If it's not one thing then it's another

[HanksB3B]

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. it's just another Mopar mystery that after 34 years of ownership keep me intrigued and as motivated as the first day I found her. Over the years, most will at some point ask what was original, and what was Mickey Moused along the way. Here's my latest: I have no idea if the starter that starts my truck is the original one for a 1951 B3B. Take a look at the picture, 

 

 

When I mounted the cab, it made sense that the bottom of the footpedal should align and make contact with the lobe of the starter arm (as you can see my marginal results) afterall it is the point of contact between the cab/frame/engine. I followed the cab mounts diagram I posted a bunch of times and know most of you guys are familiuar with the cab mounts.

 

Q: Is the starter arm correct for my B3B ?

 

Thanks for helping,

 

Hank 

 

P.S. Today the footstarter pedal hung up (first time) and didn't retract smoothly 

 

Best Practice: When you farm components out for rebuilding, tell the vendor you want your component rebuilt and mark the housing in a way only you recognize. (Did you know Pinoccio was a bad motivational speaker?) 

Edited November 4, 2014 by HanksB3B

[ggdad1951]

my guess is that is not right.  Mine aligns WAY better than that.

[Brent B3B]

sorry for the hard to see photo Hank, doesn't look like mine either

 

[Jeff Balazs]

Hello Hank;

I sure know what you are saying about how hard it can be to know if something is actually original to the truck. 60 years on and there are bound to be a few mismatched items.

 

It is just possible that your cab has settled or shifted a bit in relation to the frame and engine. I have seen some minor settling in mine since I got it back together. For me it has had more of an effect on the brake pedal adjustment than the starter. A PO had already modified the arm on my starter so that it is less prone to the alignment issue you are having. It is a shade tree type fix but it works just fine.

 

Jeff

[HanksB3B]

Thanks Brent (it is hard to see in that shot but thanks just the same. As far as settling Jeff yes maybe 1/4" to 1/2" but not more. It was high to begin with  (I got to stop riding around with fat chicks, they always cause me problems)  Today for the first time it hung. I'm hoping someone with a B3B and/or kin will post a picture if they know their setup is original. Keep it coming.

 

and Thanks in advance...

 

Hank   

Edited November 4, 2014 by HanksB3B

[B1B Keven]

Hank,

Maybe these will help?

 

[Merle Coggins]

This engine was out of a B3C. The starter looks a little different.

[Reg Evans]

Here's a very dark photo of mine on Old Yeller but the engine is not stock. It's a 251 from a 50 Chrysler.

[NiftyFifty]

Arm looks wrong for sure, I had that happen to me when I bought a starter from a car, but I just swapped the correct one in from my OD starter.

[Jeff Balazs]

Hank;

As I look at these photos it appears that the arm on your starter is much longer than it needs to be. The one on mine is similar or the same as the one in Regs' photo. The only real difference is that a PO had drilled mine at the end and installed a bolt and stack of washers on either side of the arm. Presumably this was to allow for misalignment ? When I first installed the cab this fix seemed to be useful as the plunger did not line up perfectly with the arm. Now that the cab mounts have "settled" a bit it finally lines up as it should.

 

I really think that trying to determine how much of what we start off with is as original versus substitutions or modifications is one of the more difficult aspects of repairing or restoring one of these trucks. By their very nature old trucks seem to have more than their fair share of "whatever is at hand" type repairs. Deciphering what was done years ago by someone else can be a real challenge.

 

Jeff

[MBF]

I wonder if that starter wasn't originally in a cabover,  a route van, or some type of agricultural / industiral application.  Just thinking out loud

Edited November 5, 2014 by MBFowler

[JBNeal]

this is what I'm accustomed to seeing:

Edited August 20, 2021 by JBNeal
revised picture

[48Dodger]

Part number 8-52-46 is really the only yoke I've seen on the 48-53 trucks.

 

Yours looks much different, maybe a car deal.

 

Happy to send you the right yoke Hank. 

 

48D

[HanksB3B]

Old Yeller and JBNeals looks correct to me. I'm starting to think I may have a starter or starter arm from either a passenger car, COE or other application like MBFowler suggests. Thanks for the Truck Manual illustration Tim. Does anyone know if the arms are interchangeable (I'm guessing yes) Looks like I might be needing one . 

 

Thanks 

 

Hank 

 

P.S. Jeff they probably did that to yours after it was T-boned before you bought it would be my guess.

Edited November 5, 2014 by HanksB3B

[48Dodger]

post deleted by poster.......

Edited November 5, 2014 by 48dodger

[Don Coatney]

Many trucks from this era used a foot starter. Could this be from for example a Chevy. I am not yoking

[Young Ed]

Hank I woul

 

Old Yeller and JBNeals looks correct to me. I'm starting to think I may have a starter or starter arm from either a passenger car, COE or other application like MBFowler suggests. Thanks for the Truck Manual illustration Tim. Does anyone know if the arms are interchangeable (I'm guessing yes) Looks like I might be needing one . 

 

 

Thanks 

 

Hank 

 

P.S. Jeff they probably did that to yours after it was T-boned before you bought it would be my guess.

Hank another possible source would be the 39-47 trucks. They have 3 different starter arm/pedal arrangements. Also I've had a mismatch of parts in my truck all along and it works fine.

[Jeff Balazs]

Thanks 

 

Hank 

 

P.S. Jeff they probably did that to yours after it was T-boned before you bought it would be my guess.

 

Thanks Hank for reopening those old emotional wounds. I had just about pushed that bit of unpleasantness out of my life.......

You are probably correct though about when that "fix" got added to my truck. I suppose I will have to finally remove it so I don't have another reminder of that period in my trucks life.

Jeff

I would take Tim up on his offer.

[ggdad1951]

if not Tim, I'm sure I can send out "correct" arms, since I've got about 8 starters laying around.

[HanksB3B]

if not Tim, I'm sure I can send out "correct" arms, since I've got about 8 starters laying around.

 

I would appreciate if either you or Tim (whoever has the correct arm that has been removed or can be removed from a non-working starter?) Whatever makes sense.

 

Jeff don't feel too bad about something that is fixed. My "Wrong" starter arm caused a lot more grief than you can imagine. Countless hours trying to align the cab and adjust the height of the radiator, which caused me to compromise and do "the best I could" to visibly align the doors with the front fenders resulting in a slightly tapered vertical seam between them if you look close enough at my truck. 

 

Don, the starter is a Mopar Part with the appropriate label and not a Chevy part (trying to make me gag). Maybe some of your car buddies on the flip side could readily identify the part.

 

Thanks,

 

Hank 

[Jeff Balazs]

Hank;

Yes you are right........some of these trucks have had a hard life and getting stuff to line up just so is not always an viable option. I wonder want to say how many hours I had in getting the cab etc...set.

I know I made a few compromises.   No worries though. I am just not that fussy about a few gap issues. To be honest I don't really like things like this to be perfect. It is old.....it is a truck....and it should bear some signs of a working life. And if I am really being honest .......I sort of enjoy making the perfectionists out there cringe a bit.

 

Jeff

[Jerry Roberts]

Can the arm be reversed to line up better ?

[48Dodger]

Hey Mark,

 

I'm pulling the part for Hank tomorrow.....if I run into trouble I'll let you take a shot.

I'll try to document the process.

 

48D

[HanksB3B]

What Great Guys we have on our forum don't we ?

 

Unbelievably Thankful,

 

Hank   

[48Dodger]

Ok...I pulled it....torn it down and have the pics.

Photo essay to follow in a few hours.

 

48D