Get ready, King Of Trucks is coming...

diamond T's are good looking rig. i know a guy who has a few of them.

 

Well, I got myself plenty frustrated over the weekend. I made a couple of assumptions that may or may not be causing problems. Who knows?

Here's the story. I drove the truck for a week and it ran fine. It started running rough like it wanted to cut off at idle and missing slightly when on the gas. The old air cleaner was filthy and when I pulled it off, it idled much better. It was still popping and missing when on the gas. I got a new air cleaner, still idling fine and popping when on the gas. I checked out the ignition components. Fixed a broken wire to the coil and added ring terminals to the bare wire connections at the coil. Plugs, wires and dizzy cap looked new so I left those alone (maybe part of the problem?). Changed out the coil, condenser, points, and rotor. Still idling good but popping on the gas. Should've spent another $30 to do the plugs, wires and cap for peace of mind.

Now it won't start at all. Thought maybe it was out of gas as the gauge isn't working and I couldn't remember how many miles I did or how much gas I put in it. Got some gas. Now the starter isn't even turning the engine over. Battery has a good charge. Wiring between battery and starter "looks" ok. But that isn't saying much. Judging by the rest of the wiring, it's probably about to catch on fire at any moment.

So here's what I know for sure. The wiring is still for shit. I will have to address that ASAP or else I'll just be wasting my time trouble shooting other causes when it's very likely that there's a broken/corroded wire/poor connection/poor ground causing problems. I'm going Monday or Tuesday to a local place (Dixie Truck Works) to get a new factory style harness for pretty cheap. Not as cheap as Rebel, but I won't have to buy any connectors or strip wires either. Basically plug and play for a few dollars more. This will likely fix a lot of the static I'm getting trying to figure out what my problem is.

I'll also be rebuilding the carb and changing the plugs, wires, and dizzy cap to remove those as possible causes. Eliminate the question marks. And that'll pretty much be all of them other than the starter (which may or may not have gone bad at the exact time all this other stuff started going on?). All will be right in the King Of Trucks Universe one way or another.

 

Oh, and by the way, the fuel pump is pumping gas and the filter was good but I changed it anyway. The carb is squirting gas, but that doesn't mean it couldn't benefit from a kit. Just wanted to mention that.

 

Might want to pop the tank out and see how much rust and sediment is living in there. If the filter was full of crap chances are the carb is as well now so before rebuilding it probably worth a check or you will be doing it all again.

Now... Ask me how I know.....

Good call on the loom, nothing quite as exciting as a small under dash fire whilst travelling at 60mph on the motorway (freeway).

In the dark.

And rain.

Passing a truck.

And the only illumination is from the plastic coated wires as they set fire to the bulkhead pad....

Ah... The joys of 'old car' motoring....

P.

 

Paul,

The filter looks ok so i'm assuming the tank is too. I think the majority of my problem lies in the wiring. I'm picking up the harness today, if it's in stock.

You're right about the joys of old car motoring, lol. Something about it being slightly dangerous and unsure is part of what makes it so fun.

Cheers mate,
Kevin

 

The 55 Chevrolet Pickup is one of the best looking trucks....We have a 54 thats fun to drive around but I'd really love to get a 55 second series

 

Saw one for sale on here that looked like a good starting point yesterday.

 

Ok, here's a small update. Still nothing really exciting to speak of. The plug on the diff cover was welded shut. I picked up another diff cover with good plug from my guy at Dixie Truckworks for $10. I also got some used chrome, specifically a grill, headlight bezels, and rear bumper. It's all in "ok" shape. It's what I call "until" chrome. Just something to dress it up a little "until" I get to the point of needing really good chrome.

Also with regards to the wiring, I decided to try one more thing before rewiring. Since the truck isn't starting at all now, I made sure the wiring was good between the battery and the starter. Also double checked to make sure the battery and ground was good. A starter solenoid/switch is less than $20, so I figured maybe that might at least get me driving until I get the harness. Worth a shot and not really money badly spent. That'll be here tomorrow.

I am still definately getting a new harness. I don't need any potential fire issues, lol. But I miss driving this thing and it'll be a week or so until I get the harness. I'll post some before and after pics up after I get that chrome cleaned up.

 

That's the great intro to any vehicle I have ever read. Awesome Turd!!!!

I can't wait to see this thing come alive and progress and I would like to help if I can. Let me know what I can do. We need to get that full floater asap!!!

