I tried to get my project '47 pickup to start yesterday. I was told buy the previous owner that it hasn't been started in ten years, but ran fine back then.

The engine spins free by hand and the after-market electric fuel pump was working fine from a gas can.

I pulled, cleaned, and gapped the plugs (didn't look bad so I didn't replace them), replaced the solenoid, put in a brand new 6V battery, and freed-up the starter motor with a little tinkering.

I didn't file the points because it looked like it was going to be a "bear" to work on without pulling the fan and maybe the radiator.

When I turned the key (old after-market ignition switch) and nothing happened, so I jumped the solenoid. The starter spun the engine nicely (but a bit slow).

I wasn't surprised when it didn't start and will begin troubleshooting the electrical and ignition systems tomorrow, but my question is this:

Didn't these trucks have a starter pedal or button mounted on the floor or dash? Or an "on/off" switch for the electrical system?
I don't see anything that resembles one. I found what looks like an ancient toggle switch mounted under the dash but it doesn't do anything.

Also... the only electrical divice that seems to be working is the amp-meter... no other gauges, no lights, no horn, etc...

I'm open to any and all suggestions or advice before I start using the "hunt and peck method".

Oh... I also found a divice mounted way up under the dash that looks like it could be an early form of "fuse" block???

 

Ernie, I have a 48 so some things may be different, but they'll be close. This might get you started until somebody that knows the 47's chimes in.

When I have to do this I just start at the battery with a test light and follow the electrical path. If you have juice at the battery side of the solenoid, turn the key on and see if you have juice at the starter side (a helper to push the starter button will help). Also the ignition post of the solenoid should be hot with the key on. From the ignition see it you are hot at the coil - both output to dist and battery side. If you have spark at the plugs it should start.

Check all electrical connections - they MUST be clean and tight with 6V pos grnd system. Originally they used a starter button, but as you noted the aftermarket switch can eliminate this IF it has a start position. Some are just an run/off switch.

Make sure you have fuel in the carb. When starting one of these it's not uncommon to have to use full choke to get the gas flowing thru an old carb.

Toggle switch under the dash on my 48 is for the dash lights - don't know about the 47's.

Also the 48 uses a 'fuse'block that is actually a bi-metallic breaker switch. It should have a main power cable (yellow?) and several smaller gauge wires feeding off this. Mostly it's just hunt and peck unless you rip out the old wiring and replace it with new wire. I took the easy way out and got the cloth braided wire like the original in the original colors. Made wiring a snap.

 

Check things out the way Tim said above. The toggle switch is for the dash lights, and the device under the dash you describe is the circuit breaker. You also said it cranked a little slow, that's probably also because it is a 6 volt system still, it won't crank nearly as fast as a 12V system.

 

Thank you guys for all the great advice and helpful info...switch is for the dash lights huh...that's cool!

Okay, here's the update: the ignition switch doesn't work in the "start" position so I rigged a switch between the solenoid and battery, installed a new coil and new plugs, yanked out the radiator and fan to get at the distributor, and filed the points.

After many attempts, and three recharges to the battery, SHE STARTED! She coughed a few times and spit fire from the carb once, but then she settled down and purred like a kitten! Not bad for a truck that hasn't been started in over ten years (not to mention being 56 years old).

I figure the starting problem was a mix of a bad ignition switch, weak coil, fouled points and BAD GAS in the carb. I could smell that varnish odor every time she tried to kick over until enough good gas had gone down her throat to flush out the gunk.

The first major hurdle on my new project has been overcome. The engine runs!

Gary, Thanks for that info about the 6v engine spinning slow. Makes much more sense now.

Tim, I think I'll take your advice about rewiring. Everything looks like it's the original wiring in this truck (cloth covered, brittle and frayed) Where did you find the new cloth coverd wire?

 

Hi Guys,

Just wanted to let you know that I installed a rebuilt Ford/Holley 7RT carburetor (from Vintage Speed) and the engine fired right up and now purrs like a kitten with only the faintest tick toward the rear of the engine (lifter?)

