351A Pete

Shimmy1 said:

https://www.heavyequipmentforums.com/threads/my-last-one-finished.87158/page-3#post-996596

Click to expand...

Well this is my second to the last one.
*

crane operator said:

Congratulations on the purchase. Going to have room in the shop where you used to work? Or going to have to find a different spot to work on it?

Every time I contemplate a project, I remember that all my bays are full of what pays the bills. I would have to rent a different place for a project.

Your area is certainly a advantage for rust free projects.

Click to expand...

Well funny thing about my retirement, I never really retired, still classified as a employee because
I drive the tow truck. Still in the company UA pool, and shuttle tractors here and there.
The owner and I figured out a agreement/notarized, he and I are partners in the Pete. He likes old
trucks but wanted one that hadn't had every wrench in the nation screwing with it. I found this one
watched it for a week, then contacted seller. He had {he said} 50 plus wanting from Maine, Florida
to S. California, some serious but not serious enough. I told him have have cash get title straightened
out consider it sold. This Pete was owned by Redwood Construction-Logging, that company bought
nothing but Pete's, 264 of them through the years.
And yes I still do stuff in the old shop, that was part of the deal when I left. The tow truck is totally
my responsibility. I built and sold five 855 BC's in there after I left along with five gas engines.
*

Tyler d4c said:

Here in PA a truck that age was rotted to a pile of iron oxide 25 years before I was born

Click to expand...

Correct, That truck was spec'd with steel fenders too. These like this are really getting hard
to find, and the middle aged man selling it was glad I was buying, he didn't want to see it
turned into some low rider chromium pile. I waited and looked for the last five years till this
one came along.

And the final price minus the bed, hoist came to $6.500. I didn't want the bed, there are
so many grain beds/hoists around here, everywhere, no value.

Just bought the build sheet to that truck, complete about 50 pages, $25.00.
And I have a 1972 Pete owners manual that I've had for years, complete foldout
wiring diagram that will cover this truck also.

Truck Shop said:

Correct, That truck was spec'd with steel fenders too. These like this are really getting hard
to find, and the middle aged man selling it was glad I was buying, he didn't want to see it
turned into some low rider chromium pile. I waited and looked for the last five years till this
one came along.

Click to expand...

I get a lot more enjoyment seeing old anything that are restored/conserved to original condition than what somebody thinks looks good. I recently spent a weekend within a couple hundred yards of a pair of chromed/lowered/dozer blade bumpered/visored Pete 379s that just pull big RV trailers and never felt the urge to go look closer.

JaredV said:

I get a lot more enjoyment seeing old anything that are restored/conserved to original condition than what somebody thinks looks good

Click to expand...

Same here, anymore a small amount of chrome goes along ways. Plus less to polish, give
a bath and put away. This isn't going to be a exercise in perfect/perfection restoration, just
a good example of yesteryear. A few items won't be exact like main transmission, simply
because parts for 8500/8700 Spicer are slim but also expensive. Installing a Eaton plus a
progressive auxiliary will make it slightly easier for someone else to drive but still have the
traditional twin boxes. Interior will be oem stark, headliner/back of cab panels maybe door
panels--in a simple nothing fancy stitch work, stock gauges and keep the Sangamo Tachograph/
Speedometer.

Just one time more, I'd like to come out of 4th OD, pull the main box over to my seat, wait 1 second then push the knob toward my knee. Then pull that other stick back to direct.........head for home.

Truck Shop said:

Same here, anymore a small amount of chrome goes along ways. Plus less to polish, give
a bath and put away. This isn't going to be a exercise in perfect/perfection restoration, just
a good example of yesteryear. A few items won't be exact like main transmission, simply
because parts for 8500/8700 Spicer are slim but also expensive. Installing a Eaton plus a
progressive auxiliary will make it slightly easier for someone else to drive but still have the
traditional twin boxes. Interior will be oem stark, headliner/back of cab panels maybe door
panels--in a simple nothing fancy stitch work, stock gauges and keep the Sangamo Tachograph/
Speedometer.

Click to expand...

I dont remember if you mentioned, is it in running condition?

Pops52 said:

I dont remember if you mentioned, is it in running condition?

Click to expand...

Last time it was used/ran was two years ago, main gear box failed then parked in barn.
Very little mileage in last years, before currant owner it sat in covered storage for 15 years.

She sure is going to clean up nice,heck pressure wash & wax I'll take her to prom. The shutters, painted bumper & 5" stack has a clean fleet/ready to work look not a chromed out pavement princess

The regearing issue--calculated with 4.89 final ratio from 6.14 original.
Using 11.00-22.5 at 41.75 average diameter.
Spicer 8341G progressive with .81 overdrive.
Eaton RTO12510 with .78 overdrive.
The combined overdrives=.63 overdrive @ 1900 rpm deliver a speed of 75.72.
Eaton 16210C with .74 overdrive.
Spicer 8341G with .81 overdrive.
Combined overdrives=.60 @ 1900 rpm deliver a speed of 79.5.
*
If I were to go to next higher gear set 4.63 and higher, I would have to change carrier too, expensive.
So 4.89's for final drive ratio with a 10 speed over drive and a auxiliary overdrive will be
the choice.
*
The original with 6.14 finals and both boxes at .81 and .84 gave a top speed of roughly 56
at 1900/2000 rpm.

Truck Shop said:

The regearing issue--calculated with 4.89 final ratio from 6.14 original.
Using 11.00-22.5 at 41.75 average diameter.
Spicer 8341G progressive with .81 overdrive.
Eaton RTO12510 with .78 overdrive.
The combined overdrives=.63 overdrive @ 1900 rpm deliver a speed of 75.72.
Eaton 16210C with .74 overdrive.
Spicer 8341G with .81 overdrive.
Combined overdrives=.60 @ 1900 rpm deliver a speed of 79.5.
*
If I were to go to next higher gear set 4.63 and higher, I would have to change carrier too, expensive.
So 4.89's for final drive ratio with a 10 speed over drive and a auxiliary overdrive will be
the choice.
*
The original with 6.14 finals and both boxes at .81 and .84 gave a top speed of roughly 56
at 1900/2000 rpm.

Click to expand...

It won't be a droning dog driving it to the shows

skyking1 said:

It won't be a droning dog driving it to the shows

Click to expand...

Correct--the thing about using a overdrive nine or ten with 4.89's, it will have lots of
low gears and plenty of high gears. Factory chassis weight is 14,330, rough guess with
bunks & trailer racked on board 22,000.

Picked up a FRO-16210C--free, needs hi-lo synchronizer in back section, not a big deal.