vanscottbuilders

I second James' comments. It's always good to sit down and read through the forums and these blogs. Have you noticed that there are only about four of us regularly writing? Wonder what's up with that? Anyway, have a good week. Paul VS

Got a call from Yellow Freight today. My air ride crossmember is here from A.C.E. in California. Now I'm really getting excited. I got the springs back last week. The rear end is still waiting for one pair of relined brake shoes, then it's done. The frame, front axle, radiator supports, transmission and mounts, and fuel tanks, brackets and hangers are all sandblasted and epoxy primed. Still need to blast and prime the rear end. I'll reassemble, plumb and wire, and re-fit and align everything, then disassemble it all for final painting. When the frame is done and the engine and transmission are in place, I will start on the final cab work. Got a few ideas for noise and sound attenuation. Like spray-on ceramic insulation. (LizardSkin) Got the idea from the experimental airplane people. With the engine half in the cab - this B-67 needs all the help with noise and heat it can get. The bank account is getting worked over pretty good. So I've got to quit spending money and go to work on the old girl. So far I'm real happy with all of the parts and services I've gotten. (Except maybe that pair of brake shoes, which are on their third attempt at relining). Time to get Dirty!

You're going to have to move quick if you want the big Peterbilt. Looks like it's going to a new home in Oklahoma. (hopefully!) It seems that we have finally met up with a real serious truck buyer. Thanks, Paul VS

Boy, I thought I was getting ornery. And that looks like my B-67 on that trailer. Another guy with great taste in trucks. Paul VS

Thanks guys. We're kind of excited about the big Peterbilt staying right here. I think the C-16 engine and the driveline/axle set-up fits our operation pretty well. I was venting about the number of people who would deliberately lie about buying the truck. If a guy wants to talk trucks, and tells me so, I'll talk all night! Just don't lead me on - I'm too old and ornery! David, you're right about buying everyday things made in this country, as well as the big purchases like trucks and cars. I deliberately try to buy my clothes, shoes, food and anything I can from manufacturers right here. It's getting harder to do, but I believe that it is the only way our real economy can thrive. (As compared to our "political economy" which is based on whatever story someone feels like printing) As I have said before, I run my family's building business. The construction industry has been pretty much insulated from import goods - but that is changing fast. We now see Japanese toilets, among other things. That seems a little unecessary! Much of our raw material comes from Canada, which is quite a bit more tolerable, at least to me, although the end result is exactly the same as buying overseas goods. Interesting to note that with the rising cost of fuel and the uncertain economy, there seems to be fewer trucks rolling. We live within earshot of I-90 (NYS Thruway), and just over the past few weeks, there is far less truck noise at night than there has been in the past. That cannot be good. (By the way - this is definitely not a scientific study) Every one of those loads rolling by represents commerce. Any reduction doesn't bode well for our near term future. Thanks for letting me ramble and vent. BMT should collect fees as a "therapist". And, if I can figure how, I will set up a gallery of some of the heavy hauling equipment the company has. As for the B-67, I've been keeping a good photo log of the progress, and will post those at "milestone" points throughout the process. That truck is coming along good, and I have committed it to Barry's September show. So I need to keep moving it along.

So, I didn't mean to be all that sarcastic yesterday with my blog entry. If I offended anybody - I apologize, as long as you haven't called me about the Peterbilt and promisd to send a deposit! Anyway, I picked up my springs from the spring shop today for the B-67. Brand new rear springs and re-arched front springs. Pretty nice. Apparently the center bolt holes were all rotted out in the old back spring stacks, and several leaves were broken. Got new U-bolts and nuts too. At the age of my truck, new nuts are a good thing. Hope to have the air suspension cross member this week, and I can start to reassemble the frame and axles. Then it's on to the air system, fuel lines and wiring on the frame. The transmission is epoxy primed and ready for the covers to come off and get a good inspection. It was out of a working truck and wasn't making any weird noises or leaking, so I hope it's OK. The engine is all pressure washed and ready for the motor magician to give it a good once over. Same situation, I've had the engine running several times up to temperature. No leaks, no oil in the water, no water in the oil and no oil from the breather tube. Runs smooth with no knocks or noises, so I hope it's alright, too. Then it heads to the paint bay. Going to try epoxy primer at the recommendation of the paint rep. I'm going to need to do cab surgery soon. Been putting it off for a long time because it doesn't look like any fun. I need to replace the concave back cab panel or at least the rear window opening. Apparently the rear window seal has been leaking for years. And the right rear cab corner has been jacknifed some time in its life, and is pretty toasty. Got a perfect back panel and roof from Kevin All at AllMacks. Now I just need to get up the nerve to cut them. Another day. Paul Van Scott

