austinsailor

My opinion is, if you have to ask the question, you probably shouldn't be in the business. At least not if a loss will hurt you.

I'd rebuilt my 40 sedan's brakes before, but with the small amount of use and a lot of sitting, they'd get pitted and I'd have to go through them again. Even though I could buy new cylinders for about $45 each, plus a hundred or so for a master, I had them sleeved, again by White Post, and in 5 years, no more problems. One mistake we make is to not flush the fluid every year or two. If we did that, we would probably not have nearly the problems we do. Regular brake fluid is designed to absorb the moisture in the system, but it eventually gets too much to do it's job and pitting and rust starts.

I like the looks of that little Toyota one. Kind of like a mini 6-71. How are those things lubricated? It would not seem difficult to fab up a manifold on the side of the motor and stick on a carb or two. Looks like the blower could be bought easily for $150 or so. A little math to figure pulley ratios, etc. Interesting...

Why would you have to pressurize it?

A scrap dealer called me and said he'd run across an old Dodge truck like I mess with, late 40's or maybe 50, 51. 2 1/2 ton. But, he says it's a D500. It'll be 2 weeks before I can get there, he's old school, no email or digital cameras, and I'm wondering what it is. Searching the web, I only found D500 and flathead 6 matching up in '57. It looks like 57 still had a flathead 6, a 251 ci, and it's the first year I can find any reference to a D500. Am I on the right track? Give me 2 weeks and I'll get some pictures and numbers. But with that, I'll know what it is! Don't know now, though.

the last 3 pictures

Mi wife won't ride in my truck with big holes in the floors, so I set about fixing that. Didn't bother me - no junk accumulates there, at least. But, that's the way it is. So, yesterday I cut out the old hunks of rust and welded in new pieces. Went ok. Today I tried to put in the transmission cover someone on this list was so kind to send me some months ago. Shock! E brake handle is in the wrong place. I soon learned, after comparing it to a 3 speed I have sitting around, that the 3 speed and 4 speed transmission covers are different. The emergency brake is about 2 inches farther to the right on the 4 speed. So - a mod was in order. Cut out a chunk, flipped it around and presto - it's now a 4 speed cover. Oh, the shifter hole is bigger in the 4 speed, too. But, no holes any more. A question - does anyone have a source of the big threaded bolts and the spring nuts that hold much of the sheet metal on these trucks? I keep salvaging them off of old trucks, but most are to rusted to be of use.

Yes, pure antifreeze freezes at a higher temp than mixed with water. Also, if you just pour antifreeze in a non running motor, it will not necessarily get mixed with whatever was in there. For example, nice pure California water may still be in the corners of your block, or the heater core, having little or no protection.

To finish off my own post, I just fired her up with a new oil pump. Didn't run it long enough to get it hot (it's about 20 degrees F outside) but it has much better oil pressure at idle now than it did, so I think I've improved things a lot. Now I need another new oil pump on the shelf for next time.

some friend of mine were at the auction and brought back pictures on their cell phone for me. I thought they mentioned a much higher sale price, but the might not have paid that much attention. They know I'd have been interested, I know they weren't. The mentioned it wasn't rusty, so they figured I would't like it. Well, mine are usually rusty, but you get what you can find and pay for! I'll ask them more about it when I see them again.

Well, the oil pressure relief appears to be in fine shape. However, the oil pump vanes show pitting in addition to play. I opened up my new pump, which has no measurable play. It looks to be the correct pump, part no. 601269. It is in my parts book for my 40 dodge car, I have no manual for the truck, so I'll just have to try it. First, I have to spend some time cleaning it up. It was still sealed in paper and cosmoline, quite a mess. I'm still open to ideas, but I see no reason not to replace the pump. I'll probably button the pan back up and try it. Added: Looking at Bernbaum's site, and Epay, it looks like if it's a flathead 6, it fits.

Good thought. I'll go check it right now.

