Things that eat up your day

I "resurrected" an old farm truck so I would have a snow plow available. We've owned this for more years than I can remember but it was loaned out to a neighbor who has been using it to haul wood from the backside of his and our property.

I think he last ran it some 4 or 5 years ago and he left it out in the woods. I asked if he was done with it and he said sure, it's just sitting there. :( So with the help of his son we drug it back to my shop. And I've been scaring off various rodents since.

I tossed a battery in and poured some gas down the carb, took a few minutes of cranking but it lit off and ran a minute 'til the gas ran out.

I had to take the wheels off ( front anyway) and got the brakes apart, took some heat to get the bleeders to open, and I "re-directed' the brake line to the rear - it now goes to one front wheel cylinder, and the other side of the master goes to the other wheel cylinder. Honed the cylinders clean and re-assembled the brakes and bled the air out.

For some reason the neighbors cut a lot of wiring ( could've just pulled the fuses!) so I did some cleaning up of the interior and wanted to get the heater working amongst other things. But first I got the plow remounted and had to fix some of the connections, here's a couple pics.

And of course there's all sorts of "little" things, like windows that worked... and then didn't, but needed to! LOL.
So after I got the plow working again. I moved onto the heater. The hoses get hot but the fan wouldn't run.. so I proceeded to tear it apart. only to discover more rodents of various sizes. and once they were evicted / exterminated ( NO.. I didn't call Seth!:eek::LOL:) but after the cleanout I discovered the bottom of the heater box is just gone. Plan B time. On to getting some lights to work. Of course the wires had been cut away.. and testing shows the switch doesn't work.. :( SO I replaced some wires and used a simple toggle switch to turn on/off the low beams, which is fine for my needs. HMmm how about some wipers.??? Oh yeah, more missing wires and testing showed? Yep, you're right the motor won't run and the switch won't work..Grrrr... :rolleyes::mad::rolleyes: Okay, Plan "C" after 2 days of trying to get the motor to run, I actually cut away the winding mounts and repaired one side of the winding then reassembled, it "kinda" runs but has no power so... Plan C, rev.A? :LOL: And I noticed the carb is always dripping, it's a single bore holley and I removed it and cleaned it up, there was a pile of blue glue ( silicone sealant) all squishy and floating in the carb bowl, and it has/had been so overtightened the body is actually bent. I actually had a single barrel holley from "something" but I don't remember where I got it! So I figure what the heck, we'll swap it. then I discover it's a lot smaller in the main bore and the flange bolt pattern.. No problem, stuff it in the mill and move the bolt holes right??? :eek::LOL::LOL::LOL:

Here's a pic or two..

SO after searching / finding a tree for the holiday, the wife and I cut it down and got it setup in the house this morning. She does the trimming, I stay out of her way!! :LOL::LOL:

Back to the shop and got the carb re-installed but I don't have a bowl gasket :( but a friend had heard what I was up to and had a wiper motor out of a late model GM which he gave to me! :) So I'll need to do some McGuyver type work and hitch'em together.

And I had told Mark that I'd give him and his dad a hand on the pickup, I think its the third time I've disassembled this pickup! - so here's a pic of that. Where do the days go? :LOL::LOL::LOL:

I've got nothing nice to say about your neighbor.

Yeah, it's ok. it's a woods truck after all.. If I wasn't going to run down the lane with it, I wouldn't bother fixin' any of it.
But plowing' snow can get messy, so I'd like the heater and wipers / headlights to work.

When you're dragging trees, you don't need brakes. And usually you're in first or second gear with the transfer case in 4 wheel low. So again, brakes aren't needed - just shut off the ignition. If you hit a tree.. oh well! Most of the small ones (~3", you just run over anyway.) they're pretty flexible and spring back up behind you. But I didn't plan on spending my time with it... and some money.. who knows, maybe I'll get ambitious and add some metal so I can say it's got a floor! rotflmao!:LOL:

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Originally Posted by 34_40

who knows, maybe I'll get ambitious and add some metal so I can say it's got a floor! rotflmao!:LOL:

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Add metal?
I'd say that is getting ambitious!
Haven't you got some plywood offcuts lying around in your shed?
And some nails?
If you still want to get ambitious with ply you could use screws.

:LOL: :LOL: :LOL:

I see a full blown restoration starting to brew here; resistance is futile.......

The old IH doesn't look to terrible for something been used and abused it's entire life. Nice to see you putting in the work and getting some more use out of it. I'm glad you guys will be getting all of the white stuff so I don't have to shovel it. :LOL:

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Originally Posted by falconvan

I see a full blown restoration starting to brew here; resistance is futile.......

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Have you been talking to my wife??? She's saying the same thing.. Heck, I've got 76 dollars already invested and it's only left the shop once for a quick ride! :rolleyes:;):LOL:

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Originally Posted by johnboy

Add metal?
I'd say that is getting ambitious!
Haven't you got some plywood offcuts lying around in your shed?
And some nails?
If you still want to get ambitious with ply you could use screws.

:LOL: :LOL: :LOL:

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Plywood!! I hadn't even considered it! It could have a floor just like the Model A! Thanks JB! :D:D:p

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Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe

The old IH doesn't look to terrible for something been used and abused it's entire life. Nice to see you putting in the work and getting some more use out of it. I'm glad you guys will be getting all of the white stuff so I don't have to shovel it. :LOL:

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The old Binder has been a tough truck all the time we've owned it. My uncle like to tell the story of how it carried home from the quarry a load of crushed stone, it ran off the scales at almost 13 thousand pounds! :eek::eek: On single tires!! :eek::eek:

Good thing no-one wanted to stop in front of him.

