Freightrain

Looks great!!! I run Thompson a couple times thru the summer for the stick shift races (www.UMTRNORTH.com). I've thought of getting to Gasser Reunion, but just haven't yet. Fun Ford Weekend isn't around anymore, but supposed Norwalk is going to run a Ford show to fill the gap on the same weekend as always. Is your car a stick shift?? Nice shop!! Need to fill it in like mine LOL!!!! You've got WAYYY too much room to work on that truck. I usually go OUTSIDE to change my mind LOL!!!! Keen eyes will recognize Rob's "new" jack sitting behind the truck. It's patiently awaiting his presence to carry it home to Illinios.

Too many out there just look'n out for #1.........and that's all. Real shame, especially when you try to be nice and someone blows a gasket.

Welcome to the site Brian. Sounds like quite a project you've got planned. Using the model number, you can find out alot about your truck. Unfortunately I'm not fluent in that info, so if someone doesn't come along in this forum, go down to the MOTOR forum and post. Likely get more than you ask for. Once you figure out posting, try to get some pictures! We all like pictures.

Ya, it's scaled just about right for the trailer. I get ALOT of comments about it, either on the CB or at the place I stop at. Are you planning on air ride? I would, unless you plan on cutting the springs like I did. My trailer is 3K lb on the pin, and with the springs cut down, it squats the rear about an 1" or so and rides really well. If I had left the springs stock, it would beat the trailer to death. The trailer is 14K lbs, with my 673 and 4.62 gears it will run along about 65 mph on the governor all day. Still slows down for big hills, but does the job. I have plans on stretching it about 36" so I can add a small bunk and then put air ride out back. Might switch it down to about 4.10 gears in the process. Not sure what your springs ratings are, but something to look into. I would consider adding a small bunk to yours, as the cab isn't prone to "comfort" and long rides(ask me how I know LOL! ). My girlfriend has a hard time sleeping sitting up, so a bunk will make the trips easier on both of us. Plus the added storage will help. Just a thought. Another note, might have to really watch how you run your exhaust on the B model. Mine really spits running down the road and if I had a white trailer(like yours) it would look like a '60's trailer after any kind of trip(sooty on the front). Something to think about. Since my trailer is faded black, the soot isn't noticable. BTW, really neat drag car! Real throw back to "Two lane blacktop". My car:

There was a fellow on the old Mack board that made something just like you have in mind. He took the old tow bed and removed the booms but left the sweeping sides on it. Really neat unit. http://groups.msn.com/bigmacktrucks/notund...erednomore.msnw BTW....wish my ol dog was that clean underneath!! Wow! I do the same with my truck, I thought of putting a bed on the truck, but I want the ability to also pull a real trailer too.

Pretty solid looking truck. Nice find.

Yes, they are definitely just a small automatic tranny, so I agree with the needed speed/rpm to actuate them. That leaves 1st(creeper) and likely 2nd gear out of the question. I wanted something more like a true 10 spd. Seems I saw something on Youtube that a guy did put a small RR 10 spd in his diesel pickup. Pretty cool sounding. Have to poke around and see if I can find the link. It's not the guy with 2 spd brownie, this was a real 10 spd.

Way back when I had my '99 and '00 Crewcab Fords, I'd put the notion into one of these units. When asking questions back then, they seamed quirky in their operation and weren't just like a "brownie". All the advertisements I've seen show them in 1000hp hot rods and everything inbetween. Guess they are pretty stout overall, but I still question the shifting methods. If I recall, you have to be going over 18mph to shift it? Kinda leaves low speed work out.

I've had the cap off mine(2 small screws?). I'm thinking that is only the air valve portion. Not sure, but maybe Barry has a possible part number to locate one? Likely yours is stuck and keeps them closed, and that is why he disconnected it? Maybe the air valve portion is just corroded and might be able to get it apart and clean it? Worth poking around if you find it don't work anyway. Time to just start tracing things. Make sure you have air to it, get shutters closing and see if you can get some heat built up and see if the shutters open. Heck, close the shutters and see if you can get the temp gage to even show anything. Keep feeling the hoses and see if they get warm.

Start the truck and wait for air pressure to build. Once you get some, it should then actuate the air cylinder to close the shutters as soon as it has enough air to overcome resistance. But, since you're isn't hooked up, it should work pretty quick. It picks air off the passenger side of firewall, then to shutterstat then air cylinder. When it's cold, you should have air to cylinder, unscrew line and see if you do. That air cylinder is easy to get apart, as I tore into mine to clean the sludge out of it. Four small threaded rods hold it together(if I recall?). Just a simple piston with leather seal. I'll PM you.

