JBNeal

aw geez I reckon I'm kinda spoiled then as the custom exhaust shops around here have some nice quality products and craftsmanship to choose from...none of those "we can make it fit" einsteins in these local shops

correct, the synchro 4spd was available starting in '51. additional information - possible 1-ton powertrain upgrades

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I was able to heave the hoods on the '48 and '49 by myself, but it would go much smoother with help. I rigged some pilot studs on the cowl and the baffle, covered the cowl and fenders with old blankets, taped up the hood edges, folded the hood halves vertical and used the latch handles to lift and carry. I had a platform that I made for another project that located my knees right about at the top of the grille panel, so I was able to lift the hood by the handles by putting my hands at my shoulders, plant my knees atop the grille panel, then tilt the hood towards the cowl, aiming for the pilot studs. Because of back injuries, I would not attempt that macho maneuver today, but the pilot studs and protecting the paint are still workable.

Don't forget to dimple the ends of that pivot pin so it won't walk out of the casting...that's a nasty little timebomb these reproductions hide...

I was under the impression that new timing chains these days need to be accompanied with new timing gears so they match pitch.

When I got the '48 and '49 running, I rigged up a downpipe from the manifold and drove the trucks into town to the local muffler guy...who was strategically located within spittin' distance of the best chicken fried steak place in the area I talked to him beforehand to tell him what I wanted, he gave me some suggestions and pricing on pipe and mufflers, squared everything away a few days ahead of time, then rolled into town wearing earplugs, let him do his magic while I chowed down for a bit, then headed back home with a nice sophisticated ride. After nearly 20 yrs, there's just a few rust spots on the muffler and downpipe. I had the remnants of the original tailpipe, which went up and over the rear axle and had a slight angled bend at the exhaust, something I knew I could not do, but the muffler man's machine knocked that out in two shakes of a pig's tail.

Leave the spiral nail holes as reference points for the adhesive-backed lacing or weatherstripping. If you're not entering the truck in a points competition, then use something modern that works and is economical. The same goes for that door weatherstripping, any properly sized D-shaped strip should work I had a window guy tell me years ago that on older vehicles, it's cheaper to get a new gasket than a new windshield, so sacrifice the gasket as they tend to not hold up well after one use. Old gaskets also develop cracks that are not easily seen, until the first driving rain, when the driver's feet get soaked.

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B-series did not have a factory side mount spare tire, but I've seen plenty of homemade and JC Whitney-style side mounts.

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What is the condition of the accelerator pump? Is the leather intact?

The ground cable to the transmission did not have any sleeve (I'm a proponent of grounding to a starter mounting stud). B-1s had the starter cable loose around the clutch + brake pedals and that could get kinda sparky after awhile, so somewhere during the B-2s the starter cable was mounted to the frame with this flexible conduit.

I found out years ago that manufacturers are not really interested in supporting trucks that are going on 20 yrs old...their commercials say "most reliable" and "durable", but when attempting to order certain critical parts, the parts desk will say "on back order" or "no longer available" and they'll suggest going the aftermarket route while holding the door open for me ... Cardone has command of brake part remanufacturing, and their quality control shows with their indifference to working specifications from lack of competition. NAPA parts were the best of the Cardone lot, but not by much...Autozone calipers were so bad, I didn't even leave the store with them; Advance Auto hydroboost units were pathetic: leaky, missing brackets, and one replacement that took a week to show up was a misboxed older hydroboost that did not fit I was very tempted to circumvent the ABS to pass inspection last year, but if I got caught, I would have to get it fixed anyway. So I kept at it...and this truck has great utility that is lacking in the bloated overpriced curb-destroying gigantaurs that race from stop light to stop light...kinda hard to want to give up on a truck that is easy to get in and out of, has great visibility in all directions (the wireless backup camera comes in handy for hitching up to trailers), and bedsides that can be reached over without the need of a step ladder. I have a few elderly neighbors with Ram 1500s, and their biggest gripe is trying to get into those buggies, and they have bounced off a few curbs because they cannot see over the nose...a couple have srsly offered even trade for this ride, one being a Laramie Longhorn with air conditioned seats ?

I caught myself griping at millennials and their nonsense on the TV the other day...then changed the channel to Bob Ross making happy little clouds and my disposition improved...but only slightly...

