The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Blue Funk hit by a Semi

Thanks for your continued interest Brother 'Bolter BlueMeanie.

Here's an update: It's taken me about 2 1/2 months, but I've got the frame wirebrushed, cleaned, treated, and KBS painted.

I removed the rear leaf springs and plan to cart them over to St. Louis Spring on Monday to have some bands replaced.

That's all for now. Stay tuned for further updates.

What are they charging and will they re-arch a de-arched spring pack? Bessie is a tad droopy in the front.

St. Louis Springs charged me $150 for all new bands and bushings on the two rear and one front leafspring.

I had the other front broken one repaired earlier this year for $55. That included the cost of replacing the main leaf and bushings.

They're located at 3126 Samuel Shepard Dr in your Hometown, Eric. Their number is (314) 533-2132.

Good luck with Bessie's drooping bosum.

Edit: BTW- I added a few pics to my photobucket. Two are of the Accident Site, one is of the Blue Funk's frame in my garage, and another is the frame being towed with my Buddy Jay and his son Jake.

Thanks brother! I'm going to call em asap.

Well, I got the leaf springs back on the frame, reattached the front and rear bumpers, and towed it out of the garage to sit under the carport.

Belinda and I drove down to Tulsa OK and picked up a '53 cab, left front fender, running board, and door. The fender, door and running board are in excellent shape.

I was not pleased with the condition of the cab's driver's side floor, as I understood it to have only surface rust. Ken Freeman, the owner of EastWestAutoParts, and I struck up, what I consider, a fair price for the cab.

I would highly recommend EastWestAutoParts, both for its inventory and personnel. There's a section of the yard, the NW corner, that specifically devoted to old Chevy trucks. Walkng through the yard was like a time trip. I took some pics and will post them when able. Scott and Brandon were very pleasant to deal with and they did the majority of the work loading and securing the parts to the utility trailor. Ken is personable and ready to work with the customer on the order. He even allowed me to leave the loaded trailor in his fenced-in locked yard overnight while Belinda and I used the pool and sauna, ate, and slept at the motel. It was a great Mini Vacation.

So, I'm messing around with the parts, cleaning and preparing them for paint and installation..

One of my current areas is modifying the '53 cab for a foot actuated parking brake, as it previously had a hand lever acuated one. A big "thanks" to Dads50 for his description of how the bracket attaches to the firewall in the thread "Inner Fender Woes". Both his description and pics really cleared up the situation for me.

That's about it for now. I'll keep you all posted on my progress.

Thanks for your interest.

Great Story Dave.

lookin forward to seein those pics of the chev corner of that yard.

I am extremely pleased with my progress.

In less than two months since I brought home the '53 replacement cab, I have repaired, cleaned, and painted it. The cab currently sits over the frame, held up by supports, awaiting the final work before attachment.

You may ask: "How did you get it up on supports above the frame?"
Well, my Belinda is a real Amazon Woman and she helped me get the cab up on makeshift supports.

I got a couple of heavy wooden tables in my shop/garage, set them in front of the cab about 60 inches apart, and put a 2x12 across them. Belinda held the 2x12 as I lifted the cab onto it. When we were sure the the cab was stable on the 2x12, Belinda came around to the back and placed a second 2x12 under the rear of the cab. I eased the cab down and was assurred it was stable.

Belinda and I then backed the rolling frame under the cab. A third 2x12 was added inbetween the two. This center 2x12 is also being suported by the rear raised portion of the frame. The heavy wooden tables are about 30 inches high, and the top of rear raised portion of the frame is also about 30 inches from the ground.

And so...

I've posted some questions in the Body Shop and Electrical forums.

Thanks for your continued interest and support!

Good to hear, Dave! I can't wait till you get the Blue Funk back on the road, I need someone to cruise with!

Thanks for your continued interest, Eric.

You know, it was one year ago today that the Blue Funk was towed back to my house. I started taking it apart almost immediately, but came to a standstill probably due to feeling overwhelmed. So, for over a month I did nothing to it. Then, I began working on the Blue Funk, eating it like it was an elephant, one bite at a time.

It was last November, 9 months ago, that the cab came off. My goal was for the cab to be back on the frame was by Autumn, so I could work on it, piecing it back together, through the Winter. I am currently ahead of the projected schedule.

If the time that has past is any indication of what is to come, and bearing any unseen problems, I should have the Blue Funk back together by next spring.

Perhaps then we can finally meet, and "sit around and gawk at our trucks".

Thanks again, Eric.

It's time again to note the progress of the Blue Funk's Re-Assembly:

I reattached the Master Cylinder and some brake lines.
I attached the common bracket for the clutch and brake along with the springs and other parts.

Belinda and I were able to both lift and scoot the cab into place on the frame using the 2x12's. I put together the parking brake rods and assembly and then bolted down the cab.

