The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Re: What did you get done on your 'Bolt today?

Good day today. CAB WELDING IS DONE. (Doors still need patches, but those don't count. )
Here's a pic of the windlace retainers. I drilled 3/16" holes and clamped them in place. Stuck the mig gun with the wire in the middle of the holes and pulled the trigger. Most welds went OK, but missed on a couple and had to zap them again, but overall, they came out well.

Not work done per-say... but received and unboxed my Brockman Mellow Tone mufflers! Can't wait to hear these puppies after all the good things I've heard of them!

Well I lied about the welding being done. I was grinding the weld beads off the windlace retainers, and one of them fell off. So had to reweld that yesterday. But got that done and the cab cleaned and prepped for primer. Today after it warmed up a bit outside, I got the cab primered. Of course after I had cleaned up the spray equipment, I noticed a spot at the front of the tranny cover that I missed. Oh well, I'll mix up a little epoxy and touch that up with a brush, but not today. Shot it in the driveway with the boat covered up to keep it from turning gray, then pushed it into the sun to help it dry. Only got to 58F today.

Got the hood painted, weather cooperated !

Tinkered with the throttle linkage... trying to keep my original pedal on my after upgrading to a 292 with a 4-barrel carb... getting close there, but need to make some adjustments to get to wide open throttle position - only opening about 50% right now.

Been a while since I posted....My '52, "Sam" has been undergoing a rear end swap among other things, since the end of May. Initial plan was to swap the rear end out for an open drive, replace the wore out SM420 with an open drive good SM420, and drive it. Probably a weekend and a $300 job. Well, THAT didn't work out like planned. LOL
So far, we are at - new rear end (3.08 gearing), new custom made driveshaft, literally like new SM420, new clutch, pressure plate and throw out bearing, new brake hoses, new ring gear, new shocks, new fuel filter, fuel pump, fuel line,and I currently am having the starter rebuilt. I now see what people mean when they say projects snowball...It went from- "We need this" to " We might as well do this". Thank God my pocket book says stop- I'll have to drive it some before it gets blown all apart.
When I carried the starter in to the local Old Guy rebuilder, about 80 years old, he looked at it, and asked me who I'd gotten the truck it was on from. I told him, and he smiled. "Yup. See that mark? That paint color? I rebuilt this for Mr Sam around 30 years ago." If he can remember a particular starter and owner from thirty years ago, I know it's in good hands . When he rebuilt that starter, it was about the time Mr Sam had decided to "restore" a couple of his old trucks and sprayed them with tractor enamel.
Hopefully, he will have it done by this weekend and I will finally be able to drive Sam with his upgrades. We've went top quality on parts, so I'm hoping for good results.

Nice story, five-oh

Post the old u-joint and u-joint housing and u-joint rear support/cross-bar assembly in the Swap Meet (if you have not yet posted them).

Fired up the 57 GMC 250 today after a 2+ year sleep. The 327 ran and sounded good.
It may even have a mild cam in it. Also, I didn't have to put any air in the tires
Going to load it up in the next few days and take it to the ATHS Tri-State show in Virginia next week.
Even being retired, I still need a vacation.

I also received the first of the Stovebolt 25th Anniversary decals today.
We'll start taking orders in about two weeks.

Don

Hey just a heads up. Looking closely at the decal on the window, and an awesome decal it is, but the window looks like its about to pop out. Eeeee.

Good eye Glen, I did not notice that.
I just went out and checked it, and it must be the original rubber.
Several more places have dried and missing pieces of rubber but, the glass is solid in the frame though.

Decals do look good. We'll start a thread in about 2 weeks to take orders.
Hope to talk to John next weekend on how to handle it.

Thanks for the heads up!
Don

I was asked to drive home some newly weds from their wedding in my 50 3100. They offered to pay me but I totally refused to be paid for this. I have known the young lady for a long time and got to know her new husband in the past year. They had a nice wedding yesterday at a pristine farm about 15 miles west of Richmond,Va. It was a nice enjoyable day and evening. I turned on the heater valve and we had a nice ride home at about 11 pm last night. They were very excited to cruise in the old truck for about 20 miles to home! Being a Designated Driver sometimes with a cool old truck is always fun. It was also a great prop for wedding pictures !

Jim

Worked on patching the passenger side door lower interior. Used a patch panel from Jim Carter. Nice fit. I'd recommend it if you need to patch your doors.

Worked on getting the exhaust run... Rebuilt 292 should be ready to fire this week with a partial exhaust installed! Super stoked!

Got the cowl vent installed. Grandson proved to be invaluable in helping me! It was fun, but not real fun.....gotter done!

