I have finished cleaning the caked on grease & dirt that was on the steering mechanism at the bottom of the column. I have mounted the column with the 4 bolts, lock washers, and nuts. I need to attach the column to the bottom of the driver's dash & also at the firewall using a flange made of metal/rubber.
I'll clean up the separate pole that travels next to the volume that works the drift mechanism.
I have removed caked on grease, dirt, and rust from the 3 on the tree gearing mechanism that mounts on the steering column. I cleaned it using spray degreaser, brake cleaner, and a small bronze brush. Plenty of rags and yeah, elbow grease.
There is a small rubber grommet that I may source a replacement cause it does look kinda worn.
I bought the steering column rubber/metal floor cover w/seal '48-'55 3spd pair from Carters (Independence, MO) ($22.74 including shipping).
I installed it at the base of the firewall using fasteners bought at my hardware store.
I mounted the 2 piece caste iron clasp with the original hard rubber pieces using an original fastener and a replacement bought from my same hardware store.
Everything is not completely wrenched down tight yet cause I need to mount the shift mechanism.
I made a tool storage cover from a sheet of 1/2 inch thick OSB & 1/2 by 1/2 inch wood stock. The compartment is under the driver's seat and had no cover. It had remnants of some old emergency flares in there when I got the Carryall
I painted the cover using some olive tinted, outside, water-based enamel from Home Depot's bargain shelf ($2 for the quart).
I retrieved the upper part of the 3 on the tree & clutch & brake pedals from my parts stash that I have in my unfinished basement.
Next up cleaning, removing rust, and making those items look presentable.
I put the clutch & brake pedals in a gallon of vinegar to assist in removing rust.
I placed the hood outside on Styrofoam blocks, leaning up against a huge trash can.. I used some fine grit sandpaper to make it more smooth and then used an electric leaf blower to remove what I had sanded off the hood.
The temperature outside was above 60 degrees with humidity between 37% but not above 70%. The wind was only 5mph coming out of the north. So, all was perfect so I shot the hood with another coat of windsor blue acrylic enamel containing some hardener & reducer.
I started cleaning up the metal pieces of the front motor mount.
"We are not now that strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are"
1948 International Farmall Super A 1949 Chevrolet 3804 In the Legacy Gallery | In the Gallery Forum 1973 IH 1310 Dump 2001 International/AmTran RE3000 "Skoolie" 2014 Ford E-350 4x4 (Quigley)
I primered & then painted black the emergency brake bracket.
I have another emergency brake curved arm piece taken out of the vinegar to clean up further before priming and painting black.
I started removing rust and grease from the long steel rod with u shaped ends that mounts underneath the steel part of the floor of the carryall to work the emergency brake.
Cleaned off nearly all the grease, rust, dirt, and leftover rubber from the 2 piece front motor mount. Further cleaning is needed using a Dremel wire brushes, then primer and black paint.
See pics.
I thank recent comments provided from Martin & John.
I spent considerable time with the emergency brake bracket again to re-thread one of the three (welded in nuts, if you will, that is part of the bracket) holes that hold the fastener bolts, that help attach the driver's side inner fender to the front firewall
Painted it again black cause of marking it up with holding it with vice grips or clamps or an inexpensive vice that really is rather useless.
Primed and painted the c shaped emergency brake thick rod piece.
Never use acetone on non metallic objects Acetone is a solvent for ALL organic molecules It is used for rinsing out all equipment before sensitive organic experiments for a reason Acetone is the reason your old timey screwdriver handles slowly keep getting gummy and melting and sticky Acetone is the only molecule that starts to permanently unravel the cross linking in many plastics It’s the best way to screw up a material if you don’t know anything about it and only have one shot and messing up I hope it didn’t mess up your job But that’s super risky Acetone is a no no on plastics It comes in a metal can for a reason That one and “gun wash” are super bad for plastics Isopropyl Alcohol would have been a much more appropriate solvent in this case Able to lift all oils and dry the surface while not damaging the plastic
If you haven’t proceeded yet to the next step I strongly suggest you hard bake the surfaces that have been exposed to acetone to drive it all out
And wait a week to see if they survived The acetone residue will also not be compatible With any new paint you plan to use anyway -s
Phil Moderator, The Engine Shop, Interiors and Project Journals
1952 Chevrolet 3100, Three on the Tree, 4:11 torque tube Updated to: ‘59 235 w/hydraulic lifters, 12v w/alternator, HEI, PCV and Power front Disc Brakes Project Journals Stovebolt Gallery Forum
Sir, Got it! I will take your comment to never use acetone on non-metalic surfaces as factual. And I will proceed to bake out the residual using a hand propane. Thanks 2manytrucks.
