Greetings Everybody. I just bought a 1949 1/2 ton. It's in need of a lot of work but I'm excited about it's potential. This site looks like a godsend.
My most pressing concerns right now are finding the bottom portion of the bench seat and fixing the steering.
The steering box needs to be rebuilt and looks like it will run over $600. I'd like to have this truck as a daily driver and my mechanic said I'd be better off putting in a new frontend.
I'd appreciate your experienced advice!
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I had my steering box overhauled and upgraded by AAA Auto in WA state for about $350. It was high because they had to straighten the worm gear and upgraded the bushings to bearings. Check the Links section at www.p15-d24.com for some other guys who also work on steering boxes. Probably can get it done in the $200-$250 range. Removal is easy, pull the steering wheel, remove the toe boards, pull the pitman arm and unbolt from the dash. Hardest part is pulling the steering wheel cause you need a puller that fits under it and pulls up. I doesn't have threads tapped for a puller in the hub. Three bolts hold the box to the frame. Then drop it down and forward. 30 minutes max to get the shaft out. The two ball joint replacements are available from Roberts for around $70.00, easy screw in replacement. Kingpin kits run around $30.00. Maybe 1 hour machine work, (pressing and honing the bushing) and at most a couple hours R & R. My point is they are really simple straight axles and $600 sounds high. A lot of the stuff you can do yourself like pulling the steering column and farming the machine work out. Same is true for the kingpins. Only potential problem area is the drag link. I have not found a source for rebuilding them and no rebuild kit exists. Finding replacement ones are really hard (and expensive) if yours is bad. May have to go junkyard shopping for one in better shape. Last you will need a front end alignment.
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I am not going to use my seat. Are you interested in it? E-mail me at 57plymouth@msn.com
1957 Plymouth in family since new and my first car; 1950 B-2-B-108 becoming 340/A-904 on New Yorker subframe daily driver / tow rig; wife's mechanic for her 1969 Camaro RS/SS big block four speed with 427 in machine shop and designated cusser for her 1976 Corvette
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