austinsailor

Ed, the plan now is to pick up the motor when we go to the antique outboard meet in Tomahawk last of July. Motor is in Medford nearby. We go way east of you on that trip. But my wife just made hotel reservations for back to the 50s so we will probably see you again there - is that May? Gene

Greg, that would be my front yard! Gene

Sounds simple, Tim, but I'd best get that Fargo finished first or my wife's patience may run out. Besides, I have to make a run to Wi to get the new motor. It's running, but I have another (would make a total of 3) I might get to pick up this month. I think it'll just be a core, but you can't have too many, can you?

I've since gotten most of that miss out. Guess I need to post a new video. Gene

I'm on my I-phone, so it's hard to cut and paste, but search YouTube for 47firestone videos, or genes truck 003 gene

I didn't weigh mine when I had it out but I'm sure it's hundreds of pound heavier. interesting idea - truck cab rat rod. simple bolt together stuff with little attention to bodywork or fit Not sure about transmission, but it would need to be strong. In a car the block would have to go back through the firewall. It would take some fab to adapt to whatever transmission but I can't imagine it being much for a standard. 700r4 or the like might be a bit more. Even stock with original header and a stack sounds mean as heck in my truck. High compression, cam and headers should be just awesome. I do know a guy with a stuck 413 industrial one, but he won't part with it. it'll probably sit another 20 years. Guess I'll try for the estate sale some day.

I've aquired a big 6 from a 3 ton - the 30" motor - and am curious if anyone has ever used one in a car. At 331 CI it would be a big jump over a 265. it also has 7 mains and 6 intake ports, as opposed to the 3 shared ones on the other blocks. Now, if I found a 413 version it would be something else, but it would seem that this one would be quite an interesting power plant. Wild ideas might include individual port Fuel injection, tube headers, shaved head and a hotter grind on the cam. With the torque it should have, you could probably use tall gears and just push it. Anyone ever heard of going this route?

We have a MOPAR meet here once a year. Totally useless - they consider 1960 to be very old. Never found a thing I could use in several years, I don't even go now.

Guys, here's a short cholesterol story. About 4 or 5 years ago the Dr. told me I needed to take some sort of cholesterol medicine. It wasn't real high, but out of the acceptable range. I told him I'd try diet and exercise first. He was pissed, wouldn't see me on a follow up visit, so I fired him. Found another Dr, but over time the cholesterol didn't go down much. Fast forward a couple years. I developed an allergy to beef and onions. Not each time, but occasionally. I guess it hit a threshold and I'd end up in an ambulance and the emergency room. After 3 rounds of this, I finally was a believer that I didn't need beef or onions. Fast forward another 6 months. Physical time with the new Dr. With no change except cutting the beef (and onions, but I doubt that was involved) my cholesterol was dead in the middle of the normal range. I doubt that the commercial "Beef - it's what's for supper" will ever be followed with "and watch your cholesterol go through the roof", but I can tell you dropping it it made a big change in mine. Quickly. I still eat most any other meat. I would never have thought it would have made a noticeable difference.

A fellow has asked me if I can identify this truck that his grandfather had when he was a child. I know 40 to 47. 39 headlights were closer together. I'm not sure about 40. I also think the little parking lights on the top of the headlights would help narrow it down. Anyone know for sure?

I found these on Craigslist this morning - a slightly old ad, might be of interest to someone. http://littlerock.craigslist.org/pts/2221979439.html

I think that guy is an idiot to do that much work on a truck he has no papers on. And, - He has no reserve, but "If it dosnt get around $2800 it will be pulled." He's a double idiot.

We've had several discussions about how to get bolts out if they're broken. I've mentioned that I use my TIG to do it. I broke the bolt that holds the e-brake in place, the one on the other side from the springs that is kept in place by a piece of tie wire. I tried to build it up by welding it up on the side the head was on, but it's down in a hole and difficult. The back side is flush with that bar that sticks out from the transmission. So, this time I welded on the back side and screwed it on through. Since we'd had recent discussions about this, I took a couple pictures. I have yet to run across a bolt I couldn't remove this way. I know not every one has a TIG handy, but if you can get to one, this is a pretty good way to remove them. The first picture is about half way out, the second will give a good idea of what is going on.

When I was getting ready to get my 48 B1B running after 30 years or so of sitting it checked about 30 lbs per cylinder. I was actually surprised it started. I've run it maybe 1000 miles now. It runs pretty good and burns only a slight amount of oil. It would certainly benefit from a rebuild, but doesn't do too bad. I've never re-checked the compression. As others have said, I'd run it for a while and see how it does.

Here's a choice I plan to use next time. Modern tires with the old time whitewall. http://www.dbtires.com/

I'd already found that and considered calling him. Strange, huh? Hank, the car I took up was a 4 door, but same year, otherwise same car. Cream color. Doesn't seem that long ago, but in reality, it was 50 years!

Thanks for the link, but it's not even close! Much simpler.

I'll try to get some pictures with a real camera later, but there is no place for a hole or plate or anything. Totally baffling. You are correct, PTO would have to be engages to break something, but if so, it would lock it up and something would have to give, probably gear teeth. This thread brought about some stories, so I'll add mine. It's even PTO and MOPAR related. Back in 1962 I was a 16 year old kid working in the local Chrysler/Desoto garage, Boone County Motors in Columbia, Mo. These things wouldn't happen today, but at 16 I'd run service calls, tow cars in with a pickup and strap, all sorts of things that would probably put people in jail today. One day they sent me to Kansas City, about 125 miles away, to take a '57 Dodge to the auto auction. Seems it had a cracked block and they hadn't been able to sell it locally, so off to the auction it went. (Yes, those things did happen! Running mileage back, all sorts of things.) Only parts of Interstate 70 were finished then, but I found that I could get that old Dodge to peg the speedo at 120 on the way up there. I survived it, and got to the auction. Someone drove me to a parts house, I picked up a new PTO for a customer back home, then got a ride to the Greyhound station and rode home. Those were different days.

