Freightrain

Look at the right frame rail, above the rear spring hanger on front axle for the original VIN stamp. The door tag could have come from anything(switched, different door).

Blew the dust of my scooter last week too. Still a bit too cold(oh and snowy) for riding yet, but getting closer!

With the installation of my "new" spin on oil filter housing, I need to remove the original block heater. I was going to maybe swap it with core plug further back? Not sure yet as I have not been able to unscrew the heater plug from block. I got the element out, but can't unscrew the rest. I haven't applied heat yet, but just wondered if anyone else has tried removing one of these after 50 yrs!! You can see the edge of the heater in the top of this shot: If I can get the plug out just to the rear(kinda behind the road draft tube), then I'll swap them and reuse the heater. If not, then I need to locate a new plug. Already checked and plug is not available round my area(need to order one). Trying to avoid that.

Don't feel bad bigen.............I think it was last spring that I was sent on a trip for work. Salesman gave me the company name which I looked up the company computer for address. I arranged my trip and took off. I go from Ohio to Columbia, SC, get room and get up next morning and show up at plant. Seems no one knows what's going on. Maintenance guys says "uh oh"........seems I was suppose to be in the Charlotte, NC plant. DOH!! Seems our salesman forgot to tell me that this was a NEW LOCATION(and not in our computer yet). Dammit. This was 9am, so I beat feet north, get there just after noon and do my thing. I was suppose to be west of Gastonia, NC by lunch(dammit) for another meeting. I get to that place sometime by 3pm or so. That took couple hours, so now I'm really behind. I was suppose to meet a buddy in Roaring Gap, NC for dinner.............I was late. Was even worse I missed a turn in the dark on this back road and made me another hour late going the long way around. The salesman was all apologetic, but from now on I make THEM give me the address!!! Lucky I was even that close(3 hrs), could have been ALOT worse.

That's how I drive my B right now when pulling my trailer. Flat on the floor, for all it's worth. At only 27+K lbs it still barely goes fast enough to get a speeding ticket LOL!!

I think it gives you the grunt, plus the "get home" gear when empty.

Well, it's painted and slid up to location ready to be bolted down. Got pics to post when I get time to download them. I got my "new" used spin on oil filter housing. Got it ready to bolt on tonight, so I'll get pics of that too. With that, I'll be able to start it up and move it if need be. Need to get it outside/around other side of garage so I can do a bit of welding for generator brackets. Got new air bags put on this past weekend so that's all finished up. Took some real searching to come up with replacement bags. Seems mine were obsolete and had to get ahold of Firestone to come up with replacement version.

Dog gone, I'll be racing in Mount Vernon, Ohio that day. I am coming to Pittsburgh again on Sept 10, so I can stop by again.

Cute, but as I age "gracefully", I dread this procedure LOL!!

Just the other day, coming home from store I had another WTF moment. I'm coming through a small town, 2 lane, 25 mph zone. A car tries blowing out of a parking lot into the street right in front of couple cars in front of me. He's still sitting 1/2 in the road when I get there, and he quickly cuts in behind me(great). We proceed along and he's pushing me along(I ignore him, I'm in my pickup). We head out to the 45 mph zone and he is just screwing around speeding up/slowing down. We go a couple miles and come to traffic light at the highway. I slow down early to make sure he's paying attention. I roll to a easy stop and he quickly cuts around me on the right and without slowing down makes the right onto the roadway(55mph zone) RIGHT IN FRONT OF A DODGE PICKUP!!! The truck vears into the East bound side of highway to avoid hitting the stupid F$#$%er(lucky no one coming eastbound). The guy never slowed down or could see because I was sitting there. Absolutely incredible/lucky he didn't get boned at 55 mph by that truck. I just thought to myself......."hmm, I just watched that video on the net about this crap and this happens". Geezus, what are these idoits thinking??

Well, more updates this weekend. Got the tin work started on the bunk: Had to make a hole in the middle so I would be able to get inside and mark for small opening. My work area is too narrow to open side doors on bunk Ready to drill for more rivets Got the stack brackets clearanced to fit around bunk mounts Then got things painted up under bunk area. I need to get some silicone to seal up the new skin on bunk and then rivet it up tight. After that it's ready for "final assembly". Wow.....never thought I'd say that LOL!! Still plenty of work, but the next big step will be done.

I put Toyo tires on mine when I got it. It had whipped bias ply tires on it. I had about $300/tire-rim assembly($250 tire/$50 used rim). These were 22.5 tires.

Holy CRAP!! That brings back some BAD memories. After seeing a full street full of stopped vehicles and one comes fly'n throught like they are the ONLY one on the road. Yup, that is what happen to me a couple years ago. Woman in a minivan, completely clueless that two other lanes of traffic were STOPPED and she blew through at 45 mph and took me out as I crossed the intersection. Dam, still pisses me off to this day. I do ALOT more looking around for crap like that anymore, especially when I ride my scooter!!! Did you see the flip that person did on the bike towards they end(with the blue car). Ouch!!! Makes you want to ban cell phones completely. Oh, can't forget this one either. Yup, another woman in a minivan NOT paying attention.

hatcity, I was expecting this picture of "Smilin Bob"............. LMAO!!!!!

My B had that style pipe on it too. Love it.

