elmo looks a little less elmo now?

[davesgmc]

Well, I went out and started it up again today, still smokes, but then again there WAS oil dripping from the muffler, I did shut it down, wait for it to cool, flushed water down the exhuast pipe and punched a hole in the back of the muffler. that took a lot out of it. It now just steams like crazy,,,,lol. Well I decided to take the bed sides off. Make it look a little less intimidating sitting in the driveway here at home. Washed all the dirt off it again, and off the neighbors tahoe too. Glad he aint home! Tose bed isdes were HEAVY! It took all of myself and my son (13 years old) to get em down from the bed, drag them inside the garage. Sur wish the weather was nicer, I woud prolly go ahead and sand aoof all that ugly paint and get some gree on him asap. Well, I guess that is a spring project. Gotta get the brakes working then the trans comes out. Anyone wanna help pull the trans out? Imagine it aint a very light unit.

 

[m.walker]

Looks better I'd leave the top on and just paint it all green , do put in a back window though ! Don't even look like the same truck , huge improvement !

 

[davesgmc]

yeah, might find a small window, something about the size of a 67 chevy truck or something, install it with a rubber gasket. something like that.

 

[pa.rich]

Glad you got it home , The bed and cab looks good. The manual says to remove the engine and trans in one unit and comes out radiator and all , Its not easy but probalbly the better of the two. Is it the automatic as original? Do you have a manual? Its worth its weight in gold. Portrayal press has them.

 

[davesgmc]

Well, I dont have a manual, there is supposed to be one uploaded here soon. Hopefully. I certainly hope I can get the trans out without pulling the entire power plant. I have no way to get it out.

 

[lacoda56]

Seems to be a good looking truck, with or without the back window. It takes a fairly substantial hoist to pull the power pack as a unit, but I would think you could pull the trans with a good tranny jack and a little "engineering". Just be carefull as these things are heavy and a smashed finger takes time to heal. I've heard that you can put in a manual trans with a clutch, but as low range is in the trans, you also have to change the transfer case to get the gearing where you want it. Just a sugestion, but it might be easier to find a good hydramatic. Good luck!

 

[steelsoldiers]

I like the bare flatbed look. You could find one of those bomb hoist setups that were meant for the back of a deuce and bolt that on there. That could be very handy!

 

[davesgmc]

I do think I am gonna stick with the automatic actually. I think the manual would be quite a bit of engineering and parts locating to get it installed.

I do have plans for the bed. not sure how I am gonna do it, but I want to beable to haul my ferret with it,,,,maybe

 

[Elwenil]

Hmmm, I'm curious, why the need for a back window? There's no rearview mirror, and it's probably too high up to see much. I'm used to driving truck with a sleeper, so no back window is normal to me. In my pickups the backlight is normally tinted so dark it might as well not be there anyway, lol. Just curious...

 

[Lifer]

I had to look down a few threads to find the "before" pics, but I found 'em. The truck definately looks better without those huge bed sides on it. FWIW, I'd find a way to get rid of 'em if i had to sell 'em for scrap and put some stock sides on it. Keeping the tin top would make the truck more comfortable in bad weather and, as you say, no need for a back window. I learned to use my side mirrors a long time ago, too.

 

[davesgmc]

Actaully there is a rear view mirror in there. It actaully appears that its original, not sure or nto, but i'd be willing to bet money that it has ben there for atleast 40 years or more.

 

[davesgmc]

oh, and I am going to save the bed sides for now, might come in good use later. Ma and pa want me to put a new roof on thier house this summer, would be a great way to haul the old one away actually. And thats what the truck was last used for, hualing trash and roofing material around. There is still some roofing tar slpped on the bed with a bunch of nails sticking out of it.

 

[m.walker]

I drive a semi too , but whoever made my vinyl top didn't put a window in it and it's a pain in the @%& sometimes ! A window you could open would help cool down the cab in the summer ! It's nice to look at what you have in back ( tie downs , ropes , chains ) also !

 

[lacoda56]

The rearview mirror could be original. Two of my parts trucks (M211 and M135) have a small one mounted in the center of the windshield frame. Both trucks are '52. As small as the mirrors are, I can't see them being much use, and with anything but the bare cargo bed with the tailgate down, about all you can see is the back of the cab.

 

[M2116x6]

The trans can be removed by itself although you need a very heavy trans jack. When I first bought my M211 the trans died. Took the truck to a heavy truck repair shop to get a rebuilt trans installed that I had bought from Memphis Equip. They put the truck on a lift and used a trans jack. Not easy, not cheap.

A year ago I had to replace the engine in this same truck. I decided to replace it myself. Due to the split torque converter in this, I chose to pull the engine/trans as a unit. I didn't want to be screwing around trying to line up the converter bolts (about 30) while laying under the truck on my stone driveway. It was much easier to deal with while the power pack was on the ground in front of me. It took two of us about 8 hours to remove and also 8 to reinstall. I used a chain hoist and my oak tree. Removed the front fenders and radiator also just to get them out of harm's way.

Follow the manual, it was not bad. The only difficult part was when reinstalling the unit, you need to lift the tail end of the trans up and then push it back to clear the crossmember. I used a floor jack on a board for this part.

Jim

 

[hmburner]

I have a 1956 M135 i'm pulling engine and trans out of to replace with a 3-53 Detroit. I may be too far away,but i will sell the unit cheap. Last time it ran was 1985

 

[davesgmc]

yeah, canada is a bit too far away, would love to have it though

 

[JDToumanian]

I have a 1956 M135 i'm pulling engine and trans out of to replace with a 3-53 Detroit.

Do keep us posted with pics of this project as you do it!

Jon