The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts 1960 Viking C60 - 3 days to get running advice welcome

So happy to find this forum. Amazing amount of info here, I'm doing my best to read as much as I can as fast as I can. While I'm doing that I figured I'd start a thread about my new truck in case anyone wants to chime in with any specific advice or input.

I bought this 1960 C60 and it is now on my father in laws farm in Nebraska. I'm flying out Thursday and we are going to pull it in the shop and try to get it road worthy to drive to Arizona by the end of the weekend.

[img]https://photos.app.goo.gl/qzr3nabYJx2dqQt67[/img]

Motor has been started and run once a year or so. Plan is new carb and air filter, new fuel pump and fuel filter, new tires, new fluids. Not sure status of the brakes so that is tbd.

Would like to replace water pump but can't find any available anywhere.

Hy Beetroot, welcome, I don't want to be a downer, but one weekend to establish a functioning braking system is VERY ambitious, if you have no idea of the braking systems condition, be prepared for the worst. When you post, please give us as much information as possible so that we may be better able to answer your questions or steer you to a parts source. For instance you never told us which engine you are dealing with. Extreme good luck on your "weekends work" and here's to a safe and uneventful drive home!

Thank you sir! I did buy a round trip ticket, so I'm not entirely unrealistic on my chances with this thing. Would love to drive it back but will save it for a later date if necessary.

That said, I bought the truck from my wife's grandfather. He says the brakes work and should be fine to make the drive. I don't know if I entirely trust that, which is why I said status to be determined. But I don't expect them to be too bad.

The motor as far as I can tell is the 235. The only sure way I know to tell if it is the 261 is the captains bars on the side behind the starter. There is so much grime in the pictures I have that I can't tell if they are there or not.

Wheels and tires are already driving me crazy. I've read every wheel post and FAQ on here and still confused about what I have and what is out there. I know for sure that my wheels are 20" 10 lugs. After that it gets foggy - I'm not sure yet if they are split rim or not, 7.25 or 8.75 bolt spacing, 4.75 or 5.5 center. I can find out when I get to the truck obviously but really wanted to have wheels and tires lined up.

I've seen a few people mention that WheelsNow sells aftermarket options. I talked to them and they can have a new set shipped out and delivered by Friday. But... the spec sheet someone posted on here of their WheelsNow order shows 7.50 bolt spacing. WheelsNow says that they only sell the wheel in 8.25 spacing, and that is definitely what the truck has. I'm hesitant to drop big money on wheels without verifying that they are correct so I'm trying to get someone out to the farm to measure for me. Plan B is to take the split rims in to a truck/tractor tire place that has the correct size tires and hope they will mount on the split rims.

I couldn't find a carb rebuild kit that could be there in time so I ordered a whole new carburetor.

The only place that remanufactures water pumps is shut down for Covid-19 so I have not been able to find one, which is a bummer. It works now but I would really have liked to replace it or have a spare.

I ordered a fuel pump from Napa but the box they sent had the wrong pump inside so I'm picking that up tomorrow.

Spark plugs, wires, distributor are all fairly new so I'm leaving those alone. Picking up a new generator tomorrow to bring with me on the flight.

Other than that I'm just planning on maintenance type stuff and wiring up some tail lights....

If it has split rims, verify they are the 'safe kind' , can post closeup picture on here. What engine? Most likely takes a combination clutch/ brake master cylinder.

Ed

Flush the brake fluid out, till it runs clear at all 4 wheels. The crud that does or does not come out will tell you a story about the brakes.

You will need to verify the condition of the master and the hydro-vac before doing anything else with the brakes. That will make or break your chances to drive it home.

Ensure the master isn't leaking any fluid out the rear seals and into the boot around the rod that connects to the brake pedal. Its not always obvious, so assuming you have brake pressure, pump those suckers repeatedly and feel around that boot and gently squeeze it. Sometimes its obvious as there is fluid on the inner firewall. Sometimes it not but squeezing that boot will result in both feel and sound of fluid in the boot.

Assuming all is well, run the truck and while stationary spend a couple minutes pumping the brakes. Then shut her down and pull the vac lines of the hydro-vac. If there is any fluid in the vac lines then the hydro-vac is shot and you can expect replacement to be weeks away.

Since your at it, inspect all vac lines as well. The factory steel lines if not yet fully corroded away, will be shortly and will cause loss of vacuum for the engine. That's an easy fix with modern hose though.

And a word of warning, that new Rochester carb (depending on where you bought it from) may not actually work. The brand new one I purchased would not idle down and the accelerator pump was messed up and refused to come off throttle. The original, slightly leaky one I had is the one still on the truck. The new one is now chopped for parts that cant be had in rebuild kits. Keep it in mind and don't let go of that old original Rochester.

Unless it has been changed out it is a 261. O.E. model B Rochester is different internal from 235. If it has a tag on air horn it can be confirmed as to what application it is for.

