Projects 1948 Diamond T pickup tow truck project journal.

Wow, I bet that was fun to load.

 

Wow, that thing is HUGE! Thanks for the compliments. I'm anxious to get back after mine when this little trailer project is done.

Brian

 

lol ... yeah , she is a rather fat girl

loading was not so bad ... its a "cut off" front clip without engine
hopefully she will get a "new" spine, legs and heart soon (MDT chassis) so i can use that mighty old lady to tow my vintage trailer


hurry up on the trailer so you can get back to posting update pics of the T

 

Finally! I got back to work on the Diamond T today. The Tini-Home is done, the GMC is done (well, they're both done enough to use, anyway) and the "new" '47 Spartan is home safe and sound. Time to get crack-a-lack'n!

Auto-Zone provided the correct combination of replacement front end parts to finish that up, and it's setting on wheels with the front end FINISHED. I found a pair of forgotten Air-Lift bags I'd bought for something (maybe the '51 wagon?) and didn't use while looking for something else, and have decided to use them as overloads in lue of air-shocks. Should be much better, I need some lines and an on-board pump and tank. Maybe that 10lb propane tank I can't get filled anywhere...

Anyway, it felt good to get something done on the truck. I have 3 more big things to get done; brake lines, driveshaft, and glass in, then it's off to the muffler shop for a set of pipes and we're ride'n and drive'n!

Check out "Cool McCool's Garage" http://flynbrian48.wordpress.com/ for more, and keep me on task!

Brian

 

Allright! Progress at last!

 

WOW, great thread, How the heck did I miss seeing this!Great work and A fine looking ride!

 

I thought the Diamond T was finished already Brian, guess I wasnt paying close enough attention! Hopefully we get to see a video of it making its maiden voyage soon.

 

I love this truck glad to see you back on it Brian!

 

Have the brake lines about 2/3 done, just waiting on a flex hose from NAPA. I have the lower radiator hose stuff, and a bunch of heater hose, so hopefully I'll get that finished up this afternoon. It's over 100 again today, and even though the shop feels cool when I initially go in, it's almost 90 inside. To hot for me to get much done. The driveshaft is being made even as we speak, so it shouldn't be long now till it rolls out of the garage under it's own power. I'm so excited!

Brian

 

Man I'm so looking forward to the video of that old beast under its own power! Please provide sound effects!

 

And you guys thought I wasn't getting anything done! The driveshaft is in, the brake lines are all run, new calipers, p/s lines in, radiator plumbed, and the battery is charged up. Hopefully tommorow it'll be driven up and down the driveway!

I fired it up yesterday, lit right up after it's 1 1/2 year nap. Everything still works, although I still need to hook up the oil pressure gauge after the pointer fell off behind the glass. JB weld to the rescue! Of course the battery was low too, but that was expected.

The heater has to go a buddies radiator shop to get pressure checked and some nubs soldered onto the tubes to hold the hoses on, and I hafta figure out where to pull a vacume for the brake booster (the 6.0 is from a 3/4 ton truck with hydro-boost, no vacume port on the intake). I also decided to have the glass shop install the glass in the w/s frames, I don't want to crack a new glass hammering it into the frames.

Pictures and video of it idling in the driveway tommorow if all goes well.

Brian

 

Ha Brian, very cool truck. I wish I had the patience to do the quality workmanship you are putting into this one...
I got a question; I have a set of Diamond T headlights I am putting on my 39 Chevy COE truck. These headlights have the parking lights on top. 1930's/40? I Don't know the year. But I need all of the inner headlight parts & parking light gasket/seals . Is there a parts supplier with vintage Diamond T headlight parts?

 

Is it still idling in the driveway?

 

Thought it was done by now, right? WRONG! I've gotten lots of OTHER stuff done though, and am back on the truck. Got the windshields in today, the headlights in (they even work, although the left one has a bad ground and is dim), the electric cooling fan in, and started on the running board trim.

The truck has been out of the garage, up and down the drive and around the yard under it's own power, so it's a runner. Today was supposed to see a lot done, but I got distracted and worked on my daily driver, but hey, I still got some things done.

To see more of what's happening at "Cool McCool's Garage", the Diamond T project and all the other stuff I'd like to get done this winter, just click on the link, and follow along...

http://flynbrian48.wordpress.com/

Brian

 

OOPS, didn't upload the pictures...

 

Looks good.

 

Nice! I love Diamond T trucks, some of the coolest ever made.

The only thing I would change is the modern wheels for some big steelies with chrome center caps. But its not my truck, so who cares!

Awesome.

 

Gotcha covered on the steelies! I have a set of Dodge 8 lug 16" wheels from a one ton van, that look like the Chev. truck ralley wheels I always liked. I used up all the 8 ply 16" tires I have on my '76 GMC Dually, so I need to scrounge up another set for these to put on the DT. A set of Diamond T full wheel covers would be nice, but they are pretty spendy.

I like the Dodge aluminum wheels a lot, but it'll be nice to change up the look.

Brian

 

They say you should pull a project outside, stand back and see what it look like before calling it "done". The front is about 2" too high, and it sets a teensy bit higher on the left than the right. A smidge off the front coils should take care of both issues. Other than that, I don't think it could look ANY better!

 

Looking good to me, you did a great job.

 

Looking sweet with some daylight on it!

 

Brian I'm really digging how the truck is coming out! T-Bird next?

 

Yup. I'm trying to figure out how to arrange the shop so I can get to everything I want to work on this winter. My daily driver may have to set outside...

 

Another unorthodox yet beautifully executed vehicle. Well done mate.

 

Very well done, Brian. The style and workmanship of the bed gives this build the crowning
touch!

 

Got the running board trim cut, laid out on the boards and mounting holes drilled and tapped. I even polished the left side ones, looks pretty good. Still have the ones for the right side, and the hood trims, which are made of the same 1x2" X 1/2" aluminum bar stock.

More pictures of course at my blog. http://flynbrian48.wordpress.com/

 

Really spiced up those running boards. Looks nice!

 

Looking good Brian!

 

That turned out incredibly well.

 

Thanks guys. The pics don't really do them justice, it looks better in person. I was going for mid-30's heavy classic/luxury car look. Goes well with the Auburn fenders, the stainless w/s frames and I'm using a '35 Auburn flying lady mascot. I was going to put a trim on the side of the running board as well, but my wife veto'd that, said it would be too busy. The 1/2 x 1/2 profile just looked wrong too.