Hello,

I am a newbie who just picked up a 1960 Styleside Serial No. F10COE53744 WB110, Color L, Model F100, Date 03H, Trans A, Axle 01, Max GVW 5000, 146 HP@3800 RPM. Can anyone point me to a source to decipher my code? (Engine/differential)

I live outside of Philadelphia. I'm going through the truck starting from the ground up. Wheels are off and brakes are under full rebuild from the MC to the wheel cylinders including brake lines. It has a V8 (Size?) with a 3-speed on the column. There is some rust but it the truck should serve me well as a grocery getter during the nice months.

Front brakes were a piece of cake. Rears are a challenge fighting with that emergency brake cable setup. I'll get it done. My NAPA man has been a great help and so far has found me everything I need except one thing......

The existing brake line from the MC is solid and transitions to a rubber line under the firewall and goes solid again until it terminates at the brass 4-way manifold. The NAPA man does not show such a replacement. Has anyone run into this problem? I guess I could make up a similar setup with a double ended female hose and 2 small solid extensions. I imagine the rubber offers flexibility of the cab movement?

Battery Tray: Is anyone aware of a source for an aftermarket tray? If not, I'll have to weld this one up for reinforcement.

Hopefully one of you may comment. I look forward to working on the truck. So far it is pretty intuitive. Admittedly I'm a GM man but this has been fun.

Best,

Joe

 

welcome to FTE Joe! I cannot help you with the brake line, but someone should be along shortly to help ya. I do not know of a AM supplier of trays, I would like a new one as well.

 

Welcome to FTE. Glad you are finally working on the good kind of trucks! Ha Ha! That brake hose you are talking about is not available in it's original form. Some folks have done as you mentioned as well as just bending up a couple loops of solid line to provide the needed flex that more modern trucks use. You will have to hit junkyards for a battery tray. You best bet may be an old farm truck that hasn't been in as much salt. I ended up using the bottom tray portion of a '59 and the side brackets from my '60. Just trying to give you some ideas to get you thinking about how you might do it. If you end up keeping the original battery tray, the original battery is a group 29nf which NAPA can order for you. By the way, I am pretty sure your engine is a 292 with the fourth character of your VIN being a "C"! I am by no means an expert in those matters, not sure about your axel code. Originally there was a metal ratio tag under one of the differential carrier bolts but that is usually long gone. Have fun!

 

Thanks for the reply. I've been staring at that battery tray and came to the same conclusion. My side rails are fine but the base plate needs some attention. I imagine it once carried a bubbling battery and the acid damaged the base.

 

F10 = F100 2WD
C = 292 V8
O (zero) = 1960
E = Mahwah, NJ assy. plant
53744 = production sequence number (should be 6 digits?)

I hope that helps you out some. I don't have the color, trans, or axle codes handy but I'm sure someone else will chime in with better info.

Lou Manglass

 

Thanks Manglass. I have to find my missing number.

 

My local NAPA (Paris Automotive in Robinsville NJ) carries the rubber part with ends designed so 3/16" (other sizes available) steel brake line will slide in with a crush collar to lock it all into place. It wasn't cheap as they have a hydraulic guy there who custom makes hoses for all applications. I think they were $30 each.