My 48 B1B runs fine, but after 10 or 15 miles at highway speed (OK, 45 mph!) the oil pressure drops. Down to about 20 at speed, nearly zero at idle. When cold its fine - over 40 at speed, well over 20 at idle. In my past experience, that means either mains or oil pump is worn. I just checked the two middle mains and one rod, they all show about .003 with plastigauge. Bearings are standard, I suspect they are the ones the factory put in. I can't seem to find a set of feeler gauges in my shop and will head to town to get some in a minute, but I'd estimate there is about .005 or so, maybe just a bit more, backlash on the gears of the oil pump with the cover off. Somewhere I have a new oil pump for a '40 Dodge car, and I expect I can just change it out to solve the pump problem - assuming there is one. I'm tempted to just get some .001 under bearings all around and put them in. Shaft looks good and clean on the bearings I have off. Any thoughts?

Back in about '69 my brother in law's Torino got stolen. Reported it to the police, they looked for it for months. Took the insurance company 2 months before they'd admit it was gone and would pay anything for it. 2 more months down the road they held a police auction for all their impounded cars. Surprise - the torino had been in their lot since the morning after it was stolen. All in the 30,000 pop. town, all the same police department.

I seriously doubt delamination is an issue, since they are tempered glass, not laminated.

Don, two thoughts. First is, the low zinc is done because of EPA, which is more feared than much of anything else today. Second, I just buy a drum of old style Rotella at about $7 a gallon, save money and not worry whether it's a problem in ours or not. I'm ahead money wise and don't have to worry about who's right or wrong.

I have a friend who needs to sell his gas pump, the wolves are at the door. It's appropriate for our trucks, the right time frame. He would like to get $1000 for it, and if you acted quickly, like before a week from Sunday, I could deliver it anywhere from Central Texas to the Midwest (Mid Kansas east to Ill. or so) as part of the deal. It would get lost in the junk at my place or I'd be more interested.

A friend has a '63 2 door ht Sport Fury and another '63 4 door hardtop he needs to sell. They were his father's and his father died, they're trying to dispose of all of his stuff. (and there is a lot!) The 2 door sport fury has no rust and no dents. I think the front bumper is bent, but there would be good fenders and floor that should work for you. I'm guessing both could be had for maybe $1200 or so. 318 in both. Located in central Mo. Email me if you want more info.

The 6 years thing is only about radials. I'm not a tire expert, I forget why they are different than bias, I seem to recall it has something to do with the composition and maybe ozone. I can tell you though. that we've had a number of them fly apart without warning that were between 6 and 10 years old. For example, a couple years ago my father bought an 8 years old travel trailer that had almost never been used . Of course, the tires were 8 years old too. They looked new. He was told before heading from Missouri to Florida that he needed to replace them. He thought it was BS. Before he got to Florida he'd had two fly to pieces, on opposite sides, and tore the hell out of both sides of his nice trailer. I've lost several in the last few years as well, all looked good, were recently checked, and were a little over 6 years old. I'm now a believer.

The question of tire age and how to read date codes comes up here often. I've posted an article on my website that tells how to read them and some other information of interest. It's a poor copy, but readable. It's all I have. If you want to sign up for one of those news services you can get yourself a new copy. It wasn't worth it to me. Look here for my copy: http://austinsailor.net/tires/tires.html Gene G.

There were two different style chains. I don't recall which was which or when they changed, but my 40 had one style and my 55 had another. I do recall when I blew up the 40, I put the gears and chain from the 40 on the 55 when the timing chain on the 55 was worn out. Oh, by the way, those were both cars, but I'd guess the trucks were the same. Gene G.

Panel truck, $500: http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/pts/2038151825.html straight 5 window pickup, $950: http://albuquerque.craigslist.org/cto/2037850749.html

Ed, if it doesn't look like screen wire, it can be saved.

Ed, Make a visit down to my house and use my sandblaster. 3 or 4 hours will have it clean. The price will be right! Gene G. Central Mo.

I have a 3/4 ton frame, I think a '49, in excellent shape. I'd planned to cut it off behind the engine and use it for an engine stand. I got to thinking, someone might need it to replace a rusted frame. If you have one in need of replacement I'd just trade with you, no charge. PM if you have questions. Located in Central Missouri, some delivery possible.