Well things really changed. I decided instead of transporting the old truck I'd move to it. There was other reasons but it all fell in line and around May I moved out to ND. Been working on getting the family farm live able as it was vacant for a few years but now after settling in to the place and new job I have been gaining more time to work on the truck.
I have paused work on the body and turned to getting an engine ready for it with the cold and my barn is not heated.
I did get the old seat frame out and floor boards up, cleaned it out a bit. Got a set of rims from a new friend on vcca.org which I got sand blasted and tires mounted so its up on new rubber rolling around since the early 80s.
Turning focus to a new engine as after bore scoping the current one cylinder 4 had a stuck valve all this time and looks like a cave with things growing from the ceiling and floor, pure rust tried a bunch of ideas and couldn't get the thing to even budge.
The engine I managed to find local northern ND was from an older duely dump bed box truck. Right before I came someone showed up and grabbed the entire body so getting the engine was as simple as removing 4 bolts and cutting the PTO shaft. Came with a 4spd on the floor which has a PTO off the side. My plan is still to use my own 4 spd original to my truck though.
From some research the engine has a 1948 235 block, 1952 216 head. When put together it was bored .040 oversize rod and main bearing journals ground to .030 undersize. (someone wiser than I informed me that is what that tag indicates.)
The engine had one of the old glass dome fuel pumps which I thought was impressive to not be cracked or broken. Lines where full of fuel, block was full of coolant, and oil looked clean. Last time the engine ran was mid 90s I was told and the truck had sat in a field since then.
My goal is to have this running and driving this next spring/summer. Lots to do. Glad to be back and should have regular updates on progress for anyone interested. I appreciate any help as new to these older engines.