I'm not too big on running "cleaner" thru an engine, at least not in great quantities. Seems it causes more issues then fixes sometimes. The history on my truck is varied as it either sat and idled for hours on end, or got the nuts run off it as it pulled back a 100K lb trailer from a wreck(that was it's job). I've had the valve covers off and seems pretty clean inside overall, though I know the valve guides are VERY, very worn(la, la, la....I don't want to know that...la, la, la..........). The thicker the better is probably good to help tighten things up some, but mine pulls 55psi running down the road so I don't think it's too terrible down below. I know the truck got some maintenance, but I think it had been years since it's last filter change when I bought it. It got so little use, they just didn't bother with it. The fuel filter cansister was rotted thru, but it had so much sediment in it that it didnt leak til I tried cleaning it out. Does yours have shutters? Do they work? Bob tailing around in summer it's hard to get mine very warm, though it does get up to 140-150 deg if really hot out. If it just sits and runs....it won't get warm. Only if I really work it(pulling trailer up alot of hills) does it ever get up to 160+ deg. Typical diesel, it only likes a load. That's why I "beat mine to death" , not actually, but run it hard whenever I have it out. I drive it on the govenor all day down the highway.

I've been putting Rotella 15w40 in my B for years now. I change it once a year no matter the miles on it. Figure after 50 yrs, I'd clean out the gunk that might have built up. I wonder about the need of ZDDP. My '67 F100 pickup runs Valvoline 10w40 in it and it's got 150K miles on it. Pretty sure they've removed it from all the base oils, but I think with the age and wear patternand lighter valve springs it's not as critical to have? I've wondered about it. I run the Racing Valvoline(has zddp) in all my hot rods as they are "newer" built motors(by me) and with the heavy valve springs I'm concerned with making sure they don't get wiped out.

Looks to be a New Hampshire plate.

Yes, the starter needs changed to 12v, though the pos/neg ground is not an issue actually with the starter. They spin the same no matter what ground is(that is what I was told by starter people). It's good to change to NEG ground though so you can add accy's and have them work properly. I removed the AMP guage and replaced with Voltmeter(old style S/W to match existing), but just swapping the leads on the AMP meter will then make it work correctly.

Well, when I switched mine over, I ran the alt wire direct to the batteries(int. regulator), so no added wires needed anywhere and the stock harness was left alone. I installed the starter solenoid under the passenger seat(basically next to where s/p switch was), so I could still use the original starter button wiring. I plated over the opening in the floor as I put two Bostrom seats in the truck. I ran all new wiring from batteries to new 12v starter. The old wiring from the s/p switch all goes away basically when you unwire it from the batteries. Only thing left is starter button wiring which I re-used. It was all pretty simple, no cutting wires, no adding a bunch of needless junk. Works perfect.

Wow....that's a boat! well, part of one anyway. Glad nothing "bad" happened overall. Hated to see pics of your B model on it's lid down at the bottom of the hill!

That explains only getting your voice mail and no return call LOL!! I'm planning on taking all next week off(ya, I got too much vaca too). I'll get that confirmed probably tomorrow.

Does it come apart easily?? Bet it's only a dry o-ring. How's the road trip plan coming along?

Moving right along, eh Rob? Sounds like you got a real keeper. Once you get it in tip top shape, you can bring it over to my house and drop it off? LOL!!

That's BIG!

That green Chevy is owned by Dan Renovetz(junkmandan), here in Ohio. That ol truck has been around the world a bunch of times.

Interesting Glenn. I know my 673 has the three lines off the bottom, plus it does have the round plate(6"?) on the bottom of the sump. Never had it off, don't look like it's EVER been off. Has always carried good oil pressure, but does take probably 5-8 seconds to get oil pressure when sitting for a week. I've tried to "bleed" the filter housing, but that's never helped. I need to check the part number on the filter I use...as I've always wondered if it was actually the right one? There again...never had issues with it. After 50 yrs...I suppose can't get much worse if it's never been touched? Heaven knows I run it up on the gov'nr all day long for the last 7 yrs.

Interesting Glenn. I know my 673 has the three lines off the bottom, plus it does have the round plate(6"?) on the bottom of the sump. Never had it off, don't look like it's EVER been off. Has always carried good oil pressure, but does take probably 5-8 seconds to get oil pressure when sitting for a week. I've tried to "bleed" the filter housing, but that's never helped. After 50 yrs...I suppose can't get much worse if it's never been touched? Heaven knows I run it up on the gov'nr all day long for the last 7 yrs.

don't worry I'm not working on that part...lol!

My single axle tractor is 11,500#, so add a couple for the bed/stuff to work it.