Welcome to the Stobebolt

I'm not a big fan of driving on 60 year old brake lines, you only have one brake fluid circuit and if you blow a line your in for the ride of your life. Also, the parking brake is not meant to stop your truck when rolling down a hill at 50 mph...

More bad news...the rear rim shown in your picture is the Firestone RH-5 2-piece rim, they have been nicknamed the "widow maker" and were outlawed decades ago. If they are low on air DO NOT ADD AIR THEM UP, if you do they are a ticking time bomb...they can come apart at any time and for no reason, they rust around where the two halves lock together.

Be safe!

Mike B

Thanks everyone. I did confirm today that it is the 261.

HFfarms awesome info, thank you. I will follow your directions exactly for the hydro-vac.

As for the carb. I know there are differences in the carburetor between the 235 and 261... but I haven't had any luck finding the correct replacement for the 261. I bought the new one from Mikes Carburetor Parts and they said they sell the same one for the 235 and 261 models. I guess you lose a little top end running the 235 carb on the 261 but it should still work. I also bought a rebuild kit for the original carburetor, but again same kit everywhere listed for the 235 and 261. Will have to just mess with it and see what happens.

5 lug wheels in 22.5 are uncommon, but worth looking out for, especially with those RH-5's. Keep your eyes out. Sorry, they are 5/10's.

Ed

Those are 10-lug rims...5-lug front and 10-lug rear.

The 22.5's for his truck are 6.75" wide with 8-3/4 bolt center and would have run 9.00 x 22.5 tires.

Mike B

Unless you're planning to haul a big load on the trip home, there's no need to run dual wheels in the rear. Unloaded or lightly loaded, it will travel just as well with the rear tires singled out. If you're buying new tubeless tire rims, you'll only have to buy 4 tires and wheels, not 6, at least for right now.
Jerry

Mike B, thanks for the info. I'm working with a local wheel and tire shop in the town where the truck is located and the owner is trying to find some options. We have a set of 22.5 wheels with brand new tires ready to go on the front. May not have new wheels to replace the widowmakers but this shop is willing to put new tires on the wheels if we can't locate better wheels.

And I agree on the brake lines. Will work on getting everything I can replaced.

[img]https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZkRmGfQw7Jg9hD2Q8[/img]
[img]https://photos.app.goo.gl/n2KcFWdJFQQpeLbV8[/img]

This c50 that I almost bought before the c60 has 5 lug 22.5 front wheels. It's parked right next to mine. I'm going to swap my wheels for these, assuming they fit. Then I have some brand new tires from a motorhome to mount up. If the rears are 22.5 and not split rims then I'll just swap everything.

Thats the plan right now, mostly just because it's kind of hard to find tires. I also want to blast/powdercoat whatever wheels I end up with so no reason to mount any tires I don't need just yet.

Here is a close up of the rear wheels on the brown c50. Do you know if these will fit on the blue c60?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/QayoxDigGEwZgv8C7

Strange that the c50 would have 22.5 and the c60 20s from the same year. Maybe someone already swapped these.

Another (albeit less then popular) option is to do what Hotrod Lincoln suggests and just run the current RH5 inner duals on the rear. As long as they are holding air and you are rolling empty, you should be fine. If anything happens and they let loose, the wheel will blow inward vice outward toward other cars (like the outer dual will do). Then once you are back you can air down, demount, and replace the rears from your home.

Honest question, do you have the route back mapped out? Are you running state routes and highways or interstates? Because you may be surprised at the max speed, especially for a truck that has sat that long and is assumed to be worn out.

Tire plan is - 22.5s with steer tires on front, and replacing all 4 rears with new tubes and tires keeping the widowmakers. I bought the 4 new 20" tires and the guy says he will mount them. Maybe just run with the two inners like you said HFfarms. I can strap down the other two on the bed.

And yeah I have a route that avoids most interstate. Kind of zig zags the whole way on side roads. Long trip but nothing I can do about that.

I will have a support vehicle following me, a new f250. We have a flat car hauler trailer but I don't think it can handle the weight. I don't want to jinx it but I might rent a heavy duty trailer to tow empty just in case.

Although then I'll be tempted to just load it up and cruise the whole way in the Superduty at 85mph with massaging seats running.

If there are 22.5's on the truck sitting right there TAKE them...forget the 20's, you'll never regret getting the 22.5's and they will swap right over from the C-50 to the C-60...this should be a no-brainer. Your opening yourself to a liability issue by knowingly running the RH-5's if something bad happens...there's a reason they were taken off the road.


Go rent or borrow a 20' 10,000 pound trailer and tow it home...the Cab and Chassis only weight about 6000-6500 pounds max. Then spend your weekend at the farm swapping the 20" for the 22.5" rims (do I sound like a broken record...lol) and remember the left side lug nuts could be left thread, look for an "L" on the end of the stud! Make sure you have a truck tire lug wrench with a big cheater bar or a 3/4 air impact driver to take the lug nuts off, otherwise you will be in for a fight. Kroil and/or PB Blaster are your friend...lol!

