Progress on Ernie

[Vet Doc]

Got tires mounted, adjusted the brakes, secured the battery, covered general safety procedures, and headed out for the ‘open road’ with my youngest son this afternoon. First time Ernie has moved under his own power since 1961. Drove down the road a couple miles, worked on another farm truck, and came back home with no major issues.  Good thing we live in rural farm country where this kind of thing is relatively normal.

[Vet Doc]

Covering general safety procedures prior to embarking.

[Vet Doc]

Obviously been a while since any updates, but it has been a long couple of years since Ernie’s first time in the road since 1961. That said, I have been spending most of my shop time working on body skills. There isn’t a straight piece of metal and significant rust and body damage throughout, so I have been hammering, cutting, welding, grinding, etc. (Once I built up the nerve to start).

 

During the cab reconstruction, I noticed the two access holes (blue arrows) in the floor. The one under the seat for access to the gas tank float had a cap (red arrow) covering it. The cap for the access hole in front of the passenger side (welded in from a donor cab) was non-existent. I assume that since the holes appear to be the same size, there was the same cover, but I haven’t been able to confirm that or find a source for that cap. I have found some plastic and rubber caps, but no metal caps that diameter.  Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

 

[Brent B3B]

On my B3&4’s that one on the passenger side is a knock out for something. Don’t know about prior years but, if I had one missing on a B3 now,  I’d cut a round disc,  spot weld it in place and cover it with a floor mat 

[Vet Doc]

That’s what I was considering, but thought it would be awful handy just to pop in a cap. I can’t figure out what it might be an access for that couldn’t be reached from underneath.

[JBNeal]

Can't say for certain, but the parts manual mentions an auxiliary fuel tank mounted on the right side for some trucks larger than 1-ton...

[Brent B3B]

14 hours ago, JBNeal said:

Can't say for certain, but the parts manual mentions an auxiliary fuel tank mounted on the right side for some trucks larger than 1-ton...

Does your b1’s have a knock out or a plug in that spot?

[Vet Doc]

The section that I originally removed has a very rusted knockout that was about 50% intact (‘48 B1 cab). The section that is welded in came from a donor cab (‘49 B1) and was petty much as appears in the picture (minus some wire wheel brushing) without a knockout or cap present. Because the donor piece of floor had comparatively minor rust, I assumed that it had a cap that had just been lost over time.
 

The only other floor difference I see between the two is the emergency brake setup. The ‘48 is a hand lever through the floor and the ‘49 appears to be a handle on a cable through the firewall. Maybe an adjustment access for the cable hand brake?

[JBNeal]

On the B-1, B-3, and B-4 cabs by the house, they all had a knockout plate like on a breaker box.  I crawled under the trucks, and maybe the aux.tank was located closer to the rear as there is that crossmember in the vicinity.  I don't believe that knockout plate is for the hand brake, as that is more accessible from underneath.  I reckon that knockout plate is for optional equipment that is not used on the smaller trucks, so Brent has a good suggestion:  patch it, cover it with a floormat and roll on  

[Vet Doc]

After welding in floor, patching holes, and remanufacturing some pieces, the floor is roughed together. Surprisingly, the pieces appear to match up well. Now I can take it apart, clean it up, and get the metal sealed up.
 

Close inspection will reveal that I found my ‘easy’ fix for the previously discussed knock out hole. I am a little embarrassed to admit that I hadn’t looked very closely at my donor cab for its fuel tank access cap. Sure enough, it was there buried under about two inches of dirt, old seat cushion remnants, and various unidentified debris that somehow managed to preserve it. Thankful to live in a desert.

[Vet Doc]

Started working on the cab door hinges today and discovered that the bolts differ between 48 and 49 that hold the hinge to the pillar. The bolts from the 48 are 3/16” NF with a 9/16 hex head and the 49 are 3/8” NF with a 9/16 hex head.  Didn’t realize it until I went swap some out from the donor and didn’t fit. No luck with the local hardware store for the large headed 3/16 bolt, but I’ll see how a half inch head might work or what I can find on the internet.

[Vet Doc]

 It’s been a while since a post, but after a lot of cutting, welding, metal grinding, beating, and a little body filler, ready for high build primer. If we can get the cab done, we can move to the front clip. Probably getting ahead of myself, but the interior cab liner from Quiet Ride and the wiring harness from Rhode Island Wiring is ordered, too.

[Vet Doc]

Primed and ready to block it out. Need to start looking at cab rubber and glass options.

[Vet Doc]

Fortunately, I don’t have many neighbors and it’s not very visible from the road. Passersby might think I have a strange wind chime collection or Shaman spirit tree. We all know it as the doghouse inner support pieces prepped for painting. It was the first day weather has been cooperative for outdoor work.

[RobertKB]

On 3/17/2024 at 10:25 PM, Vet Doc said:

Fortunately, I don’t have many neighbors and it’s not very visible from the road. Passersby might think I have a strange wind chime collection or Shaman spirit tree. We all know it as the doghouse inner support pieces prepped for painting. It was the first day weather has been cooperative for outdoor work.

I hope you’re not putting the pictured doghouse on your truck! 🤪😵‍💫