Some pretty good stories! Now a boring answer. The slot is what I would think is supposed to keep the shifter shaft from turning. My problem is, there is no keyway, no hole for a pin, nothing. I do have good news, though. I think I figured out how it managed to work. There is a handle, home made looking, that is bolted to the PTO housing. I'll get pictures sometime when I can get them, but that handle hooks into the slot at the other end of the shaft and will keep it from rotating when everything is installed. Very backdoor, somewhat dangerous, because if the one bolt vibrates out, it can take the PTO, then the transmission with it. I put the extra plate on it, and it's all assembled and ready to go into the truck. Rebuilt a rusted up hand brake assembly that came out of a 48 panel with a 3 speed. Had to modify a few parts to fit, as the fargo had the brake in the dash, and the 3 speed had different sized parts, but it lives. I also found that the 4 speed in the 53 b4b was a different transmission. PTO cover is the same, gears inside are in different places (may be why the shift shaft has 2 slots) and the case is a lot different. Not sure if the transmissions will interchange or what.

It might be good to hear why you're considering changing, especially if you're not needing another ratio. Is yours about to die? There are plenty of originals around. Otherwise I can't see why you'd want to go to the work.

Here are a couple pictures. I see it's not the same as the picture above. I don't recall seeing a name anywhere.

I'm amazed by the amount of knowledge you guys have. This time, I may just push the envelope too far with my question, but I can hope. I pulled the PTO off the transmission of my Fargo to put new seals in it. In reassembling it, there is something amiss and I can't figure out what I'm missing. With no drawings or books, I'm missing something, either in assembly, a part or understanding. I'll try to explain, but if you've never had one apart or seen drawings, it may not make much sense. There are two shafts, one that the gear rides on, a second one that shifts the gear to mesh with the one in the transmission. My problem is with the shifting shaft. There are no forks, just a notch in the shaft that fits over the gear to act like a fork would. If this shaft rotates, the edge of the notch will engage the tooth of the gear and everything locks up. One end of this shifter shaft goes through a seal and hooks to something to shift it in or out, in my case a metal lever. That end is fine. The other end has two groves around it that a ball is forced into to hold it in it's position, either engaged or not, similar to the shifter stops in the transmission. That part works fine. On the bottom is a slot lengthways. The purpose of this slot is to keep the shaft from rotating so that the edge of the notch doesn't catch the top of the gear teeth. I seem to have nothing to stick into that slot to keep it from turning. There is a hole drilled down through the two shaft holes, where the spring and ball bearing go in to hold it in gear. The bushing for the main shaft slides in and seals the hole to hold them against the one side of the shifter shaft. I would have thought the hole was drilled on through, below the shifter shaft, and a pin or rod on the other side would be there to stick in the slot. I found no hole or part. I'm baffled as to how it ever was kept from rotating. If I've made any sense, can anyone give me some idea of what I'm missing?? Anyone have a drawing out of a manual? I've got a spare cover for the PTO opening, so I'll go ahead and put the transmission in tomorrow, but in time I need to reinstall the PTO. Can't be a dump pickup without a PTO!

I can't see how it's highway robbery if it's a willing buyer for something he doesn't have to buy. It would be different if he was broke down in the middle of the desert and got charged a grand for a glass of water.

All you need is power to the coil. It can be through the ignition system, or it can be through a jumper wire coming from the starter post or the battery. You can even remove the coil and distributor, put it on the bench and hook power to it and check things. Turn it by hand and it should spark, no matter the speed that you turn it. You don't need any wires, except the coil wire (or a replacement from some old junk) or distributor cap or rotor. Back in the day, many mechanics would take the one little bolt out and remove the distributor to put in points and set it up. If they had it, that is how they used a Sum type machine to set things, not in the car. Sometimes I still remove mine. Saves a lot of lost little screws and sore backs leaning over. As others have said, check to see if you have power at the coil, or just add a jumper wire to remove all doubt. Keep in mind, if the points are closed you won't read anything at the distributor side of the coil. You can check to see if you have spark easily by pulling the coil wire from the distributor, leaving the coil end in the coil, and laying the distributor end near something metal, like the block or spark plug wire harness. Make it about 1/8" or so, remove the distributor cap, then short the points with a screwdriver. Each time you short them it should spark. If you can get no spark just shorting and prying around on the points, you have a coil problem, a lack of power to the coil problem or something in the distributor is shorted. If you get spark that way, but then turn the motor over and don't get spark, it's most likely the points dirty. I even had one that would get spark for a little bit using the method above, then quickly stop when turning over. Turned out, the points were stuck on their little post they pivot on. The arm would bend instead of smoothly rotating on their little post. After a couple times the arm wouldn't return, so they'd stay open. It would slowly straighten out, so by the time I got out of the cab, they'd look normal again. In all the years I've messed with this junk I've never found a bad condenser, one that would keep it from getting spark. I've found many points that didn't look too bad, but just didn't let electric through, especially if they've set for a time. A points file or a slight sanding with fine sandpaper will get them working again

according to klick and klack, once it's adjusted and warmed up, put it in high gear, give it full throttle as you let the clutch all the way out. if it slips enough that it doesn't kill the engine at once, the clutch needs replacing. It probably goes without saying, but they also said not to do this often.