Got both door patches welded in and the driver's door welds ground off. I used a skim coat of JB Weld over the small pits in the weld rather than grinding more metal away. Not super smooth, but should be good for the lower interior of the doors. Used a little JB Weld where the door skin had rotted away where it bends over to the interior just for a little more help there. I suppose I could have welded on a new piece on the skin, but...

Next task is to hammer the dents out of the hood.

Got my recently rebuilt (by me) 292 fired up for the first time! Super awesome... first time building an engine, held good oil pressure, ran strong, really didn't have to adjust the timing at all (yet)... havent driven it, just fired it up for 20 minutes. Do have a substantial leak on the valve cover I need to fix... but should be able to get that done!

Took a break from sheet metal and painting. Today pulled the engine & tranny from the chassis. Found some interesting things when disconnecting the u-joint. It was severely worn with lots of slop in the journals, there was no lock on the bolts, and they were barely tight. There was evidence inside the torque tube ball that told me the u-joint had blown up before. Just got a repair kit on order.

I put a Clifford intake and a Holley 390 4 barrel carb on my 250 6 cylinder last fall. We finally got the carb adjusted this past week so that it drives nicely. I also recently swapped the 3 speed transmission for a 5 speed out of an S10 pickup. What a difference. Looking forward to driving it this Saturday in the Hot Rod Hundred cruise here in St. Louis.

I'd like to make that swap (5speed) eventually. Already have that clifford but went with 12bolts converted 4-brl 750cfm to 3-brl 560cfm carb

Got my valve cover painted/reinstalled - hopefully fixed the oil leak from the valve cover - flattened it out a bit around the bolt holes

Removed the axles from the chassis today. Found that the rear springs were too worn to reuse. They had been patched together and one of the u-bolts had a coarse thread patch welded to the fine thread u-bolt.Held for probably 40+ years. So have a bigger pile of scrap metal. I'm going to offer the rear springs for knife making material in the freebie section of craigslist up here. Front springs are OK to reuse with new bushings and shackles. Getting the frame fixed up for the blaster. Last item is to patch the radiator support mount holes on the front crossmember.

I took the collision insurance off my 1959 truck today after removing the seat and transporting the seat 135 miles to the upholstery shop. Despite taking the truck off the road now I am happy because I finally got a spot at the upholstery shop to get the seat done. I have performed all mechanical, body and paint work myself except installing the front and rear glass and now the upholstery. Weather is turning here towards winter so I am not really losing much driving time. [img]http://[/img][img]http://IMG_1577.JPG[/img]

I put a coat of wax on my 49 but still need to clean the wheels and tires today. My brother in-law is going with me to a big car show tomorrow at our local 4-H Center. With the rise in Covid-19 we'll just park the truck, sit, and watch all the cars and trucks go by. Suppose to be 63 degrees and sunny.

Went backwards today... Managed to drop the newly rebuilt ($150) generator while attempting to reinstall it. Broke off one of the connecting poles as well as crack the case when it fell 3 feet onto concrete.

Finally found the Snap-On ratchet in the grass after launching it in rage...

Would you please post the magic words you used to keep from destroying something, and that calmed you down enough to clear headedly move "forward"?

Bummer
Your post should be in the thread titled "What did you NOT get done on your bolt today".

Tim ... Sorry, but I got nothing for you except to say that I proved Ellinor Roosevelt's statement that Marines are the most foul-mouthed people on the planet (not anything I am proud of). Billy talked me in off the ledge. I have not yet found those words and thus have not yet moved forward, much less with a clear head. I am just ashamed that I let such an insignificant thing as this derail my day/weekend...

I wish I was as sage and fatherly an authority figure as was Tom Brownell to me, but alas I am not. I truly miss that man. As well, George Mills (Jarge) who was as much a father to me as any one around here (or elsewhere in my life ...)

A bad day at Stovebolt HQ ...

Today I fabricated studs I need to reinstall my transmission. 1/2”-13 7” long bolts that I turned the head of, machined a taper and milled flats to help me remove them. Getting ready for reinstalling the engine.

Got my new temperature gauge installed, run, and tested.

Got my 5 speed, Brownie, Dana 80, shifters, driveshafts installed before snow came. Much more comfortable to do upside down work on dry ground.

