The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop 1946 GMC carb linkage - does anyone have pics

Hi. After getting my pickup running (new purchase, completed rewiring, freeing up clutch and trans; etc) I found that my carb linkage gets stuck. I'll reference the numbers to the diagram as I discuss....

In the truck there are two levers (14,15) - one (15) which connects to the gas pedal via a rod, and the other (14) to the carb via a rod. I found that when I let off the gas the pedal the rod seems to stick a little. There appear to be two causes - one is an alignment of the rod and level to cause it to lock. It appears the level shouldn't be allowed to flip as far back as it's getting (gravity.. momentum... whatever). But when looking at the truck I can see it's been cobbled together a bit. The diagram shows a mysterious pin (with no name or identifier). It also appears two springs (11,9) connect to this mysterious pin - the other end of the spring go to (10) return spring pin.

There seem to be too possibilities - I suspect that if I had the pin thru the hold in the level (14), the would act as a stop for the other lever (15); preventing the lockup. Another possibility is that this could connect the two levers - I find this less likely since it would negate the need for two levers (and adjustment screw (17), etc).

I wonder, does anyone have pics so I can figure out how this should look. I imagine I could dream up a solution, but I'd like to make it close to the way god (or maybe just GMC) intended.

Before you do any bending on the pedal rod, make sure all the other stuff is right. The rod from the pedal to the throttle rod is weirdly shaped and looks like some sort of homemade junk. It's not. It has a fat part and a thin part and curves/bends in it from the factory.

The mysterious pin is a return spring pin use as a stop pin for 15.

@Otto - thanks; no plan to bend anything. It's evident that this is original... just missing parts.

@jimgmc - that is an interesting diagram and image. In the picture there are 2 pins and they are threaded into the block.

It's still a bit of a mystery to me. The diagram implies that both springs are attached to one of the pins. And your response may imply that the other pin is only there as a stop pin. This would make sense to me because otherwise the spring would pull the gas pedal down instead resisting the gas pedal.

I wonder - do you have a pic from the other side of the exhaust? It almost appears your linkage is either different or upside-down from the diagram.

Incidentally, Jim Carter sells a Chevy version of a spring and tab - the tab would be held by an oil pan bolt, and the combination would pull down (vertical). I ordered it - just seems to make sense.

YES


In the first photo I only have the inner spring for now.
In the second photo the padel rod (19) goes forward to pull, not push (15). It’s out of a forward control truck.

I think this is the only linkage picture I have. Not sure it helps.

#jimgmc - those are perfect. Thanks. That makes a lot more sense - better than either of the two ways I thought.

@UtahYork - I've seen that type of linkage on newer trucks - I think 50's.

[SOLVED] I think. I managed to find two studs that fit in place of the pins. I reassembled and it feels correct - no more lockups and such.

Forgive the pic - there must be a thousand years of hardened dirt/grease stuck on everything. It's been an archeological dig to find the truck at times. Anyway, I'd love to have period correct parts - but I haven't found any. At least for now she should drive without the throttle sticking.