What in tarnation are these things ??

[SCHRUMGMC]

I am thinking the first thing is a Grounding bar under the Cab..Not exactly sure

Have no idea what the 2nd picture is


Also I am stuck.. the Glass bowl filter is right after the damn fuel pump, and I know, I know it is a Fire waiting to happen that is why I want it GONE ASAP.. but the thing is, I don't know how to fill the hole in the line because its so short? I want to put a Inline Fuel filter near the carb on that little stretch

[OrrieG]

Nothing factory. Upper looks like a power buss, trace the wires. No clue on bottom, what is on the othrr end of the rod?

[SCHRUMGMC]

What's not factory? I'll have to trace that Orange wire, I thought it was where the Brake lights grounded

I believe that is the Radio antenna hose or what not, not sure

[mr48chev]

The first used photo is indeed a bus bar aka terminal block that on these trucks is usually used to connect the lights. The fiber board that the bars are riveted on keep it from being grounded. As that is under the truck I'd think it connects to the tail lights but yes there are serious wiring issues there. The wire with the orange that loops around is a jumper wire someone stuck on it in the past that was probably used as a bandaid to get the lights to work.

If the rest of the wiring to the back is as much of a mess as that I'd go and get a roll of trailer light wire that has either three four or five wires in a ribbon that is usually used to wire trailers up and I'd wire the whole stop/turn/tail light setup with that. Most of us color code our wiring to match the mid sixties and later GM vehicles as it helps with troubleshooting later.

The modern plastic bus bar in the photo is one I bought for my sailboat today to connect some wiring on it. It'havs just a bigger and newer style of what you have there.

I didn't look at the other photo much yet but will in a second.

[SCHRUMGMC]

As far as I know it hasn't been spliced and diced, knowing how my Pawpaw was. I am going to plug it up, and see if it does anything

Originally what was there to Ground the brake lights?
Also there is a trailer harness on this truck that I have found as well

[mr48chev]

You can probably spend a few minutes under it with your test light and figure it out. Turn on the head lights and see what wire has power and then shut them off and turn on the left turn signal and see if that works and on to the right turn signal. If you looked at that link for the wiring diagram i posted earlier I think it is wrong after studying it. No convertible trucks on 1959.

My guess is that some time or the other your granddad's lights didn't work and they did quick bandaid job to get them working and that band aid is still there in the form of that orange wire.

As for the trailer connectors hooked up in the back. If everything looks neat and orderly and nicely installed, leave it. If it looks like a bundle of snakes all tangled up cut it all off and start over. I've run into more wiring problems on trucks that were caused by thrown together trailer wire hookups than any other thing.

[OrrieG]

I got my truck as third owner in 76 and do not recall seeing or removing anything like that when I took out the wiring. 48 is probably right, I know I did some fixes over the years too, including the trailer harness for the back section. At some point you will need to budget money and time for new wiring or have it well insured. I got a pretty nasty burn on my hand from reaching up under the dash and grabbing smoking/sparking wires from the ignition thru the firewall that wore thru and grounded. Luckily it did not start the whole truck on fire. I had to hot wire it to get back to town. Here is what my existing wiring looked like. You can see in the one photo the wire insulation has complete melted over time and was a fire waiting to happen.

did you find the other end of the rod thingy?

[SCHRUMGMC]

Well I see what you're speaking of.. Can someone also show me where to ground the bed for the brake lights

[mr48chev]

I've never seen it under a truck either just where the headlights and horn on AD trucks are connected and those things sit right close to the radiator support on the inner fenders.

The more I look at the more I think that was someone's way to connect the wires back in the past after they did some work on it and cut the wire harness in two right there.

[SCHRUMGMC]

I'm talking about Grounding the BRAKE LIGHTS, I have grounds to the engine and to the frame...

[SCHRUMGMC]

Okay I cut the fuel line to install a newer inline fuel filter, I still can't get the DAMN Glass bowl off, and even if I do what the hell am I going to put int its place?.. Im getting fed up with this as of now... The other piece of the fuel line is sorta bent and needs to be bent back, what can I use to bend it back?

[mr48chev]

On the wire connector aka electrical terminal junction block per http://www.lmctruck.com/icatalog/ca/full.aspx?Page=103 bottom of the page. If it wasn't original and it probably wasn't it was probably installed early in the truck's life as a fix for something. They didn't have the plastic connector plugs we have now and that was probably a simple way to connect the wires. It's not worth getting too excited over but is probably something you want to change as it looks like a good place for bad wire connections under the truck like that.

