The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts My '35 QB's Finally Here!

After a silly long journey (paid for transport 8/30, got truck 12/05), my '35 1.5 ton mil spec truck has finally arrived. Fortunately, Santa delivered lots of goodies to help care for her. In the coming weeks, I'll be looking into adding a heater, and replacing the rest of the lights the trucking company killed when they jump started her. They had brilliantly left the ignition on and the parking brake set, which toasted the battery during the months it spent with them, as the parking brake activates the stop lamp when engaged with ignition on. They apparently tried the lights as well when they jumped her, as more than one bulb was blown. Dale, the PO, had kindly left large notes about the stop lamp and the battery disconnect location on the windshield, which were ignored by the "professionals". PM me if you want to know who NOT to transport with...

I still haven't got a tag yet, as NC is "slow and careful" when it comes to antique vehicles. They required an inspector come to my house to look at the truck before titling, and as you might expect, the process is not fast, especially around the holidays.

I've yet to check the rear gear ratio. Docs from Chevy Heritage indicate that the 1.5 ton QB standard rear ratio was 6.166, but an optional 5.428 was available then. Anyone ever seen the 5.428 gear set? She's been re-engined with a '48 216, and that bit of extra power means I might be able to put the 5.428 ratio to good use. The swap looks like a nice job BTW, with a replacement crossmember from a '36, not just chopping the old one. I got the original 207 as part of the deal, but I doubt if I'll ever rebuild it. I got a spare 216 and some front end parts too. Overall, I'm tickled (happy, to you modern guys).

Since the hard work of getting the 216 in there is already done, does this mean going for a 261 would be fairly easy?

Congratulations, thurman

That truck looks real nice.

It looks like you have done your homework on being ready for the NC DMV.

Do you have a Shop Manual?
That will have an illustration of of the ID plate location and code.
available on eBay for about $27

That will allow you to "educate" the DMV big-truck/antique registration agent, if necessary.
My agent was real interested in seeing the GM ID documentation from the Specifications Manual (that you have) and from the Shop Manual).

Please PM me (and give me your phone number), if you want to discuss my pleasant dealings with my NC DMV big-truck/antique registration agent.

Good luck, and, let us know how you registration works out.

It amazes me how some transportation companies can't figure out how to operate such a basically built vehicle.
Blowing light bulbs is really a rookie thing to do..
I wouldn't even try to attempt to start a 6 volt vehicle with a 12 volt vehicle, unless I was stranded and away from home.
And if I had to, you are suppose to remove the jumper cables, the second the engine fires.
You definitely don't have the head light switch On, when you are jumping.

How hard can it be to, put the truck in gear and apply the parking brake and switch the ignition Off.

I had a similar journey with a transport company.
For one, they told me that they had their own drivers, but they ended up farming out the transport to a different company.
The day before delivery, the farmed out company driver called.
The driver sounded like he a had Russian accent, I could barely understand what he was saying.
He said' How are you going to get the truck off the trailer.
He told me the transport trailer had broke down and they had to transfer all the vehicles to the new trailer.
This is when they broke my truck's u-joint.
My truck has a automatic transmission and a enclosed propeller shaft, they just kept
giving it gas until the u-joint broke, they never released the emergency brake..

If you are going to transport vehicles for a living, you should at least gain some understanding on how to operate them..

In the end, it all turned out OK, but at the time it was stressful.

I like your '35 1.5 ton mil spec truck, when I was younger I use to own a 1948 flat fender Willys jeep

Very cool !

Hi Thurman,

The DMV in NC is much more accommodating towards old vehicles than some states. If the old truck has a title, I am certain it will be an uneventful process. Even without title, it is not too bad.

Paul

I've got a title, but that's not the issue. The state of Oregon added a state ID tag to the truck (no VIN), and neither the inspector nor I could locate that tag. So, NC requires a surety bond be issued to make up for that. I was really happy when DMV came up with a value for the truck from their database, otherwise chasing down the appropriate state approved experts might have been tough and a little co$tly.

So I got the bond, it came as an email attachment for me to print and sign. Off I went back to the DMV. The person there said that a printed copy of the bond was no good, she needed inked signatures for the issuers. The bond company said that was nonsense, and told me to take the paperwork someplace else... Next Tuesday, I'll try the Hendersonville office instead of the Pisgah Forest one. Maybe I'll get lucky. At least it's December and not May!

Did you look on the rear of the frame in front of the left rear tire (wheel well area)?

Love the truck, not a run of the mill that is for sure.

Also look on the right frame rail, outside, inside the rf wheel for the SN.

Ed

A 235 or 261 would be a fairly easy swap.
I have done it on two passenger cars, but a truck would be about the same.
Depending on what year engine, some water pump conversion will be needed.
This attachment shows what else is needed.

Verrrry nice!!

My long wait is finally over. Cubie is tagged! I had no luck at all in dealing with the PITAs at the Pisgah Forest Tag and Title location. After getting advice from a number of folks, I made the 45 minute drive to Hendersonville. What a difference! Suddenly, all of my documentation was good, and they were happy to process me. The agent even called central to tell them the paperwork was done, so they could lift the hold as give me a tag right away! My faith in NC people has been restored!

Took Cubie on her first real drive. Noticed that at the end, she was beginning to miss a bit. Temps all normal. I noticed earlier that she never needed the choke, even when cold soaked to 30 degrees. I wouldn't have thought that the 3000' altitude here would make a difference, but maybe I was wrong. I'll pull the plugs tomorrow and check 'em.

Is there any good forum advice I havn't found yet about adjusting mechanical brakes? I DO intend to drive Cubie a good bit, and stopping is important, especially in the mountains...