1200 miles in a '49 Stovebolt 1/2 ton

[Cosmo]

Last week I traveled from my home in central VA to the old home place in upstate NY. On the way there I achieved 17.8 mpg. That is pretty darn good if I do say so myself. I am going to install Deve's O2 sensor bung to dial in my next engine, a 1962 261.

My present engine is a 1956 235 car engine with an '848' head, Fentons, dual Edelbrock manifold with 2x2 Carter-Webers purchased from Tom Langdon. I have personally driven that engine over 113,000 miles and on this most recent trip she used 1/2 quart of oil the whole trip. I have a 1969 Saginaw/Borg-Warner 3 sp+od that has performed flawlessly since I installed it several years ago. Prior to this transmission I used a Muncie 319 non-synchro 1st gear, 3sp+od. Fine transmissions, both of them. My differential is from a 1957 truck, now that is just the center section. The axle housing and both axles remain 1949. The wheels I have on the truck are 1936-1937 17" Chevrolet car and truck artillery wheels with tubeless 235 75R 17 Michelin Radials with Dyna-Beads rather than wheel weights.

[DBCooper]

17.8 is great! Single carb over 20 I bet.

[Deve]

Cosmo, we have known each other for a very long time and its always interesting the personality who thinks nothing of getting in a 1949 Chevy Pickup and driving that far. This person has to have (pardon my Kansas english), Balls of Steel to not be deterred by an engine who's average lifespan is about 40 to 60,000 miles before an overhaul, who's 6 volt point system requires maintenance at least every 5,000 miles, who's generator/regulator system is so 'iffy' that even a new reconditioned one has a lifespan of about 3,000 miles if they are not bad right out of the box, who's ancillary systems require maintenance so often that because of the concept of overlapping problematic issues (systems having issues at different times thus cutting those numbers in less than half) can get in their truck, smile that amazing smile that only comes from having the True Grit a man has to have to do this, can press the starter, say goodbye to their loved ones, and expect anything even close to success.

My good friend John Erb took his 1951 3100 from Hesston, KS to Anchorage, Alaska and back again with this same attitude. Like you Cosmo, he knew the dangers, pitfalls, and odds of success. He did it anyway. And he had problems along the way, but he succeeded. He didn't let his worry, angst, and all of the other emotions you feel when the truck just quits and NOW WHAT? get in his way. I can see you as well as John just smiling and enjoying every mile. There are no words. Hats off to you!

Short story.. I drove my first 1954 3100 from Biloxi, Mississippi to Albuquerque, New Mexico. I was 20, in the Air Force in Tech Training and wanted to spend Christmas with my new wife. Nothing could have stopped me. I was granted leave and I left fully expecting to get there. I pressed that poor 54 235 to 60 all the way. So I get about 30 miles west of San Antonio. There is nothing west of San Antonio! The points break in half and the engine quits completely. God, understanding the importance to humankind of this endeavor put an off ramp and a gas station close enough for me to coast in! It was Sunday and it was closed. One of the citizens called the owner of the station and they opened it up, got me a new set of points and I was back in business. I was 20 and I figured out the problem! I made it the 1200 miles 20 hours later. I have never attempted such a thing since! 42 years later with all of the restorations I have done, I STILL wouldn't do that with a stock or semi-stock truck. Alternator, HEI, PCV, Electric Fuel Pump Augmentation, Decent Oil Filtration, R10 OD with open driveline maybe. John did it with a Generator/Regulator!

Very nice looking truck. I'll bet you had lots of smiles along the way! I admire that because you didn't have a convoy. You didn't have the concept in the back of your mind that your brethren would save you if you ran into problems. THAT is huge and makes you very special indeed! I too am an R10 Overdrive fan. They are the best thing (at least until the T5) you can get!

[Cosmo]

I forgot to mention that I had a fuel pump failure halfway into my trip. I was extremely lucky with it's demise as I had already arrived at my intended destination, was staying with a friend and on the way over to my sister's house when the not catastrophic, but severely debilitating failure occurred.

The symptom was quite severe lack of power and the smell of fuel. I was able to pull over to a safe spot to do the hood raise. Initial inspection yielded little in the way of visual results ... the Carter visible fuel filter just before the carbs was full as was the glass domed filter-top of the fuel pump. The 'wetness' area on the side of the block was motor oil, the kind of leak that all these old engines seem to have. Being adventure-driven by nature I decided to attempt driving back to my friends place rather than do the AAA thing. On the way back I took the road less traveled rather than the 55 mph bypass and stopped at an Auto Zone to order a fuel pump as they didn't carry a rebuild kit. Successfully made it back to my friends garage with the truck acting almost like it had a governor set at 40 mph with attending lack of full power throughout that limited range.

Lucky for me another friend stopped by and offered a fuel pump from his 1951 Chevy Suburban which we took off and in short order replaced the pump along with a new in-line fuel filter. No sooner was the pump replaced, the truck running as it should, we headed out immediately to a prime junkyard in northern PA for a one hundred ten mile round trip.

Epilogue:

To my dismay an inspection yielded little results. The ethanol-resistant diaphragm that I rebuilt this pump with 80-90 thousand miles ago looked almost as good as the day I put it in, no breaches in the rubber at all. I can only surmise that one of the staked-in valves or the in-line fuel filter after the tank is the culprit.

