Pat 12 gets a nose job

[Ian Johns]

I guess I have lots to look forward to with a cab 11 and 12 to do.

[Bob Carriere]

Lots of pictures Ian...... and then some more.....before...during and after.....
None of the shop manual gives you those details.

Cheers

[Bob Carriere]

...apparently security token is code for your picture is too lrage and needs resizing...

[Phil Waterman]

Hi Bob

Got a kick out of your two steps forward one back, on a good day it is three steps forward and only one back.

Well this morning - Another Lesson Remembered- when things don't seem to fit call it a day go have a cool one and start over again in the morning. Which fortunately is what I did yesterday when the inner fender panels didn't want to fit.

When I started fresh this morning they fitted with only having to remove one part. Which was much better than what I thought would have to be done yesterday.

As to how do I manage to assemble these trucks working alone, you know how the Pat 11&12 are some times referred to as Monkey Faced. Like every one I assumed this reference was to the appearance, wrong it is a reference to who assembled the trucks I am now convinced that they were assembled by monkeys with extremely long arms who could also hold wrenches with their feet. Though I've not taken my shoes off to hold a wrench but come close. Actually a really fast impact wrench will often let you push a bolt through a hole then instal the washer lock washer and nut, if you put the impact socket on the nut you can spin the nut tight before the bolt has a chance to turn allowing one sided tightening.

Well the truck is nearly all reassembled which is good because we have some real hot weather forecast for next week 30C or 86F which will give me a chance to see if after all this work I've actually cured the over heating problem.

Ian yes you are in for a lot of fun and just as Bob says lots and lots of pictures. Don't know how many times I've gone back to the pictures I or other people have taken of their trucks to get a part positioned correctly.

One other thing Ian if you whether or not you plan to reuse the bolts have lots of small containers which you can label right front fender etc and throw all the bolts into the correct bucket. Will help in figuring out what bolts and what size and length to get as well. I buy all grade 8 bolts in 50-100 count bulk from an industrial supplier much cheaper than the hardware store or auto-parts store.

Cheers Phil

Cheers Phil

[Ian Johns]

Thanks guys

[Phil Waterman]

Hi All

Well the nose job and engine swap worked, the truck can now breath and it doesn't seem to overheat. Took the truck for an extended drive today ambient air temp 29C or 84F and the truck never got much over 190F which is a far cry from boiling into the recovery tank which it did before.

Also now that the clutch completely disengages the truck shifts like a dream. The clutch problem was caused by a clutch disk that actually was sticky to the touch.

Cheers Phil

[Bob Carriere]

Hi Phil

Any idea how the sticky stuff came from??

Leak somewhere.....?

What temp setting are you using for the thermostat...... we are using the GM 1959 manual recommended 160 on ours and fear it may be too cold.

We are about ready to fire up Grant's rebuilt 261 in the next few days.

Bob C