<VV> Springs for "working" Rampside

[RoboMan91324 at aol.com]

Hank,
 
It doesn't appear so but looking at the  specs for the Rampside, it is a 
3/4 ton pickup.  However, consider that  this rating is based on the ability 
of the suspension and frame to carry the  weight.  You do the math on what 
topsoil weighs.  On the other hand,  you need to be concerned about the drive 
train.  Even "in the day,"  the FCs had a tendency to fry motors.  This was 
partially due to the poor  aerodynamics of the FCs when driven at speed but 
also that people would overload  the trucks and not pamper them while 
driving.  An air cooled aluminum  engine is not as forgiving as an iron water 
pumper.  In  short, the suspension and frame were up to the task but the drive 
train and  especially the motor were weak links.  You can easily overload the 
drive  train without overloading the suspension.
 
This motor problem is especially a concern with certain  motors.  I have a 
102 HP FC engine.  These motors are extremely rare  and for good reason.  
Very few of them were made and very few of those  survived.  This is because 
the 102 HP motors fried very quickly in real  world use so Chevy eliminated 
them as an option early on.  Because of the  high compression ratio, the 
motors would overheat and knock themselves to death  when driven fully loaded.  
I will modify my 102 HP motor with lower  compression heads before I install 
it.
 
If you are going to use the Rampy as a fully loaded working  truck, here 
are my suggestions:
 
1.)  The springs and other suspension parts were designed  to be very 
robust.  Inspect the components to be sure they have not  degraded in over half a 
century.  Pay particular attention to the  brakes.  A dual master cylinder 
is a good investment.  If everything  is brought up to snuff, the suspension 
part of the equation shouldn't be a  problem with stock components.
 
2.)  Be sure you do not have an engine that will knock  itself to death.  
As referenced above, the compression ratio is an issue  but proper tuning and 
air/fuel ratio is also imperative.  Keep in mind that  you can easily hear 
engine knocking in a car but it is likely that you will not  hear knocking 
in an FC and especially in a Rampy.  With road noise, wind  noise and with 
the engine located so remotely, you could easily fry the engine  without 
warning.  The first time you drive it fully loaded, you may want to  have an 
assistant sit over the engine compartment for a while to listen for  knock.  
This should be done under the worst possible conditions.   I.E., fully loaded, 
engine fully warmed up, a hot day, uphill, slow speed,  etc.
 
3.)  You may want to invest in an aftermarket knock  eliminator.
 
4.)  You say it won't be an everyday work truck but keep  in mind that it 
only takes a relatively short time, measured in minutes, for you  to destroy 
an engine that is knocking heavily.
 
Good luck,
 
Doc
1960 Corvette, 1961 Rampside Pickup, 1962 Rampside Pickup,  1964 Spyder 
coupe, 1965 Greenbrier, 1966 Canadian Corsa turbo coupe, 1967 Nova  SS, 1968 
Camaro ragtop.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
 
In a message dated 5/10/2015 9:04:51 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time,  
corvanatics-request at corvair.org writes:

Message:  1
Date: Sun, 10 May 2015 00:27:18 -0400
From: "hank kaczmarek"  <kaczmarek at charter.net>
To: "corvanatica"  <Corvanatics at corvair.org>
Subject: [FC] Springs for "working"  Rampside
Message-ID:  <62C634F62F3A4BAF9DB0005934EB97E1 at OwnerHP>
Content-Type:  text/plain;    charset="utf-8"

Question for the group.   

I?m going to be rebuilding my Rampside to take over as my ?working?  truck 
once my F-150 dies---if it ever does. Only have 195K on it now, just  about 
broken in!

Not an ?everyday? work Truck, but use for totin?  trash, firewood, 
beehives.  Any one know how many cubic yards of topsoil  a Rampy can handle? 

Anyway, Are HD springs worth the expense, or would  you think the stock 
springs with good gas shocks would do the job?   Firewood would be brought down 
from Boone, NC (about a 10 mile long descent to  the piedmont). 

Any ideas, impressions, .02?s  And otherwise  humble opinions and 
experience appreciated. 

Thanks  Hank