JeffLeav

Merle, Thank you for responding. I'll start searching for these manuals for my 1948 B1B. Some of the best advice I've read is to get the manual(s) & read them cover to cover before undertaking any work on your truck. Too bad wives & husbands & kids don't come with manuals! Best, Jeff

Guys, Following Hanks helpful link, I have uploaded a pdf of the truck manual menu at Roberts Motor Parts and would like to get one for my 1948 B1B. Any suggestions for the most useful manuals to own? Thanks, Jeff Roberts Motor Parts Truck Manuals.pdf

Ed, What a great photo! Newlyweds, his & her classic vehicles and the bridge bringing it all together...lots of symbolism there! Clearly, you treat your classics with love and care. So, I guessing there was an 'Old Ed' or still is? And that you gained from someone's mentoring and inspiration re: restoration and things worth preserving? You are a lucky man! Thanks for the inspiration, jeffleav

Frankie, Thanks for the link to the garagejournal.com forum. I registered this morning. Why re-invent the wheel or start from scratch with garage design? These guys have a well-organized site and easy to access table of contents just like us here at P15-D24.com. That said, I need to make the garage a priority. I am gun shy about using temp garages these days. My '53 Chevrolet p/u (The Iron Watermelon) has a 8-inch deep crease across the entire roof caused by snow load collapsing my portable garage during the mother of all winters here in CT last year. Permanent garages are one answer if you forget to use a roof rake like I did last year. And, thanks for the reminder to post replies. My memory fades regularly but I'll make an effort to keep everyone filled in on my progress. Ed: I agree with your assessment that less money will get my '41 Chrysler or any restoration on the road sooner and keep me energized to finish the details as time and finances allow. Besides, wouldn't it be super cool to deliver one of my girls to the church in a (partially restored) convertible vs. a big ole modern limo? Let's hope one of my girls chooses a summer wedding date and not too soon! As always, thanks guys! jeffleav

You guys are like a drink of water from a fire hydrant ! Awesome! I was away from my computer this weekend and just caught up on the flood of responses. Allow me to say this: after quietly reading posts from all of you during the last couple of years, I feel like I went to the academy awards and finally got to meet the stars! WOW, so many helpful replies to my questions! You can't buy advice like you folks offer...plain & simply cannot put a price on your hard earned experience. Next steps: I met with an architect friend on Friday and discussed barns with foundations, pole barns and other forms of man-caves to house this project. The engineer in me says 'Plan it and then build it according to plan and maybe the regrets will be minimal'...I will still think of 'would a', 'could a', 'should a' stuff later, but that's just human nature. Still, no point in doing a restoration if you let the end product sit in the New England winters when you're done. OK, I get the part about restoration cost. Since the big lottery this weekend in NY did not go my way (did I mention I didn't buy a ticket), I need to carefully consider sinking $50-$75k into a restoration. I was innocently thinking more like $25k, tops. My wife loves me and backs me up in most decisions, still, telling my two daughter's I can't afford their dream weddings might not go as well if I spend the whole enchilada on a car. Gotta go, work calls me. Just wanted you guys to know I am reading and sincerely appreciate all the advice more than I can say. To be continued.... Respectfully, jeffleav

This is the beginning of a restoration thread that I hope will not extend over too many years and will end happily ever after. The story begins in 1973 when I bought a 1941 Chrysler New Yorker convertible in about the same condition as shown in the attached photos from a high school friend for $25, no title. That fall, I joined Uncle Sam's final war against communism and moved from CT to Barksdale AFB, LA. Before joining up, I filled each of the eight cylinders with clean 30W motor oil and covered the car in my backyard with three layers of 6 mil black plastic, tires inflated. Prior to storage the engine did not run or even turn over to my recollection. For the next 39 years the car sat in parent's backyard. Last Sunday a friend showed interest in buying the car and came by to take a look. Thinking there would be little left and I could finally clean up the back lot, we peeled off the layers of black plastic, raised the hood and looked directly into the eyes of a mama raccoon raising her young in the engine compartment. We replaced the hood and plastic with my new found furry friends safe inside. My potential buyer friend decided the car was much more project than he was ready to start and walked away laughing. I had forgotten how beautiful this car looks even in its sorry state of condition...no seats, no rag top (top frame intact), extensive rocker panel rust, trim intact but pitted and rusted, glass intact, floor rusted through in multiple locations, radio, engine & fluid drive original and intact. No restoration was ever attempted to my knowledge. Last service sticker on door pillar says is dated 10.28.1954 at 30,959 miles at the Carl & Walt's Chevrolet dealership here in Woodbury, CT. I was told by one Chrysler owner at a car meet in New Britain, CT two years ago that only 1200 New Yorker convertibles were made in 1941 and only a handful remain in the US. If true, that's kind of exciting! So now I am hoping to convince my wife to build an addition to the garage, begin a total restoration and dream about someday driving this beauty. My plan is to build well for fun and the long haul and to turn the car over to my son at some point. After quietly reading on this site for the last two years (I'm still learning and don't post much), I've gathered you folks like photos. A few are attached to help in your feedback about this project. My initial questions are: 1. Availability of parts new and used for 1941 New Yorkers? 2. Do parts from other years or models fit? 3. Is there anyway to research more information about my convertible with this info found on the firewall "Body Number 354-1779".? 4. Am I nuts to start a project like this at age 60? Raising Raccoons in CT, jeffleav

