History Official B Altered Truck Restoration Thread

Keep plugging away, and please keep us updated along the way

 

Love that thing.
Scares the hell out of me - but that's probably why I love it !!

Hmmm... buddy of mine has a t-bucket chassis sitting in the corner...

 

Well I got into the transmission last night. It is really clean and I was amazed at how good of shape the gears are in. It basically looks like new inside. I'm going to take the main shaft out and clean up some sludge that's on the bottom and put new gaskets on it and it should be good to go.
1937 Packard. Mr Morris had told me that it only had 2nd and 3rd but it appears to only have 2nd and Rev. Not sure how he did that? Looks like the Synchronizer has been blocked somehow?

 

Here is how you cheat like a Boss! Put a fake smaller tank inside your fuel cell so when they pull fuel they get gas instead of Alcohol! Mr. Morris had told me about it when he visited. I cut the end off because it had been full of used motor oil. (which was a good thing) I think it might clean up ok. not sure yet. Im going to remove the cheater tank and re-weld the cap back on the end. Have to be honest, I was a little nervous cutting (grinding) that end cap off. I lived!
If the fuel trick doesn't work just put "264 Cubic Inches" stickers on your valve covers and paint 264 in real big numbers on your door then put in a Fuel Injected 401. Hell, who will notice right?

 

At a glance that trans does look to have 2nd and 3rd unless you are saying the hub won't slide forward into 3rd. Way way WAY cool project. I really liked the pic of Mr Morris now and then.

 

That is correct. The hub that houses the shifter fork will not move. In the Ford toploaders that I have worked on it will slide over the synchro's which you can see in the photo. Only the rear gear will slide putting it into what I THINK is second and reverse only. Maybe the synchronizers are flipped to lock them in? Who know's?

 

Got the trans working. The hub was just flat out stuck. Went ahead and removed the gears and cleaned everything real nice. New gaskets on the way.

 

Rod bearings came in but I have had a bitch of a time finding standard Mains. I called up the guy at www.nailheadbuick.com and he fixed me up with a set at a very nice price. Hope to get this engine together real soon now.

 

Damn how did I miss this thread. This is cool as hell

 

Bad/Ass !

 

Such a great project!

 

First i've seen of this thread,
So cool!

 

Finally got the engine together and primed. Ill paint it later right before I set it in the truck. I cleaned the tank and blasted it, then I made a new side and tacked it on. Ill get a buddy to finish tigging it on. (Im a grinder not a welder)
Took the panels off of the bed and made some repairs. I still need to replace one of the rails as it is bent. Ill paint the chassis and front end, reinstall that, then engine trans, brakes floor, etc... Then....body.

 

Nice progress

 

Not a whole lot to report. I ordered the clutch and pressure plate but it was the wrong thing, so soon as Summit reimburses me I'll get the correct one I need then the engine will go in. I made a new cap for the tank and had a friend of mine weld it back on for me as I don't have a tig welder. I painted the frame complete and got the front end back on with all the other parts painted and the clutch linkage in. Wont be long before the rolling part is complete, then on to the cab then add fuel and stir!

 

That is such a beautiful lil truck. Like the look, the story and the build!

Don't take this the wrong way, but why did you remove the alcohol tank from the gas tank?

That truck just oozes race truck, but all the little things just make it almost in the same class a smokey! Stretch every thing to the max, and then start bending it!

And 32-34 truck is always great, but that much set back with a nailhead, cab set back to keep the firewall, bobbed bed and a rigid rear axle! Awesome combo.
How much is it set back?

Will you be painting it like it was?
How does the Builder feels? Surprised, over the moon or just plane happy?

 

I took the tank out because it was rusted and there was no real good way to clean all of it with it in there. Plus I couldn't use that tank due to the small fittings going into it and Im sure the inside of that tank was trashed. I left the ports to it in the big tank so as not to change the outwards appearance of it. No one (except us) will ever know its gone.

As far as the paint, Yes, I have made stencils of all the lettering and it will go back EXACTLY the way it was. The original sign painter sadly passed away about a year after I got the truck so I will do it myself.

Not sure on the set back but I would say about a foot maybe?

Mr. Morris was kind of bah hum bug the first time I called him wanting info and photos , but now he seems kind of excited (as he can get) about it and talks to me far a good while when I call him. I think he is quite proud of the truck, as he should be. Quite an awesome ride for a young boy from Waynesboro, VA.
As a matter of fact his brother is coming to my house Thursday afternoon to see the truck for the first time in 50 years. I told him I wanted stories so hopefully he will burn my ear off. I'll put a post in here about what he says.
Stay Tuned!

 

Glad to see this moving forward!!!

 

Good to see the progress!

 

That such a nice feeling to have the original builder as a lifeline. I made a deal with the guy who sold me the Volvo gasser in my avatar, that I could get all the help i
needed, as long is I promised to rebuild like he did, but more importantly drive like he did.

Do you have plans to drag, at least ones just to call it done ?

 

I'm not sure I'll ever race it all out but I plan to at least make some good passes in it so folks can see it go. I'm too afraid to do something stupid like put it in the wall. Then it's lost forever, not to mention me because this thing ain't eat up with protection. Lol.

 

looking forward to progress on this....
keep on it man

 

Need help. Is there supposed to be a gasket between the pump and the timing cover?

 

I'm sure there is. There is one on my Olds engine...

Wonder if they sell sheets of gasket material that you could cut yourself?

 

Wow! Dunno how I missed this thread, but I'm glad I found it. Super cool.

 

Love this thread! These little altered trucks were pretty prevelant on the East Coast, late 50s into beginning of the 60s. Lot of car clubs built them as club project, tin was cheap at that time being a truck and easy to build. Hemi's, nailheads, and the design meant it was easy to work on too. I remember at least one running at Dover Drag Strip when I was in high school, an injected small block named "Bad News".

 

Yea, that "Bad News" truck is still around and restored. It looks VERY similar to this one. They are the only two I have seen that have survived.

 

Not a whole lot to report this week. Im still waiting on the pressure plate and clutch to come in. Should be at the house when I get home from work.

I do have brakes now! and yes that is a copper line. It's the original line and brass t blocks. No way I was not reinstalling those. The steel lines and fluid are new.

 

Engine in. Trans next.
It was a late night after my son's baseball game but I did it anyway. Not really easy to do by yourself but I've had a lot of practice lately.