MBF

I think I'm going to try a small Dynamat kit from Amazon.com. Some folks here have made their own by using materials available from Home Depot or Lowes. Mike

I think you're going to have to find a 3 speed floor shifted transmission. One thing you could try, would be to see if the top cover of the floor shifted trans would bolt on to your 3 spd trans. I don't believe the cover from a 4 speed will work. The 4 spd is a much larger gearbox, with different positions on the mounting ears-which is why it needs a different bell housing. Mike

The Carter BBD carb used on slant 6's is very similar in what you're trying to do. With the fuel inlet at the front of the carb, the throttle linkage would be on the head side of the carb. If you wanted, the dash mounted throttle pedal assembly, and factory cable setup would probably be an easy but not original solution. I did this conversion on a Chevy truck years ago. Mike

I'm keeping mine the way it was with the petcock on the head, a heater switch for the blower on the dash, and the defroster control being a small door that is opened on the side of the heater. One thing I did change (since I couldn't find an original) is the ducting used to get the fresh air to the heater. I bought something a True Value Hardware that was designed for a clothes dryer. It was a sheet metal plate with a 3" hose flange that I mounted to the firewall. This is used to channel the air to the heater air intake. When I find some black clost corrugated hose that fits I'll finish the job to the air intake up near the grill. I can take a pic if anyone wants to see what I've done. Mike

10" here in the Hudson Valley of NY. What a mess-leaves are still on the trees, no frost in the ground. I was mowing this past Wed in a t-shirt-now I can't even see the damn lawn. Mike

Fall colors- we're supposed to get up to a foot of the white stuff tonight! Our leaves aren't even down yet. Damn....

Dontknow it all. I'm just guessing here, but if you say that the 4 spd that you have is from a heavier truck you may also want to check the dimensions of the input shaft, and collar along with the pilot bearing dimensions. If those measurements are larger than those on the 3 speed, you will also have to address the pilot bushing, throwout bearing, and clutch disk. I don't want to go negative on this, but the output shaft may also have a larger yoke on it that won't fit the one on your 1/2 ton's driveshaft, which is more engineering that will need to be done. If the 4 spd that you have isn't the syncro type trans, you're going to have to double clutch it when shifting. The folks here are right-the 3rd gear in a 3 speed, the 4th gear in a 4 speed, and even the 5th gear in the 5 speed I have in a parts truck are all 1:1 ratio. Mike

You're going to need to find a bell housing for a 4 speed and swap that in along with the transmission. The mounting ears on the 4 speed are different from the 3 speed. You'll probably need to change the floor plate too. I'm not sure about the yoke on the rear of the transmission and driveshaft on a 1/2 ton. Someone here must surely know. I finally got all the parts to convert my 1 ton to a 4 speed, but now I'm thinking about a T-5 to get an overdrive. Mike

39-47 should all be the same. Mike

I removed the floor panels and was able to swap my clutch pedal. Didn't need to do the same for the brake pedal so I don't know if that could have been done or not. Mike

Kevin-Have you pulled the screw in plug near where the cable connects to the back of the speedometer and put a few drops of oil on the wick? Is the cable lubed and free in the housing? I'd tend to agree w you that you've the wrong gear in the transmission. My 1 ton w a 3 spd, 3:89 rear cruises comfortably at an indicated 45, which is actually closer to 50 according to a chase vehicle. With your rear gears there should only be slighly slower. Someone on here awhile ago talked about ajusting the magnets within the speedo head to calibrate it. See if a search on speedo magnets gives you any ideas. Mike

Thanks Bob. My concern was that the complete box swap wouldn't work for a couple of reasons. Different mounting methods for the box end, and I knew the column angles were different. Tthe under dash bracket that supports the steering column inside the cab is different (shorter) on the 48-50's vs the one used on the 51-53's. I like the more vertical orientation of the earlier steering wheels. I get older-easier to enter and exit the wheelhouse but ya gotta watch your knuckles on the inside of the windshield with the older design! Mike

