Well I got straightened out - a friendly word from another subscriber tells
me that I can post an EBAY auction if it's my truck.
Well it is...
Apparently the whole long EBAY address is flawed so just search for item
#574271332.
BEWARE - the text is pretty hokey!
The truck looks really good on the EBAY pics. It is really good but a word
of caution.
This is a driver truck with a home/garage paint job from 15-20 years ago.
The cab and front fenders at least. The rear half we did about 5 years ago
(we got the truck w/o a bed or rear fenders) and tried not to get it too
perfect so the front half wouldn't look so shabby. On the front half there
are several places where the paint if crummy but overall - at 12 feet with
a recent bath (the truck, not you) - it looks very good.
It's good enough to be proud of but not good enough to cry over if it get
scratched or dirty. The interior paint just stinks - don't know if that is
1949 or 20 years ago. It does look like somebody just sprayed this truck
and then scraped the paint off of the glass. Yuk. I see hints of a
turquoise green here and there underneath so it may have been that color
from the factory. If you wanted a perfect paint job, it would be a quick
job it get it ready!
THE BODY
When we did this truck's bed - we hunted down two decent fenders, a couple
of bed sides, ordered a new front, and cut the oak lumber ourselves. All
the rear half's paint is like I said - our doing. It still looks good but
there are chips in the paint on the bed strips and a few scratches in the
wood but nothing serious. I have made a few trips to the hardware store and
even with a blanket under the cargo, it chipped the paint. It needs a
tailgate (bet this truck's gate is the one on Dad's street rod!!! - I
didn't see the truck when he bought it for several months). I've not had
the money and the luck to find another tailgate at the same time.
The front half is very good with no rust in the lower cab or fenders or
doors. There IS RUST in the lower doors on the inside right along where the
screw-in weatherstrip goes. It is pinhole rust - maybe 2 or 3 tiny holes. I
see no evidence of rust on the outside and do not believe the doors were
bondo-ed. The floors are perfect. Nothing has patches on it - floors or doors.
There is no collision damages anywhere and I have looked from end to end.
The bright work (chrome) needs a little attention and is original. The
bumpers almost got straightened and painted several times in the recent
month versus chromed again ($$$). Never quite had the money or time at the
same time.
The dash (and the rest of the truck) has never been cut for any great
'IDEAS' in the past 50 years - no 8 track stereo conversions or CB
antennas. Even the block out plate for the radio is still there. The
pneumatic wipers work pretty well but could stand new seals in the motor to
get the most out of the vacuum they get.
The instruments work well but the speedo needs a new needle and cable.
The windshield and doors require new seals and new glass. $100 I think as
the price I got earlier this year from our friendly local glass shop -
that's safety glass with a slight smoky tint in the 'plastic' inner layer.
Somebody in their wisdom threw away the window weather striping in the
doors and maybe the first or second slam of the door the glass in both
doors cracked - long before we had the truck. Oh well - most old car glass
gets yellowed anyhow.
The engine and drive train
The engine is the original 216 from what I can tell. It has the standard '3
on the tree' with no problems back there. The engine (and rest of the
truck) has about 50K miles on it. I finally got the tuning figured out. I
had a rough idle and finally discovered that the timing was off a little
and one spark plug needed correct gapping - my fault. Now it idles VERY
good. It needs the valves adjusted but I've been waiting for a spare
afternoon. Maybe next weekend? It does use some oil (30W ND) but I don't
see it smoking when I drive it. It doesn't seem to drip much either as my
driveway is still pretty clean. It seeps a little but what original 50
year old engine doesn't?
The tranny has the normal (correct) straight cut gear howl in 1st and 2nd
but 3rd is quiet. It doesn't jump out of gear and the synchronizers in 2nd
and 3rd are good. Shifts very good.
The rear axle weeps a little on the passenger side so it needs that seal.
There is not any noise from the rear axle (bearings or gears).
Brakes and Suspension and Steering
The brakes are good and I keep them adjusted correctly (need attention
every few months with wear). They and the master cylinder were rebuilt by
us about 5 years ago because several of the seals were leaking.
Plan on new bushings in the spring shackles. They are shot. NAPA and
Advance Auto sell them so if the truck stays around much longer I'm going
to do this. They were not too expensive just for the bushings - maybe $50
or so. The shocks (knee action) are pretty lazy so I figure either new
seals or new oil or both. Never drove a car/truck with knee action shocks
in good shape so I can't judge how good they could be.
Kingpins - figure on new ones. That's it I guess on that subject.
It has a set of white spoke (aftermarket) wheels in good condition with a
complete set of center caps. The tires are Dueler H/Ts and are decent.
----
I've always been taught that you should buy the best vehicle you can
afford. If you are going to build an antique start with an antique - don't
buy something you've got to UN-DO (ex-hot rod or a half finished teenager's
idea of a good idea). If you're going to street rod a truck/car - then why
bother with an original driver since you're going to throw some much away.
And above all - buy the best rust free truck / collision free truck you can.
Well here you go - it's not perfect but it is very good in all the right
places. It needs several items addressed but most are simple - much easier
to replace several bushings and such than major rust repairs!!
We love this old truck - it's a perfect copy of my grandfather's truck. My
Dad bought it for Mom (her Dad) so they could cruise around a few years
after my grandfather passed away. My Mom never could get past all the
memories and to this day has never ridden in the truck as far as I know.
Dad considered building a street rod out of it, but already has a '49 3100
street rod (loves to build and sell). I rescued the truck and finally
negotiated a little inside storage in Dad's barn and a promise it wouldn't
get hacked when I wasn't watching. However, they are building a new house
and it was in the way.
So in December I brought it home and began driving it back and forth to
work (5 miles each way).
So several things became obvious to me - I don't have much use for a truck
as an alternate family hauler because there are three of us and one of us
has to be in a car seat for the next 4 years. I strapped the baby seat in
one day - major straps to the seat frame below and we all piled in for a 5
mile trip to a great little diner. There ain't enough room for all of us
comfortably. Also won't have a barn or garage of my own for next several
years (first child, first house). So with visions of a great old truck
weathering away and the common sense to realize I need the money more than
I need the truck, we've decided to find JAKE a new home.
I decided to EBAY this truck for the best exposure I could get and I
wouldn't be unhappy if I was a couple hundred dollars richer for it. I
started at $2800 because I figured it's worth that to me. Dad says $3000.
We'll see what happens. Guess I wouldn't be unhappy to see the truck stay
around but I'm going to have to get to know a neighbor or two a little
better and manage some barn space!! <grin>
Hope this tells you enough about JAKE. we're located in Cookeville, TN mid
way between Knoxville and Nashville just a few miles north of I-40.
Chris Mills
ICQ: 5944649
scmills@tntech.edu
Mid-Tennessee
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