I found the aluminum front motor mount cover with my parts stash & cleaned it up using solvent followed by the Dremel wire brush & 1/2 inch wide by 18 inch belt sander (see pics).
Sanded & painted the circular long hardware item that holds the two shift rods together, running beside the steering column that allow the three on the tree to operate/function (see pics).
Finally found the '52 'Burb's lock guide & spring for the emergency brake pedal mechanism. I took it apart summer 2012 (11 years ago). I cleaned those items up. (see pics)
Cleaned up the bolts, washers & nuts for the front motor mount (see pics).
I went & fetched a 6,000 lb Heavy Duty Industrial Hoist from a mentor fellow (Mr. Charlie). I will be placing a '56 235 Stovebolt engine into the '52 Burb next month.
I now have completely assembled the '52 'Burb Carryall's emergency brake apparatus with the exception of buying the rubber boot/steel item(s) that mount on the floor, and a new rubber pedal face.
I am ready to move on to more exciting accomplishments, like placing a powerplant in it's cradle.
By the way, getting that emergency brake apparatus cleaned, painted, and assembled is pretty involved. There are like 15 different pieces to the assembly & that is not including cleaning up or purchasing fasteners. And that is only counting from the long rod forward and not cables or components inside the rear wheels where the shoes are located.
~ Dan 1951 Chevy 3 window 3100 Follow this story in the DITY Gallery "My Grandpa Carl's Truck and How it Became Mine" 1966 Chevelle (Wife's Hot Rod) | 2013 Chevy Silverado (Current daily driver) US Army MSG Retired (1977-1998) | Com Fac Maint Lead Tech Retired (1998-2021)
I received the complete steel/rubber rear motor mounts & the insert steel/rubber front motor mount from Carters (Independence, M0).
Cleaned up six sets of bolts, washers & nuts to attach motor mounts to the frame, cross member & the engine (see pic of the nastiness of two (2) of the shorter bolts before clean-up).
I mounted the engine mounts front & rear (see pics).
Underneath the '52 'Burb's Carryall floor at the driver seat position is a compartment without a closed end toward the passenger side. Why there wasn't on mine I don't know. As such using fiberglass cloth, fiberglass jelly, & fiberglass hardner, I am closing that end up. You will see in the pics what I mean regarding an open end of that storage tool compartment. I will come back & use more fiberglass in due time because the fiberglass really wants to fall down since your working it up side down.
A second coat of fiberglass jelly mixed with hardner has been applied on the side of the tool compartment underneath the driver's seat floor (see pic). It will need a third coat too. Why? Because it is being applied upside down you can only layer the fiberglass for the weight of the material that will stay in place versus dripping down which it still does somewhat. I have started to clean-up the foot starter mechanism, as you can see how dirty it is in the pic.
Last edited by Phak1; 03/20/202512:27 PM. Reason: Typo
On my '51 3100, the underseat floor was rusted away on one end. I needed to replace that, so hammered out a piece of steel to match the shape of the depression (see pic.) I think I would have welded in a piece of steel rather than use fiberglass to close up that hole, but fiberglass works too. Just really messy.
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
Before & after pics resulting from cleaning up the foot starter mechanism using degreaser, brake fluid, wire wheel on a drill, belt & palm sanders. And plenty of elbow grease. It is ready to mount after cleaning up some fastners.
Thanks Kevin for looking in on how I'm solving the issue of an open end on the tool compartment underneath the driver's seat floor. I chose to use fiberglass cloth, fiberglass jelly with hardner, and it will be followed with spray on bed liner. Why? It's messy but it's less hazardous using a respirator & standard safety glasses than welding sheet metal which requires both special eye & special 🫁 personal protective equipment.
Last edited by baldeagle; 07/10/20243:43 AM. Reason: fixing emojis
Nick -- some of my "afters" don't look as good as your "before" ...
Nice work!
~ John
"We are not now that strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are"
1948 International Farmall Super A 1949 Chevrolet 3804 In the Legacy Gallery | In the Gallery Forum 1973 IH 1310 Dump 2001 International/AmTran RE3000 "Skoolie" 2014 Ford E-350 4x4 (Quigley)
The 3rd application of fiberglass jelly mixed with hardner underneath the driver seat tool compartment passenger side edge to enclose it is complete (see pic). I will follow-up once dried for several days with light sanding to remove any hanging drips, apply some paint and some bed liner type material. It should be good to go and I will not lose any tools or what not as I drive down country roads.
Thanks for the compliment John. Yeah, I and others are thrilled your back in the game with that restoration of that capital truck. I seem to specialize in clean-up lately.
