The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 1940 Chevy 1/2 Ton Foot Starter Question

Truck currently has a key start. The foot starter controls have been removed as well. The truck has a later 235 (1957). I would lIke to revert back to the foot starter. The question is which foot starter linkage will fit the bell housing of the 235 and also fit the 1940 cab properly? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Is the trucks transmission and bell housing original? If it is then you should be able to replace the starter and linkages to original and use the stomp start .Ignition switch not sure if you would have to swap .here is a picture of Johns truck it is one series newer but it shows the 235 with the stomp linkages and starter

Note: I am using a 1960 235 and the bell housing if from my 1946 216.

You would just need the bell housing with the attachment bolt holes to install the stomp starter pedal and linkage. Shown in the attached pic.

If you're needing the linkage, send me a PM.

Get a tractor electrical stomp switch from Steiner Tractor and mount it in the hole where the mechanical stomper was. Use it to pull in the starter solenoid on the 12v starter. I have one in the garage that I can take a picture of in the morning. I've even mounted a hard rubber "button" on it.

Pictures as promised. The switch is a Steiner Tractor part # MFS140. I don't remember where I got the hard rubber "pedal". I had to cut some of the bottom end of it off to allow the switch to be pushed far enough to make contact.

Here is a link to the switch.

Bill, did you push the switch up through the floor from under the hood?

I haven't mounted it yet. Waiting to mount my 12 volt starter with solenoid attached to a 302 that has been sitting in my garage for 4 years. I plan to mount it under the floor. Much smaller hole needed that way. It might even fit through the stock hole.

Bill - That's a neat alternative.

Ok, that's what I was thinking but just wondered how you did it in real life.

That is a better way to install a stomp starter without having to install a starter set up for stomp start.

In my case I wanted to keep the look and operation of the stomp starter, but my flywheel is 168 tooth 12 volt variety and my starter is 12 volt with a solenoid.

The only question now is do I :
a. wire the stomp "switch" up as hot all the time like a real stomp starter is
b. wire the stomp switch to be hot only when the key is on

a. is how the original is, but will allow cranking the engine (mostly accidentally) with the key off. I've done this myself.
b. would probably require a relay triggered by the ignition switch being on (I already have a spare like this) because the solenoid probably draws more current than the ignition switch is rated for.

I would wire it up as the original so the starter can turn with the key off.

That way you can prime the carburetor if necessary or turn over the engine for other reasons (valve adjustment or whatever) without having it start.

It's also thew simplest option.

That switch looks like it has heavy contacts and terminals to be wired directly from the battery to the starter, bypassing the solenoid, but there's nothing saying you can't use it to activate the solenoid rather than the starter directly. In any case, If you install it in the floor, I would get some kind of cover to prevent the terminals from shorting against any thing, like the bell housing. The clearance between the floor and the bell housing is fairly close there.

I'm leaning towards hooking it up through an unused relay that I put in my electrical system when I rewired the truck years ago. I have accidentally hit my stomp starter more than once while parked in gear in my garage. So far, the overhead garage door was open when I did it, but maybe not so lucky the next time.

The switch (when installed on the small tractor it is meant for) does activate it's starter motor, so it will have plenty of beef for the solenoid.

I have a 37 with a 57 235 with a foot stomp starter,the starter is from a 58? and the linkage is most likely from the same era. My bellhousing is one from Jim Carters that is a modified 48 to 53.

While looking for something else, I found where I bought the "button" I used for the stomp starter switch shown in this post above. I drilled out the hole in the back side to be a tight fit onto the Steiner Tractor switch.

Click here.