Philosophy:

Many years ago when I was contemplating my first thousand mile trip I talked with a trusted friend, Tony (Trust Your Truck) Pascarella. I asked him if it would be wise to take xy and z and perhaps ab and c. He said all that stuff is at your FLAPS and you are not venturing over vast areas of unoccupied territory, therefore, 'Trust Your Truck'. This is my adopted philosophy and I have many carefree miles driving my '49 and to tell you truthfully, almost look forward to some challenge down the road. A list of what is prudent to carry is the topic for another day and, let's face it, what is comfortable for one may not be comfortable for another. The funny thing is my fuel rebuild kit was at home and is contained in it's own neat little 3x3" box, add a spare in-line fuel filter and that is cheap mental insurance. Ha ha, happy trails!

[Deve]

DO think about writing up something in the tech forum about "A list of what is prudent to carry with you". With your experience in all this, you would be the one to write it.

I just had a problem with one of my trucks where the inline fuel filter (glass) was all gunked up. It's on the frame rail just after the tank and before the pump. I cleared this gunk 5 times (and its not fun work getting gas all over your face when clearing the lines) before I just changed the gas tank. It was rusting out and in looking at the tank after I took it out, it was full of crud on the bottom of it. The truck tends to run much nicer on clean gas!! I ordered a new tank ($150), spray electronics cleaner on the sending unit, and back in business.

Here is a tip for those of you who are thinking about ever draining your gas tank. Go to the auto parts and get a 1/8" NPT shutoff valve. They look like the radiators or the engines draincock. I paid $2.50. Then replace that plug on the bottom of the tanks Tee with it. No more eating gas and makes it very easy to drain!

Keep em coming Cosmo! Not alot of people post here, but a LOT of people read this stuff. I get phone calls at least weekly about the content here.

I like the comment about cheap mental insurance. Some of us are more mental than others. For example, I have an electric fuel pump before the mechanical one with a 10 second autoprime circuit that fills the carbs bowl before starting. Two filters too. One before the pumps and one at the carb. I would love to take my truck on a long distance drive but the one I have all set for that is too pretty to get dirty! There is no justice in this world! LOL!
http://devestechnet.com/Home/Deve195...finalrestopics Thanks for sharing Cosmo.

[mcgillis]

Deve, I always wondered whether you were creating a truck too nice to drive. It took a long time but I'm glad to hear that you did.

My '53 3100 is just nice enough; stock '54 truck 235 with car starter and PCV, one wire alternator, Pertronix ignition and coil, original compound low 4-speed and 12-bolt 3.73 rear. We don't fear driving it anywhere and it gets a lot of love. Thanks for all of your help over the years.

[MO54Frank]

Floating this old thread back to the top. My old Chevy truck adventure is nothing so dramatic as these but here goes: My family and I moved from Central IL to Fond du Lac, WI on Dec 30, 2009. Bitter cold, snow and ice. I left my 1950 3600 in the care of my best friend. Finally in late May 2010 we went back to IL to get the truck. And I drove it! Original 216, oil leaks, smoke and all. It had good tires and new brakes, and a rebuilt front suspension and steering. 330+/- miles! 8 quarts of oil!! 9 hours travel time including oil and gas stops, and one 1 hour stop for lunch. But we made it!
And I would do it again.

[Cosmo]

Deve and all y'all,

Has it really been two years already? I just got back from another 1000+ trip from central Virginia to upstate New York in my 1949. It was a really fine trip in that I was determined to take the road less travelled in that I went interstate to mid Pennsylvania then took very scenic back roads inclusive of following the Susquehanna River as it meandered north and then split into branches west and east. I did two random fuel mileage calculations and earned 17.2 and 17.7, really pleased with that.

I am now over 120 k miles, personally driven on the 1956 235 passenger engine with the 848 head. When I went over 100k I called the engine builder, an old water well driller by trade, to thank him for the many years and miles of good service.

Thanks too for Deve's site here, just a wealth of knowledge and invention!

I still don't have air conditioning and I wonder if I ever will. The key for me driving long distance from and in the mid Atlantic state of Virginia is...Start EARLY, I mean roll out of that house at at least 0530, beat the heat. The second tip I have is a practical one. I bought a dollar store or was it FLAPS? roll down sun shade. It attaches to the side window with suction cups and does a fantastic job protecting me from the direct sun, especially when travelling north or south. I also have two oscillating fans, one mounted semi-permanently, on a radio delete knob hole and the other a clip-to-the-bottom of the dash. The windows are UP, the vents are OPEN, the fans are moving air, Life Is Good. I also have a Fulton Sunshade that I absolutely love for the style points (love the look) and the fact that it keeps the sun from directly entering the vehicle, does a great job!

[Cosmo]

Here's a tip for all you summertime long distance travelers:

Place a SHUT OFF VALVE on the heater hose not controlled by your heater control cable. Why? If not shut off BEFORE it reaches the heater inside the cab, hot water will MIGRATE HEAT TO THE HEATER CORE, and into your already warm-from-summer heated cab!

Addendum:

IF you are stuck in slow moving traffic such as an accident or construction, OPEN the valves and TURN ON YOUR HEATER TO ASSIST THE RADIATOR IN KEEPING THE ENGINE COOLER. Will you suffer? Oh yes! I've had just two instances where I have had to use this method and frankly, I am not eager to experience another.

[Deve]

Glad you are still out there letting everyone know you don't need the latest vehicles to get where you want to go!