'46 Chevy Shorty - Page 42

opus · 12-02-2014, 11:19 PM

I had one of those on my 86 F250.

Tango · 12-03-2014, 09:24 AM

Thanks guys --- there was nothing like what you describe when I got the axle but it could easily have gone awol at the wrecking yard. I guess I could check another '98 C3500 or try and find a parts manual to see if that year & model had such a gizmo.

Tango · 12-17-2014, 10:04 AM

Minor Milestone --- Well, at least the rear end is back on the ground. This sucker has been balanced on top of jackstands and house jacks on stacks of lumber with all her wheels off for the past couple of months and making me really nervous. The new Dana80HD axle and springs are now hung and have the new 19.5 rims and tires mounted. Nice to be back on solid ground again. At least in the rear. The front is prepped and waiting for a disk brake conversion that has been in the works for about three years. Hopefully, it will be completed and ready to mount this millennium.

A few other projects are moving along...albeit slowly.

New axle, springs, rims, tires.

White looking painted areas are the exterior body panels treated in the HyTech ceramic bead coating. The inner panels will get it too.

My new 250 amp alternater and the new A/C compressor have arrived. Sorting out the mounting of everything so it will all (hopefully) fit under that pointy nosed hood.

And, just in case you know of anyone looking for original factory issue 1942 to early 1947 20" x 5" Chevy truck rims...I have a bunch. The three new looking tires in the front are taking their place so the originals have to go...cheap.

ONWARD!

opus · 12-17-2014, 11:00 AM

You're my hero....albeit a slow moving hero. ;)

ol trunt · 12-17-2014, 11:03 AM

Congrats on the rear axle install. It looks like it belonged there originally. The pulley on that high output alt would be happy as the drive for one of those huge blowers used on the dragsters

. Stay warm and keep wrench'n! Jack

Tango · 12-18-2014, 12:35 AM

Thanks guys, I'll take all the encouragement I can get --- And Jack...I would have thought that 8 row belt drive would look familiar. Doesn't your Isuzu have pretty much the same engine as the 4BT Cummins?

headinthetrees · 12-18-2014, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tango

Thanks Dan --- I really do want to do all I can to keep this old girl on the road and functional for as long as possible. Meanwhile...I got nothing but a really cold shoulder from the people over at the Vintage Chevrolet Club of America. Seems they are only friendly to restoration purists. Any Chevy that's not precisely the way it came off the assembly line, they consider a sacrilegious abomination.

I'm sure when you mentioned a mopar powertrain it was t minus 5 seconds to *click* Now if you told them you were putting a lsx motor in it they might have had a different tune.

Been catching up on your thread (as I'm sure my comment to your very old post indicated) and its quite enjoyable. Thanks for documenting the process so well, I feel like I'm reading a good book. Please don't spoil the ending.

ol trunt · 12-18-2014, 11:50 AM

Hey Tango, I know you've posted info on your 4BT somewhere --but I can't find it now. My Chevy/Isuzu 5.2l , produces 205 hp @ 2400 rpm and 415 lb/ft @ 1850 rpm. The alternator is a wimpy little 6 groove 105 amp affair that I imagine puts out just about enough power to run the headlamps and charge the two, 750 cca start batteries

. As best I can gather, the 5.2 weighs something like 900 - 950 pounds which seems awfully heavy to me. Jack

Tango · 12-18-2014, 02:56 PM

Hey Jack --- I'm guessing that your 5.2 is second cousin to the 6 cylinder Cummins 5.9 Either way, I'm betting there are quite a few alternater options available. Several are high output replacements for the dual alternater systems found in a lot of emergency equipment. 200 - 275 amps in a single, small package. The bigger output units typically require an external rectifier (mine did) but are still far less complex than running two separate units. And there are lots of pulley options as well.

Found mine through these guys (It is actually for a Ford diesel)...http://www.nationsstarteralternator.com/default.asp

BTW...My little four-banger is 130 hp @ 2300 and about 330 lbs of torque @1700. It weighs in close to 750 lbs.

Tango · 12-18-2014, 05:36 PM

Hey H.I.T.T. --- just saw your post. Glad you are enjoying the read. Of course, I'm not really all that into converting a "skoolie". Truth be known, my real mission here is to set a Guinness record for the longest continuous thread ever to run on the internet. And so far, it's lookin' pretty good bud!

