Just Joined the Forum !!

I look forward to reading through the threads on here.

My name is Marc. I'll be 42 in April and spent the last 17 years of my life as a manager in a communications company. I was released from my position last year as a cost cutting measure.

I spent a couple of months doing nothing until I got hooked up with an old friend who decided to help me out.

I started running HotShot with a 1 ton ford and a 24' gooseneck. I was hauling anything I could put on the trailer up to 12,000 lbs. In the 50,000 miles I put under my belt since May 2011, the requests to haul larger equipment caused us to start to look to a bigger truck.

We found a local truck that needed some TLC. It's a 1993 International 8100. I spent about 6 months when I wasn't driving working on and overhauling the truck. I practically rebuilt the thing from the frame up...

As I was building, I got a CDL manual and started reading. I got my permit, spent some time driving with a CDL license holder and got my class A.

We got a 2006 48' Pitts drop deck with hydraulic ramps and I hit the road.

Here are a few pics along the way...























Thanks for looking...

Marc M

 

Thanks for the compliments! This is the first project of this magnitude I ever undertook.

Well the truck was running when we got it, but it would have made Fred Flintstone proud. It had holes from the firewall to the floor under the seat.

My buddy expected to patch up some holes and put it into service. As I started to work it became apparent that it needed much more. With the doors open, the cab could twist. So as you can see, I tore the thing apart.

On the rears I did the following:
New s-cams and seals
New shoes, anchor pins and springs
New bearings, races and seals
New maxi's on rear drive with parking brakes (only one axle had parking brakes)
Replaced gear oil

On the front end I did the following:
New shoes, anchor pins and springs
New slack adjusters

I stripped the frame and needle scaled the entire thing, then followed with a wire wheel on a 4" grinder. Then the under carriage was painted.

We pulled the tranny and resurfaced the flywheel, replaced the clutch set, replaced the rear main and refilled the tranny with synthetic lube.

Rebuilt the PT pump, replaced the injectors and re-sealed the entire top end of the L10 Cummins.

I removed and replaced every fuel line, water hose and belt.

The cab was un-repairable, so I was able to get a rust free southern cab, doors and a front clip that wasn't all busted up. I stripped all these components down and sent them off to paint. The color is Acura R81 (Milano Red)

We polished up the alcoas and painted the inner steelies.

When the cab returned, I had to re-install everything, wiring, dash, complete coverage headliner and rear cabliner. The new cab didn't have air as the old one did so I had to re-drill the firewall to accept all of the components.

I took the truck to a local shop and had a pintle plate welded on with a 30 ton pintle.

I did alot of internet searching for many parts for which eBay is a godsend.

I put on a 5" straight stack and this little L10 sounds beastly...

I put a ton of hours and energy into this truck, but it's well worth it as I know everything about it and just exactly what I have.

I still need to do a few things to it. I have two sets of driving/fog lights to install in the bumper. I need to get a set of half fenders for the front drive axle and I'm looking for a headache rack with chain hangers.