R-176 Firetruck

I picked up a 1954 R-176 Firetruck about a year ago. I have more projects then I can count right now so I haven't done anything with it at all yet really but am planning to try and make some time to start in on it soon. I replaced the ignition which had a missing key the other day and ordered a Carb rebuild kit. Once I rebuild the carburetor I will throw a battery in it and a temporary auxiliary gas tank (until I have the time to take a closer look at the real tank and replace the lines.) The Carburetor a Holley Governor model I haven't pulled it off yet and started taking it apart. I am not sure if Governor means it is designed to not over rev the motor over a set rpm or if its designed like a tractor automatically compensate for load changed to keep a steady RPM?

The truck has a Black Diamond 308 engine. I am not sure if these were negative or positive ground does anyone know?

I work on basically anything with a motor but the main thing I like to dabble with is aircooled VWs and 80s japanese motorcycles. Both of which have parts and information plentiful and abundant. This IH is a whole new ballgame for me. It seems parts and info are more or less non-existent. I just ordered an original R-170 171 172 parts book off ebay that should be here next week so I can at least see some exploded views and maybe some of the brake parts cross reference with parts you can still get? (currently the pedal is on the floor but I have yet to look into it)

From what I gather from the limited information I have been able to find and the Wisconsin Historical website I think this is for the most part an R-172 with fire truck outfitting. Mine has the optional 5 speed gearbox although im not really sure if its under or overdrive? It is a one speed rear end.

I am missing the majority of what used to make it a fire truck other than the main part of the lower bed which is missing half the doors. I haven't fully settled on a plan yet but I will likely scrap what remains of the bed and make it a traditional style stake side flatbed. or possibly a dovetail bed with fold down ramps. I would like to be able to use it to haul my mini excavator (8500lbs) I will do a basic restoration likely cab off but this will be a working truck not a show winning truck so it will be mostly sheet metal patch work, and paint and going through the basic mechanical systems not looking to be museum quality just solid and reliable.

I have no idea what to expect from it as far as MPG or top speed?

Anyway that's enough of a rambling introduction for now, more specific questions will come as time goes on.

Here is a link that is still up from when the guy I bought it from had it listed. There are a few typos and misinformation in his ad its only got 8700 original miles not 87000 (assuming the odometer still works) and around 500 hours on the hour meter. Its also 19000lbs GVW not 16,000 like he listed. I also paid considerably less then his "bottom dollar" price... There is even one good picture of the truck in its heyday in a parade.


http://classiccarsmarks.com/internation ... r-170.html

Lets see, yes it is more than likely a positive ground. Sounds like you have a good plan. Post up in the appropriate area and we will all do our best to "help" and probably even give our own opinions. We are a diverse group and there are a few who have larger rigs. Fuel mileage, probably Not great, maybe 6-8 mpg, but I could be off.

Is there an easy way to tell which polarity it has? Its definitely 12v (well the dead battery in it not connected to anything was a 12v anyway) but beyond this I don't know much about the electrical system. The truck seems incredibly simple and straight forward to work on so other then locating parts and information I hope it doesn't turn into too daunting a project.

I'm waiting to hear back from the Wisconsin Historical Society and hopefully get a build sheet or LST as they call it soon.

I was figuring on pretty low MPG but I probably wont be doing a lot of distance driving so I could live with that. Mostly I will be driving around the local area when I need to move my Excavator or pick up or move cordwood/coal/building materials etc. I'd love it if it could do 60-65 mph but I fear that might be a pipe dream and wonder if 45-50 is more likely?

As for telling which polarity, look to the cable ends and see if one is larger than the other. If so, that one is positive. That one, if a 6 volt positive ground would go to the frame. Not being familiar with the larger trucks, it "could" be twelve volt. Someone that might know would be Cornbinder89 here on the site.

Some times the voltage regulator is marked as to polarity. If the truck has a generator you can hook up a battery in either polarity and turn on the lights and look at the ammeter, if it moves toward the - then you have the polarity right, if it moves toward the + than it is backwards. Don't do this if it has an alternator.
ANother way is to look at the coil and see which terminal is connected to the points, If + is connected to the points it is set up for positive ground.
Delco Generators and starters are color coded for voltage. Black+ 6 volt, red tag+ 12 volt and Orange tag is 24 volt or higher (32 volt)

^^^great info^^^ needs to be saved as sticky for future reference

So it appears the truck is set up negative ground. I believe it came as positive ground unless the 308 was wired different than the 282? But my coil to Distributor wire is Negative. Also at some point in time someone converted it over to an alternator. I am thinking the polarity conversion probably happened at the same time. I didn't see a voltage regulator in my quick look but maybe it is internal in the alternator and the stock one was removed when that was installed, are they normally under hood or under dash on these trucks? Since the points are burnt and need to be replaced anyway I just ordered a pertronix kit (for negative ground). If all goes well and I can find some time maybe I will have this thing started up by the end of the month.

Hard to say, mid fifties was the time things started to change over to 12 volts, often they also went to neg ground at the same time. It might have been 12 volt neg from the get go. Fire trucks often were outfitted with Lease Neville alternators to power a lot of lights etc. So may have had some form of alternator from the get go.

I reached out to the Canaan NH Fire Dept and got some pictures and information on my truck. Apparently it served from 1954 to 1998 a pretty impressive 44 year service life. Original 194 price fully outfitted was $9100. I thought some of you might be interested in seeing the pictures

Cool pics! Nice to know some of its history.

Dean