vanscottbuilders

I particularly like the homemade winemaking equipment!! And I forgot to thank you for the Lincolntown photo disc - Thanks! Paul VS

Herb, I've been following this thread - and I agree that the housing can be welded safely. I'm curious, as a strictly amateur welder, is there any concern about heat distortion of the housing? And, if so, how can that be best prevented? Thanks, Paul Van Scott

That looks like a very nice, straight DM. These trucks are rock solid, and pretty good looking just the way that they came from the factory. I second the idea that changing the components is probably just wasted time. Shine it up and put it to work!! It appears to be very well set-up with the two air lift axles and the heavy duty dump box. Good Luck!! Paul Van Scott

This looks like a fun project. Keep us posted. I like the idea of a straight truck for simplicity and reduced operating cost. Good Luck! Paul Van Scott

Do all Peterbilts come pre-loaded with dope for the drivers to smoke?? Or was it just yours? PVS

Man I sure wish I lived out West, where all the nice trucks are!! That is a beauty - keep us posted on your progress. Paul Van Scott

That is a tremendous looking truck!! What a great find. I would love to have one of these. Glad you were able to keep it in your dad's memory. That makes it all the more special. Best of luck, and do please keep us posted. Paul Van Scott

Tony, I think that the door hinges for your H-63 are the same as any "L" cab Mack, and might be fairly common. Finding some good used ones to replace yours would be the simplest solution. Absent that, finding a used set to repair makes sense. As Rob said, setting up a jig and doing some machining is a good solution. And, you still have your originals if things don't go well. Paul Van Scott

Jocko, Trucks today cost around 2.00 to 2.50/mile, plus any additional services like extended loading or unloading times, excessive tolls, hotels etc. So for purposes of calculating your cost, just take the total miles travelled (both loaded and empty) in your behalf and multiply it by 2.00 for a pretty close guess. Obviously paying a truck only one way makes a difference, but the likelihood of that happening isn't very great. Good luck with your purchase! Paul Van Scott

Pat, Did anyone help you out with this move yet? I will have a truck with an RGN lowboy coming north thru Columbus the third week of July, and he could easily go east to Scranton before coming home to Rochester, NY. Let me know. Paul Van Scott

I think the idea here was to save the old integral sleeper from an unpleasant death. A big part of this hobby for me is the preservation of unique American history. For sixty years or so, we had a trucking industry in this country unlike any other in the world! Indeed, the OTR trucker was the very definition of independence and American determination. And the old trucks were legendary in their capability. Although it is possible that one or two of those old stories might have been blown a little out of proportion! Great fun to listen to, nonetheless. Rather than selling the old iron to China to be turned into worthless trinkets, I like the idea of making the vehicles usable, and using them in a variety of ways, including using them as promotional tools for all sorts of businesses. In a nutshell, that is the "Mission Statement" for our litle Fishers Truck Company. This integral sleeper cab is fairly rare, and certainly deserves another chance at a useful life. Jay has been a great help in putting the deal together and getting the old girl out of the weeds and to a better place. Without his effort, we probably wouldn't have saved this truck. It is my intention to bring the truck home and, hopefully, sell it to someone with a full restoration. Prior to bringing the truck all the way to upstate New York, I would consider selling it "as is, where is", if someone here were serious about tackling a pretty rare project. This isn't going to be an easy project, but the truck is fairly complete and pretty solid. So, if someone wants the truck, please contact me here on BMT and we can talk about it. Paul Van Scott

Rob, The process of retro-fitting new plastic lines and spring brakes is much simpler, and more economical, than you might think. You already know about the Bendix product catalog with the schematics for various types of brake layouts, including your intended tandem axle spring brake set-up. Every valve and switch is listed by part number. These valves are all available online from legitimate vendors; or from E-Bay, if you want to take chances. The Bendix products are all counterfeited by miscellaneous Chinese imposters and Mexican cheapos too. Be real careful. In the B-67 we are finishing now, I spec'd all genuine Bendix parts from the vendors I asked to bid the job. Fleetpride got the job. And I was very happy with the parts, all of the brass fittings and the level of service we received. I believe that the key is actually specifying genuine Bendix parts, or Haldex or whomever you deem as satisfactory. While we were at it, we installed a complete new dual, redundant air system, just like you would get on a brand new truck. It might be overkill - you have to decide that. All in all, including the air dryer, air tanks, all fittings, governor, all valves and lines - the bill was something like $1,300.00. I shopped hard, and I went back to Fleetpride with the lowest price that met the qualifications, and they matched it. I'm happy, they are happy, and --- it doesn't say China anywhere on my truck. Very important to me! Now the truck is really useable on today's highways, on a regular basis with no fear of system failure or a rogue DOT inspection that might put an old truck on the shoulder and awaiting a wrecker. Just as a message to everyone here: What Rob is asking here is a very important question - how to make his truck safer and more reliable. I don't mean to start any trouble, but - I feel very strongly about the safety and reliability of the trucks that we play with. The whole hobby of keeping old trucks running is highly dependent on our image. One accident or worse, and the image is tarnished. Often we scoff and laugh at the idea of building safe, professional trucks. We think it's unnecessary to spend that kind of money. It has a lot to do with ego. Guys think it's cool to take unnecessary chances. I think that's extremely stupid on our part. We should present the most professional and enthusiastic picture that we can to the public. Driving unreliable, unsafe or outdated equipment doesn't fit that picture. And, it's hard enough to steer clear of the law. Why give them an open invitation by trying to get away with anything? Brakes and steering are probably the two most important systems your truck has. Why not keep them updated and maintained? Paul Van Scott