An old friend, Walt Jarzabek who ran the motor pool at Barksdale AFB, LA in the 70's used to say, "If you want a truck, buy a Mack". If he was around today, he'd probably say, "And put an Interstate battery in that Mack".!

Todd, If the source below does not work: The rebuild kit for my '48 B1B fuel pump cost $48 plus $6 shipping and came from Hal Houghton at Classic Preservation Coalition. He is located around Syracuse or Albany, as I recall. Hal is very pleasant, helpful and promptly responds to email. Plus, he offered to ship the kit followed by payment later if it did not fit. Email: "Harold A. Houghton" <houghton@classicpreservation.com> http://www.classicpreservation.com BTW: The only items not included in his fuel pump rebuild kit were two small matched springs (one of mine was broken) that I ended up getting at the local hardware store. Jeff Leavenworth

Thanks for asking...brought back good memories of Ms. Monroe. jeffleav@charter.net

Greg, Thanks for the tip. New Marlborough is about an hour from Woodbury, CT and practically in the backyard for the wife and me compared to most meets and members. The link did not indicate if I'll find patriots of Pilot-House trucks. Still, the trip would be an opportunity to put the top down in our Miata (can I say that brand on this forum?) and cruise north to cooler digs. I've read many of your posts this past year and would enjoy meeting. Hope to see you there, Jeff

Today, I ordered a AC fuel pump repair kit part #FPK100 for $44 including shipping from Harold 'Hal' Houghton at http://www.classicpreservation.com/index.html. More to follow after the rebuild. Hal offered to ship me the kit no charge; payment to follow a successful installation. I do not know if this is a reasonable price but it seemed in line, especially since NAPA did not list a repair kit after taking the fuel pump to the counter for 'show & tell'. Jeff

Ed, Got it!Thank you. Jeff

Merle, Excellent explanation and now I know how and when to stay on my side of the fence... the truck side. Thank you for your patience. May I ask another question? What does P15-D24 mean (I'm probably violating the virginity of the thread with this question)? Grateful for the knowledge, Jeff

Many thanks, Rich & Merle, for the helpful words. I plan next to visit my local NAPA (just because they are close by and will play 'show & tell' with my fuel pump and will accept returns if the parts do not fit). Hopefully, NAPA will have a rebuild kit for the glass bowl version of my spare fuel pump. Rich: I was not clear about your suggestion to post my inquiry on the 'truck side' because I thought that is what I was doing when I made a thread search for 'fuel pump' and found this thread and replied. Please help me understand how to know which 'side' I am on as I don't mean to abuse site protocol. Also, when I logged in today and clicked on 'New Posts', this thread did not show up until I searched for 'fuel pump' again. Sorry to be so illiterate about forums, research on the web is not quite like the old days when you went to the library and checked out the Chilton's manual....actually, forums are soooo much better! Thanks again, guys, this is a great site, Jeff

I am trying to determine the correct fuel pump for my 1948 B1B so I can rebuild it for today's ethanol fuel. Please see attached photos. The 'A' photo is off the truck and was found under the seat when I bought the vehicle and includes the glass fuel bowl. The 'B' photo came with the truck also and is currently mounted on the engine. Does anyone know which fuel pump is closest to original equipment? Please let me know if more information is needed. 1948 B1B Fuel Pump A.pdf 1948 B1B Fuel Pump B.pdf