It's Tuesday night, snowy, cold and starting to look like winter - again. At least it feels right. We (my uncle & I) have been cooperating on trying to sell a late model (2000) Peterbilt 379EXHD tractor that the company owns. It's a big power tractor (C-16 Cat 600 hp) that Jim bought from one of the Owner/Operators with three trailers that he needed. So we have been listed on E-bay and now in the TruckPaper Online. It's amazing to me how many flakes there are out there. The number of calls we have gotten from people who claim to be sending a deposit, or "coming to New York to see the truck" is phenomenal. This truck was supposedly sold before I listed it on E-bay. That fell through for lack of financing. Then there was a bid on E-bay that we would have taken, and the buyer simply vanished! And the guy from Virginia, and the guy from Iowa, and the guy from New Jersey and on and on..... I guess that the world is really full of dreamers. So the decision was made to keep the truck - at least for now. It's a pretty nice one. And we know the entire history, it's a low mileage tractor and has a factory warranty on the engine. How bad can it be? Jim is pretty much retired, and has decided to offer his specialized heavy haul spec'd four axle Freightliner up for sale with a large (100t) jeep trailer and stinger assembly. That might seperate the real buyers from the wannabees. The people in that really specialized heavy haul business are a pretty small group, and they all know each other. Just figuring out how to put the whole thing together takes a pretty fair amount of experience. And maybe we won't show any photos of the whole rig hooked up. We'll just leave it decked up on the trailer in a pile. If you know what you're looking for, it won't be a problem for you to figure it out. If you don't - don't bother calling! Ah, I love winter - I get real sarcastic after being shut-in for a couple of days. Good Night All! Paul Van Scott

It sure brings back some memories hearing all of the backwater Florida town names. Although I suppose most of them aren't really backwater towns any more. In the mid 70's I worked for Meat Dispatch, then based out of Rochester, NY. One of our big customers was Neisner's and Big N department stores. It seems every little town in Florida had a Neisner's or a Big N. A typical load might be 12 to 16 drops and would usually go either down the east coast, or down through center state and the west coast. Usually loaded Tropicana orange juice in Bradenton going north. Those were fun times. Single and young, and travelling a lot. And I've forgotten what the job paid - so it must not have mattered too much. Thanks for the post - I enjoyed it a lot. Paul Van Scott

Sounds like a good candidate for a truck project - Good Idea! Sure is big torque at 630 ft.lbs. - more than our old Mack diesels, and at a pretty low RPM for a gas engine. 275 bhp is no slouch either. And I'm surprised at the short stroke. I would have guessed at a higher rev limit because of it. It's a cool old motor. Thanks for the info. Paul Van Scott

Guys, I am really curious - what kind of power did the GMC V-12 pump engines develop? And did it develop the same power on gasoline as on natural gas or propane? Looks like a neat project - just saving it from the scrap yard is a good thing! Thanks, Paul Van Scott

