i figured i have to swap the cab over anyway. what could i use. hockey pucks to sit it on.

[isaac_alaska]

my truck had exactly this done to it. just sections of 2" square tube cut off at whatever length you want to lift the body, minus about 3/8 of an inch, and then a 3/16 plate welded on each each, and a hole drilled top and bottom and a long bolt run through the whole thing. mine is lifted about 3 inches. since the engine doesn't come up with it, if you go too crazy with it the fenders will hit the generator and the air cleaner elbow. i don't know if 1" is enough to cause problems, cause my sheet metal has all been "clearanced"

another thing you might not think of at first is the steering wheel, being attached rigid to the frame with no swivel joints, will have to be dropped accordingly.

[junkyardog]

does yours have the one piece stearing box... is it close to the seat, or do you have power stearing...

[isaac_alaska]

One piece, and sits about 3" closer to the seat, my knees end up on either side of the wheel rather than under it. One more reason I'd like power steering. Im a fairly tall guy but not really "large" so it's not terrible but it would be a lot more comfortable with a higher steering wheel

[junkyardog]

i think i might try 2 hockey pucks..