Yesterday, my daughter & I traveled to southwest VA some 185 miles, stayed overnight, & then met with a fellow Old Dominion Stovebolt Society (ODSS) member Cosmo to purchase an engine from him (see pic). We then made the return trip back to northeast MD, having hauled the approximately 800 lb '56 6 cylinder Chevrolet 235 cu inch engine flawlessly in the 8ft bed of my 2000 Chevrolet dually 1 ton crew cab pick-up. The engine is to be dropped into the '52 'Burb Carryall using the existing 3 speed transmission with the torque tube setup. I thank ODSS' el president Cosmo for agreeing to sell the motor to me, as we discussed some 11 years ago at Winchester ODSS meet-up & recently at Wrenchfest 2023. I also thank my daughter Lynn for taking the trip & lending a hand with the powerplant transfer between ODSS members.
That's a nice engine dolly that Cosmo has. Did that get thrown in with the deal?
Kevin 1951 Chevy 3100 work truck Follow this saga in Project Journal Photos 1929 Ford pickup restored from the ground up. | 1929 Ford Special Coupe (First car) Busting rust since the mid-60's If you're smart enough to take it apart, you darn well better be smart enough to put it back together.
Yeah, the engine dolly was given to me from Cosmo. Carter's (Independence, MO) had 3 items ($35 with shipping) that I put on the emergency brake mechanism (rubber grommet at the dash lever, the rubber boot at the floor, & the black metal cover that hides the boot). I mounted my bellhousing with the already attached clutch fork. I cleaned up the teethed flywheel & installed it. I cleaned up the 11 inch clutch plate, spring assembly, & the cover.
On the 1956 235 6 cylinder car motor, which I believe am the 3rd owner IAW conversations Cosmo & I had a week or so ago, I have cleaned up the oil pan. I then applied primer & engine paint (see pics). I will use the 3 speed transmission that came with the 1952 Suburban Carryall.
The 3 speed transmission which originally came with the '52 Suburban Carryall when I bought the project back during 2012, had been cleaned up, painted red, and stored in my dry shed for the past eleven years. I have now attached it to the '56 Chevrolet car 235 6 cylinder engine. I shall put 80/90 W transmission oil in it soon (see pic).
The driver's & front sides of the 235 stovebolt 6 engine has been painted blue as in a '56 Chevrolet blue flame engine out of a car (see pics before & after). It happens to be the identical type engine, i.e., from a Chevrolet car & born in 1956 that is in my other antique pick-up. I want the engine looking nice before it's dropped into the '52 Chevrolet Suburban Carryall.
More: engine clean-up/painting, sheet metal coverings for toothed flywheel clean-up/painting, & water pump clean-up/painting (see pics before & after).
The 3 speed transmission which originally came with the '52 Suburban Carryall when I bought the project back during 2012, had been cleaned up, painted red, and stored in my dry shed for the past eleven years. I have now attached it to the '56 Chevrolet car 235 6 cylinder engine. I shall put 80/90 W transmission oil in it soon (see pic).
You need to use 90 weight straight mineral oil. The new tranny oils today are too slippery to allow the syncro’s to work properly so you’ll be grinding gears. And some contain additives that attack the brass syncro’s.
Tractor Supply has it so does NAPA. Here is a link for TS.
Phil Moderator, The Engine Shop, Interiors and Project Journals
1952 Chevrolet 3100, Three on the Tree, 4:11 torque tube Updated to: ‘59 235 w/hydraulic lifters, 12v w/alternator, HEI, PCV and Power front Disc Brakes Project Journals Stovebolt Gallery Forum
Today I started bringing back the bottom passenger seat. Particularly, I used a dremel tool with a wire brush & a inch wide belt sander to remove rust on the component containing the rectangle metal with 9 coil springs that attaches to the frame that moves forward to enable others to get to the 2nd & 3rd row seats of the '52 Chevrolet Suburban Carryall. It's interesting that over those springs was horses hair & cotton padding & then the vinyl seat material. Small C Clips held everything together underneath without putting holes in the brown seat material. This bottom seat is the worst one & will take the most effort to replace rusted through metal. See pic. And I thank Phil on commenting regarding replacement transmission oil & where to buy it!
More effort on the bottom passenger seat springs & rectangular subframe. I used straight metal, followed by coiling wire, then lots of masking tape around the really bad one side. I removed as much rust, debris, & soil from the suffrage & then primered it. I intend to follow up with jb weld & fiberglass. Pics show the old seat cushion material, which was horse hair, cotton, & the brown seat cover & the springs (12 not 9) primered in rustoleum gray primer.
The cowl vent was cleaned up today using the palm and belt sanders, the wire brush dremel tool, some acetone, and rustoleum automotive primer. It still needs some work by filling a small hole with jb weld, final sanding and then spraying it with the finish coat of windsor blue acrylic enamel paint (see pics).