The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Tons 'o Fun 49 one ton long box questions

So here is the deal,i inherited a truck that has been sitting in the woods for the last 15-20 years.the 49 itself is in fair condition and the motor is not seized.it has a 4 speed tranny,I think the motor is a 235 from a 55 truck.
My questions are
1)should I convert to 12v right out of the gate and spare myself the 6v headache?
2)do any newer chevy 8 bolt aluminum mags fit this truck
3)would I be better off converting to a 350tpi and 700r4 or keeping it stock,not looking to rod it just want a reliable shop truck.
4) the bed cross rails are rusting out,but new ones don't appear to have the ends to bolt to the box.do they?or should I just build some from rectangular tubing?
I already have the tpi 350 and tranny,along with a decent set of 16" e rated tires if they would fit some type of one piece rim or mag.
Thanks in advance
Pete

1. There is nothing wrong with 6 volt if you have heavy cables and keep the connections maintained.
2. 16" 8 hole trailer wheels will fit it. Newer 8 hole have a different bolt circle.
3. I don't care for automatics so someone else can answer your question better than I can.
4. These guys make reproduction beds and do a good job of it. http://www.mar-k.com/ I would suppose they sell just the pieces you need.

Welcome aboard to a fellow One Ton owner and Minnesotan. You will find a vast store house of info here and also some very knowledgeable guys. Do NOT be afraid to ask any question. The only dumb questions are the ones you didn't ask. We have all been there at one time.

Where in MN you located? Jerry from near Sleepy Eye.

my take
1) nothing wrong with 6V or 12V. I'd probably swap to 12V when it is convenient, might want to get it running with 6V as is for now.
2)Newer wheels will fit so long as they clear the brake drums, and the 8 lug on 6.5" circle was used for years and years later, lots of wheels for you to pick from and test fit. 19.5" wheels look and fit very nice if you can find them. Or if your multi- piece 17" wheels are in good shape, not rusted, you can still run them.
3)Reliable shop truck, keep it simple and keep the 6 cylinder, a 55 model 235 is already an improvement. Sell the 350 and auto.
4)Yep, look at what Mar-K has to offer.

thanks for the info guys i've been spending some time reading to try and get up to speed.
so from what i can tell i'm going to pick up a 6 volt battery and try and get it started.if all gos well the straight six will stay.as for the tires i'm currently looking for some 90's ford van rims that may fit the bill.for now the 350 will stay in the garage,maybe some sort of gear or rearend swap in the future.

i am close to monticello if anyone wants to meet for a drink.

If you are just starting the motor, you could use a 12 volt battery and run the coil off of a 6 volt battery charger. I always use a battery charger in this situation because the voltage stays constant while the starter is pulling a lot of current.

I have the trailer wheels on my 1951 1 Ton. The one thing I would say is that there is only a small amount of space between the 14" drums and the wheels. This works fine for me but I don't carry any loads. This might not be ideal for heat dissipation on the rear drums.

Hi Pete. Welcome to stovebolt! I have a 49 3804, too. Mine is 6 volt and babbitted 235. I did switch out the axle 3rd member but other than that it's sstock. I like it that way. I agree with Grigg ... sell the sbc. You don't need it. Use the cash for important stuff like beer! Or a stovebolt t-shirt
Regards,
John

thanks for the help guys,as for the 350 it is as tuned port and for now it stays.i think it looks cool and may come in handy some day.
went and transferred the title and got collector plates today,wishful thinking on my part thinking id need plates anytime soon.
will be replacing the master cylinder this weekend and adding/swapping fluids where necessary.already put on new wires and am picking up a 6v battery tomorrow.
it also appears the clutch plate might be rusted to the pressure plate as the clutch will not disengage.

if it quits raining i'll start working on it
thanks again for the advice and warm welcome

pete