Hi Deve,
>What is "AD"? I keep hearing the term and have no idea. Advanced Design?
Advance Design is GM's designation for the style of trucks produced from '47
thru '55 1st series.
>please describe the hell I will be going through to get [the cab] off. In
>detail please. :)
Taking the cab off is actually pretty easy.
1) First, remove the front clip and hood.
The clip comes away from the cab with three or four bolts at the reat of the
fenders. There are one or two radiator support to frame cross-member bolts,
some wires to unscrew, and I think that's about it. Check the shop manual
and the assembly manual to be sure. You'll need a helper, especially to
hold the hood once you remove the springs.
2) Next, remove the wiring harness and other assemblies going through the
firewall.
If you're going to put in a new harness, just clip it where it comes through
the firewall. Disconnect other through-the-firewall stuff like steering
column, pedals, throttle linkage, choke, oil and water meter and heater
lines. All pretty easy without the clip to get in the way.
3) Disconnect the gas line and sender wire under the cab.
Also loosen for any brake light wires which may be held by clips to the cab
bottom.
4) Disconnect the cab mounting bolts.
On my '54, the cab is held by two bolts in front and four in the rear.
Your '50 may be slightly different. The two in front are in little circular
recesses, the four in the rear are in two pairs in the floor by the ends of
the gas tank.
5) Lift the cab.
You can lift the cab with a cherry picker with the boom and legs extended.
Tie a sturdy rope through the door windows so that you can hang the cab from
the cherry picker hook. Probably best to leave the doors in to keep flex to
a minimum, but I've done it with them off, and had no problems. Lift the
cab slowly with the cherry picker until it comes off the frame. Moving
carefully, so the rope doesn't slip, move a stand under the cab and lower.
Even though the cab is light, do not get under it.
Here's a nice rolling stand for the cab:
You can make a simple stand out of 3/4 inch black pipe and pipe connectors.
Mine is a 5' by 6' rectangle with legs and some bracing.
The corners are 3-way connectors with 18" pipes going down to make the legs.
The pipe is screwed together loosely and flipped onto a flat surface so the
legs are pointing up.
At this point, flat bar is welded in the corners for strength. The bar is
1/8 by 1 inch. I cut lengths of about one foot, and slice the ends at
complementary 45 degree angles, so they butt to the pipes, which are in 90
degree angles. I weld the bar ends to the pipes for sturdy triangular
sections at each corner.
I weld lengths of the same bar in an X between the legs for additional
rigidity. . Finally, I pop some surplus shopping cart wheels in the ends of
the legs to make it roll. The studs on the wheels I found slip snugly into
the 3/4 in. pipe. A tack weld keeps the wheels in the pipe legs.
I put a couple of loose 2x4s across the stand, which support the cab and
make it easier to shift the cab when you're sandblasting/painting. The
stand puts the cab about 2' off the ground, so you can get to the underside
without killing yourself. You can wheel it out of the way while you work on
the frame. Materials cost around $35.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Grant S. gls@4link.net
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