Hello again. Lots more work done.

Turns out that its not the wheel bearings, kingpins are just a little loose and that's what I was feeling when I wiggled the wheels. But between before that me and my buddy got the bed built! Lots of work that was.

Here are the specs.

2 4x6 oak timbers running length of frame held down in 4 place on each one to make the bed around 11 feet long.

8 4x4 oak boards running cross ways. 4 in front of axle, 3 behind and one directly over but cut short so it doesn't stick over the wheels.

8 2x10 Poplar or Sycamore boards running parallel to frame with 2 in the middle ripped so the bed is an even 7 1/2 feet wide. I designed it myself with lots of measuring and common sense and I think I did pretty good except for that I used lag screws on half of the deck and carriage on the other. It has held up so far with what I have been doing with it. *Note* the 2x10's are actually 2 inches thick not 1.5 like ones you buy now.

I put around 27 miles on it today hauling a number of things.

I hauled an 1100 pound excavator bucket for my uncle and around 1500-2000 pounds of seed because we were planting corn today. I didn't have any troubles with it. It didn't even come close to sitting on the overload springs. So I can't wait till I get her really loaded down.

One rant though. In November we sent the title off to get it transferred to our name so we could plate and insure it and the people called us back asking questions. They wanted the vin number. Told them that there was no VIN back then they were called serial numbers and that on army trucks they weren't stamped on the frame. She talked down to us saying that "Oh yes, they all had them back then" Finally we got through to here that "No mam, they didn't, but they do have a tag on the dash with serial number there"

So what I have to do now is take picture of the engine, dash tag and the engine number and talk to the sheriff so he can verify the numbers and a whole bunch of other crap. I asked why and she said they were doing it on all pre-1948 vehicles.

What I am wondering though is where would the engine number be stamped on the engine if it is at all. She said by the water inlet but I looked and I don't see anything close by that looks like it would have a number. So where would that be.

And what would happen if say the engine was swapped sometime in the past? Would I not be able to get my title and not get plates? How silly would that be. But I don't think it has so I should be in luck.

One more question before I post pics. What lights do I need on my bed to be legal. I have the 2 running/turn/brake lights on the back plus a reverse light and license plate light. I have the 2 cab clearance lights, 2 headlights, and the turn signals on the front fenders.

Edit: I believe the rear tires are 8.50 x 20. (20 being rim size) The fronts are either 7.00 or 7.50 maybe even 7.25 I don't remember.

Okay, here's the pics.







And after a long days work.

 

awesum just awesum all the best with your truck.

 

Hi there, the operators manual for my Flathead V8 powered truck says: The engine number is also the serial number of the truck and is located on the top of the clutch housing and is visible through an opening in the transmission cover (floor of cab). maybe it's the same for a 6 cylinder. Regards, Steve.

 

Like you have, the plate on the dash, known as the Nomenclature plate, is the way to ID they truck. I scanned my Maintenance manual for the G8T and found no other mention of a serial number. Since they were built for military use its a good possibility that the plate is the only place a number could be found.

As for the lights, I believe many of the laws regarding lighting vary by jurisdiction. The sheriffs should be able to let you know if you are properly covered.

 

It was done like that so you could change motors and still have matching numbers saves lots of hassles

 

Well another busy day for the old truck. Hauling hay. Each bale weighs in around 1700 pounds so 4 of them makes out to about 6800 pounds. Almost 2 1/2 tons. It barely sat on the overload springs.

I had only one problem. After the truck got warmed up it wouldn't want to idle. It would idle very rough and try to die. The only way I could keep it running was pull the choke or throttle out so it would idle pretty high. Any ideas on how to fix?

But yeah, I had a great time. I got lots of compliments on it every time someone sees it on the road and I always get asked when I'm going to paint it. I wonder that too, I'm having to much fun driving it around now. Maybe this winter I will get to work on finishing the body and finally painting it.





Front rear spring hanger


Rear rear spring hanger

 

FoW:
Good to see all the work you are getting out of your truck! Way back when my 1.5 ton was on the farm, we loaded about 150 bushels of wheat on it, so you should be good for at least one more bale (although I don't know where you're going to stack it - hopefully not a third tier vertically!) Was your truck getting hot when it had the idle problems? Have fun!

 

The hottest it got was around 180 degrees. And this is a 90 degree day. But I fixed the problem I believe by adjusting the idle mixture screw.

 

Another hard day for the truck. I had been tinkering on it for the past month doing a few things here and there, mostly fuel stuff, I fixed the sending unit so I know how much gas I have in the tank now which is good because when I got to the shop and took cap I had made off the tank was dry But I fixed it, I installed a fuel filter, I added a side saddle tank but didn't have the time to hook it up.

I had made a hitch that I can put in my pintle hook so I can pull wagons now. We were doing hay again so the old 43 got brought out to earn its keep again.



I would have put 4 bales on the wagon too, but 6 bales total was all the truck could do to get it moving, I never got out of first gear though just going from the field to the barn close by. I did have one problem, about at the end of the day, the truck wouldn't speed up, it would idle perfect, go just above idle but anymore than that it would just quit. Then it got to where it wouldn't even start. We let it cool off, and my dad gave me a pull start and it took about 20 yards in second gear to get it to start but as soon as it did it ran perfect again. My dad thought that the gas in the carb was "boiling" because I pulled my fuel filter off to see if it was plugged and no fuel ran out from the carb side, but the fuel pump worked perfect.

If the fuel boiling is the trouble, what can I do to remedy this, maybe not idle around on a 95 degree day pulling heavy loads?

 

Love to hear more!
I have a 43 Ford GTB Marine Weapons carrier with a Chevy Bed. It has the military variant 226 in it. Yours probably does as well. One way to tell is the water pump- it is totally unique to that engine. Why it was done that way no one knows. I am in the process of identifying the right carb for mine; unlike the ford civilian trucks of that period the military variant did not use vacuum advance on the distributor. As near as I can tell the carb should be a Holley 847 F or FS.
Anyway, if you do not have the manuals for that engine and cannot find any, and you can identify it as the military variant 226, go look up Portrayal Press. They have the TMS for the GTB (TM 10-1434, TM 10-1435). The drive train should be identical from the differential and wheels (7.50 X 20) all the way to the tranny and engine.

 

Chris, are yo still around? How's the truck doing?

It seems there aren't many WWII Ford military trucks left, mosty GMC's, but maybe I just don't know where to look?

Sam

 

Not around as much as I used to be. Mainly due to a move with no more internet. Still got the truck and still use it. It sat for almost a year due to the original oil pressure send line leak but fixed it and it started right up after sitting. I put a new seat in it from an astro van but other than that its still the same.

Taken this spring

 

Hey Chris my name is Darrik and I was wondering if you might be interested in selling it. Just checking. I love watching your vid's. Thanks for your time.

 

Thanks for watching my vids! I haven't posted any good ones of the truck finished yet. I need to though.

But the truck isn't for sale. Its my only running and driving old vehicle I have and I'm kinda attached

 

Thanks for getting back with me Chris. You have a great old war truck. I've got a 43 G8T that I built a Rat Rod out of. I only had the cab to start out with. I really want a complete truck like yours to build a hauler out of. I want it to haul the Rat. I'll keep looking. Oh...I like yours better with the original hood. Later