Mike B

OK I hear ya Mike.

I was reluctant to give up the widowmakers because I had already purchased tires for them, but turns out the farm tire guy found a set of the same 20" wheels in the non-widowmaker version. I bought those from him to replace my mine. I'm also going to swap my widowmakers over to the c50 and take those 22.5s with me back to Arizona, so that I have the option to run those if I want/need to in the future.

Everything is all mounted up ready and waiting for me at the shop in Nebraska, so I think wheel/tire situation is handled.

If cab and chassis is only 6500 or so the trailer I have should be able to handle it. I'll double check it's rating, or if not I'll rent something to have as support. I know it makes more sense to just put the truck on the trailer the whole way... but I'm out looking for adventure

This place is great thanks for the input guys. So helpful.

That's great news, you won't regret taking the 22.5's and if down the road you really don't want them, someone else will!

Have a safe journey and report back on how it goes!

Mike B

Second on using 22.5's and forgetting the 20's.

Ed

There's nothing terribly wrong with using tube-type tires- - - -except- - - - -the people who know how to mount them properly and safely tend to be old geezers like me who are getting a little too feeble to fight with the things! There's definitely a steep learning curve to dealing with a tube, an inner liner, and a sectional wheel, and when it's all assembled, the whole thing weighs a lot more than a tubeless tire and wheel. It develops a lot more heat from rolling resistance and flexing of the tire and tube assembly. I'd strongly recommend using the 22.5's as a final choice, regardless of how you get the rig home.
Jerry

I pulled a '42 1.5 ton truck 310 miles with a tow bar. It pulled great, straight as an arrow. Stopping was a little more challenging. Tow vehicle was a 3/4 ton Chevy Silverado. I didn't have any issues.

Just curious, where in Nebraska?

John

Pulling anything heavier than 3500 pounds in Maryland has to have brakes, your State may differ...

Mike B

Well I’ve spent the last three days working on the truck and making great progress. Had to drag the truck with a tractor for a bit to free the rusted rear brakes. Pulled off the remnants of the old wood bed and then took it over to the shop.

Replaced carb with a new Rochester B replacement from Mikes Carburetors. This didn’t fit with factory air filter so I’m running with a BMW 535i filter at the moment.
New battery.
New fuel pump.
Replaced front wheels/tires with 22.5 wheels from a donor c50 and some motorhome tires.
Replaced rear windowmaker 20s with normal split rim 20s and new “Power King Super Traction” tires.
New thermostat - water pumps not available anywhere.
New fuel and coolant lines.
Pulled fuel tank - running out of a gas can for now.
Replaced oil pressure sensor with a mechanical gauge.
Drain and fill trans.
Pulled diff cover and dumped out 1/2 gallon of water, some oil, and scooped out a few pounds of sludge.
Drained the dump mechanism cylinder and refilled.

Got it running and motor is solid. Original radiator and pump working great, generator is charging, oil pressure is good, hi/low works. As expected though, brake issues. Master cylinder is bad and can’t get a new one in time so I’m not going to drive it back to Phoenix this trip. Drove it around a few miles today and everything other than brakes is working perfectly.

So now I have a couple extra days here and I’m building a wood bed and replacing all of the lights and wiring. I’ll post some pics up tonight.

The shop is in a little town called Gibbon, about 2 hours west of Lincoln.

Wow, great progress in such a short time. Are you still planning to drive it back to Arizona?

John

Nope, I’m leaving the truck here and flying back. I’m ordering brake parts and will come out to try again in a few weeks. May end up just putting it on a trailer and hauling to AZ.

Good job, you got many important things done in a short time.

Ed

I built the bed yesterday. Pressure treated 2x12 for the frame rails and untreated 2x10s for the bed itself with 2” angle iron around the edges.

Originally I was going to build the bed so I could carry a vehicle up there. I decided I liked the look of the truck with a smaller bed on it though so I decided against it. We chopped about a foot out of the metal rail channel in the back and built the new bed flush with the rear of the frame. If I’m not carrying a car I can change the rear springs to something a little softer too.

Added some stake holders after the pics were taken and I’m going to add some other details in time. I’ll put some deck sealant stuff on the untreated pine.

We had a weird looking hitch receiver from some old truck so we chopped that to fit and welded it in. Should be able to tow a house now.

Nice job on the bed!

Thanks for sharing your adventure!

If you don't mind me asking, why didn't you make the bed wide enough to cover the rear tires? Road stones will now be heading straight to you mirrors...are you planing on fenders of some sort?

Mike B

Thanks guys.

Mike - if I made it wide enough to cover the outside tires it would have been wider than the cab in front. I laid out the bed that way at first and I really didn't like the look. I live in Phoenix and this truck will be on pavement 99% of the time... so not a ton of rocks to kick up. I figured I'd take the gamble and put my mirrors at risk in order to have the bed the size I liked.

If rocks end up being a problem, I can always build some fenders later on.