Now I'm concentrating on replacing the tie rod, drag link, and kingpins. I got the tie rod and drag link out, but one of the kingpins is completely siezed and I'm having one heck of a time trying to drive it out of the spindle and axle.

Brute force (and a whole can of WD40) didn't work, so I tried setting a deep socket (slightly smaller than the kingpin) on a hydraulic bottle jack and placed it directly under the kingpin. Then I lifted the weight of the truck on the kingpin and tried driving the axle downward. NO GO!

Anyone have any tips or tricks to make this job easier?

 

If you could find a drill press that would come in handy to get them out. I don't have any tips though.

Clayton

 

Usually a hyrdolic press, like a machine shop would have will drive them out. The weight of the truck is not enough pressure to drive them out. I remember back in shop working on a '38 1.5 ton, and we drove out the pins using a big sledge, and we just kept pounding the pins til they loosened. Heat may do it to. Try using a torch to heat the area a bit, the while still warm try driving it out. If not, then you'll have to take the axle to a shop with a press and have them do it on the press.

 

Thanks guys. I was afraid that a machine shop was going to be my only solution. So here's my next question:

As I started to loosen the leaf spring u-bolts from the front axle they didn't really feel like they were loosening. I was afraid the spring tension was pulling against them so I stopped for fear that the springs would lose their position (or worse).

Do I need to place blocks between the springs and the frame to hold them in place, or clamp the leafs together with c-clamps (or both) before I remove the u-bolts ?

 

Ernie, I know this is a silly question, but you have the weight off the axle, right? When i removed the U-bolts on my '46 I placed a couple of jackstand under the frame, and then put a jack under the axle, just enough to take the weight off the axle. You say it doesn't feel as if the bolts are loosening...so I assume they are turning. It may be that the threads are stripped and the nut is just spinning, and not going anywhere, the fine threads on the U-bolt is easy to strip. The springs will not fly apart or any thing, and if you are afraid of them losing postion in the axle, there is a locater pin in the middle of the spring pack that corresponds to a little hole in the axle, so they can't shift too much. Leaf springs aren't like coil springs, they don't really have very much tension stored in them.

 

You know Gary, that was a really good question and you made me stop and think for a minute. I could picture the jack stands under the front and rear shackles of both front leaf springs, and since I know I only own four jack stands... Hmmmm?

But then I remembered the bottle jack!!! So yes, I did have the weight off the axle... at least on the side I was working on.

Whew! I really felt dumb for a second... Kind of like when I spent half an hour trying to get the driver's side tire off the truck before I remembered how my '57 Station Wagon had LEFT THREADED lug nuts on the driver's side!!!! LOL

The u-bolt nuts aren't spinning free (as if stripped), they are just very hard to turn and although they ARE moving, they don't get any easier to turn as they get closer to the end. This made me wonder if there was still some tension on them (from the springs?). Maybe I'm just fighting 56 years of rust on the threads.

As for the leafs coming apart: I found an exploded view drawing of the spring and it shows a bolt (locator pin) going through a steel plate and then through all the leafs. I assume that remain in place to hold the leafs together once the axle is removed, so I guess that problem is solved too.

Thanks again for all the assistance.

 

Ernie, the nuts will still be hard to turn, even if they are coming off the bolt. I know this from when I took apart a '47 1-ton. The nut would be tough to turn until the last little bit when it came off the bolt. Just keep turning and using the WD. A little heat may help make them a little easier to turn, just heat teh nut for a minute with a torch, then try turning it. Hopefully the heat will have loosened it a bit. And don't worry about ruining the U-Bolts or the nuts, they really should be replced anyway. So it's not tension from the springs, but rather tension from the 56 years of rust.

 

SUCCESS! The axle finally came out today.

Using a 1/2" breaker bar with 18" of pipe on the end (and lots of WD), I managed to get seven of the eight u-bolt nuts off without incident. The last on gave me a but of trouble though. It had rusted to the point that it rounded off inside my socket... still, it was nothing my 24" pipe wrench couldn't handle.

Tomorrow I'll run it down to the machine shop.

Thanks for all the help!