'63 Custom bed, WY VIN #3406D10003

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'63 Custom bed, WY VIN #3406D10003

Postby Elliott » Wed Apr 22, 2009 9:47 pm

1962?
VIN #3406D10003
230 w/T18 originally, now 360 w/TH400

Serial numbers 10001 and 10002 were built in October and November of 1962 respectively, there is no record of 10003 in December of 1962, but the records show 10004 was built in January 1963 so this truck may have actually have been built in 1962 and was the third Jeep DRW Gladiator produced. It is the oldest documented survivor.

Owner comments: "It was an old highline company truck w/o a bed. Came stock w/ 230ohc, T18, D20. Now has 75 cab, 360 th400, D20. Also sporting a custom built dually bed made from two beds and fender flairs installed. Totes a Holmes wrecker unit in the back now. Great Jeep rescue vehicle. Came as a dual wheeled D70 rear, D44hd front w/ large budd pattern wheels. The jeep originally was bought by a company that did power line work. When I got the vehicle it didn't have a bed, the engine and tranny was trashed as well as cab and fenders. I started the rebuild with the cab off the frame, put in a rebuilt 360 AMC 1977 engine, and a turbo 400 transmission. Has a Dana 44 front end, Dana 70 wide track rear end. Has 535 gears. Installed a 1974 cab and fenders. The 1974 box was 8" short, for the wheel base. So, I took 8" from a 1965 jeep box, and installed to the front of the 1974 box. Much to my surprise, the cab now sat 4" to low. Had to do a body lift to match box. The box could not be lowered because of the configuration of the one ton frame. I air chiseled the fender flares off the box, then added 8" 16 gauge steel to the box, rewelded the flares to the 16 gauge, making a nice looking flare fender. Installed the HD Saginaw steering sector. Custom built a 6" channel bumper with tow bar, and mounted a PTO 8000 lb. Ramsey winch. Also a 2" receiver for front hitch capability. Built triple battery set up in the front fenders. Installed a hydraulic micro lock brake. Also built a auxiliary 36" extended bumper that allows hauling my Avion camper and for towing a boat. When not using it to haul the camper, I have a slide in wrecker unit that I use around the place. Has 700x16 12 ply tires on the rear. Also installed a 15 gallon behind the seat gas tank out of a early chevrolet cab. This vehicle entertained me for about 4 years while I was building it. I also put ford van bucket seats in it. I had to fabricate risers to make them fit.
The reason I knew of this jeep was because I put a flat bed on the truck the day the guy bought it from the dealer. This did not come from the factory with a stake bed although I believe it has the stake bed wheel base. I told him then if he ever sold it to call me. About 20 years later he called and said he was ready to get rid of it, much to my delight. So I bought it from him."



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Elliott
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