I measured .06" wire diameter x 9/16" ID x 17" long on that sleeve...here is an option from McMaster-Carr: https://www.mcmaster.com/9665K93/

The multiple repetitive replacements were covered under warranty, except for the wheel sensors, but fluids for flushing and bleeding added up...I think I went through over 10 gallons of power steering fluid and over 5 gallons of brake fluid, and that adds up...all that time spinning my wheels I'll never get back, but now I can get on the pile of work that has been on hold and drive down the road without worrying about ruining any more tires...just this morning, I had to get on them brakes when a suicidal squirrel ran out in front of the truck while trying to zip out of town, and there were no casualties, rodent nor radial ?

I found that I needed to go into Account Settings and switch Content View Behavior back to Comments I Haven't Read as it had switched to Take Me To The Beginning...but I'm also a newbie now, so I reckon the saying is true: what's old is new again

The electrical tape that I've removed from these late 40s - early 50s trucks looks like thin adhesive-backed vinyl unidirectional bonding strip that stiffens as it ages...have removed similar tape from tractors of similar vintage...under the dash, I reckon anything goes as long as it doesn't dangle unattractively and/or ventilate smoke going down a bumpy road ?

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Factory photos in Bunn's books have shown the engine + transmission + pedals installed painted aluminum (silver)...restorers sometimes opt to customize their rides tho additional information - factory flatheads in transit

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Baling wire...but srsly, back in the 50s, it was electric tape for bundles, and in some instances an asphalt coated fabric loom that is still available from several vendors, such as used on the B-1 electric wiper motor pigtail. Since you're working under the dash, ya have my permission to use zip ties, but only if they're black and less than 6" long and ya trim off the excess

It has been a long three years of exasperation and discovery, but after 2 master cylinders, 10 hydroboost units, 4 power steering pumps, 2 steering gearboxes, 7 brake hoses, 17 brake calipers, 4 hub assemblies, 4 wheel speed sensors, a proportional valve, a salvaged hydraulic control unit, and a refurbished ABS control module, the QuadCab has taken several test drives in 70°F+ weather without any ABS warning lights. The brakes are not perfect yet, as the ABS light came on during a short drive, but that was coupled with a momentary herky-jerky movement in the steering wheel, which might be air in the hydraulics after hydroboost #10 was installed. This underscores the balancing act of the power steering and power brakes needing to be kept in good working order with quality components so that both aging systems can function properly. As cooler weather had arrived, it became apparent that the power steering pump was groaning almost non-stop, so I opted to replace it under warranty. Pump #3 was short-lived, as it blew out on a trip back from Waco, leaving remaining power steering fluid with a burnt odor. Once pump #4 was installed and system flushed, hydroboost #8 began to fail, presumably from the burnt fluid degrading seals. Hydroboost #9 lasted about a week and began to have issues, and upon removal, it was clear that the input shaft seal had started leaking. Hydroboost #10 seems OK but the brake pedal does not snap back after being released, which it was able to do the first few test drives, with pedal return taking about a second to complete; #9 was taking almost 2 seconds to return after release. I was still getting the ABS warning light, so eventually I found a mechanic that actually knew how to work on this truck, as the local dealership and 2 prominent repair facilities basically shrugged in ignorance of such obsolete technology. We spitballed ideas on how to deal with the odd readings he was getting on his scanner, especially while taking a half-hour test drive. I mentioned to him that both front hubs have been replaced twice, as dragging replacement calipers were heating up the hub sealed bearings to the point of cooking the grease that would purge out, making them difficult to rotate by hand, and that this high heat could possibly have fried the wheel sensors I replaced in 2018. This possibly explained some of the live data readings, but the storing and clearing of default codes by the ABS module was confounding as neither of us had seen this before. I surmised that the module had bad components that were leading to this erratic behavior, so I found a nearby outfit that could refurbish the module. With the refurbished module installed, no codes were stored on the first three test drives. About 40 hours of work have been done on this ol' buggy in the last 4 weeks...that puts the tally to well over 200 hours work in the last 3 years, with less than 50 hrs being to replace components, and the remainder to replace defective components under warranty. That's a LOT of time spent doing the same tasks repeatedly, while other projects have been put on hold. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I have done enough work to get this to pass inspection in February and to have a functional ABS for the remainder of my usage of this machine...had a close call with a UPS truck the other day, which underscores the lurking risk of getting T-boned by an uninsured motorist

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