'55 R-122 rehab

Good luck on your new venture.
Bill

Loved your story and impressed with your work. Good luck with your new job!

Wife and I didn't end up moving to MN. The fine print indicating that I would be traveling 3-4wks out of the month for 13% less pay. No thank you!

I've been daily driving the truck for about 2mo now and improving it as time allows.
I blasted/painted the spare rim and mounted a tire on it a few weeks ago. The amber fogs are installed and wired. One dome light is now installed. I'm debating adding a 2nd to the passenger b pillar. I installed a fender mount tractor radio on the floor between the shifter and the firewall. I installed a backup lamp switch in the T9 trans. I installed a paper element fuel filter between the mechanical pump and the carb after a piece of trash in the float needle seat caused the engine to spill raw fuel on hot manifolds... Seeing the smoke rising from the manifolds was a bit tense. I fitted a "cassette" in the bed made of 3/4" plywood. In each corner of this plywood bed floor is a 360* swiveling "D" ring tie down. They don't hold down a ton, but it is nice to keep things from shifting around until I can rehab the bed in the future.

In the 1000mi or so that I've travelled recently the truck has been a treat. My double-clutching could still use some improvement. Upshifts are mostly ok. Downshifts... Ehhh. Brakes are reasonable. I have achieved a top speed of 62mph (gps verified- speedo is about 4% optimistic) so far. I wouldn't push it much further than that if at all. The engine sounded pretty busy.

Tons of smiles/waves/thumbs up/ "what year is it?" What an experience.

Sounds like you are having a blast Jake. I find if I don't hurry the up shift I don't need to double clutch. Down shifting to 2nd helps if you rev the engine first...helps to match the gears. There again...if you don't rush it and you depress clutch and wait a bit and then shift to 2nd it seems to go easier. Now 1st gear I pretty much need to be stopped to shift into first. These trannies were not made for fast shifting. Makes ya learn to slow down and take it easy.

I adjusted the clutch linkage to engage sooner ( below center pedal travel)...makes it easier to grab when on hills. Since I had installed a new clutch disc and spring plate, I figured there may have been some break in adjustment that needed done anyway.

I need to start on the body parts...but have trouble since I'd rather drive it.

Look forward to seeing your continue progress and pics.

I'm having the same trouble Rich. Can't stop driving it long enough to do much. Here are pics of what I've accomplished thus far.

Reverse lamp switch


Spare tire and fog lamps


Painted tailgate lettering


Radio installed


Foglight and dome light switches and 12V socket. This configuration is temporary. I intend to build an underdash panel house these items and a few other things.


Knobs match up pretty well for being intended for a bathroom. I couldn't believe it when I grabbed one of these knobs in a friends bathroom a few weeks ago. They're the same diameter and generally the same profile. Belwith Savoy knob 76994 P2243-CH.


New Column seal made from 2 sheets of 1/16" rubber sandwiching the original steel backing plate.

Jake,
Nice work! Thanks for the tip on the knobs.

Dean

Been while since I've updated the build thread. The truck has been running well without major incident since last spring. I've wanted a coolant overflow bottle for the truck for a year or more. I couldn't decide what I wanted it to look like until I was washing out a mason jar the other day. Back in the garage I found some 3/8"-24 brake line fittings and matching half nuts. I opened the fittings to accept 1/4" copper tubing. I silver soldered those pieces together. Punched 2 holes in the lid to accept my fittings and beveled the end of the dip tube to prevent clogs if any garbage got in the jar. I wrapped the jar in adhesive cushion tape in two stripes just inside of where the jar necks down towards the mid-section. 2 air cleaner warm air diverter valve clamps from a 70's BMW 2002 hold the jar securely. a scrap piece of aluminum sheet made the bracket that retains both clamps against the upper cushioned rad mount. I split the overflow tube on the rad and plumbed it accordingly. The rad cap already has a return valve so it was just a matter of adding coolant to the jar and cycling the system. I expect that keeping a 1/2-3/4pt of coolant in the jar will allow for good expansion and minimal air in the system. Not bad for building it with found items in the garage.

sweet!

I really like the radio! we had one on our 400 back in the 70's

I have a question about your reverse switch. I haven't had a chance to pull mine apart yet, just wondering what activates the switch? what's in the top cover?

There is a rod that the reverse fork slides on. The plunger is activated when the rev fork rod slides forward in the cover.

thanks!