So I got my 49 F-1 out of the garage for the 2nd or 3rd time since Christmas. 6 volt positive ground and pretty much all original. Took the wife about 30 miles to eat. Got back in the truck to go back home, and the entire electrical system is completely dead. Nothing. Couldn't jump start or anything. Naturally a bunch of guys gather around and start poking and gouging before I can even clean the battery terminals (which fixed the problem). One guy grabbing the starter wire, another going to get a booster pack (which was 12 volt no doubt), another one telling me that my "alternator" is bad, another one saying "that's the funniest looking battery I've ever seen", etc. Luckily I got the terminals cleaned and brought it back to life before they suggested that I do an engine swap. They mean well, but it can get a person nervous in a hurry. I guess that's a whole lot better than a bunch of guys standing around and refusing to even offer to help. Gotta love this hobby.

 

Doc next time tell them you're a mechanic instead of a Doctor and they will leave you alone

 

I got a clear picture of what was happening around you......


.

 

Glad they didn't try to "fix" any of those probable causes.

Certainly glad no one replaced that long, funny looking alternator...

 

Hey Doc....it sounds like you know how to show your wife a good time!!

 

Doc you have a standard shift the answer is just ask them for a push start. They cant do much harm back there and when it starts you drive away waving out the window.

 

The better part of that would be watching them trying to push start the next dead vehicle they come upon!!


"Here lady, just get in and put it in drive." "I'll give you and push and away you'll go!"

 

Funny story Shane, thx for sharing, lol

 

LOL. She's getting used to drama of that truck breaking down from time to time. It's amazing how battery terminals can show just a small degree of corrosion, and it will shut everything down. We ended up doing some shopping and returned home in the dark in a rain storm. She's used to the "ultra bright" 6 volt headlights and the highly efficient single vacuum wiper too.

 

Doc-look on the bright side (pun intended) the wiper didn't fly off !!

 

It's all part of the adventure of old iron. I suspect most of our spouses already expect some change in plan due to our hobby.

 

Even after 33 yrs my wife still doesn't know what to expect from me, lol

 

All that commotion has to make it almost impossible to concentrate on the problem at hand. I'm glad you got it going and gone B4 they had it on jack stands, and wrenches started coming out of there trunks. They could have had it messed up but good within minutes. Good job Doc.

 

I can relate to your story, when I was in high school I owned a 53 Ford car with a 6 volt + ground system. I was working on it one Saturday when some buddies came by to "help". I had a new battery sitting on the bench ready to install when the next thing I knew two of my "buddies" had bolted the battery down and were attempting to attach the ground cable to the negative battery post. Before long I hear this hammer thumping on the battery post...I yelled, "what the hell are you doing?"...they said that the cable end wouldn't fit over the battery post so they were "helping" it on.
I appreciated the fact that they would come over and help but I didn't appreciate having to take the battery back to the store and explain why the post was now recessed down into the battery case! Sometimes the saying "good help is hard to find" is really too true...

 

Shane,
I was glad to read that your challenge was with people gathering around to offer suggestions for your truck. If I was in your profession I would rather have people gathering around and offering suggestions for the truck than trying to give you ideas on how to be treating a patient.
Grant