They are smooth runners, aren't they

 

Today's update.

After more than a week of not working on the Panel, I got back into the swing of things.

Picked up the newly rebuilt Holley 1904s today. Let me tell you, the rebuilder did an outstanding job. They custom/hand made the gaskets. They filled up the carburetors and let them since since Thursday to test for leaks and nothing leaked.

I put the carburetors on the truck today and did a test fire. The truck ran until the gas in the carbs went empty. Found out that my 6v electric pump wasn't pushing the gas and the regular mechanical pump wasn't pulling the gas. I found another mechanical and electrical pumps in my parts bins and will replace both tomorrow. If both still don't work, then will need to get a new 6v electrical pump and have the mechanical pump rebuilt.

Also need to replace the socket inside both front park lamp assemblies and still do the brakes.

 

Are you sure that the lines between the tank and the pumps are clear?
Also has the inside of the tank been coated? - The coating sometime likes to pickup under suction and block the opening.

Setup is lookin' great

 

I didn't pour gas into the tank. Was running the fuel line from a one gallon gas can. I was able to siphon the fuel in the line manually all the way to the fuel pump. Also, fed the line directly to the pump through a funnel and the pump wouldn't pump even when it was full.

 

Looks great ! Are those the same carbs I sent with the manifold ? The whole set up is looking really nice. Do you have room to remove your valve cover?

 

Unfortunately, the carbs were no good to be used with the glass bowl because the housing was too bent/warped from the metal bowl cover being overtightened. Plus, one of the carbs had a stripped fuel inlet and would have had to be helicoiled. Instead, I took in five additional 1904s (plus the two you sent me) to the rebuilder and had him pick the two best to rebuild. A few of the carbs also had different size venturis, so that limited the selection as well.

Although I didn't factor the removal of the valve cover into the plan when the lines were built, there appears to be enough room to remove the valve cover from the distributor side.

 

Fired up the truck today! I haven't heard the truck run in over five years. It sounds like a tractor without the exhaust pipe hooked up.

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This didn't come without any troubles though. The other fuel pumps that I found yesterday weren't exactly perfect. The electric pump turned out to be a 12v and the mechanical pump had a bad diaphragm. I ended up rebuilding my first mechanical fuel pump today. I dissasembled both and switched out the diaphragm from the original fuel pump into the parts pump I found yesterday. The original pump had a cracked housing, but a good diaphragm. The other pump had a good housing, but a bad diaphragm.

I also took apart both electric fuel pumps and found that the rubber bellows inside turned into mush from the gas and sitting for so long. I did a little search and found a rebuilt kit available.

Slow, but surely, the truck is coming together. The brakes will be started on tomorrow.

 

Alright!!! Way to go. Sounds kinda cool too. Good luck with the brakes. You got the go, now you need the whoa!!

 

Sounds like something for the Pole to go green.
Nice

 

More progress today.

Put the truck on four jacks today after work and removed all wheels. When I removed all of the drums, the insides looked brand new. The wheel cylinders were clean and new, and so were the shoes.

Bled the brakes today. Some water came out, but not too much. The old fluid was very dirty. Also, I put on the 16" wheels and bias ply tires that I got from a friend a few months ago. The Panel looks completely different with those tires/wheels on.

Next are the front park lamps (need new wiring and contacts), choke cables, exhaust, changing the fluid in the transmission and the rear end, and the truck should be ready for a spin around the block.

Before


After

 

Looks very cool with the new tires. Love those wide whites. Way to go, you'll be driving it soon. Brake issues solved? Exhaust done? Looks good !!!

 

Hi guys, just getting back to the tight turn on the speedo cable, 90 degree drives are available, one end screws onto the transmission, the cable on the other end, make sure the ratio is 1:1.
Regards, Steve.

 

Where can one get one of these 90 degree drives?

 

Try here:

Speedometer Gear, Speedometer Gears, Ford, GM, Dodge 700R4

 

Yes speedo repair mobs should be able to help you, or try Mack Trucks, anything with a cable driven speedo, eg 'R' model .The angle drives come in various ratios to make the speedo read correctly compensating for tyre size, diff ratio, transmission output differences.
Good luck, Steve.