m35m3 - can cab be lifted to change goofy look of backward sloped hood?

[466Navastar]

Ive been looking at these m35a3 trucks that come up at GL and just cant warm up to that goofy hood that slopes backwards towards the cab.....reminds me of the old Ford pickups I had - that used to bend the frames

Question: has anyone ever tried to make them look more "normal" - by lifting up the cab enough to have the hood slope - AWAY from the cab- or at least level as you go forward ?.....new hood side panels seem like an easily made fix....and would look so much nicer

can anyone comment on how complicated the steering ,foot controls and anything else experience tells you would need modification - if the cab was lifted up - as stated ?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've thought the same question, every time that I seen an ugly A3.

 

[AceHigh]

Question: has anyone ever tried to make them look more "normal"

Mine looked normal the day I picked it up at GL.

 

[466Navastar]

Ace- that dog avatar brings a smile everytime I see it

Wasnt trying to "insult" the A3s looks......but its common for you fellas to make the trucks look better with all kinds of mods - including crew cab conversions.....

I dont know what they were thinking when they designed the A3 - doesnt follow convention with that "bent" look....just thought if it wasnt a total "controls" nightmare to lift the cab - I might get interested in a A3

 

[73m819]

If guys are lifting for big tires, it can't be that hard

 

[mudguppy]

i think it can be done - essentially a body lift to gain the, what, 3"? then swap in A2 hood and side panels. they're likely be a handful of slight hiccups like the steering column, but that can all be adjusted/modded.

sounds like a cool project!

 

[466Navastar]

I was thinking that I would want to keep the A3 hood & make new side panels...are you telling me the A3 and a2 are the same body - with a different front clip?

Ive never laid eyes on one of these - from what I understand the brake pedal goes thru the floor - like the 1950s civi trucks...so the master cylinder must be under the truck....is it frame mounted - or body mounted?

is the throttle pedal and transmission selector linked to engine / transmission with a cable - or is "fly by wire" ?

I really want a M939 series ....but size wise might be a little big for the neighborhood ( still might go that way) ......so kinda-sorta lookin at A3s....who ever was the stylist should have been fired - I think the A2s are better looking - but like the more modern features of the A3

 

[FASTNOVA]

It would be cheaper to modify an A3 to look pretty that it would be to update an A2.

 

[AceHigh]

is the throttle pedal and transmission selector linked to engine / transmission with a cable - or is "fly by wire" ?

Here is a pic of the transmission shift tower. Looks like it is a cable.

http://www.tpub.com/content/trucks2.5ton/TM-9-2320-386-24-1-2/TM-9-2320-386-24-1-20074.htm

 

[KsM715]

A2 and a3 are roughly the same. They extended the hood and raised the front end to make room for the new motor.

It would take more than a simple body lift. Like you said you would have to worry about the steering colum and the brake pedal and possibly the throttle. I dont know how the trottle is controlled on the a3. Not to mention reworking some air lines to compensate for the raised cab.

 

[hndrsonj]

A3 hoods are wider in the front and longer than an A2's.