 

Hey thanks, I really appreciate it. The one thing you could do that would help the most is buy my '63, lol. It's all downhill from there.

With the funds from the '63, I can at least have it lowered and have the 235 hopped up some. Or maybe a new engine if a good one comes up. You know it's only about $100 or so for two crossmembers to swap in a V8 and tranny. It's about as easy a swap as you could hope to do. It'd have to be the right engine though, maybe a vintage 327 or even a caddy. All that is just wishful dreaming until I sell the '63 though.

 

I don't think you have much choice on the engine Turd. If you pappy was running a SBC then I would think that's the only choice you have. You are pretty well versed in them by now anyhow and they are rad little engines if done right. Please though, do me a favor and get a older points dizzy instead of that V-12 one you were using hahah!!!

Can't buy your '63 unless you buy my '26. Catch 22.

I am trying to locate a good 283 right now for my '35 and if I do I will have a solid 350 Four bolt waiting for you. i even have a spare intake that you could get too!!!

 

very cool start for a thread. i like your truck, but then again im also a big fan of chevy trucks. my biggest regret was selling my 48. it wasnt that pretty, but it was mine. cant wait to see how you get on with yours.

 

Looks like a good start. Here's a little inspiration for the 6. My father in laws 57......080 over 292, big valves, head work, Clifford goodies, etc.

 

A small block chevy is at the top of the short list. I mean, it's either that, or hop up the stovebolt with a two or three pot intake and split exhaust, or something with a little flash and pizzaz like a caddy or olds done up right. I like the last choice because it makes the chevy purists and resto mod guys cringe.

Whichever ends up moving this truck around is not going to look modern in any way. That HEI dizzy on my '63 looks like it belongs on a plane, lol. I want it to look like right around the '59-'61 era.

Thanks. I regret almost everything I've ever sold, lol.

 

I still miss my 56 Cameo, even though I sold it 20+ years ago (to a guy named Ronald McDonald!). i just wish they weren't so prone to serious rust.

 

Nice. I bet that thing sounds good when you mash the stink pedal.

 

Ok, it's been a while. But I've been busy with a total rewire on King Of Trucks. I ended up going with a factory style replacement harness with all the connectors. It was a little more expensive than a Rebel or the like, but easier to deal with. Some of it has been ridiculously simple. Some of it has been cornfusiner'n'hell. The truck had extra relays which took me a while to figure out it only came with one. It took me about a half a day to get the gauge cluster out. Turns out it has a tiny lip that gets hung up. Then it took a while to figure out how to get the headlight knob out (there's a little spring thing to puch in behind the dash on the switch). Then the switch itself wouldn't come out because someone previously screwed up the retaining nut. Oh, and I busted a terminal on the generator just by taking a nut off.

All in all, rewiring has been a giant hassle but a great learning experience. I now have a much better understanding of how the circuits work by knowing the routing from this to that. I've still got the tail lamps/turn signals to wire up and it'll be driving again.

I sold my '63 and have begun the search for hop up parts for the inline. I've got a line on a two pot intake with new carbs and linkage locally and am waiting to go check it out. I'm looking for some chrome steelies and a split exhaust manifold. I'm also going to check out a big window parts truck to see if there's anything I can use. I'd love to have the big back window cab. We'll see...



So here it is in print, my plans that is...

Stage One: Tune up and fluid change.
Check
Stage Two: Rewire to keep from catching fire.
Almost check
Stage Three: Lowering all the way around with dropped axle/flipped rear.
Getting ready to order from Sid's
Stage Four: Engine Hop Up with two pot carbs and split exhaust manifold with dual exhaust.
Actively searching for parts
Stage Five: Full on semi-radical interior. Flaked dash, lots of white, very bright.
Looking at all the pics of flake I can find to find out what color I really want (leaning towards Roth mind splitter or bong water or maybe a bright blue)
Stage Six: Full on exterior paint and new chrome along with painted or chrome steelies.
I have only begun to think of outside colors. Suede or shiny? If I go with mind splitter on the dash, maybe gold exterior. With green on the dash, who knows?


I'll get some new pics up as soon as I have some progress. I'll probably order my lowering stuff on Monday and get to installing it right after Thanksgiving. I'm sure it'll be just as much of a hassle as the rewire job. That's how it goes for me, lol. Thanks for this awesome forum and thanks for the inspiration.

 

Hail to the King! We need a few more Chevy truckers on this site.