Jocko, That's a great looking old truck. Rob is right - parts are a little tough to find. Certainly tougher than a higher production model like a B-61. But some of the fun and the challenge is searching out the parts and the sources for them. You'll be surprised at how quickly your list of people who have parts will grow. And you'll be surprised at all of the new friends and acquaintances you'll make along the way. It's all good! Paul Van Scott

Glad you got it running. There are several landmark moments to me in any vehicle restoration project, but none that are more fun than the first time you start it and run it around a little. It doesn't seem to matter how ugly it is, how slow or how poorly it actually drives - it always feels really, really good!! Great fun. Paul Van Scott

Jay, Does the truck start well when it's hot? Or does it crank slow then too? Just guessing, but based on the info given I think you may have one weak battery, or a poor cable connection. Paul Van Scott

Larry, I haven't been keeping up on BMT with the latest... What is that set-up - a Freightliner air ride? It's really nice to be able to run the new frame up under the cab and make the splice out of sight. Good find! It would only take a "teensy little" more power to make the 3.70's work!! And you'd never be late to the races again. Paul VS

It's probably safe to say that you are not required to draw trip permits for non-commercial usage of any type. Each state is different, however, so the best advice is to check with the states that you are planning to transit. Historic and Antique plates, just like Recreational Vehicle plates are limited to non-commercial use. And as such, you are not subject to ICC or DOT regulations, other than vehicle safety and traffic laws. No logbooks, no fuel records, no special permits necessary. As for stopping at the weigh stations - that's a judgement call on your part. You will get stopped on the highway for failure to go across the scales, but once the trooper realizes that you are indeed "non-comercial", you will be free to go, as long as nothing else wrong is discovered. Why tempt fate? I would probably stop and let them tell me to go through - it's just easier. Paul Van Scott

Jim, You're getting good advice here so far. I'll just stick in my two cents - The older 673 Mack diesels seem to be pretty care-free and easy to start after sitting for a long time. Some of the more obvious things are: Make sure the engine turns over with no real bad noises. Either do this on batteries, or push it in a high gear. There is no reason to believe that there will be any problem, if it ran well before it was parked, but it's best to check if possible. Check the engine oil, and keep an eye open for water discoloration. Do the same for the coolant. Just make sure you have sufficient amounts of each, and in the right locations. Clean the fuel screen and put in a new fuel filter cartridge. I like to remove the valve covers and check all air intake tubes for mouse nests. They have fouled up more than one project on me, and contrary to popular belief, mouse shit doesn't burn well in a diesel engine. If you are going to try to start it on batteries, obviously you will need good ones. And, just as important, carefully check all of the connections from the batteries through the series parallel switch and to the starter. If using batteries, pay attention to the polarities, as these trucks were positive ground systems. It can get confusing. I prefer to push start these old trucks, as it allows me to see if I have decent oil pressure before the engine starts running. Now - most important - be certain that the fuel pump rack is free and that the shut-down cable is functioning. The fuel pump control can allow the engine to run away if it is sticking in the open position. I've never experienced this, but I don't think any good can come from it. Disconnect the fuel pick-up line between the tank and the fuel screen, thereby eliminating the tank from the fuel supply system. Lengthen the line as needed and drop it in a 5 gallon bucket full of fresh fuel up on the frame behind the cab. (Strap the pail down tight!) That 5 gallons won't last long, as the return line is sending fuel back to the fuel tank. Clean fuel, decent compression and a supply of fresh air is all you need for one of these to run. You will need to prime the fuel system. Use the hand prime pump located near the front of the fuel pump. You will probably have to do quite a bit of pumping, as changing the filters will introduce a lot of air into the system, which is already probably full of air from sitting around for a long time. I personally wouldn't bother with additives, ether, or any other stuff until you see if it will start and run under its' own power. As long as the hood has been closed, or if by chance the truck has been inside, it should start right up and run fine. If moisture has gotten to the cylinder liners and the rings, then no amount of additive will correct the problem. The real key is to determine that the engine is free and turning prior to start-up. After starting, run it a little while (for your own satisfaction). Then get the oil and coolant changed, use the Marvel Mystery Oil at that time, if you want, and get complete new filters on the engine. Check the belts and hoses - and plan on replacing them. Pressure test the radiator and inspect it carefully. Clean out the fuel tanks really well. Best to remove them and patch the leaks, steam clean them inside and out and check the fuel pick-up. But that's a project for another day. Now, if everything checks out good, you should run the engine for an extended time, get it good and warm and run it under load if possible. And you should be good to go. All in all - it's a really enjoyable Saturday project! These single axle tractors are becoming harder and harder to find, and they are becoming very popular. You have a nice project ahead of you and a lot of good people here to help you out. Have Fun and keep us posted. Paul Van Scott

