FINALLY - My 1948 B-1-D Build Thread, 33 Years Later

[billrigsby]

 

.....the Speedometer housing was also painted way back when.

 

 

Speedometer, reset to 000000

 

Assembled Speedometer.

 

 

Not a gauge, but since I am at it.

 

 

 

 

 

[RobertKB]

Very nice work. It all looks great!

[billrigsby]

Looking over old photos,

engine bay markings,

wonder if anyone knows why they would have put the last four of the VIN here?

Was this normal?

 

 

[ggdad1951]

looking great!  Love the maths! 

[billrigsby]

 

Going through switches today.

 

Headlight switches,

 

 

got three good ones, not sure which to use?

  

 

Same with the panel switches, three good ones,

the Culver Stearns still grabs a bit after opening and cleaning, the fiber board is warped a bit

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[billrigsby]

 

Found the correct mounting bracket for my oil filter, cleaned up and painted.

 

Came with a filter I do not need, but cheaper than a NOS one on EBay.

 

Some foam tape and ready to install.

 

 

[billrigsby]

 

Fab'd up a heater shroud for the fresh air system, figured I'd never find the correct one.

 

Used 1-1/4" flat stock, formed a box and two side brackets.

 

Attached the brackets to the box.

 

Painted it up and added a trim of self adhesive Velcro®

 

A couple of photos of the shroud installed.

 

 

I made the Velcro® trim seal about 1/4" too long so it would compress tightly to the heater core area.

[billrigsby]

 

Got the dash, sub panel and glove box knobs done today

 

Here is the assortment I started with and the ones I chose to work with

 

All the chrome polished, thanks to @rekbender providing the last two missing links

 

The complete set and the faces 'roughed' up with some emory cloth

 

These are the steps I took to mask the faces for painting

 

Ready for paint and a coat of DP50® epoxy primer

 

A coat of Krylon® appliance paint, forced cured at 170°/1 hour, and lettering filled in with white acrylic enamel

and the first problem, not sure what happened here, did not see any issues with the final color coat

 

Wet sanded with 1500 grit, a coat of gloss clear and things look OK

 

Still need a bit of touch up here and there, not real happy at this point, but better than they were,

a lot of the lettering was not evenly stamped or they were worn down from use, not sure which

[TooManyIrons]

Nice job on the knobs!

[billrigsby]

 

Sorted through and polished all the switch/cable - nuts/escutcheons today,

found eight acceptable ones, four nice, four passable, the rest are too scored.

May get a quote for re-chroming, I'll be sure to be sitting when I see that!  ?

 

[billrigsby]

 

Turned my attention to the 'mouse damaged' 'new' (30 years ago) wiring harness.

Laid it out for an inspection, along with the remnants of wire from the build.

(and people ask me why I don't throw ANYTHING away, This is why)!

 

Have all the right bits for color correct repairs.

+

 

These are the only real bad areas, the other smaller spots can be fixed with tape.

 

Major damage fixed, this will be stored in the house until it is needed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 12, 2021 by billrigsby

[billrigsby]

 

Now that Winter may be gone for a while (have had January temps for a couple of weeks), 

going to get back onto the rear-end and brakes. Picked up a wheel cylinder kit to fix this.....

 

 

Going to get the last wheel cylinder buttoned up and install all the brakes.

Then top of the rear end. Straight 90W is what the manual calls for. 

Any suggestions or things to be aware of on a 70+ year old rear axle

that was redone ages ago with new seals and bearings?

 

Going to pump some brake fluid through all the lines before starting, hopefully

we will not be pushing out rust, system had been sealed but wheel cylinders did 

have some rust after 30 years.

 

Hopefully no surprises.

 

 

 

 

[billrigsby]

Got the brakes all done today, had previously honed all the brake cylinders to fix the 

issues of sitting for 30+ years; Cylinder Honing, everything is assembled, need rear 

axle gaskets before I can finish up those.

 

 

I am looking into a way to pressurize and test the system before everything else is assembled, any thoughts?

I do have a Hydrostatic Pump.....

 

.....from back in the day when I had Austin Mini Coopers, that had the 'wet' suspension, this goes up to 400psi.

I know that is no where near the hydraulic brake system pressure.

 

Still need to do some research.

 

 

[billrigsby]

2 hours ago, billrigsby said:

everything is assembled, need rear 

axle gaskets before I can finish up those.

 

Does any one have a source for the 1 Ton Drive Shaft Flange Gasket?

 

Everything I see has two too many holes!! Do I need to make one?

The 1 Ton has six studs.

 

This should not be this hard.

 

 

[ggdad1951]

8 hours ago, billrigsby said:

 

Does any one have a source for the 1 Ton Drive Shaft Flange Gasket?

 

Everything I see has two too many holes!! Do I need to make one?

The 1 Ton has six studs.

 

This should not be this hard.

 

 

Got mine from Roberts if I remember right

[billrigsby]

59 minutes ago, ggdad1951 said:

Got mine from Roberts if I remember right

 

I checked there, did not see them, was really hoping to find something so simple locally.

I did find them a VPW, sent a message, just don't want a $2 part to turn into a $24 part

with shipping.  ?

[ggdad1951]

53 minutes ago, billrigsby said:

 

I checked there, did not see them, was really hoping to find something so simple locally.

I did find them a VPW, sent a message, just don't want a $2 part to turn into a $24 part

with shipping.  ?

Hmmm then VPW would have been my only other option....

[Merle Coggins]

When I plug in P/N 915565 into the Napaonline.com search field I get this;

[billrigsby]

NICE, I did it just like the parts book 915 565 or 915-565 and 

got either thread sealer or brake caliper parts, by name I only

got the eight hole gaskets. Was going to stop in Monday and

actually talk to the guy, now I can just order.  THANKS

[Dave72dt]

Felpro at Advance, part number 55046

[billrigsby]

4 hours ago, Dave72dt said:

Felpro at Advance, part number 55046

 

Thanks, yeah we have an Advance Auto Parts here in town, back in the day it was Big A Auto owned by a couple of brothers.

 

Not sure who owns it now but I've been in there twice and they seem to be more content to talk to people calling in on the phone and put their finger up in the air to shush a customer that comes in with money in their pocket.

 

I can be the most pleasant customer you'll ever meet I can also be a customer from hell, they've had two chances they will never meet either. 

 

As far as I'm concerned they can turn that into a Burger King and I'd be perfectly happy LOL.

[Dave72dt]

They probably won't have that gasket in stock.  It's not a commonly sold item and it won't matter  which box store you prefer.   Make a phone call and have them check inventory.  If it's not on hand, it'll save you a trip. 

[billrigsby]

They (NAPA) actually had one gasket in stock it looked like it had been around the block a few times, I had to go in anyway to return some stuff from a Subaru Legacy timing belt job so I could square up with that person. The two gaskets the two front and one rear brake hoses will all be in Wednesday.  

 

[billrigsby]

I have finally decided to stop avoiding the inevitable and start the engine build.

I have never attempted an engine build of this magnitude I have built small go-kart engines and small motorcycle engines 500cc and less in the past so I have been spending a lot of time reading studying and making sure I have all my ducks in a row so I don't make any big mistakes.

Doing this once only (hopefully).

 

 

Edited June 4, 2021 by billrigsby

[billrigsby]

After 'much-a-do' piston rings are installed

Still at a quandary over the rear main bearing and seal

 

 

Measured specifications