Normally on any older vehicle with a metal body and metal taillight housings the light sockets ground to the housing and the housing grounds to the body without any extra ground wires. It is when you get plastic housings involved that you have to have ground wires. It might be prudent to put a ground wire between the box and the frame though. Just a wire fastened to a good bare spot on the box and a good bare spot on the frame so you have the box grounded no matter what else is working for a ground. You also have to make sure that the housings of the lights are well grounded to the box and don't have a lot of paint or rust causing an interruption in the flow of current.

Looking at that rod running out of the sheet metal I wonder if it is part of a broken off piece that may have put tension on the emergency/park brake cable as I can't think of any other reason for it.

I never had much faith in those glass sediment bowl/water traps that a lot of guys think are "filters" they still put them on farm tractors to catch some of the water that either condenses or gets in the fuel but that is about all they are good for. Some guys seem to drool all over themselves and pee their pants when they see them though so be prepared for someone pointing out that cool traditional glass filter. My guess is that if you have had the bail loose and the glass won't come off it has glued it's self to the cork gasket under it. Those gaskets are available at most farm equipment dealers if you ever need one. I'd probably have unscrewed it from the carb an put a regular fitting in the carb and then put a filter like you did in it's place.

[OrrieG]

I am confused, I thought you were fighting with the filter on the carb, but your photos do not show one there. Is your fuel pump like the one below or do you have an inline like the second photo. If #1 you will need to keep the glass bowl for it to work.

[SCHRUMGMC]

I have an line fuel filter.. The fuel pump has a hole in it and one above it that the line goes to. is the hold supposed to be plugged

I cut the line yesterday and put the inline fuel filter on there . one side of the line was a little bent in so I had to open it back up, well the damn gas tanks pick up tube broke off of the nozzle

[_Ogre]

Originally Posted by SCHRUMGMC

The fuel pump has a hole in it and one above it that the line goes to. is the hold supposed to be plugged

without a pic it is hard to tell what hole is what and what bolts to what
i suspect the hole is the vent hole and the diaphragm in your fuel pump is shot

[SCHRUMGMC]

The Fuel pump is in new condition.. Although it came out of an old AC Box(50's or early 60's). I guess it is in good condition, fuel is circulating


"HOPEFULLY" I am going to pick this Gas tank up here soon. $50

[SCHRUMGMC]

Headed to Taylors, SC to go buy the Gas tank !!! excited to go pick it up.. It comes with the mounting straps as well.. my new fuel sending unit will do quite nicely as well

[OrrieG]

This is the time to completely make your fuel delivery system right. Clean out the tank real good before installing, even if it looks good and has been sitting, in your area condensation can cause inside rust. Check out the hard line from the tank to fuel pump, if it has been sitting open it can have corrosions and crud in it too. If it suspect replace it, the big box part places have line with preflared ends and fittings, and will rent you a flaring tool to do the line. use the existing for a template. Line size will be 5/16", not need to upgrade to 3/8" since you are keeping the six. Put metal inline filter between the line from the tank and fuel pump to catch any crud that remains so it does not damage the pump or get into the carb. Check the line from the fuel pump to carb and add the filter you have. Before hooking up the line to the carb, turn the engine over and make sure you get a good squirt of gas. But a few gallons of gas in the tank. I always prime the line from the tank to the fuel pump so its not so hard on the pump, since the tank outlet is on the bottom it is pretty easy. If the carb bowl is full when you start it there should be enough so the fuel pump primes and everything starts working.

[mr48chev]

Ditto on what Orrie suggested. If the tank has been sitting dry you may be ok but a lot of them sat for years with some gas in them before they got pulled out of the trucks. Smell the tank and if you smell varnish expect to do a lot of cleaning. Thbiey also have a real bad habit of loosing their gas caps when they sit somewhere and anything can end up inside after that.

[SCHRUMGMC]

Got this gas tank today !!! and scored a Drive shaft and Mounting straps


Stopped at a SC, Taylors Car show

[OrrieG]

I hope the inside is as clean as the outside.

[SCHRUMGMC]

Yeah me too.. The bottom has some surface rust...Best way to clean

[SCHRUMGMC]

What type of bolt on the Distributor to tighten it down and set the timing? Because mines a Flat head and I've been told its wrong.. Also is there supposed to be a clamp? and what does it look like ?

[SCHRUMGMC]

Does anyone know ?

[OrrieG]

Someone with the engine will need to post, none of my books show a clear photo. Usually there is either a fork that sits over a ridge on the shaft that bolts to the blocks or a split ring arrangement that tightens around the shaft.

Is what is there not tightening? It should be near the base at the block, loosen it just enough so it moves with resistance, you want to move it in small increments, 1/4" or distributor movement is 8-10 degrees.