The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Update on the '49 4400 Project

We're getting there! Over the holidays, I got the hood on and the hood emblem. Yesterday (Christmas Eve), I got it out of the shop so I could clean up and get everything squared away from tree sales so I could get back to work on it over the winter. As I had it outside on a beautiful winter day (here in Maryland, anyway...) I took it for a drive up the driveway (1/2-mile to the mail box and back). It has no glass installed yet, I was sitting on a feed bucket and it has an outboard motor gas tank... but it drove like a dream! Man, those brakes are touchy with no weight on the back!

Thought you all might like to see it.

Here's the photo from Christmas Eve

Regards,
John

Looking good, and even better in person. So it will be finished by the Leonard Town show right......

Way to go John, that truck is looking real good and I can just imagine the thrill of your ride, good job.

Very nice John. As I said before, your next project should be a COE. I'm not rushing you though.

Looks great!

Grigg

John,
your truck looks great. Those original looking tall tires really set it off. I would imagine that driving it was a thrill. It just gets even better from here. When I finally got to drive mine I was a bit shaky!

Fred

Doing a great job John, keep us posted, Now with the holiday rush over you should have time to get back to work on it full time . with out the grill in it looks like my Dad with no teeth . by the way tell Peggy hi

The sheet metal looks great.

Nice looking truck. Keep us posted.

Bill

It looks wonderful John. I know Progress is a great feeling.
Cleon

Looking good, John!! It's always fun to drive them for the first time!

Hey, the truck is coming along! Very nice but the bucket seat would not be vintage! Ha!

It wouldn't?? But they had buckets in 1949

Thanks!

John

Great looking truck. I'm not sure I want to show that picture to my wife for fear that she will ask why our 51 doesn't look much like it, yet.

Interesting comment about the brakes. The '73 1 ton doesn't have a bed on it right now, and doesn't have a whole lot of traction, but I hadn't thought about the effect on the brakes.

Stark -- Yup, with nothing on the chassis back there, they lock up pretty easy. Same with my firetruck (tanker) -- the brakes are set up for max gross weight (20,000 lbs), so empty, they're touchy, too. There's a permanent set of short skid marks right at the stop sign down at the end of our road -- cause that's the first place I hit the brakes when I go out...

As for your truck and wife -- it's actually really easy to make a truck look good -- all you need is just a bunch of money, time, effort, patience and skill. But I've found that Photoshop is easier than Bondo ...



John

Looks really great! The ride had to be a rush!
Rick

looks good. Maybe my 48 will look that good one day

I'll second that,
Grigg

Be really great to see um all together in the same place running.

Gettin' closer.....that works!

Looking real good! Thanks for the picture!

Now the seats are in, the doors are done (except for the weather seals) and all the glass is in!

Reupholstered Seats!!

This thing might be driveable for the Homecoming!


John

I liked the seat that was in (ok ON) it at Winchester!

Steering wheel looks close, You gonna fit in there

Bill -- I liked that seat, too. But the Missus said to get her good chair back in the kitchen or I was gonna get whumped. As I don't particularly feel like gettin' whumped, I elected to put her chair back and go get my actual seats recovered. It worked out -- I am, as yet, un-whumped. AND I have some pretty spiffy new seats.

Mike -- What are you saying, boy?

Nice seats.

Hmmm. I thought so.

Thanks!

John

When that whumpin comes, I would like an invite. My moneys on the wifey.I always enjoyed a good whumpin!!!!

Looking good. That would be great to have it running by then. Good luck.

That looks good! I can only imagine how proud you will be cruising in it!

Thanks Cletis -- Maybe I'll drag it out to Kansas City this year.

Don't have to imagine, Cannonball -- just join us and see for yourself!

Mikey -- the only whumpin gonna happen around here is the one I'm gonna administer to you. Remember -- unlike the rest of these yayhoos who think they can pretty much dog me out with relative impunity, I know where you live and can be there in 15 minutes... remember my BFW?? Sweet dreams.


John

It has been an utter pleasure to be associated with such a fine and knowledgable group of people. I look forward to many more good times and good wrenching with Mr.Milliman and many others. Did I redeem myself, sir. By the way, I also admire all the work done to the truck so far. You can tell it is a labor of love and pictures do it no justice till seen in person.

Not bad. Not bad at all. Seriously, do you think I'm really gonna put a whumpin' on ya?? Who else do I have around here to throw wrenches with and squirt Murphy Oil Soap all over everything?

You guys should have seen us grunting that windshield glass in... good thing there's no video...

Joe ... we are both in luck on that account. We'd probably get into a LOT of trouble with our wives...

Thanks for the nice comments -- you guys have kept me going all these years, so I thought you'd like to see the pictures.

Regards,
JOhn

Always a pleasure sir.

Mr. Milliman sir. My son has a 48 flat bed dump that he wants me too help rebuild. I am looking forward to it. I will have to ask a lot of questions of all the great and omnipotent people such as yourself . Your knowledge has no equal. See I can brown nose with the bestof them. And I dont want to be next In line for a THUMPIN. HA HA.

Thats awesome, all in fun, makes this hobby something special. In some ways, it keeps us all motivated.

No worries, Lou -- Plenty of folks in line ahead of you Like Mike said, sounds like a fun project! Have fun!

John

Truck's lookin great John.