Those semi-Cabovers can be such pains in so many ways.I love that tanker truck! It has my mind racing about what could be done with it
I'd rip out the front straight axle. Build a scratch built A-arm front suspension with a rack and pinion steering. Swap rear suspension with a Ford F450 dually rear with different spring pack. Spring mounts and widths will need to be relocated and maybe shortened.
A nice little Cummins industrial turbo cyl adapted to a stick(more options with stick). That should give some more room in the engine compartment, more options and room for steering setup and options setting up the cab.
Keep it with stock body lines and as tanker.
Or ya could go hog wild and make it into a pickup of sorts. Cut out the tanker part at the parting line to make a bed. Shorten the frame and bed for it to kook more proportional.
Or even mote crazy, add another set of doors. Either take it from bed part, add it to the whole vehicle of a bit of each
If I were to change the wheelbase, I'd just build a custom frame. It may need one anyway. That's just too old of steel to be cutting and welding on. To do it well and cleanly, you'd need to box the frame. If you have to pay welding labor, a custom frame could easily be cheaper.......and way cleaner.
And that's a tiny part of the build.
