The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts The Stovebolt Volunteer Fire Department 1963 Restoration - what have I gotten into?...

Hi all-
Great site! I was wondering if I could recruit a little "research help".
The Fire Department that I work for still owns it's very first purpose-built truck. It's built on a 1963 C60 2-ton chassis with a Darley pump. A few of us want to get it back into some kind of "parade ready" shape.
The body is in phenomenal shape. A few little spots of surface rust and a few dents (mostly just the front fenders), but in most spots it still has the original paint. It needs some new rubber around the windshield and some mechanical work, but we think it's definitely restorable.
Here are some pictues. More are available by request. [url=https://picasaweb.google.com/ChrisHoffman76/MFDEngine8][/url]
I have a few questions that I've not been able to answer by searching both the internet and this site:

What vehicles should I look for for replacement wheels for the 2 piece widowmakers that are currently on it? Thinking that 9R22.5 may be the way to go. (20" 10-lug on 8.75 hubcentered)

What engines were available in this chassis? It has a V8 and I'm thinking it's a 327 or 283, but not sure.

What transmissions were offered? It has a 4 speed manual.

Where can I find some parts:
Radiator
Brake parts (wheel cylinders, rubber lines, etc)
Battery tray (rustiest part of the truck)
Fenders (are these even available?)
Rubber windshield seal (same as '63 C10?)

Thanks in advance for any help. I'm sure I'll have more questions as we get started. We just had the truck moved to our new station so that we can put it inside and start working on it.

-Chris

Chris,

Welcome to the Stovebolt

Nice truck, it will look good all shined up!

The standard engine in the C-60 was the 292 6-cylinder, the optional V8 was the 185 hp 327.

What size are the tires on the truck now? They look like 9.00 x 20 to me. If they are, then to get the same tire size in a 22.5 you need 10.00's, not 9.00's. Do a search here about the 10-lug 22.5 wheels/tire's, this topic has been covered many times.

The trans will be the Chevrolet SM-420.

Your local radiator shop should be able to help you. If what you have isn't keeping the engine cool, have it hot tanked and tested...it may clean up and be ok.

Brake parts are available at NAPA or any local big truck parts house.

If the battery is still in the factory location it will be the same as the pick up trucks and is available from most of the vendors...check American Classic (site sponse).

Fenders will need to be repaired or search for better used ones. Place an ad in the Wanted Classified section here, you might get lucky.

Windshield rubber is the same as the little trucks.

Hope this helps...

Mike B

Mike,
Yes, that helps a ton! It is a V8 so I suspected it was a 327.
Current tires are 8.25x22.
Thanks for the Trans info and for the C10/20 crossover info!
-Chris

Chris,

Are your wheels 22" tube type or 22.5" tubeless? Your first post said you had 20"...

If you have 8.25 x 20" tube type tires then you want to replace them with 9.00 x 22.5" tires which are the exact same height.

Mike B

welcome to the bolt nice to see another 60s firetruck saved

Yep, looks like we may have to bite the bullet and buy some of the accuride 28160's and some 9r22.5's.

Chris,

Place a wanted ad here and check your local junk yards, 6-lug 22.5's are not to hard to find used...You can probably buy 6 used wheels for the cost of 1 new. You might check school bus companys in your area as well. I got 3 NOS wheels for free from a school bus company that no longer used 6-lug wheels on any of their buses.

Make sure you get them all the same width, I think they were made in 3 different sizes (6, 6-3/4 & 7.5").

Mike B

Ifound my brake parts through Napa,battery tray can be found through LMC, CLASSIC PARTS and your windshield rubber. I hAVE 1 RIGHT nos fender and a good left fender if your interested. I also have some wheels off of a 1966 c-60

[IMG]http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt238/joek3167/1960%20k-20/20091218_86.jpg[/IMG]

I agree - the 6 lug wheels are pretty easy to find. Unfortunately, this truck has 10 lug on 8 3/4 with a hubcentric 6 1/4 opening.

Joek,
Do you have 10 lug wheels?

ill have to check them ill get back to you in a couple days

are I sure thay widow makers and not bead locks

mike b thay look like the wheels on my fire truck. johns truck has 6 lug on it mine and this one are the 10 lug

Oops, my bad...I looked at the picture and didn't count the lugs.

They shouldn't be hard to fine either...it's the small 10-lug 22.5's that are hard to find.

Accuride still has them in the cataloge p/n 28160 (22.5 x 6-3/4 tubeless).

Mike B

Chris,

As you work on the truck, the other fun thing you can do is call Darley's service line (available from their web site). I have a '65 Darley Tanker (on a GMC chassis) and it was great to call them, speak to a Darley family member and have him pull the actual file on my truck and pump and then photocopy everything and send it to me. They will have your truck's complete factory records, too. Probably even a photocopy of the service manual for your pump (they did for mine and it was built in 1945!). It was really nice to deal with such a large, old company that's still family owned and run.

I agree with Mike and the Hillbilly on the wheels and tires in that trying to find used wheels is the better route. The tires will run you more than $2,000 if you go recaps on the drives, new on the steers and more if you go new all the way around, so try to save some cash on the wheels. They will be expensive if you go new.

Good luck on your fenders. Mine were rusty, too. The rest of the truck was pristine. but the fenders... And it seemed that all the possible donor trucks I tried to get fenders from between the East Coast and Kansas City ALL had rusty fenders, too. Sortta seemed like GM used the same lot of crappy steel for all those big truck fenders during those years. Weird.

So welcome aboard -- it's great to have another Darley truck in the Stovebolt Fire House!

Regards,
John

Does anyone know what trucks those Accuride 28160 wheels came stock on? (22.5 x 6.75 wide, Hubcentered 10 on 8 3/4 with a 6.25 hub center)
I'm having a hard time finding any used wheels and Accuride dealers are telling me that Accuride has stopped making the wheels.
Thanks

Update: I spoke to a rep from Accuride today on their "tech support" number. Part #28160 has been discontinued as of November of last year. They do not make anything with the 10 on 8.75 bolt pattern in a 22.5 wheel nor do they intend to.

Truck looks nice. You have a great start, should be an easy restoration.

Keep us posted.

Bill