I figured if the motor puts up to much of a fight I'll ship it over to ya' for some compression ignition power. ;):rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by 34_40

Have you been talking to my wife??? She's saying the same thing.. Heck, I've got 76 dollars already invested and it's only left the shop once for a quick ride! :rolleyes:;):LOL:

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Originally Posted by 34_40

I figured if the motor puts up to much of a fight I'll ship it over to ya' for some compression ignition power. ;):rolleyes:

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Shoot, $76? You got off cheap!!!!!

On the swap, I can get you fixed right up! :D

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Originally Posted by 34_40

( no.. I didn't call seth!:eek::lol:) :eek::lol::lol::lol:

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:lol::lol::lol:

I haven't kept up to date with the farm truck so here's a quick one.

1. located / purchased / installed a carb kit and now the ol' girl can actually make some power.:LOL:

2. After more than a few weekend hours I've got the wipers working again. The GM motor was to large so I gave up on that, "acquired" a Crown Vic motor while Mark wasn't looking. :eek::LOL: and whipped up an adapter to mount the motor to the body plate, then had to make a couple more adapters to fit the arms to the drive shafts and finally got the wipers going.

3. And just tonite I got the heater box back in and the beast makes warm air again. I can't tell you how much dirt / nest material ( now I know where all the seat material went!) and just crap I had to remove, even up into the cowl inlet. :(

So now I just have to replace the kinked bypass hose.. another "gift from the crown vic".. I wonder when Mark will notice?:eek::D:LOL:

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Originally Posted by firebird77clone

I've got nothing nice to say about your neighbor.

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There are givers and there are takers.
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Mike, it sounds like you've just about got a comfy plow rig now. :LOL:

Heat, wipers, and a snow plow all seem to work together pretty well. Do you have $100 into it yet?

At this rate you just might have the ol' girl ready to plow by spring...............:whacked::D

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Originally Posted by 40FordDeluxe

Mike, it sounds like you've just about got a comfy plow rig now. :LOL:

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Well, not comfy, read that part about finding the missing seat stuffing:LOL: , but a whole lot better than an open air tractor!:D

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Originally Posted by 53 Chevy5

Heat, wipers, and a snow plow all seem to work together pretty well. Do you have $100 into it yet?

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Yes, I think I'm almost 130 bucks, had to get a couple belts and the carb kit with shipping was 52. But it's okay once I plow the snow away it'll be money well spent.:)

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Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

At this rate you just might have the ol' girl ready to plow by spring.....:whacked::D

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That's exactly what I was thinking! We've had 2 "sizeable" snow storms and the International slept through them both. I was at work anyway so my buddy came through with his wheel loader and made short work of it all. But the IH will be parked outside tonite! I'm heading to the shop in a few minutes and will call it done! :D

And now the IH sleeps just outside the house.

I hope it acts as some type of talisman and wards off all snowstorms.. They can all stay in Iowa!:eek::LOL::LOL::LOL:

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Originally Posted by 34_40

And now the IH sleeps just outside the house.

I hope it acts as some type of talisman and wards off all snowstorms.. They can all stay in Iowa!:eek::LOL::LOL::LOL:

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Thanks a lot Mike. :LOL: We actually got some real snow 2 days ago and are about to get some more. It looks like winter now, not just feels like it. Haha

And we got a coastal storm that started as snow then changed to rain. Temps working up to about 50! Then tonite it's supposed to plummet to something like 20! So the roads will all be covered in black ice for sure.

Maybe my plan is working??? 8-)

I don't know. I'd rather have snow than ice....

Ice storms break the power lines. Bad mojo

Yeah, ain't winter fun?

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Originally Posted by 34_40

Yeah, ain't winter fun?

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I like actually like the changes, with out winter I'd miss the spring and fall. I seem to grow tire of winter the fastest though.

Here in central Florida, we have spring, spring, spring and spring. I lived in Phoenix for 35 years, where it was spring, summer, summer and summer.
.

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Originally Posted by techinspector1

Here in central Florida, we have spring, spring, spring and spring. I lived in Phoenix for 35 years, where it was spring, summer, summer and summer.

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When I was in the Navy I was in Corpus Christi, TX and after about a year I was feeling "off". I made a trip home, and realized that I missed seeing the seasons change. I'm not so fond of the bitter cold any more, but my body clock seems to need to experience spring, summer, fall and winter.

this time of year just wears me out. between the shop / hay fields / garden prep theres not enough hours in a day . mulching in the upper garden this year has me going full throttle. has to be ready by march .

Go figure.................we're still getting use to this central Texas stuff. Woke up this morning it was 27 but the high is supposed to be near 60 later. Saturday the high is predicted at 71, then the following day the high prediction is 46..........................who says the wildest roller coasters are in Ohio?

I need to make a decision on a garden, and get some seeds started.

bob, we've had 4 inches of snow here in feb .

but i have to get the gardens ready by first of march . taters go in the ground first .

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Originally Posted by shine

bob, we've had 4 inches of snow here in feb .

but i have to get the gardens ready by first of march . taters go in the ground first .

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Send that snow back to Iowa..............or have Mike come down and plow it for ya....:LOL:

best way to water the pastures is snow or ice. no worries it always disappears in a day or so. but the 4 inches of ice we had almost cost me my shop and sheds. way too much weight .
mike gets back from coonass land i'm gonna have him locked in the blasting shop for a while .

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Originally Posted by Bob Parmenter

Send that snow back to Iowa..............or have Mike come down and plow it for ya....:LOL:

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Yeah..:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

Don't hold your breath on that happening! :eek::eek::LOL::LOL:

But now that I think about it.. I could sneak that Cleveland out of his shop and haul it home with me?!?!