The Manual said the rear shackles are to hold the cab something like 49/64" to 53/64" above the frame. I converted the measurement to 3/4" to 7/8" and stuck a 3/4" thick board between the cab and frame, tightened things down, and everything came out okay.

I've got the defroster vents, main wiring harness, guages, wiper motor, ignition, cowl vent, and lots of little things like the grommets, choke cable, and so on, mounted and/or in place.

I'm currently working on the heater box, cleaning, painting, and rewiring it. I'll probably next move to whatever draws my attention. I need to re-attach the pedals and hook up some general wiring. I could do some window and/or door work etc. etc.

I guess I'm sorta in the Kid in the Candy Shop phase of Re-assembly.

I'll keep you posted.

Thanks for your interest.

???

Let's see your progress!

I'm depressed just thinking about all that happening to me. Glad to see your progress Dave.

It's been nearly four months since my last update on the Rebulding Process of the Blue Funk,so I guess I should do a short Status Report:

The cab with its firewall pad, Hush mats, guages, pedals, electric windshield wiper, parking brake assembly, and choke cable are attached.

A lot of the wiring is done.

I've cleaned, and/or repaired, and painted, the inner fenders, fenders, radiator frame, bottom grill support, grill, and grill top.

I cleaned and painted the oil canister and its inner fender mounting bracket. I replaced the broken oil connector from the filter/pressure line to the block. The oil filter canister is now loosely attached to the inner fender, which is loosely attached to the PB bracket and radiator frame.

I replaced the carb base and manifold to carb insulator. The accelerator linkage and accelerator pedal and its linkage has been hooked up.

I've begun working on the replacement door and a multitude of which ever other things grab my attention.

The week after next, I'm going on Vacation for 12 days and plan to spend the majority of my time off in my Garage.

I may take Belinda out to eat or something one evening if she wants.

Staying alive... LOL

Be good to see some updated photos too. Keep up the Good Work !!

It's been nearly a year and a half since I last documented on the Blue Funk's Resurrection, but I'm slowly but surely getting there. Lots of Major Life Changes have occurred and put quite a Damper on my Motivation to work on the Blue Funk, but this isn't a Tell-All Thread, so I'll stick to the Blue Funk's Progress.

Just about all the Cab-to-Frame work was pretty much completed along with the oil filter system, gauges, electrical, etc. when I attempted to start the Engine. HRL Jerry was good enough to obtain, check out, and send me a Carter Carb replacement for the Damaged-Beyond-Repair Rochester Carb. Try as I might, I could not get the Engine to start and I eventually had the Blue Funk towed into town to a Tom, Local Mechanic I've used a couple of times in the past. Basically, the Dizzy had to be moved "a tooth or two" before the Blue Funk fired up. DUH!

So, I drove the Blue Funk home on Cinco De Mayo 2014 after last driving it on July 8, 2011 when it was T-Boned by a Big Rig!

I was impressed with the Relatively Smooth Running Engine, the Power, Steering, and Braking Performance in the first few Miles. But then, the Keeper fell off of the Throttle Linkage and the Ride became Riotous, but I made it home safe and sound.

Being a Night Person, both Professionally and in my Private Life, I plan to Tinker with the Blue Funk at Night in my Garage.

I've been Posting Pics and Drawings quite a bit on the Nursing Website I'm involved with, have learned a little about How To, so I Plan to take dynosaurus' Request and do the same here on the StoveboltPage.

It's Great to be Back and I want to send a Big Thanks to All of You and especially to HRL Jerry for his Involvement and attempts to Guide a Blind Sow to an Acorn.

See you around on the Forums!

You're learning a little tidbit of information about some Carter carbs that us oldtimers know but often fail to mention. Due to the way the accelerator pump works, if the linkage falls off the default position is about half-throttle! That can make for an exciting ride if you happen to be in traffic or on a twisty road. The obvious quick fix is to shut off the ignition and apply LOTS of brake in a hurry! Glad you didn't wrinkle it up again!
Jerry

I'm just learning how to upload pics, so here's one from one of the Blue Funk's first road trips last May or June.

http://s837.photobucket.com/user/da...mp;_suid=1414303899909045585387202179234

Belinda and I loaded and strapped the Tandem on the back of the frame and drove down to the River Road Bike Trail. Since this pic was taken, the bed box and fenders, among other things, have been put on. I've taken the Blue Funk on local trips and have put about 550 miles on it these past several months.

You all like pics, so if all goes well, I'll load up some more in the near future.

Thanks for your interest!

was wondering what happened to your truck. Glad to see it's being put back together & that everyone is ok.....joe

Thanks for your interest, Joe!

I just got myself a printer/scanner and can finally post links to my pics and Journal entries so others can see how I progressed through the resurrection of the Blue Funk!