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Jul 21st, 2025 | | | | Joined: Jul 2013 Posts: 47 1949 Beast | | 1949 Beast Joined: Jul 2013 Posts: 47 | I am in need of outer tie rod ends for my 1949 3600 Truck . They are tapered and not like the ones used on half ton trucks.
Last edited by cletis; 02/18/2014 2:27 AM. Reason: Clarified title
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 9,671 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 9,671 | What's the problem with these from Jim Carter for $45.95 a set? http://www.oldchevytrucks.com/cart/product.asp?prodid=ME664 I've used them and have had them on my '50, 3604 for 7 or 8 years. The ends I rebuilt from kits from the same supplier. Denny G
Last edited by Denny Graham; 03/01/2014 11:06 PM.
Denny G
Sandwich, IL
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 9,671 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 9,671 | Yeah?? That's what I posted earlier, just click the link to
their site. I'm not looking for them, thought Mark wanted a
source for tie rod parts.
dg
Last edited by Denny Graham; 03/02/2014 2:02 AM.
Denny G
Sandwich, IL
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 4,903 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 4,903 | I like the one ton tie rods. They are built like the ones on the larger trucks. Years ago WD Foster recommended that I do that. We lost a lot of GM knowledge when WD passed on. | | | | | Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,262 Bubba - Curmudgeon | | Bubba - Curmudgeon Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 29,262 | "We lost a lot of GM knowledge when WD ( wdoftexas) passed on." Amen | | | | | Joined: Jul 2013 Posts: 47 1949 Beast | | 1949 Beast Joined: Jul 2013 Posts: 47 | I found my tie rods at rare parts.com. They were great to deal with and I had them quick | | | | | Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 444 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 444 | Crenwelge, WD Foster emailed me this photo on April 08, 2010, ( from my email archives folders ). He had come up with a ( 1 ) ton Tie Rod Conversion kit for 3/4 ton trucks. Here's the photo WD sent to me. photo@photobucket http://i669.photobucket.com/albums/...odconversionGMC150series_zpsef3ae41f.jpg WD probably sent it to you to Crenwelge. I too miss WD. George in New Jersey
Last edited by '54 3600; 03/02/2014 8:20 AM. Reason: correction
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 9,671 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 9,671 | Thanks for posting that George, I've been around since '05 but
I'm sorry, I don't remember WD, just talked with so many guys
here that I can't keep them all straight at times. I'll have to
look back thru the archives and read up on some of the threads
that he posted to.
That's very interesting. I'm a little confused, are you saying
that was a stock tubular tie rod from a 1-ton and was being used
on a 3/4-ton?
That's exactly what I've been putting together for use on
my '54, 3600. He didn't post and numbers if those were stock
parts did he?
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL
Denny G
Sandwich, IL
| | | | | Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 444 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Jul 2007 Posts: 444 | Denny,
I met WD via the internet.
Keith Hardy gave me his email address.
I was real hot & heavy at that time
buying lot's of NOS parts every week.
I'm still buying parts.....but in the last
3/4 years it seems nos parts have really kind of
dried up.
I bought many many parts from WD.
And I'm glad I did.
We used to talk on the phone often.
I really liked it when he would give me
his opinion...before I made a ebay part purchase.
I was in my infancy in nos parts buying
for my '54 3600.
When I started buying front suspention
parts. WD suggested, that I upgrade to
one ton tie rod ends. He said, he had made
up a kit & it would run me about $150.00 .
I never learned anymore about his kit as
I was & still am a GM NOS parts only guy.
This email below is when I asked him about rear bumper
brackets for my GM NOS chrome step bumper
A quote from an email from WD: dated 04/08/10
Did you check with Tom Myers in Miami, OK. From 1947-50 the Chevrolets came with a rear bumper than they made it a option so a lot of the early AD trucks had them, You are probably looking at $85-$100 for nice ones.
There is stuff around I bought 6 NOS 1 ton tie rods this week those things are getting hard to find because the 3/4 owners use them to update their trucks with the newer tie rod ends.
WD
Denny,
Not much technical help.
But it does give you a little insight.
George
in
New Jersey
Last edited by '54 3600; 03/02/2014 3:25 PM. Reason: addition
| | | | | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 9,671 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 9,671 | NOS dried up. - Yeah, between Brad and you I think you got it all. I just can't afford that NOS stuff unless there is no other way to find it via repop, make it or rebuild it myself. There are a few guys like that over at the VCCA, that is, guys that seem to know everyone across the country and have a photographic memory when it comes to GM history. I didn't fit in with that bunch so I was only a member for five or six years. Looking at the 1929-57 parts manual the 1, 1 1/2TON tie rod was hollow. The thread is really weird, 13/16-16 is not a standard thread size. WD must have had a bunch of NOS tie rods and tie rod ends in his inventory. The tie rod I've made up for my '54, 3604 uses a pair of Moog ES150 L&R ends and a 1 x.156" wall DOM tube. All of that is readily available at a cost of about $75-$80. Putting the 3/4-16 L&R hand threads in the tube is the biggest problem for the average back yard mechanic who wouldn't have the taps. http://www.pbase.com/dennygraham/image/154464324DG
Last edited by Denny Graham; 03/02/2014 5:34 PM.
Denny G
Sandwich, IL
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 4,903 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 4,903 | I haven't seen NOS hollow tie rods in several years. The last I bought were from the guy in Walnutport, PA who I also bought my GMC wrecker from. He had quite a few of them and they sold in a hurry. I think WD got some of them also and that may be the 6 he mentioned. I think the guy in PA had 6 of them left after I bought a couple. Larger GMC trucks are being crushed all the time because no one wants them. In fact just a couple of weeks ago there was an old 1 ton GMC school bus here at the recycling place. I've known the guy that owns the place since he was a kid. I never thought about the tie rod. I'm sure they would have torched it out for me. Even if they are bent, a new tube can be made. It's the threaded ends that are what's hard to find.
Last edited by crenwelge; 03/02/2014 6:13 PM.
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 4,903 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2008 Posts: 4,903 | Denny, it looks WD responded to some of your threads.
Re: Are those Painted Letters, for Real??? [Re: Denny Graham]
wdoftexas Offline
Shop Shark Registered: 11/27/02
Posts: 341
Loc: Keller, Texas
The source is me, my dad worked for a GMC dealer and we had new trucks around most of the time during those years. Dad owned a 1949 model that we used on the farm when the 1950 models were introduced the new demo had the tailgate letters painted so he painted the letters on the tailgate of his 49 to update it. There has to be some advantage being this darn old and remembering things like that is one of them.
Top
He used to come to swap meets here in Fredericksburg. He was a walking encyclopedia when it came to GM parts and one of the nicest persons I ever met. The GMC site dedicated a page of the their calender to him and referred to him as a true gentleman. | | | | | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 9,671 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 9,671 | Yep, I went back and reread some of those old threads and I
remember him now.
Fact remains that you don't need the original tie rod and tie
rod ends to convert your 3600. Easy enough to make it up all
new with ends that you can pickup at your FLAPS.
Of course, if you do happen to find a truck that's about to be
run thru the crusher you could save a few bucks. Don't know
what the availability of those early tie rod ends would be,
even the newer style ends wear out. They had an odd ball thread
on them and if the tie rod were bent you would have one ell of
a time getting 13/16"-16nf taps ground special, not to mention
the expense.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL
Denny G
Sandwich, IL
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