1936 Diamond T with 6BT cummins

I love the custom touches we do to make our rides our own. Nice work.

I started working on a center console....
I started with a 2 piece unit
20170329_112724 by Karin Vail, on Flickr

but I wasn't feeling it, so back to the drawing board and made a one piece top:
IMG_20170402_195813_386 by Karin Vail, on Flickr

ended up having to shorten it because it was too tight against the seat and the aux. trans hole I cut a little big the first time.
20170411_141022 by Karin Vail, on Flickr

this was my first project I had to do welding on (Brian has done all the welding up until this point). It's not pretty on the backside, but it works! The cubby took me a while to commit to cutting that hole. Boxes are fun to make though. I also welded nuts on the backside for the main-box trim screws. I am just waiting for a specific hole saw to drill the two holes for the cup holders now And figure out what to do for trim for the cubby and the aux box.
20170411_143027 by Karin Vail, on Flickr

Love the console too. great ideas and fab work.

worked on the tool box area this weekend (it is below the passenger door)

We didn't use the original one because it was originally framed in wood and we wanted to frame in steel.

First, the frame:
20170430_123202 by Karin Vail, on Flickr

Then, I cut 'skins' for the inside, punched holes in the perimeter of each, and Brian welded them in:
20170430_185812 by Karin Vail, on Flickr

Very exciting to get another piece of the project checked off the list!
20170430_191908 by Karin Vail, on Flickr

Brian worked on airlines more too - didn't get any pics of that yet. We have a tank for the brakes behind the cab and a tank in back for the rear suspension.

Nice work! I love the custom, figure-out-how-to-do-it fab work like on your lower dash.

I have been using a soak of molasses/water in a huge plastic tote to remove rust. It takes a while, but it does an amazing job. This door access panel was extremely rusty and it came out amazing with just a pressure wash and light sanding.
https://flic.kr/p/TDJrFQ

got it and some other trim pieces in epoxy primer (white since the interior will be mainly ivory)
https://flic.kr/p/UPFD8o

I got the trim remade for the passenger side hinge area
https://flic.kr/p/Vnu3wD

I got the nose cone sanded down, some bodywork done on it (but then when I sprayed primer, it had some previous bondo cracks show up that I didn't see, so we decided to have it sandblasted and start fresh)
https://flic.kr/p/VmwSce

I had to redrill the holes for the hood ornament since the previous owner filled the holes in (he didn't have a hood ornament on it)
https://flic.kr/p/V8sTau

meanwhile (before sandblasting it), I decided to start learning pinstriping so eventually I can pinstripe the truck (hoping)
https://flic.kr/p/UeRC8c
https://flic.kr/p/UeVwsM

the upper console and some more trim in epoxy primer
https://flic.kr/p/UYTFUL

more pinstriping practice
https://flic.kr/p/UkuG9K
https://flic.kr/p/UhuT9j

so, advice welcome on this next step of the project.... when we had the nose cone sandblasted, we had the hood done too. This is one section of damage we didn't expect. It seemed solid. I think the sandblaster was rather heavy handed Advice on repair?
https://flic.kr/p/Ujn3VC

this is the profile of the hood edge that is damaged
https://flic.kr/p/VxsXoE

so, Brian ended up being able to weld up those pinholes in the hood without too much trouble, whew! Got it epoxy primed, so no more bare steel. They are wavy as heck and have some creases in them (from the hinge not working smooth I think), don't know what we can do about that

The nose cone has been a challenge. After sandblasting off the who-knows-what paint (I think there was POR15 on it), and cracked body filler, I was left to redo the body filler (which is pretty new to me, but I am not one to back down from a challenge).

so, she went from this (after sandblasting):


to this:


to this:



to this, yay! (SPI epoxy primer)


Now, after the epoxy primer, I can see where there is pitting in spots that didn't need bodywork. Do I need to fill the pitting with putty? Or will a 2K primer fill the pitting? I was probably going to use SPI 2K primer (then epoxy over that as suggested by SPI), but maybe it might not fill enough to get rid of the pitting? [S

Progress is slow, but we get closer all the time. Today, I picked up our sandblasted/powder-coated front wheels and got new double coin tires on them! We will get these tires on the rear (dually) as well (after these are paid off, ha!)

I meant to share this too - we dragged this little gem out of the weeds weekend before last. She will be coming home soon (we need to find a way to tow it because it has a VERY RUSTY inverted 5th wheel that is probably not functional anymore (the inverted 5th wheel means a kingpin on the tow vehicle, which when engaged, makes the landing gear pop up). We think we are going to weld a kingpin on the trailer and tow it with a dolly, but we cannot find a dolly to rent! (We can tow with the log truck)





Most asked question about acquiring this trailer? ''What are you going to do with THAT?'' Haha. Not everybody ''gets it''. We will put a modern axle under it, make a step in the front end so the body sits lower (tubs inside). Maybe a camper? Or toy hauler? Who knows....

bkvail said:

so, Brian ended up being able to weld up those pinholes in the hood without too much trouble, whew! Got it epoxy primed, so no more bare steel. They are wavy as heck and have some creases in them (from the hinge not working smooth I think), don't know what we can do about that

The nose cone has been a challenge. After sandblasting off the who-knows-what paint (I think there was POR15 on it), and cracked body filler, I was left to redo the body filler (which is pretty new to me, but I am not one to back down from a challenge).

so, she went from this (after sandblasting):


to this:


to this:



to this, yay! (SPI epoxy primer)


Now, after the epoxy primer, I can see where there is pitting in spots that didn't need bodywork. Do I need to fill the pitting with putty? Or will a 2K primer fill the pitting? I was probably going to use SPI 2K primer (then epoxy over that as suggested by SPI), but maybe it might not fill enough to get rid of the pitting? [S

Progress is slow, but we get closer all the time. Today, I picked up our sandblasted/powder-coated front wheels and got new double coin tires on them! We will get these tires on the rear (dually) as well (after these are paid off, ha!)

