OK. I went out yesterday and redid the timing. Started engine and let it warm up until it idled without any choke. Disconnected vacuum advance line. Checked point gap. Started the engine and put the timing light on the flywheel and couldn't even see the ball (which I had painted white). Messed around and got the pointer right in the middle of the ball at idle. The engine smoothed out, idled well, and seemed good. Today I'm going to recheck the lidle mix screw on the carb, then take it out for a short drive and see how it does.
I also started to remove fan to install spacer, and realized that there isn't enough room to do so without pulling radiator, so that is not happening now. I did check air flow through the radiator by putting a smoke bomb (left over from 4th) in front of the radiator while the engine was idling, and the fan sucked the smoke through, so at least there is some good air flow.
We'll see how it goes.
Tim
I am currently digging back in to a 1953 3800 (one ton) with a nine foot bed. I've owned it since 1979, and drove it until 1982 (or so). My wife got me involved in restoring it back in 2002, got the body removed and the frame redone, then things came up. Now I am retired and starting again. If anyone is interested I have photos on Imagur (
https://timwhiteblues.imgur.com/ ). I live way back in the woods in the Ozarks on 40 acres at the end of a 2 1/2 mile private road.
Tim
