Merle Coggins

Screw jacks like that come in many sizes and can be used for many things. But I don't think jacking up a car would be one of them. We use them here for jacking and leveling rock crushing plants. Merle

If "Show Signatures" is not checked in the "Options" setion of the "User CP", than they won't see your signatures.

Aparentllie u isn't so ignorant as u thaut u waz.

Good one I figured if I mounted it there it wouldn't get damaged by all the spinning they normally do. Dave, I remember that picture, but it wasn't mine. I don't remember who posted it. And the side angle strips are spot welded to the bed sides. Mar-K has some good installation instructions posted on their web site for replacing those pieces. Merle

Well guys, I don't yet know how the fit is, as I'm still a long way from installing them. However they look quite good. The rubber seems to be nice and soft (pliable). I will definitely let you all know how it works out when I get that far. But don't hold your breath waiting for it. Since spring hit I lost my truck work time. I am too active with teaching motorcycle basic riding courses and promoting the Ride for Kids (a motorcycle charity ride that benefits the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation), plus everything else that goes on through the summer. I'll be able to pick back up later this summer/fall. (I Hope) Merle

Which picture are you refering to, Dave? I searched through my home computer and my Photobucket site for pics of my bed area. This is all I came up with. This was just after I removed the bed pieces and all of the rotten wood and etc. Shortly after this I hauled it into the shop to lift off the cab for frame prep and painting. I know I took some other photos of the cross members before I cut the bolts and removed them from the frame, but they must be in my computor at work. I was kind of supprised too, that the bed sides and front panel just sit on the wood, which is bolted to the cross members. And the large bolts that attach it to the frame only go through 3 of the 4 cross members. I have found out, through some communication with Mar-K, that they now have reproduction front bed panels for the 48-52 trucks. They've had the front panel for 53 and up trucks for some time, but they just came out with the one for 48-52. I haven't ordered one yet, because my project has been put on temporary hold through the summer. Once spring hit, it was motorcycle season and my truck work time ended. This is all the farther I am now, plus some body work on the cab, fenders, grill, etc, which is almost ready for primer.

The Nitrile gloves are great for working with paints, stains, or other chemicals to protect your hands. They are also quite tough and don't rip easily, so can work good to keep hands clean when working on nasty things. You really wash your hands with Gas, Norm? Even if you wash with soap and water after that, you still smell like gas for a long time. Maybe you like that smell more than I do. Merle

I agree with Tim. Two things you need for proper cooling. Coolant flow and air flow. If either one is lacking, you lose you efficiency. Even though your radiator looks good from the outside, doesn't mean it's not partially plugged up on the inside. Also, from what I've seen and heard, these engines are notorious for having plugged up water distribution tubes as well as water jackets filling up with rust and gunk. It may be just open enough to keep things cool at higher RPM and road speed, but at idle it suffers. As for the recore cost... I had my rediator recored because the original core was bad. It cost me just under $400. So your $420 price doesn't sound out of line. Merle

Very Cool. How in the hell do you get up in there? I'd have to have a drop down ladder. Merle

Pilot House trucks use 4 C-channel type cross members and carriage bolts on the bed strips. Some connect to the cross members. Others have a large washer under the wood and just clamp the strip to the boards. At least that's how mine was when I tore out all of the rotten wood and bed strips. Merle

Eleanor, is that you?

Not that I know of Jim. Regarding your other post, try putting a timing light on while cranking. You may need an assistant to step in the button, but you should be able to dial in the ignition timing that way. As someone said in the other post, if you have spark and gas, and it still won't start, than it's not happening at the right time. Merle

Is it really that bad? Or you're just not in to the "late" model trucks. Merle

Hey!! We resemble that remark. Actually, road salt isn't a main ingredient in cheese, but I believe it is a major ingredient in asphalt. However, they seem to only add it after it's been laid down. Merle

Good deal Phil. As I was re-reading this thread I kept thinking your problem was a plugged idle jet circuit. This would make it die at idle speeds because it wouldn't get any fuel through idle circuit. Apparently you fixed that when you cleaned / rebuilt your carb. Merle

3rd Member is another name for the differential, diff, hogs head, rear end, etc. As for the interchange, I remember someone (think it was Ed) mention a axle spline change that happened somewhere in the early 50's. Merle

I've been to several NHRA national events. There's nothing that compares to hearing those engines cackle to life. It's fun to watch the spectators in the pits when they fire up. As soon as a team fires up the engine for break in, the crowd packs around that pit stall. But soon the fumes hit and their eyes begin burning and watering so bad that they can't see. Their nose burns and it's hard to breath, so they have to try to back out of the pack and find some fresh air. And with every crack of the throttle they just about jump out of their skin. Why do I know this? Because I used to be one of those people. Damn what that fun! Merle

I've been following this trying to come up with something helpful that someone else hasn't already stated, asked, or checked. Now, I don't know much about Langdon's distributors, but I don't remember reading anywhere through this ordeal that you have confirmed that the distributor shaft in not bent. Have you tried chucking the shaft into a drill and give it a spin while holding the distributor body? Maybe there's a slight bend in the shaft that gets exagerated every time you remove and replace it? I've also been thinking about your noise being most noticable at the oil pump. If there is a problem with the fuel pump, and the lever isn't staying in contact with the cam lobe, it could be causing a tapping noise like a loose valve. However, the fuel pump mechanism may dampen the noise so it's not noticable at that component. But the oil pump is in constant mesh with the cam gear and could be transfering the noise making it sppear to come from there. I've had cases in construction equipment where there was a knock coming from an axle. Everyone swore it had a bad diff. After much disassembly and finding nothing, it was finally tracked back to a bad bearing in the transmission. It's funny how noises transfer through components. Good luck. Don't let the iron beat you. You'll figure it out sooner or later. (hopefully sooner) Merle

I've seen that before. It'a amazing what it takes to make an estimated 8000+ Horse Power. As for the $1000 per second cost of a run, I think Pete is gonna surpass that if he doesn't get this sorted out soon. Good luck Pete. Merle

That's interesting, Norm. I had (have) a Honda Nighthawk that, after an engine swap, had a bad knock. The service manager at the local Honda shop convinced me that it was just the hydraulic valve adjusters and it would quiet down after it ran a while. It sure did get quiet once it locked up and pitched a rod through the case. BUMMER. Merle

I don't know about that. But a guy's gotta get lucky once in a while.

Hmm. When I installed the fluid drive on my engine I don't remember dealing with any offset holes/studs. I was working on the bench yet at the time, but I don't remember fighting with anything. It went right on and I tightened the nuts. Maybe I just got lucky? Or the truck fluid drives are different? Merle

Like Greg said... I got mine at Farm & Fleet. They are Universal 6 cylinder tractor plug wires. One end had the 90's with boots for the plugs. The other ends you cut to length and fitted the distributor terminal ends. The nice thing about that is the fact that I could run them through the loops on the coil bracket, before cutting and fitting the other terminal, like the originals were. Wouldn't be able to do that with ready made ones. And, as I recall, the price was around $15-$20. Merle

That's an interesting dilemma, Don. While you're driving, and dealing with moral dilemma's, try this one...

Ken, Mine are bent at the firewall end too. And the ones I took off my parts truck are as well. I'm guessing their supposed to be that way. On the parts truck it appeared that the passenger side had a little more bend than the driver's side. And yes, there should be a rubber knob on the ends of the hood prop rods. Merle