MBF Posted August 29, 2012 Report Posted August 29, 2012 Bought this tonight. Its a 49 ex firetruck w 18K original miles. Just out of long term storage. 5+2, 2 tiny rust spots-super solid. Bringing it home tomorrow night-can't wait to hit it with a buffer. Purrs like a kitten. I have everything that it's missing except the parking lights. Its even got a grill guard! Mike 1 Quote
ggdad1951 Posted August 29, 2012 Report Posted August 29, 2012 some guys have all the luck! super find! Good for you! Quote
48Dodger Posted August 29, 2012 Report Posted August 29, 2012 Thats what I'm talking bout! lol 48D:D Quote
MBF Posted September 5, 2012 Author Report Posted September 5, 2012 I made some progress over the Labor Day weekend. I started cleaning out the cab, and buffed out the paint, then painted the bumper and front wheels. A little more orange peal than I was expecting in the paint, but this truck sure is solid. I've got to find a couple of parking lamp assemblies, and locate a 10' flatbed to replace the dump body. Mike Quote
HanksB3B Posted September 5, 2012 Report Posted September 5, 2012 Looks a million times better ! Wow, Hank Quote
Todd B Posted September 7, 2012 Report Posted September 7, 2012 Amazing what elbow grease will do. What a change, looks awesome. Todd B Quote
MBF Posted September 8, 2012 Author Report Posted September 8, 2012 Thanks-at this point she's still a 25 footer. I don't know why they painted over the original paint, but its really nice starting out with something that isn't worn out, or that needs structural rust repair. I've already been looking for a flatbed to replace the dump body, and I'd like to find some 8:25 x 20 tires on rims to replace at least two of the rear tires. I'm having fun, and looking forward to taking her out on the road before the snow flies. Mike Quote
MBF Posted January 20, 2013 Author Report Posted January 20, 2013 Well, I've got some more progress to report. I removed and sold the "too big" dump body, and started looking for a 50's era flatbed or stake body. A friend of mine has a yard a couple miles from my house full of old stuff. He had an early 50's Chevy 2 ton that had a 12' factory flatbed on it that had been sitting there for years. We made a deal, and I headed up with my old John Deere and trailer and brought it home the day before Thanksgiving. I've been taking advantage of whatever warm days we've been getting because the 2.5 ton won't fit in my garage. I got it mounted shortly before Christmas, waiting to make a decision how much to cut it down. I shortened it a couple of weeks ago, and I've been working on getting a headboard and some sideboards on it. The sideboards are the original fir stringers that I ripped and painted. I'm getting there. Going to hook up the rear lights today before the weather turns cold again. I'm going to be looking for some original stakebed stancions to make it a rack body like my 1 ton. Mike Quote
wallytoo Posted January 20, 2013 Report Posted January 20, 2013 (edited) that looks really good. i like the flatbed. i have full sideboards available for mine, but i find the truck easier to use for most things without all three per side, and instead use the lower boards only. the cab is sharp. says something about firehouse maintennance. did you ever find some new rear tires? wally Edited January 20, 2013 by wallytoo Quote
Scruffy49 Posted January 20, 2013 Report Posted January 20, 2013 I like how that came out. I've got an old set of PK mirrors I was going to cut down like you are running, wondered how they would look. Should be a lot more funtional than the short arm it came with. Is your truck set up like mine, stainless trim ring on one side and chrome on the other? Or is your passenger ring just water spotted? Not picking on you, just curious. I need to replace one headlight ring, debating whether to just paint both or pull the stainless ones off the motorhome... 60s built 70s registered D600 based motor home uses Pilot House headlight rings... Very nice truck, wish I could find a deal on a big boy around here, but most of the old local rigs are from the 60s or 70s. Already have one rust bucket 60s truck, don't need another one... Quote
MBF Posted January 20, 2013 Author Report Posted January 20, 2013 Thanks Wally. I got my taillights hooked up-getting ready to put this on the road. Still haven't found tires or rims for the rear, but I have a couple of possibilities. Worst case, I'll dismount the outer rears, repair the damaged hoop where the rivets have pulled through and put new tires on it. I'm really hoping to find some decent rims with servicable tires on them. Scruffy: As far as the headlight rings-I believe one is pitted, but I think they're both the cast type. I honestly haven't look at them that carefully. I'm pretty sure I have a pair of stainless ones up in my attic. Mike Quote
Scruffy49 Posted January 21, 2013 Report Posted January 21, 2013 Stainless are worth diging out. My chromed one is pretty much done, I think I'll paint the 2 off my PH, put them on the motor home and run the motor home stainless on the truck. I'm converting my parking lights to amber beehives from the truck stop. I might (key word) still have the stock lenses, but the buckets/rings are beyond repair. I still have one complete unit , but if it goes like the other one did it will crumble away to nothing the first time I tap the screw with something... Quote
MBF Posted January 22, 2013 Author Report Posted January 22, 2013 Scruffy-I have a set of parking light housings just like the ones you have on my shelf, that's why I did what I did with the 1 ton. I found 1 NOS brow, but the other one was beyond repair. I then found a stainless grill assemby on a 2 ton truck. The owner wouldn't sell parts off it, and then crushed it! I would have loved to have gotten at least a pair of rims off that before it went. Quote
ggdad1951 Posted January 22, 2013 Report Posted January 22, 2013 Scruffy-I have a set of parking light housings just like the ones you have on my shelf, that's why I did what I did with the 1 ton. I found 1 NOS brow, but the other one was beyond repair. I then found a stainless grill assemby on a 2 ton truck. The owner wouldn't sell parts off it, and then crushed it! I would have loved to have gotten at least a pair of rims off that before it went. you know some people confuse me...no I won't sell you parts...crush crush crush....and he could have made extra $$ off that! some people... Quote
52b3b Joe Posted January 22, 2013 Report Posted January 22, 2013 you know some people confuse me...no I won't sell you parts...crush crush crush....and he could have made extra $$ off that! some people... There was a local truck 5 min from my house. I tried contacting the owner to get parts and they said no. I noticed about 2 months ago the truck was gone and I heard it got scraped....I don't get it either. Quote
pflaming Posted January 22, 2013 Report Posted January 22, 2013 Suggestion: Maybe we ought to contact our local crushers and let them know of our interest in 'picking' or buying. Has anyone tried that, if so, to what success? I found that logging truck, hooked him up with a forum member and I think he waited to cut up the truck. Quote
48Dodger Posted January 23, 2013 Report Posted January 23, 2013 (edited) If you're interested...you show up to the yard and buy what you need....otherwise they crush vehicles daily. I was lucky enough to see two PH 1/2 tons inline to be leveled and bought them cheap before the mayhem. The nieghbor had a 47 2.5 ton in the field for a couple years, and I said nothing. While driving home, I saw him lighting the touch! I got to him right as he put a 2 inch cut into the passenger fender. I bought it for 300 bucks. Its becoming a hobby of mine to save the big ones from the farmers in the area. lol So far a 1938 1.5 ton, the 47, 49 2.5 dumper, and a 55 2.5 ton...... 48D Edited January 23, 2013 by 48dodger Quote
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