My C-30 w/Holmes wrecker adventure

[KevinK7]

Cool story on the old wrecker, and love your hands on approach to tackling things.

[jhe.1973]

Originally Posted by KevinK7

Cool story on the old wrecker, and love your hands on approach to tackling things.

Thanks for responding Kevin and I'm glad you are getting some enjoyment from this thread !!

[jhe.1973]

Hi Everyone,

Since my posting about the jib crane I have made it out to our other place and dropped it off --- almost ready to go:



Snuggled in at its new home:



You may have noticed that I have the dolly wheels/tires, tow bar and sling and two of the hazard lights on the wrecker frame installed.

I'm preparing to soon do a photo shoot at a great place here in town. I think it looks cooler with all the bells and whistles.

I also got the flood lights back on today:



I left the lights on until we moved to our current home but pulled all the rest off pretty soon after getting this truck. For my use it was just in the way and the truck was more versatile w/o the clutter.

[jhe.1973]

Hi Everyone,

The day after my last post, when I went to start the truck, this happened to the power steering dipstick:



I started a new thread about it to get more exposure and maybe suggestions as to why it got so hot:

https://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/...90#post9368990

My planned photo shoot is out for the foreseeable future as I just can't keep pouring time into this truck.

I still have over 400 photos of my work this last year so I'll keep posting as long as they last.

[jhe.1973]

Hi Everyone,

I am pretty sure that I have figured out what happened to the steering pump and I explain it in the forum I linked to above (post9368990).

It dawned on me that I can hook a temporary line between both holes in the steering box and drive the truck w/o power steering until I have a bit more time to fix the problem.

Soooo maybe my hoped for photo shoot can happen fairly soon.

[Steeveedee]

^ That'll work, but it's gonna steer like a...truck.

[jhe.1973]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

^ That'll work, but it's gonna steer like a...truck.

Well that will fit right in cuz it already rides like one ... especially with the urethane cab insulators!

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by jhe.1973

Well that will fit right in cuz it already rides like one ... especially with the urethane cab insulators!

I had a '66 Le Mans that the power steering had no belt and did what you did. That's how I know. I was 23 at the time, and power steering without the belt wasn't that hard to use. I bought it that way, but fixed it. One finger steering after that.

[jhe.1973]

Hi Everyone,

Lots have happened since I've posted. We had an unplanned trip to help with our granddaughter so I sneaked away to my favorite junkyard w/old vehicles.

Found this proof of my theory that these PS pumps didn't use both belts to run them:



While I was there I also picked up these to make something to use for flushing the PS system:



I found out that the larger fitting for the pressure hose is not readily available. I tried NAPA and the two fast food auto parts stores in town. That's why I got these hose ends with the larger flare nut.

In case any of you have not done this, if you grind through the clamping sleeve on a hydraulic hoe like these you can get an expanded end that will not pull off when clamped with a standard hose clamp:



I was surprised to find that the steel line was not expanded but was reduced in the two areas that the steel sleeve was crimped. It also looks like the small grooves could be there to help with the holding.

Anyway, here is how the line is finished:



Here is the steering box ready to hook up hoses for flushing:



The next post will start with showing an electrically driven gear pump I've had for ages (for a different project) out of storage.

[jhe.1973]

I hope to get back here right away, but I've had a bunch of trouble this AM being kicked off, even in the middle of uploading photos!

[jhe.1973]

Hi Everyone,

Here is the pump/motor combo I mentioned that I intend to use for flushing the PS box:



I've only had it for 40 years or so nut my curiosity got the best of me when I was cleaning off all the dust. I finally looked critically at the motor and figured it must be rather old so I looked up the company online and I only found was this:



YIKES! This thing could be (or is) 100 years old!

Still works though.



The day is warming up so I need to get outside and take advantage of temperature. I'll try to get back this evening and let y'all know how this has worked out.