This sounds like a TRD series duplex transmission, which may have been available behind the early Maxidyne engines. If that is the case - the transmission, if it is direct drive, is a ten speed gearbox. (the overdrive version only uses nine of the gear combinations). It is shifted by splitting each of the forward five gears, if needed. However, with the huge torque and the wider power band of the 237 Maxidyne compared to the 673 or 711 engines that preceded it, you probably do not need to split each gear, all the time. Indeed, one of the more common transmissions of that time for the Maxidyne was a straight five speed direct drive box. For more information on TRD transmissions, go to www.oldmacksrus.com and you will find a wealth of good stuff! There is a very good possibility that the gearbox is not original to that truck, or the engine is a transplant. It was pretty common to upgrade to the "new" Maxidyne engines. Good Luck, Paul Van Scott

Cayoterun. There are some people here who know a lot more than I do but I'll give this a shot - I think that all of the B model cabs themselves are essentially the same dimensions. The fenders, hoods and radiator shells are different from model to model. There are also, however, some differences in some of the cab panels. For instance, a concave, or curved back panel was an option on any of the B cabs. Its' purpose was to allow a longer trailer to be legally hauled. So it is primarily an East Coast option, where the length laws were shorter than west of the Mississippi. On some of the heavy duty B81 & 83 cabs I have seen a different floor pan, which I understand may have been an option on any B cab. It provides a drop of about 2" to allow for a taller driver. On the B-66 & 67, the engine protudes through the firewall into the cab which reduces the interior room by quite a bit. Add the concave back panel, and the B-67 is not a good choice for anyone but a skinny, small guy. I'm trying to figure out how I will fit in my own! So to answer your question, I think you could get a B-61, 73, 75 or any of them other than a B-66 or 67. You might fab up a dropped floor pan like the factory option, and you really should be quite happy with the room. Good Luck! Paul Van Scott

Cayoterun, You might contact B61 Fred on this site. He has several B73 or B75 trucks that he might consider selling. All are in need of restoration, but have decent sheet metal, if my memory is correct. And, he is in southern Indiana, which isn't too bad for you. Good Luck! Paul Van Scott

This is good stuff !! Thanks, Paul Van Scott

Interesting ! I like the look too, Thaddeus. It does remind me of a pre-war KB International. It will be fun to see how it is accepted by the buying market. No matter how it looks - it still needs to work. Paul Van Scott

If you go to the Bendix Air Brake site - they have a great schematic showing a basic air system in a truck, and the various tanks, valves and lines. It is printable, and in color, to show you the pressure system, reserve system and emergency system. Good Luck, Paul Van Scott

It's interesting how you noticed the easy loosening of the bolts, even with years of rust. I found the same thing on two of my old Macks, albeit 50's vintage. I wonder if the quality of steel has anything to do with it? A quick pop on the wrench, and even the worst looking bolt seems to come loose. Sure is a lot different than some of the projects I have tried. Sounds like you are making good progress. Best of Luck, Paul Van Scott

Joe, I didn't think the price was too bad for having all four shoes relined. Not sure about the your Ford truck, but on the Mack the linings bolt on, and the material is pretty fragile. It's easy to crack the new linings with the wrong torque, or uneven tightening, or poor preparation of the shoe itself. So I decided to let the experts do it. I think the total cost was about $200.00 for the rear axle. Replacing the linings is probably easy enough, if you have the proper level of training or practice. I don't, so I sent them out. And I'm glad I did. The experts are on their third set of linings on one pair of shoes! Apparently, it's not as easy as it looks. Thanks, Paul VS

Friday nite, and just leaving the office for home. I think I finally have most of the big pieces for the reassembly of my B-67 frame and axles. I did go with the ACE Superide air suspension crossmember. Thought about what Tom Gannaway told me about making my own, but I couldn't get comfortable with pulling a loaded trailer. And he agreed that his design would need some reworking for pulling a trailer. The springs are being re-arched and getting new center bolts and U-bolts. and a couple of new leafs in one stack. And, with any luck, I will get my brake shoes back tomorrow with the third set of new linings. Hopefully with no cracks this time. The front axle got sandblasted and epoxy primed this week. The brake cans on the front axle appear to be solid and in good working order. So I think I will just replace the diaphragms and the springs, and paint them up well for protection. Got tires and wheels ordered this week, too. Going with new Goodyear G-244's on the drive axle. 12.00 x 22.5 tubeless radials. It's the tallest 22.5 tire I could find that would fit the wheels. Will need to go with 4" spacers I think, if the wheel studs are long enough. Steers are also a Goodyear tire. Doing the math, at a 43.5" tire height, with my original 4.28 gear ratio and the overgear, the truck should be good for about 75 mph in high gear at 2100 headed downhill. Plenty for a comfortable 65 to 70 mph highway cruise speed at about 1850 or 1900 rpm. With the duplex nine speed, rather one of the triplexes, the truck will probably be suitable only for very light loads. And, I guess at 45 years old, that's okay.

