Thanks Woody, no need to post a pix I know just what you’re talking about. The center holes were used with the core supports that used the single center U-bracket. I just went out and crawled under to check out the cross member on my ’50, 3604 and although it uses the center mount it also has the two single holes 8” on center. I’m measuring 24 3/4”wide inside the frame a few inches in front of the cross member at the end of the frame. I am gonna take a guess that the 3100 and 3600 series used the same cross members just different core supports and the 3800 may also be the same. Maybe we can get Fred Truckernix to take a look at his Wonton after he has his coffee this morning.
It would be great if we could get a few of the guys with the ’47-‘48’s to let us know what they find under their front ends. If we get enough information together we may just be able to solve this puzzle.
The cross brace thing still has me baffeled. My ’50, 3604 has cross braces but, they have been added to the front of the support and the ends are not flattened. It’s clear that the factory did not put them there. At first I thought that they were original but now that I’ve looked into it a little further I don’t think that’s the case. Since I don’t have my front end apart I can’t tell if it originally had a cross brace, I just can’t get in there to see it.
This has me wondering what year the bracing rods were first added. It’s looking like ’51 was the first year that they appeared and it’s just possible that there was a service bulletin that call for adding the braces when complaints of radiator trouble was reported. This would have especially been a problem with the double U-bracket because it is rigidly mounted to the cross member and any movement of the front sheet metal would rack the core support. The trucks with the single center U-bracket would allow for some movement without racking the support but it is still not a very ridged structure so I can certainly see them having problems with the radiators in either arrangement.
Not to answer for Woody, but I’d bet there’s a 99% chance that the flats were just spot welded to the frame Jim. Don’t see what other possibility there could be. And getting back to the opening question you had, yes the center mount does appear to be correct for the 3/4 ton till '53. If it were me I would fab a set of braces and tack them into the frame and infact when I finally tear into the clip that is exactly what I'm going to do.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL
Last edited by Denny Graham; 09/28/2008 2:53 PM.