Click to expand...

I think I've heard similar comments at a poker table. Very nice body work there young lady. [cl

nice work. Luv the trailer!

bkvail said:

I meant to share this too - we dragged this little gem out of the weeds weekend before last. She will be coming home soon (we need to find a way to tow it because it has a VERY RUSTY inverted 5th wheel that is probably not functional anymore (the inverted 5th wheel means a kingpin on the tow vehicle, which when engaged, makes the landing gear pop up). We think we are going to weld a kingpin on the trailer and tow it with a dolly, but we cannot find a dolly to rent! (We can tow with the log truck)





Most asked question about acquiring this trailer? ''What are you going to do with THAT?'' Haha. Not everybody ''gets it''. We will put a modern axle under it, make a step in the front end so the body sits lower (tubs inside). Maybe a camper? Or toy hauler? Who knows....

Click to expand...

We get it!!! It'll look kool tagging along behind that Diamond T!

If you don't have to go very far, you might rig a way to pull it with a flatbed goose neck type hitch

phil cottingham said:

If you don't have to go very far, you might rig a way to pull it with a flatbed goose neck type hitch

Click to expand...

ya, we were hoping to figure out a way to pull it ourselves - hiring someone to pull it might not work because of the OLD bias-ply tires (we would just buy new tires, but we are not keeping that axle and will be going with an axle with different lug pattern and wheel size to match the truck). The last time this thing was licensed for the road was - oh - 50 years ago I think it was. haha

smallfoot said:

We get it!!! It'll look kool tagging along behind that Diamond T!

Click to expand...

Yes! I can't wait - lowered (tubbed and rise cut in the front), matching wheels/tires to the Diamond T

An inspiration photo (although we have a longer wheelbase on our truck and this trailer is longer than ours)



We got new steer tires on Monday - and 2 of our wheels freshly powdercoated!

You should be able to get a wrecker to tow it for you. I've seen them tow some trailers in awful shape before. Keep the speeds down and the tires should be ok if they aren't already separating. Or put it on a Landall Haulall trailer, kind of like a roll back for big trucks and trailers, the axles slide forward so the rear deck can touch the ground, making it a drive on ramp.

I've fooled with trucks and trailers for the last 40 years and have never came across an inverted kingpin set up. Must be from the 30's or 40's.

Bamamav said:

You should be able to get a wrecker to tow it for you. I've seen them tow some trailers in awful shape before. Keep the speeds down and the tires should be ok if they aren't already separating. Or put it on a Landall Haulall trailer, kind of like a roll back for big trucks and trailers, the axles slide forward so the rear deck can touch the ground, making it a drive on ramp.

I've fooled with trucks and trailers for the last 40 years and have never came across an inverted kingpin set up. Must be from the 30's or 40's.

Click to expand...

yes, it is from the 40's. Ruthie Fruehauf thought it was a 1949 by the serial number.

oops, I need to be more careful which pics I delete from my flickr - sometimes I forget what I posted!

We had a 4-day weekend, so we got a lot accomplished this weekend. I got wedges cut like originals to install the grill into the newly body-worked/epoxy primed grill shell. We also added wire mesh behind the grill to hopefully camoflauge the radiator and crossmember. And made a new 'air dam' on the bottom of the grill that hangs below the crossmember.








and we got the final placement of the grill shell established and installed! As well as the freshly epoxy primed hood installed. The hood will definitely need a skim coat of putty because the pitting is very obvious. I think we will end up making some structural upgrades to the hood underneath as well. We had it straightened out, but having the hood propped up made one side bend again.







And, then Brian had to take it for a drive again

https://youtu.be/WRyUa0_ab6Q

I drove it as well, but my attempt at driving was less-than-sucessful. I killed it at a stop sign because (I have to admit) the brakes freak me out. They are like semi-truck brakes. They are second nature to Brian because he drives a log truck for a living! But, air brakes are so different from typical hydraulic brakes. It is just a different foot action. Plus the torque on this thing is just UNREAL to me. I am sure a lot of it is because it still has the 5.13 gears in the 14-bolt. We will be changing those out before it gets driven any faster than town driving. Maybe to 3.73? Any suggestion on gearing? And, the pedals are just a tad far to reach for me. Brian is 6' and I am 5.6'' - so they are great for Brian, not-so-great for me
Brian is tickled pink how it drives though. I am happy to be a passenger I guess.

We also got one door jamb/latch completed, and the other side is 90% there, but we ran out of mig wire yesterday.
https://youtu.be/S6m1jaw4CuY

Looking sweeeeet [cl

This is just getting cooler and cooler. [cl

Very nice [cl[cl