Proud dad moment!

 Proud dad moment! I got my oldest son out to help install the transmission. All I did was instruct him and raise and lower the hoist. He has helped me on several occasions from sanding the chassis, holding bolts, scraping grease, and installing the cylinder sleeves.... My kids have helped in the process over the years (when they want to).  But I know that one day they will look back and be able to say "I helped restore that with my Dad" which I think is worth more to me than the anything. This truck has brought me to meet several people and brings me closer to my kids, which I am super grateful for. I hope my kids will keep up there enthusiasm to work on this and that this will teach them a good work ethic. I could not be prouder of there help!

rolling along!

Five years ago I stayed up all night dismantling the Texas truck. One year to the day I stayed up all nite again to finish putting the rear end together, and then decided to put it back under the truck.  I got all the tires mounted and aired up too. I need to cut down the new brake pins and really start to tighten all the chassis loose ends, grease certs, and drive line. I had a moment of panic while in the middle of putting the rear end in, I looked at the motor mounts and realized when I reinstalled them I did not mark which was right and which was left. I racked my brain for a hour or so until I remembered I had a extra hogs head(fly wheel housing) on the shelf. Crisis averted engine mounts are proper.

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More sanding!

the sanding will never end! I have been getting the rear brakes together, and just the same as the fronts I had to sand to fit. The rear shoes were not as bad as the fronts I just need to take a little off. So instead of three hours per shoe that the fronts took it took me a hour a shoe for the rears. I really wish I could have found someone local with a Ammco 8000 brake shoe grinder. I looked in to buying one but the cost out weighed the benefit. After I got the shoes mounted. I also got all of the tires mounted on the rims. Now to get the silver paint on the rims and get them fully mounted.

Slowly!

I have finally been able to get back to work on this. Between the cold, lock-down, family and work things slow down. But this week I jumped in head first and got some done. Rubber on the ground! And a great day to fix my rear axle mistake. I also took apart the steering columns and am getting them ready.  More sand blasting and painting to come. And I am ready to put more back together. This has been slow going but I will get there. I will hopefully keep this better updated this year.

NOS fender!

ATHS I can't say enough is such a great organization. They put on one heck of a truck show. I believe the final count was 1297 total trucks 25years and older at the show! I had a great time I didn't get to meet or talk to very many people. I fell down on my part and didn't keep people in the loop where I was at. But all turned out wonderful. I got to see lots of great International's a few speed six and a lot of K and KB's and a few D models. And one C model in the mid 30's. So the most spectacular thing was the swap meet. There were only three vendors selling there on Saturday morning.  I walked around and didn't see much at first. I found John Geidl  that had some IH parts laying there. As I picked up a IH box he asked me if I was looking for IH fenders. I said "no" ( thinking I would never find a new finder for a design only made for four years in the height of the depression. ) So john came around the table and pointed out a 1935 right side C model fender and another fender behind me. Okay the 1935 peaked my interest. As I turn around I see another fender laying there. As we talk about the 35 fender and I describe that the cut out on the back part was for the battery box. While I am looking over the fender behind it. It looks close to my 33. As I keep looking at it I kept trying to come up with reasons that it couldn't be my finder. I walked away trying to look at all of the pictures I had on my phone and compare bolt hole to bolt hole. After 10 minutes I decided to take the chance on the fender. I picked up my fender had one last word with John saying that if it was the correct fender I would E-mail him. I got more questions and looks hauling that fender threw the show! Lots of people stopped me asking if I identified what the fender was off of. And several people saying they almost bought the fenders. Of coarse once I get back to the car I spot the numbers under the fender. I don't know how I didn't see it earlier. My guess is not believing I had found a NOS 1933 fender for my truck. So after I loaded the fender in my wife's car that we took to Iowa. I checked the part number and then after smacking myself and a couple of pinches to make sure I wasn't dreaming. So I have found a NOS replacement fender! I am still in shock. So a special thanks goes out to John Geidl cjapham@yahoo.com Door latch repair, LLC  He still had the 1935 IH NOS fender last I saw as of  5/27/17. WOW what a week! The only phrase I can use to describe finding the fender is "It's a miracle!" Goes back to my thought that Granddaddy is helping me out some how. Now with renewed vigor I shall get back to work on the truck! More photos of the ATHS truck show to come!