Good story! It's nice to win once in a while. Just don't get caught. Paul Van Scott

It's 50 degrees here tonite. Very weird. Although we usually get some sort of a mid-winter thaw - it never feels quite right. Then there's the mud and the gray, dull weather to deal with. It might be the only time of year that makes me think of going somewhere else. All the rest of the year the weather is pretty nice - even the severe cold and snow. At least that's what winter is supposed to be like. And, sick as it might be, we actually like it when it's cold and snowy. Making progress on the rear axle for the B-67. Still waiting for two brake shoes to get back from re-lining for the 3rd time. Apparently bolting on brake lining blocks is a lost art. The good news is that the rear end and differential appear to be in perfect shape. Bearings look real good. Put in all new seals. Should get the engine power washed this week, and prepped for a trip to the motor doctor to get a health check-up and a new gasket set installed. Might need new injectors. Wouldn't surprise me after 20 years of sitting, although it runs smooth. And I know the fuel pump will need to be taken apart and thoroughly cleaned and checked out. Then I will paint it and detail it, put in a new clutch, pilot bearing and throw-out bearing, resurface the flywheel and pressure plate. The transmission I've decided to use is a 9 speed overdrive duplex. I'll sandblast the case and get it painted up before I take it to the transmission doctor (Same as the motor doctor) to have the cover removed and innards checked out. One of the best things I have done to date was to fab up a cart with heavy casters to carry the engine and transmission. Sure makes life a lot easier. Did the same thing with the cab. Now I can move them around, and on or off a trailer by myself. I am really excited about getting the B-67 done. I have high hopes for using it for a lot of little jobs. And we got the cab up on the H-63 this week. Took some Corona and creative thinking because the cab jack doesn't work. And you have to be smarter than the jack anyway. Who knew they put a locking release in the tool box below the sleeper? Boy, are we dumb! Paul VS

First - You have to want to do it. Second - You have to make the decision and take the appropriate action. Third - You can't outguess yourself - you have to know the decision is the right thing. That will keep you going. Fourth - Keep reminding yourself of the benefits of not smoking - all the time. Get outside and move around - a lot. I wasn't able to do it all at once. I started in steps like not smoking in the house, then added places where I didn't smoke. I found that just setting small goals, like "I can go until after dinner without one", or "I can go one more day", etc. really helped. And I hung around with the people I knew who didn't smoke. Someplace in the course of doing that - it got a little easier, then a little easier again - until finally I realized that I didn't need to smoke. That was a long time ago - and, truthfully, it still tempts me once in a while. Then I'll see some poor SOB coughing his lungs out and hardly able to walk around or carrying around a tank of oxygen - and I think how lucky I am. That makes it a lot easier. You can do it. It's not easy - but, most of the real good things aren't. Good Luck, Paul VS

I've found that it pays to look in the weeds and behind the newer stuff in equipment yards, and in farm fields and behind people's barns. With the price of scrap steel as high as it is, some of these old trailers are not coming to a good end. Both of you are in good parts of the country for old trailers - not too many rust problems. It just takes some patience and nosing around. And I agree - Glenn, that is really nice looking B-61. Welcome aboard. Paul Van Scott

VERY FUNNY! PVS

Sounds like quite a find for you! Did someone buy the truck and put it away for future use or what? Paul Van Scott