Tango · 01-05-2015, 09:37 AM

AARRRRGGGGHH! --- The last month has been just about a total loss as far as any progress. There is some kind of really nasty bug going around town and it managed to find me. Spent the "Holidays" coughing, hacking and generally feeling like doggy doo around the clock while my bus just sat. Just now starting to come out of it. The only thing accomplished was to drop off about nine of my replacement body panels at a sandblasting shop. I got tired of "pickling" the sheet metal with acid to remove the scale and surface rust and decided it was worth paying someone else to do it. But...they have now been sitting there for almost three weeks due to the weather. Also been raining around the clock here and this cheapo shop doesn't really have a "shop". All outdoors so nothing has happened there yet. Should have a couple of dry days this week to blast & spray some primer. Maybe by then I'll be up to getting back to work.

I HATE losing time to something like this!

ol trunt · 01-05-2015, 12:11 PM

Hey Tango. I know what you mean about losing time "to something like this". I did just fine this holiday season unlike last year when Santa brought me kidney stones. Ha Ha. Jack

bansil · 01-05-2015, 04:23 PM

so you were feeling warm and squishy?

why did that stop work on Shorty

hope you feel better soon

Tango · 01-05-2015, 04:24 PM

GACK! I'll take lumps of coal over kidney stones any day. Get to feelin' better Pard!

claydbal · 01-06-2015, 07:05 AM

there has been a new strain of flu around here in south lowsyana. they say it is worse than h1n1!!!!!!!!!! hoping you really are getting over it!

sandblasting will warp thin panels, but im sure you found a blaster that knows what they are doing.

Tango · 01-06-2015, 09:42 AM

My new (replacement) panels are all 14 gauge. Pretty tough stuff. And the blaster uses sugar sand at moderate pressure. Saw a couple of Model T doors & fenders they had just done that turned out great.

But you are absolutely correct. Too much heat as a result of too much pressure on light weight sheet metal will result in a lot of warping and oil canning. Gotta be careful not to overdo it.

Tango · 01-15-2015, 03:51 PM

Howdy All --- I just discovered a source for some critical body panel replacement parts and wanted to share it. VERY difficult to find anyone making new repair panels for anything as old as my rig.

Chap named Ray Stanley is fabbing lower cowl repair panels that fit all 1942 to 1946 Chevy trucks. From 1/2 ton thru 2-ton. And just about every unit I have seen (mine included) has serious corrosion issues in that area.

He also has patch & replacement panels for other old Chevy iron as well as doing custom work.

I just put an order in given that both sides of my cowl have totally gone to rot. This is a lifesaver and priced WAY below any body work estimates I have gotten locally.

His business is called Wheelwright Restorations...below are his email and website. I have no other interest than to help other folks in the same boat as I am. Stuff like this is really hard to find or come by.

wheelwrightrest@comcast.net

http://www.wheelwrightrestorations.host-ed.me/index.html

ol trunt · 01-15-2015, 09:55 PM

Hey Tango. Great find. I sure could have used something like that when I was cutt'in 'an Pasting the cowl on my bus! Jack

Tango · 01-16-2015, 10:07 AM

Roger that Jack --- Mine are so bad I've been putting off even dealing with them. Guess that sometimes procrastinating pays off 'cause these are not easy pieces to form without the right equipment...and skills. One body shop here gave me a ballpark of over $1500 bucks to repair both sides (all metal work...less for glass & Bondo).

Still waiting on the body panels I dropped off before Christmas. Been too #!@$&! wet & cold here for the cheap-o outdoor blasting shop to work on them. Haven't seen the sun twice in the last month and a half. I'm about ready to move to Ecuador.

Meanwhile...I did find a color while rooting around online that I think I like better than the Toyota. 1936 Cadillac Colonial Cream. Will pick up a small sample today to see what it looks like in person.

ol trunt · 01-16-2015, 11:24 AM

Hey Tango, I went on line and found a paint chip of your Colonial Cream. All I can say is great minds think alike! That color is very close to the color I used on Honeysuckle Rose!?! I remember that you were considering a much darker color a while back, but it seems to me that the lighter color shows off the Art Deco body better as well as reducing the heat load from the sun. Jack

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