 I finally fixed my mig welder it just needed some tune up parts, new wire sheath, tip, fill co2 bottle. After that I got some advice on fixing the holes in the rims, and some of the really rusted spots. With a little practice I got the hang of it. Welding around the out side and working my way in. I burnt through in a couple of thin places. I cleaned them up after welding them. So far I think it looks pretty good. I looked at all of my rims and decided only three needed fixing. Time to get a move on. And for my goal of taking the truck to Iowa for the ATHS meet is not going to happen. I will still go just not with my truck. I hope to see some good Internationals there. And to meet some good contacts.

Sorting out bolts and wheels

I have been sorting more bolts for the wheels. I wanted to find new bolts for the wheels but nobody I found could come up with full shank grade eight bolt for a decent price. So went out and took every wheel bolt off of the Texas truck. I came up with just enough to get by. Some of the old bolts were too rusted to save a couple broke taking them off. The next issue I have is the Texas truck had two good rear rims but they are wider then the rims I have for the rest of the truck. So know I have another set of rims at my grandfathers to look at if they are the same as the ones off the Texas truck I will probable use them, they are all off Internationals just a few years apart. Why the search for rims I have a few holes in the originals and some integrity issues.  I really wanted to keep the original rims, but time, money, effort and safety are big influences. Especially safety I don't want a rim and wheel to come apart. I will probably look to restoring the original wheels at a later time. So for now I will look to use the wider rims on the rear duels and the original rims on the front.  I wanted to get the rims sandblasted last year but I never got the chance. So hopefully here soon I can get that done.

Geared up!

So one of my biggest worries is over. The distributor is driven off of the back of the generator. So there is a small gear in the generator that turns the distributor. With out this gear the distributor will not turn, so the truck cant run. That is a lot of relying on one little gear. My original New Mexico truck had 62,xxx miles on the odometer that was not hooked up for????  So this little gear is a bit worn out. The Texas truck had 26,000 on the odometer that was still connected. And the gear in the back of it was a bit better but still worn. I look for automotive parts all day, that is my job. So I all so have access to some fairly old parts books. And I came up with a complete listing on my generator. Periodically I search for part numbers that I might need down the road. And I punched in the gear again and got a hit! So I was jumping for joy everyone around me looking at me like I have lost my marbles. I retrieved my book made sure the numbers were correct and they were. American Vintage Parts on Ebay had posted the old delco remy part number. I didn't hesitate and got one. I once had contacted a company that would recreate the gear but the cost was more than I wanted to take on. No more wondering if the gear will hold up.

older pictures

 These are a few of the older pictures I came across of the well drill before it came down. And a few of the truck before we loaded it. 

NOS rear end parts

Okay restoring this truck is a full time job! Searching for parts to me is fun (It is also my day time job.)  So I search for parts all the time. Well the rear hub seals and nuts were worn out ton the old truck I was going to try and clean them up and reuse the old ones but that changed. I was researching old part numbers when I found a couple in an company in Wisconsin called McFarlanes. I called them with my part numbers and low and behold they had them! So I came up with the rear felt hub nuts and seals, felt seals for the drive shaft carrier bearing and springs for the carrier retainer. All NOS. I was really excited to find the springs. my originals were old and lost all spring. I also found a company on Ebay that is cutting new felt axle seals so the rear end is going to be all new except gears and axles. I am stoked thanks to McFarlanes (800) 627-8569.  I can't believe the luck I have had finding NOS parts and salvage parts. Now I need to get moving!

New parts.

I didn't intend on replacing the king pins but I found some on Ebay. And a Nos ignition switch which looks spot on. So my goals on the truck have been destroyed, But I will not stop. I have a new goal for May! So ATHS is holding there national convention in Des Moines, Iowa on may 25-27. My goal now is to get the chassis done to take it to this show. The other motivation I have was a Facebook challenge  from a international truck chapter in Australia, trying to get as many pre 1936 International's as possible together for the show. So with the weather warming up I have my work cut out for me to get this up and rolling. I also found an old ad for the B-3 I thought it would look good on a display for car shows. It gives a good general background for specs on the motor.