Ed

good week here on the 46 shortbed,
disassembled seat covers at stitching to use each piece as a pattern, wife cut & stitched up a new set (including beading) in a nice matt greenish upholstery fabric, looks sooo nice (not her first rodeo).

refinished my oak bed wood and stakes, bed strips were painted steel and chipped up......Mar-K stainless bed strips finally came, R&R went easily, fit was perfect, not polished version but are nicely shiny, polished version must be mirror like ‘cause standard SS is pretty darn nice.

steering box still being rebuilt, install is my last item for her getting going down the road again.



chuck

Got to pick up the starter for the '52 today. It's been a bit over a month since I took it to the little repair shop. The old guy rebuilding it called this morning. He had it rebuilt. I went and picked it up- it looks like a new part. The old man sandblasted and painted the housing, and didn't let so much as a scratch on it. I felt a tad guilty installing it on my old, slightly oily but good condition 235.
Of course, after all this wait, I carried it right over to my buddy's shop where the truck is. We put it on right away, even though we were both short of time tonight. Then the moment of truth- and the flippin' battery was dead as a doornail, and no amount of charging could get it to power up quickly, and my spare battery was an hour away. So the battery is on a nice deep cycle charge, and I'm back on impatiently waiting status until Thursday when I have time to go back over. Seems like sometimes, these old guys fight any kind of improvement tooth and nail. All I wanna do is see how the 235/SM420/3.08 combo actually works. I've been waiting somewhat patiently since MAY! LOL

On my trip to a car show Saturday I noticed the voltage gauge was only reading 11 1/2 volts in the ‘62 C-10. Finally got around to diagnostics this morning and after checking all the wiring I noticed a bit too much play in the alternator belt. Although the belt is only 3 years old. My adjustment was maxed out. Remembered this was supposed to be a temporary belt when I first put the motor in. Took my 46 inch belt with me to O’Reillys and asked for a 45 1/2 inch belt. Needless to say I didn’t make it home with a 45 1/2 inch belt. Another trip into town in the morning then wait til the noon truck comes in. It’s become the norm since the old man counter person retired.

Picked up the new 45 1/2 inch belt this morning and had it installed and adjusted within 15 minutes. Truck is charging now.

Put a front sway bar on my 58, 3100 over the weekend. What an improvement! Much better handling around corners and rides better overall.

Easy to do and reasonably priced.

That sway bar is a clean installation. I purchased one from Brothers a while back for my 59', haven't mounted it as yet, but it mounts inboard of the spring and under the front cross member. I much prefer the way the CPP unit your using mounts.

Tuts 59,

Double check that they sent you the right sway bar. About a year ago, I ordered one from Brothers, 55.2-59, CPP front sway bar and they sent a sway bar for an AD truck. There catalog was wrong, indicated it’s was for the Task Force but is was really an AD sway bar kit. I tried to explain it to them but didn’t get far. Maybe they have corrected their catalog by now.

Got the correct one thru Classic in KC.

Had a couple friends over today to help tighten up a couple of frame rivets, and got the frame tucked away in the garage for the winter. They also helped me get the cab off the rotisserie and on a wheeled pallet. I couldn't use my engine hoist because the pallet wouldn't fit between the legs of the hoist.
It's good to have friends.

I applied the first coat of POR15 Top Coat to my 59' frame.

Glad I can actually post here in regards to the '52 which has been undergoing a "weekend" swap that turned into 5 months and counting. Finally got the new starter on and got it running. I actually got to drive it about 3 miles. I didn't have time to drive much more, and still want to finish properly bleeding the brakes, as we just did enough to get a pedal to move it around the shop. I've got the floor pans cut out, and a leaking exhaust gasket, so it was LOUD. But at 60 mph it's purring, with no vibrations, and seat of the pants feels like 60 is the equivalent of 45 before the swap.. That 235/sm420/3.08 combo is going to be just what the doctor ordered around here for my type of driving. Back roads with the occasional 70 mph jaunt on the interstate, with little to no payload.
Now to wait on the handful of miscellaneous parts enroute- exhaust gasket; clutch and brake return springs, brake light switch...and wrap it up. I'm thinking this next few months will be well served in the tiny shop installing floor pans and painting the interior.
Dear Lord, I hope the wife doesn't find the receipt folder on this. We've not even started the expensive part of a resto, the body work. LOL

Put the ‘62 C-10 on the lift this morning. I noticed yesterday there was a fairly large puddle of ATF under the radiator. I drove it hard a couple of weeks ago to a car show a couple of towns south of me on US-81. 70-75 mph for several minutes going down and back. I started the engine and raised the lift looking for leaks. After a minute or so I noticed dripping coming from the high pressure side transmission line at the radiator and at the transmission. Two separate leaks. I’ll pull the line off tomorrow and head up to my local NAPA to get a new one made. It was a custom job when I put the modified 350 and 700r4 in 3(?) years ago. Not a hard fix just a pain to keep ATF from dripping down my arms.