Ya, getting that way AGAIN! Cheap stuff is 3.39 around here, was 3.19 last monday when I filled up. Don't even want to know how diesel is going, though I know it was about 3.69 a few weeks ago.

Too much night putting? LOL!!

Sometimes seems few and far between. Glad to hear about it.

Thanks for the compliments guys. Gotta tell you though this is the FIRST time I ever used a stretcher and was really going on a wing/prayer and figured if I screwed it up I would just get more material. Strange enough it went really well. Like I mentioned I didn't think the stretcher would work with 14 ga material(like .072 thick)but with persuasion and lots of grunt it moved it fairly well. Just pull, move it slightly and pull again, repeat. My original thought was if I could just get the top radius I'd cut/paste the rest and weld on a flange from some 16ga material I have. Well, as I went, it went well so I just kept going. I had my cardboard template to follow so I just kept easing up on it. Only pull a couple times, check, pull a couple times, check, repeat. Easier to sneak up then have to use the "shrinker" LOL!! Did learn as I go and was pretty confident as I started the lower piece. That one I was sure I would have to cut/bend and weld in corner. With some work I got the first lower corner done, with only one small tear in the material (easy to weld up), the second corner went well and didn't tear. With template and centerline marks to follow I knew how much I had to go. I'm surely no expert and don't want to brag about any of it. It's turning out decent, though it won't win any prizes. I'm lucky,nothing has to match "exact" and most won't be seen once it's together. I wish I had a big roomy shop and plenty of light to work, but I don't so I do with what I got. It's comparable to working in an old one bay shed with a 100watt lightbulb LOL! There is literally just enough room to squeeze by on each side. Love to make Macungie someday. With the longer legs, it might be an easier trip. Fuel costs is the other issue with today. I plan for my racing and any other is up to the budget. I will be at South Bend.

Well, got some stuff accomplished before the big show last night on Speed Channel! My metal working....... Slowly turning into sumthin' Matches up to my cardboard template of the back of the cab. Back of cab.. front of bunk..................the opening will be shimmed up about 2" from where it sits.... I got the outer framework predrilled and pulled out of the front of the bunk. Ready for some primer and bolt it back in permanently. Then I'll mount the inner framework and prime it all. Once it's in for good, I'll drill out the existing rivets around the big opening. I'll get a piece of aluminum cut to fit 1-2" outside the rivet line and re-rivet the new panel in after cutting the new smaller opening. All that will be left to do is rivet around the small opening. I've got the front bunk mounts propped up in location, just need to get holes drilled and bolted on. I will then cut up my stack brackets to fit around the bunk mounts and get that all put back on. I need to get paint for the back of cab and bunk and once painted I'll bolt the boot on. I got SS button head for the top half as they will be exposed, the lower ones will be self tappers like existing holes. I'm really thrilled with the way the framework turned out. I was concerned the metal stretcher wouldn't pull the 14 ga material. It took some finesse and some grunting but it did a great job. Only got one tear in the lower corner which I was surprised it pulled it around that tight. I was expecting to cut the lip off and cut/weld one back on once I bent the corners. I gave a shot and low/behold it worked. Another milestone.

Another thing to check is the vent tubes on the top/back of the tanks. Try this(if you still have issues), removed the gas cap on the drivers side and drive it. If nothing bad happens, then it's the vent tubes, which as only 1/8"? copper and likely got clogged up. In doing so, it runs long enough til it pulls a good vacuum and can't pull fuel anymore. Had a few guys on here have that issue. Now, if you had Rob working on it and it stalled, the first thing we'd do is tell you to check the tanks for fuel LOL!! (just had to buddy ) BTW, my truck had that issue back when I got it. It was my fuel filter as it hadn't been changed in the last 25-30 yrs? Only after I got it on the highway would it run out of fuel, but lucky for me it would idle down and make it home. Of course that is when I found out the fuel canister was rotted out in the bottom and the sludge was keeping it from leaking. Had to get replacement and all has been fine for last 9 yrs.

Very interesting designed trailer. Can't wait to see it hooked up to the ol R.

Yowza!!!! Man, talk about making out. I bought a pair(left/right side) of NOS door shells like that 10 yrs ago, still sitting in the basement. Guess with pricing like that, I'll be able to pay off the farm a bit sooner LOL!!! I'll sell them to him for $2K each and then he can make $500 each profit when he sells them.

Well, I have plans for going to South Bend this year. Haven't made a convention since Auburn! Sure was a good time meeting up with all the guys and talking trucks. I'll be trying out the longggg legs of my truck this year.... Yehaaw! 85 mph and the wind at my back LMAO!!!! (ya, right). It will likely take a strong wind to push it to 85 mph with a trailer. Diesel fuel will likely kill alot of traveling this year even with my racing schedule. I've got a race at Indy on May 7th but with coming out to South Bend two weeks later I'll likely not go to Indy(even though I really want to go). I know the ATHS group will have a big gathering, maybe on Sat?

I've been pulling with my B model for 8 yrs now, but I did cut the springs down to 3 main leaves. It rides pretty nice with trailer on and it hasn't created any problems. BUT, my trailer is alot stouter then a regular RV version. I did break a spring a couple years ago, but they were the original leafs and with all the motion they got over the years took their toll. I then put 3 new leafs on both sides and still going strong. Well, not any more as I converted to air ride.