The series parallel system and switch are pretty dependable. Usually a little terminal cleaning and good batteries will do the trick. As far as I know, there is no real reason to convert to 12 volt, if you understand what the old system is doing. 24 volts and all of the battery's available cranking power are provided, through the series parallel switch, directly to the starter, only. Everything else in the truck's electrical system is run on 12 volts. Most newer 12 volt trucks are negative ground, whereas many of the older trucks, particularly Macks, are positive grounded electrical systems. The conversion to 12 volts with negative ground does make your system compatible with most other vehicles, and reduces the chances for cross-connections when jumping batteries. A 12 volt system is more commonly understood today. So it's safer. If you were doing restoration work or electrical work to the truck, you might consider the change. Starter motor efficiency and battery technology have improved in the past sixty years. Today a 12 volt starter and two good 12 volt truck batteries are more than enough power to start your diesel. Paul VS

General Schwartzkopf never had any high political yearnings that I know of. Too Bad!! We could really use this guy today. Terrorism, illegal immigration and entitlements could all become things of the past. And the military could be the very best in the world, such that nobody would mess with us. Interesting. Maybe we should get together and go ask him about taking the job of President. PVS

If you think taking it apart is fun - wait until you put it back together. I've never had to cut any bolts to disassemble the front sheet metal, including the radiator shell, but it really is deceptively difficult. Removing the headlight panels is almost certainly the easiest method of getting at the radiator shell. Small fingers, double jointed hands and a little swearing will go a long way too. There are some tough bolts to get to. It does come apart. Patience, patience, patience and a little more patience should do it. There are two different attachment methods that I know of, one early and one later style. One requires the removal of the headlight panels, one doesn't. Neither one is easier than the other, as far as I am concerned. When reassembling, I leave the two bolts high up on the sides of the radiator shell out. There is plenty of strength in the other mountings so I don't think anything is compromised. While it's apart, look at the lower shell support mounts. These seem to take a fair amount of abuse over the years, and normally require straightening or rebuilding to line up properly. I like to use stainless hardware in this location as it is right out in the weather and takes a real beating. Above all - Have Fun!! Paul Van Scott

Thanks James, Racing a four year old is just plain fun. Losing doesn't matter! Paul VS

I never knew I had so many concerned friends. It's touching. Before this absolutely meaningless forum gets any further - Allow me to put you back on track. Someone famous once said "The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated". The rumors of James and I running off together are even more exaggerated!! Even if we were so inclined - I'm way too old to run anywhere. Not sure about James' running ability either. I have been a little sidetracked lately. The building business has been a little challenge, busy and time consuming. At least it's busy. And seems to be getting better, finally. We're really trying to get Gray Hamilton's B-67 finished up and ready for delivery to Florida by the end of April. (Pictures soon) It's a really nice little truck, if I do say so myself. The Fishers Truck Company is holding its' own. We have about two years of work ahead of us in the shop right now. The next projects are an H-63 Mack and a long hood Kenworth W-900-A with its' original Cummins KT-525 engine. Both trucks are sold and get full restorations with updates. (The H-63 will get a remanufactured Mack power upgrade to 300 hp and a Mack six speed transmission, Maxi brakes and new tubeless radial rubber; along with a complete disassembly, sandblasting, epoxy painting, rewiring, replumbing and detailing) I am enjoying these trucks way more than I ever enjoyed working on automobile projects. It's very relaxing to just go in the shop and go to work. No phone, no radio, no interruptions. And the people that are helping us out have been fantastic. The trucks seem to generate a great deal of interest on the part of our vendors, and everybody gets excited. It really is fun. As soon as there is some time, I will get a website with photos of the inventory and projects documented, but for now a few posts will have to do. A special thanks to Other Dog for caring enough to call. Even if he was trying to scam me with something, and got caught in the act! Paul Van Scott

The series parallel switch is available from Mack, I believe. And, if not, I do have a good one from a truck converted to a 12 volt starting system. Let me know if you need it. Paul Van Scott