Jim Shepard

Ah, that brings back memories. My Dad had a '57 Golden Hawk when I got my license back in '63. Got my license in July and my first ticket in September...

Here's how I mounted mine. I think I took the lead from Don Bunn's book. Like others, I looked at the photos of just-out-of-the-factory trucks.

For those of you in Northern California (or farther away, but more adventuresome...) don't for get the Annual ATHS Show at Kirkland's Ranch in Plymouth. It starts Friday afternoon, April 25 and runs until Sunday the 27th. Saturday is the best day to go. Also, the club's BBQ at Tim's is on Sunday the 27th.

I'm interested in re-doing my faceplates too. Also, where'd you get the key fob?

I went through this with my restoration. My research at the time suggested no one makes the cowl vent for the 'B' series trucks. The ones that were available were for the earlier series, I believe. I sent the Roberts seal back and made my own from generic 1/2" half-round foam rubber stock. That was almost two years ago and it looks/performs fine. Here's a photo of the Roberts seal.

Starting in '50 Fluid Drive was available in the half-ton. I've got one and they're nice. They should all be in pretty good shape because there's no metal-to-metal contact.

You might go to this web site and check out the rationale for using a 6V alternator. I put one on my 1950 Dodge truck and I'm very happy with it. My truck is a every day driver, so I was looking for good starts and better charging. I also didn't want to mess with resisters and such that a 12V system would have required. While we don't usually get real cold winters in this part of California, I've never had a starting issue. I rarely have to use the choke. http://www.fifthaveinternetgarage.com/

Here's the tube puller I fabricated from some flat stock. I just attached a slide hammer to the end and, after some weeks of soaking the thing, it came out.

Thanks. When I get a chance, I'll check the ground. I've been done with the flu and just now back among the living...

OK, here's one for all you smart-elicks out there. When restored and put back on the road a little over a year ago, my gas gauge worked fine. About a month ago it quit. Well, not quite quit. Now when I fill it up the needle goes to "E" and seems to now work in reverse. As the tank empties, the needle moves steadily toward the half-way point and then stops, never going any closer to "F". What's up?

I'll bring the rim with me.

If you show up on the 17th, you'll be early...

I'd like to see more photos also. Particularly how you measured and cut the frame. What pedal assembly are you using? What motor?

I've had a couple of nice e-mails from him. Nice guy...

Some of you may remember my not infrequent rants about Gary Roberts and his parts. One of the issues I had with him was the design of his door panels and the apparent fact they did not accommodate the difference between the '48-'50 series and '51-'53 series trucks. I sent him a lengthy e-mail and may have even talked with him on the phone. I frankly don't remember because it's been almost two years ago. At any rate, I wasn't very happy but I said my piece and moved on, resolving that I would either live with the wrong panels or make my own at a later date. Well, lo-and-behold, the other day I received the correct style panels via UPS from Roberts Motors. Now, I have no idea what prompted Gary Roberts to send me, two years after the fact, the correct panels. I am not, however, going to look a gift horse in the mouth. I sent him a "thank you" e-mail. Why he did it is unimportant. The fact is he did when he didn't have to - especially two years later.

I did. It's an interesting setup. I'm not sure I'm ready for a "ram" manifold, though. It may be the only way to do a triple carb setup.

That's what I had in mind. I can't tell if it would work. As I said, when I took measurements, my firewall seems to be in the way of where the back carb would be. Do you know who manufactured the intake manifold in the photo?

Anybody notice anything peculiar about this truck?

OK, who has the best quality cable for our trucks?

In order to get the back carb to fit I'd have to actually bend the runner toward the middle carb (unless I bend it up and over the head and sit right over the head). To do that I would have more bends in it than I'm looking for (the runner would actually be an 'S' shaped intake). At that point I defeat the whole purpose of the triple carb setup, which is to have the intake runner shoot as straight as possible into the intake port and to have all three of them 'tuned,' i.e., same length and same bend. Look at the firewall of a Pilothouse and you'll see what I mean. As I said, I suspect the car firewalls are a little flatter and uniform across.

Well, I guess I'm going to have to abandon my quest for a triple carb setup on my Pilothouse. I finally got around to doing some measurements yesterday and it doesn't look like a third carb will clear the firewall without fabricating that back intake runner in a way that looks really asymetrical and out-of-balance. Then it looks like it would run into the middle carb. I'm guessing the reason there are three carb manifolds for the 250 and bigger engines is because these engines were in vehicles that had a flatter firewall, whereas the Pilothouse firewall is recessed where the block fits in. So, if the intake runner comes straight out from the block it hits the firewall. Too bad - I really like the looks of a triple setup...

It's the original 6V horn and it worked fine when the truck was 12V. There was no resister as far as I know and I rewired it with a new harness during the restoration. I suppose the horn could have been damaged but why would it have worked at 12V and not at 6V?

I should have mentioned that the truck is now a negative ground with an alternator. Don't know if that makes any difference. What is really perplexing to me is the fact that the horn was nice and loud when it was 12V and is now just a whimper...

I had to spin the bellhousing around a little, but it came off. There are six bolts holding it on. Two at the top and two on each side, down low.

Dang! Whatcha got in that thing?