Folks - I need some help. I've got play in my 49's steering box at the pitman arm that I can't adjust out. I have 3 tight steering boxes from 51-53 trucks, but the chassis mounts are different. The 49 uses a separate bracket to offset if from the frame, and the later boxes have the mounts cast into the box housing itself. According to my 49 parts manual, the sector shaft p/n is 1196 109, the 2 bushings are p/n 582 880, and the gear/shaft is p/n 1138 282. Does anyone have a factory parts manual for the later trucks, and can they verify if these internal p/n's are the same between the 48-49 and 51-53's? I'm thinking of building a good box from 3 that I have. If anyone has an interchange manual-does the 51-53 steering box fit the 48-50's? Thanks. Mike

I may have an extra one. I'll check tomorrow. Mike

Nice job-real nice job. I liked it the way you found it-what a piece to start off with. Mike

A drop center 16" rim (if one were available for the 6 bolt pattern) won't fit over the drums on a 1 ton. I'm in the same boat as you! I do have a couple of 16.5 locking ring rims if that helps you at all, but they're going to need some work. I've bought tires before from Universal and will again-good folks to deal with, and haven't had a problem with their products yet. If you're not running duals in the rear, another source of rims is the deep offset 6 hole Budds from the military version of the Jeep truck used during the 60's and 70's. Perhaps some are available NOS from a surplus outlet. Mike

Check the gaskets around your fuel pump, and side covers. Actually you may want to pull the side covers to see what it looks like in there and how much gunk you've got. You may also want to check the road draft tube to make sure it isn't plugged. Mike

I'd be careful jumping w a 12 volt. If you're going to do that, make sure you disconnect the ground cable from the battery, and jump around it-not through it. As a kid I blew the top off a 6 volt batt jumping it w 12 volts. Also-you're going to have to watch the only electric guage(fuel) and any other 6 volt accessories that you have. I know for a fact that it won't stand 12V. The folks are giving you good advice here on the cables. With a 6 volt system, the amp draw is twice what a 12 volt uses. Good grounds, the right size cables and tight connections make all the difference. Mike

I've read of couple of articles in different publications concerning ZDDP as an additive. According to both sources, even though the amount of zinc in motor oils has been reduced from what it previously was, there is still more than enough contained in most of the oils blended today. I've also seen discussions that other than the break in oils in a newly rebuilt engine or a new cam / lifters, that there is no need to add zinc. To each their own I guess. Mike

If you've got a front brake locking up I'd also check the back brakes to make sure that they're working. I've seen that in a truck a few years back. Chances are if you got a cylinder crudded up or leaking the others may not be in much different shape. I'm in the process of replacing all of my cyls and lines right now. Mike

I think you're referring to the drag link. I had a Ford Louieville that had a similar problem-actually the drag link had been cut and rewelded to shorten it. I took the center to center measurements of what I needed, and the clocked orientation of the two ends. Those along with the size and legnths of the tapers on the ends enabled NAPA was able to match it up by dimensions. It'll take an experience parts man-so look for the older guy behind the counter. Mike

Nice job(s) guys!! That's the nice thing about trucks. Anything you do is an improvement over what you started with, and will make your vehicle unique. My stuff isn't show quality, and I did a lot of it on the cheap. I still have a very nice lookin' truck that gets lots of compliments, and occasionally will win a trophy (which I could care less about). I came home from a cruise-in this past Friday thinkin' how much I really enjoy this old truck-even with some dents and quirks. Mike

Nice truck, nice pics. I like the fall too (just hate what comes soon after it) Mike.

Before you take your new pins, bushings, and spindles to the machine shop, test fit the pins in the axle ends. There shouldn't be any wiggle or wobbling of the pin. If there is any play you'll need to have the eyes reamed to fit an oversized pin. Mike

Looks like something that should be full of clowns at a circus. Fugly aint even close.