 

Still fighting this wiring. It is whooping my ever lovin' ass. I am making progress though. Also today, I picked up a brand new offy two pot intake with two new carbs and all linkages and lines. So there is some good news. All I need to find now is a good split exhaust manifold and the engine will be done. Well except for some paint and some chrome under the hood.

Here's what I got today...

Two brand new factory rebuilt carbs, one is an automatic choke and the other is a conventional cable choke. It's a progressional setup with one carb working all the time and the other coming on for full throttle. I'm not familiar with multi carbs, but I've been reading and learning as much as I can.




Here's the intake, it's an offenhauser. I also got offy linkages and fuel lines, all gaskets and risers, and even a fuel filter with the deal. Should be pretty much bolt on, tune, and go. I also got a setup VHS video that came with it. I don't even know anybody with a VCR anymore.




This setup was purchased as a "complete kit" by a guy who bolted it to a rebuilt, never run 235 and has since sold the car it was going into. I picked it up off of craigslist. The engine is still for sale. It's got three sleeves and a mild cam and "professionally" rebuilt and has not run since it was rebuilt two years ago. If you're local, I can put you in touch with the guy, PM me.

I can't wait to get done with this stupid wiring so I can start setting up those carbs and working on a decent exhaust. I'm now actively searching for a header and some cool air cleaners, PM me if you've got a 235 split manifold you keep tripping over.

 

Well, the rewire job fought me every single step of the way. I broke a terminal off of the generator. I pulled the back plate off to fix the terminal only to realize one of the brushes was blown out where the wire goes in. Hopes and dreams (and spider webs) must have been the only thing keeping it together so it would run. I got a used generator in good shape off a runner for $20 and swapped that out.

Took me half a day of careful prying to get the gauge cluster out. Took me another half a day to get it back out when I realized I forgot to screw on the odometer and oil pressure gauge fitting. My truck had three relays under the hood, I only need wiring to one. Took me a while to figure that one out too. Same with the ignition switch, the one in the truck was aftermarket and only had three terminals. I needed way more.

Just when I got rolling good, I had to stop to go out of town for Thanksgiving with the family. When I get back, all the momentum I had gained was lost and then some. That's just a small taste of the heartaches I've been through.

So I finally finish up everything today, well almost. I still have to wire the turn signal lever to the harness. Have to wait on special terminals and a connector in the mail, $8 shipping for $4 worth of parts, lol. But anyway, I can drive it. Well, almost. I go to crank it up this afternoon after finishing swapping out the generator and the fucking battery is deader than disco. It's three years old, so it was bound to happen sooner or later and with the cold weather we've been having lately it's really no surprise. But fuck, all I've wanted to do the last month was drive my truck.

I'll have to wait one more day. It was too dark and too cold and raining like hell tonight to keep messing with it after I got the new battery. I did get it to spin over a couple of times before the old battery went totally dead. At least I know I should be driving tomorrow. We'll see...

And if all that wasn't bad enough, I bought a factory split manifold. Great, right? Wrong. It got here with the extra outlet broken off and a giant crack in it. Fuuuuuuck.



But progress is progress. And I'm making progress albeit ever so slowly. Realistically, it'll be New Years before I get a replacement manifold and get the carbs installed and tuned. With my luck, it'll surely take longer. It's never easy over here, but I always learn a lot. So I guess I can't really complain. I want to call Stage Two done, but I won't until I've actually driven it and find everything working.

 

Stage two is still not complete, but is closer still. More heartaches though. Let's see, where did I leave off? Oh yeah, dead battery. So I get the new battery in along with new cables. I go to crank it and get sparks under the hood. It seems the positive battery cable going to the starter is in the way of the plunger on the starter. So I fix that and go to start it again. It spins but no fire. I start checking and there's no fire coming out of the coil. I figure maybe the coil is fried from before the rewire due to crazy/altered old wiring and possible resistor bypass. New coil, points, and condensor for just in case. As it turns out the problem was in the wire coming from the negative side of the coil going into the dizzy case and then to the points. Something in the rubber insulator on the dizzy case was preventing a good connection.

I fixed that and got fire. Hooray, right? WRONG! I got it to start but got sparks under the dash. I forgot to take care of the wire going to the horn button. I have no horn guts in my steering wheel, so I had left that loose for later and forgot to keep the wire from touching steel. Then it started getting late, and dark, and cold, and the wife is asking how long I'm going to be out there, etc..

