SanFord the Great! A 1956 Ford B-600 RV

It's going to be several months before I get around to ripping this thing apart. Mostly waiting on cold weather.

So I might as well use it while it's in one piece. That will also let me put it through it's paces and make sure nothing pukes.

Portable A/C installed, and a hitch will be going on it Saturday to tow the Abomination. I'll have a nice place to hang out at autocross and rallycross events.

It also seats 12, which will haul all the kids and grandkids. So we are planning a couple of trips to the state zoo and museum. It should be a fun summer.

Awesome.

I wouldn't recommend the twin I beam to any body but a bargain desert racer.

Wait. It has a lift. Sorry Challenge thinking but you could zero it out. Or ... easy way to haul engines around.

In reply to Petrolburner:

I've put well over 2 million miles on Ford's twin I-beam suspension. I never have understood the hate, I've never had a problem with them. It's not something you want in a sports car, but they are pretty well bullet proof and perfect for a truck.

IMO, there's a reason solid axles are still so common in heavy-duty stuff. They don't change camber with suspension travel, so they're easier on (expensive) large tires when running loaded with the suspension compressed a bit, especially on rough roads where the suspension is getting cycled a good bit.

Toyman01 wrote: In reply to Petrolburner: I've put well over 2 million miles on Ford's twin I-beam suspension. I never have understood the hate, I've never had a problem with them. It's not something you want in a sports car, but they are pretty well bullet proof and perfect for a truck.

I never understood the hate either but I learned how to drive in TTB trucks so it just feels right. Loving this thread btw.

Think it also may have to do with alignment procedures for Twin-I-Beam. Older versions requiring bending the beam to align and newer versions (cast) using spacers & bushings. Usually once you get it in it stays in alignment but can be a pain to get it right.

In reply to wlkelley3:

Agreed. Having someone familiar with the Twin I Beam do the alignments is required. That is one of the few things I'll take to the dealer.

60 ounces of R134, and the Carrier rear A/C in the new bus has come back to life. That thing puts out massive amounts of cold air. It will be making the move to SanFord, and it should fit under the dash.

I has a happy.

340 miles. 11.5 mpg. 10 people. One state park.

This thing runs like a top. Money well spent.

I'm looking forward to getting this engine in SanFord.

Fantastic!

In reply to Toyman01:

I can almost hear you guys singing "C'mon Get Happy" while rolling down the highway!

wow I decided to check on your progress and you have been busy. You havent been on FTE in a while so I thought maybe nothing was getting done. Man I was wrong!! I'll have to check here more often. Happy 4th

Toyman01 wrote: In reply to Petrolburner: I've put well over 2 million miles on Ford's twin I-beam suspension. I never have understood the hate, I've never had a problem with them. It's not something you want in a sports car, but they are pretty well bullet proof and perfect for a truck.

I was unnecessarily harsh. I've had a TTB Bronco and now the Motovan. If I could get someone to properly align it I'd be really happy.

That being said, if I were to go through the work and engineering to swap a new style of front suspension in, it wouldn't be the Ford TTB.

In reply to Petrolburner:

That I understand. No harm, no foul.

For alignments, try the Ford Dealer. If you get it aligned correctly, it will usually stay there until you hit something very hard.

I spent a little time today on the wheel chair lift. The plan is to sell it and recoup some of the cost of the bus. Apparently they are worth a fair amount of money.

There is a interlock system that ties into the bus. It covers, parking brake, ignition, door, and shift lever. That safety system had failed, so as is standard procedure around here, I bypassed it. Problem solved.

I gave my sons a raise.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/Qx_xmhkYIZo

We put a little over 600 pounds on it, and it lifted us with no problems.

I always thought those buses with a chair lift, with some minor modifications, would be great to use as a motorcycle hauler.

In reply to stuart in mn:

It would be easy to set this up to haul motorcycles, bikes, go-carts, the list is endless.

In reply to Toyman01:

Make getting engines in and out fairly easily

My race team briefly had a bus with a lift. It was great for lifting all of our tools and parts into the bus. Also, a shopping cart fits perfectly for convenient loading and unloading(of course you don't steal the cart).

stuart in mn wrote: I always thought those buses with a chair lift, with some minor modifications, would be great to use as a motorcycle hauler.

I was thinking some modifications to turn it into a knight rider kind of ramp thing

On second thought thats looks like the most dangerous awesome thing ever. Maybe a bad idea...

The hydraulics from that lift would also be handy for a tilt cab, or maybe even a one piece tilting front end.

On my Transit the front "frame" is folded sheet metal welded to the "cab." the front suspension with engine and all unbolts as a unit and drops out the bottom. Adapting the assembly to Sanford's frame would probably not be terribly difficult.

Toyman01 wrote: In reply to stuart in mn: It would be easy to set this up to haul motorcycles, bikes, go-carts, the list is endless.

race cars with a little work...

In reply to edizzle89:

I have taken those measurements.

Man I'm jealous! I want to follow a build thread for a shuttle van too now. Excellent buy. Does the lift have the height ability to work on Sanford, assuming you don't sell it?