New Guy Old Truck

Yes, it's definitely a nice truck. Looks like it's had some work done to it sisce you were a kid. Care to elaborate.
Gramps
 
BTW, I went to a solid state voltage regulator in my '67 Corvette years ago when it became apparent that those from the FLAPS were unreliable and NOS units were priced like they were made of gold. I put it in an original dated case and never looked back.

I shouldn't tell secrets "out of school", but our friend "FlatheadMurre" just might have something in the works for us 6 volt guys.
 
Ol' Ron said:
Yes, it's definitely a nice truck. Looks like it's had some work done to it sisce you were a kid. Care to elaborate.
Gramps
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Yes, it had some work done. My uncle and I figured around 1977 it had a repaint. Thats about it. The inside was painted also at that time but no panels were ever replaced. All the gauges are there, seat, etc just missing the covered panels on the doors and headliner. From what I gather my grandpas brother was a body guy that helped with the painting. I have no idea what “body guy” meant to old farmers in the 70’s. It may have been done in a barn, behind the barn or the yard for all i know. What i do know is for a 40 year old paint job it has held up really well. Nobody in my family can remember anything else being done to it. It was last registered in 1973. So it had been a farm truck since then and even after the resto it never went back on the road. I only remember it in my grandpas garage. We always just talked about it as the little green truck.
 
Help.

I worked through my wiring questions and ordered from Sacramento Vintage Wiring. Thank you all!

Next, I wanted to get some new radiator hoses. That took me down a rabbit hole. When I saw the kits for a 36 they don’t match up. It appears I have a 37 fatty in there. It is a 21 stud but the pumps are on the block. Also, I do not know what kind of radiator I have. It has turned down outlets. I cant find anything that leads to me to what that is. A couple hours on google and I only found one reference for the radiator on an old sale on another car site.

This is going to be fun trying to figure out what has been done/changed/replaced as I dive into this. My grandpa owned it for about 60 years but trying to reverse engineer what did all those years is going to be exciting with my limited knowledge.

If anyone can confirm the year flathead i have and info on the radiator i sure would appreciate it.
 

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The radiator ports are probably correct. They would be pointing at the original outlets which would have been on the pumps on the front of the heads.
 
I would try to duplicate the set-up you have on the driver's side. Most auto parts stores should have the rubber bends you would need and the straight piece can be obtained from a muffler shop. Personally I do not like the accordian style hose because it seems to me (and I do not have any proof of this) that the wrinkles would impede coolant flow.
 
I've said it before and I'll say it again; I have seen too many otherwise impressive looking engine compartments spoiled by the use of flex hoses. To me, it smacks of a lazy owner that didn't want to take the time to finish the installation properly.
 
On my 33 I bought a length of 45mm stainless tube and two 180 degree silicon bends in 45mm (1-3/4"). I cut the bends into two suitable bends per side and used the stainless tube in between.

I tack welded the thermostats to the lower end of the tubing.

It made a neat installation in the absence of a specific hose.

*actually the stainless is on my 41pu the 33 has normal steel tubing.

If you look for my crusty flatty drive video you can see them clearly.

430176
 

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37 or early 38 pre 24 stud engines. I have put a couple of these engines in 35/36 cars, there were block off plates available to cover the block holes and use 35/36 heads with water pumps mounted on the heads
 
MGG said:
I would try to duplicate the set-up you have on the driver's side. Most auto parts stores should have the rubber bends you would need and the straight piece can be obtained from a muffler shop. Personally I do not like the accordian style hose because it seems to me (and I do not have any proof of this) that the wrinkles would impede coolant flow.
Click to expand...

Yes, that is the plan, to duplicate the drivers side.
 
tubman said:
I've said it before and I'll say it again; I have seen too many otherwise impressive looking engine compartments spoiled by the use of flex hoses. To me, it smacks of a lazy owner that didn't want to take the time to finish the installation properly.
Click to expand...

I've never met a lazy farmer. In my experience they are some of the hardest working people on earth. If it were mine I'd emulate Mart's set up. I have about as much to contribute mechanically as a red brick but finding solutions is the fun part for me. I believe Mart is correct. The radiator outlet is intended for a head with the intake at the front (earlier), not in the middle of the block. What year that change was made IDK. Keep us updated.
 
I was talking "Car Guys", not farmers; where did they come in? I think everyone on this forum is interested in appearance to some extent. Just "getting it cobbled together" really shouldn't be our ultimate goal.
 
Joshbarts said:
Yes, it had some work done. My uncle and I figured around 1977 it had a repaint. Thats about it. The inside was painted also at that time but no panels were ever replaced. All the gauges are there, seat, etc just missing the covered panels on the doors and headliner. From what I gather my grandpas brother was a body guy that helped with the painting. I have no idea what “body guy” meant to old farmers in the 70’s. It may have been done in a barn, behind the barn or the yard for all i know. What i do know is for a 40 year old paint job it has held up really well. Nobody in my family can remember anything else being done to it. It was last registered in 1973. So it had been a farm truck since then and even after the resto it never went back on the road. I only remember it in my grandpas garage. We always just talked about it as the little green truck.
Click to expand...

Perhaps Joshbarts can elaborate.
 
MGG said:
I would try to duplicate the set-up you have on the driver's side. Most auto parts stores should have the rubber bends you would need and the straight piece can be obtained from a muffler shop. Personally I do not like the accordian style hose because it seems to me (and I do not have any proof of this) that the wrinkles would impede coolant flow.
Click to expand...

Haha, you are both right. I agree things should be done correctly. I agree that some old farmers like my grandpa used "creativity" get things back on the road.

That is why I am asking questions. Trying to reverse engineer what has been done over the last 80 years is a challenge for me with my limited knowledge of this hobby. Trying to put it all back together in more correct way learning as I go is an experience. I thank all you who have chimed in.
 
Update-

I have had some time to spend the ol’ 36. I have been learning a lot things.

I started the rewire engine/dash/cowl. I stared at the schematic and my harness and couldn’t make sense of it. I called a buddy over who knows more than I do. He stared at with me and couldn’t help. So, I just cut the old stuff out and routed what I thought made sense without the schematic and it magically routed itself in place. Once it was all out it made much more sense. One of the things that was confusing me was the charging system. Turns out I have a 39 charging system and not a 36. Oh fun…

I took out the spark plug conduit and pulled out the old cloth wires. They were very brittle, had many spots of bare wires, and places where they were fused together. Got everything removed, repainted the conduit, and routed new wires.

Pulled the distributor. Took it all apart. Cleaned everything. Thought I was going to be smart this time so I ordered a rebuild kit for a 37 since that’s what my engine is. Nope, it’s a 36 distributor. Of course, the internals are different from 36 to 37. New kit on order.

Dumped the old fuel. Disassembled, cleaned, and rebuilt the fuel pump. Thankfully, that was uneventful.

Carb is off and to a friend to rebuild.

Need to wire in the dash gauges. Who knows if they work? It’s a mess right now. Won’t be when I am done.

I think I am close to starting it up.

Once it starts then I will replace worn suspension and steering parts. You can wiggle the kingpins by hand. Most of the bushings in the shackles or worn enough that you can see through them. Tie rods are shot.

Next will be brakes. Once all of that is in place I will route the rest of the body harness and see about a real drive.

I think I have a good plan. Am I missing anything?

Pics to follow.
 
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