I fixed the horn wire for now. I've got a Caddy steering wheel coming in the mail and will hook the horn up then. So, and I know I keep saying this, but tomorrow I should finally be able to drive it again. Here's to keeping hope alive. But one way or another, it's not going to whoop me. And I've learned more than I cared to know about a car's electrical system. So I've got that going for me.

 

Finally got it running. It's got a stumble though. Could be that negative wire from the coil going to the dizzy acting up or could be the carb is gummed up from sitting for a while. Everything else ignition related is new. It is at least running again, the rest should be easy enough to figure out. Either replace the terminal and insulator on the dizzy case or a carb kit. Or maybe that's just a good excuse to get the twin pot setup on that much quicker.

As for wiring, I've just got a couple of issues, mostly with the tail lights. No running lights, brake lights or turn signals back there. Either a bad ground, bad stop lamp switch, or bad bulbs (brand new tail lights). Should be easy enough to run down with my new found intimate knowledge of wiring and routing.

 

Cool 4 x 4!!!

Good for you Terd!! I am glad at least someone is getting shit done on Shop Night. I was plugging away in my garage last night trying to mount a seat and figure the brake situation out. Can't wait to see your truck pull up at "My's Antiques" aka The Lords Lair.

 

I can't wait either. It seems like forever since I drove it. We've been putting off getting the Christmas tree cause I keep saying the truck will be running "tomorrow". We got tired of waiting and put it in the trunk of the caddy tonight since I couldn't get it running without that big stumble. I just want to drive again, lol. I feel like I'm moving at a snail's pace. Thanks for the encouragement.

 

Stage Two is finally complete! I got all lights working. I still have the stumble. I got a new distributor, I'm positive the bushing in the case where the negative coil wire goest to the points is shorting to the case causing timing issues and popping and backfiring through the carb when on the gas. As soon as I learn how to set the timing, I'll be back in business.



So, here's where I stand now.

Stage One: Tune up and fluid change.
Check

Stage Two: Rewire to keep from catching fire.
Check

Stage Three: Lowering all the way around with dropped axle/flipped rear.
Getting ready to order from Sid's

Stage Four: Engine Hop Up with two pot carbs and split exhaust manifold with dual exhaust.
I have aquired the parts, got a broken exhaust manifold in the mail, waiting for the replacement. As soon as it comes, I'll begin the install and tune.

Stage Five: Full on semi-radical interior. Flaked dash, lots of white, very bright.
Bought a kickass Caddy steering wheel. I think I decided on green and white for the interior, bongwater green flaked dash.

Stage Six: Full on exterior paint and new chrome along with painted or chrome steelies and bias ply wide whites.
I have only begun to think of outside colors. Suede or shiny? If I go with mind splitter on the dash, maybe gold exterior. With green on the dash, who knows?



Let me just put this out there. I am by no means an expert. And although a job may intimidate me because I've never done it before, I'd still rather go at it myself than letting someone else do it. I couldn't do half of what I do without you guys here on the hamb. You guys are awesome and I appreciate all the help you've given me. I guess what I'm saying is if you're intimidated by an aspect of your ride that needs doing, jump in and do it. There's always plenty of people ready to help here on the hamb. It's not as hard as you think. And when you're done, you get that special satisfaction that can only come when you've accomplished something you never thought you could.

I'll update again as soon as I get this thing timed right. And thanks again.

 

Keep after it man! Before you know it you'll be driving down the road, one arm resting on the door frame, the other holding the wheel...

 

You keep saying it is stumbling when it runs. Do you know how many miles are on the engine? May be it has jumped timing between the crank and cam. Just a thought.

 

I can't imagine how an inline 6 would jump timing without destroying at least one of the gears so completely that it would no longer even turn.

 

What a great truck to start with!! Those vintage pix of the bad ass are super fine, man do I dig that thing, cool ass interior look. Those scalloped edges on the pix just reek, cool vintage! Thanks for posting them. I painted a buddys 55 stepside for him when I was in auto body school and could hardly give it back to him it was so sweet. My pal in Omaha x-derelicht is getting a 57 GMC out of Montana, can't wait to see that bad boy on the road!! GET er done!! ~Sololobo~

 

That is a neat(?) maybe interesting, feature of those old Chevys. They would wear enough to jump a tooth and still keep going. If they jumped enough teeth they would make loud, expensive noises when the crank started hitting the cam.