Vet Doc Posted June 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2020 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. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vet Doc Posted June 18, 2020 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2020 Covering general safety procedures prior to embarking. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vet Doc Posted March 22, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 22, 2022 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent B3B Posted March 22, 2022 Report Share Posted March 22, 2022 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 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vet Doc Posted March 25, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2022 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBNeal Posted March 25, 2022 Report Share Posted March 25, 2022 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... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent B3B Posted March 25, 2022 Report Share Posted March 25, 2022 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vet Doc Posted March 26, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2022 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBNeal Posted March 26, 2022 Report Share Posted March 26, 2022 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vet Doc Posted March 28, 2022 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2022 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. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vet Doc Posted April 14, 2022 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2022 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. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vet Doc Posted February 29 Author Report Share Posted February 29 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vet Doc Posted February 29 Author Report Share Posted February 29 Primed and ready to block it out. Need to start looking at cab rubber and glass options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vet Doc Posted March 18 Author Report Share Posted March 18 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. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobertKB Posted March 19 Report Share Posted March 19 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! 🤪😵💫 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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