1974 ford gasser on Atlanta craigs list (FOR SALE AGAIN AFTER UPDATING)

[fxdwg]

Perry,
Given her age and what it sounds like has been her maintenance history, she doesn't sound bad! I wish you the best in your "upgrades" and am sure you'll find she's a trooper. We bought a motorcycle like that one time, named it "Stray", as we felt we'd just picked up a stray dog when we got her loaded in our trailer and on the way home. Turned out she was one of the best running motorcycles we've ever had. A few problems here and there, but she never failed to allow us to get home and outran most other bikes while doing so! Hopefully you've found a real diamond in the rough! This bunch is a great wealth of info, so if you need help, ASK! Welcome aboard!

[aeperry1]

I have found much of the information to fix this bird on this website, however I'm having difficulty determining the correct gear oil for the Timken Differential. I was thinking of going with a synthetic gear lube in the 80w90 range. Will that work? what is the actual specification for a 74?

I just completed redoing all of the fresh water plumbing with PEX tubing. Got a new tiolet, and will be removing the old wastewater tank this week. That should be the last of the major repairs and I will begin the upgrades next.

Thanks for all your help, I'll post some photos soon

[Mike Hohnstein]

Go to a farm supply store and get a bucket of 80/90 gear oil, best way to buy the stuff. Avoid synthetics in vintage assemblies UNLESS they are to be remanufactured. Old seals will leak more readily with syn oils, and it's debatable if they are even worth the exta cost. The diff on my gasser project speced some 140 wt stuff I couldn't find a source for. I did reseal the diff and loaded it with 80/90, kept and eye on things with a thermal themometer on the first road trip, no problem.
I recommend using straight 30 diesel engine oil and tractor rated Dextron trans fluid for the Allison. Paying big bucks for 'new and modern' synthetics make some guys feel they are going the extra step for durability, and that may be true for 'new and modern' drive trains, this ain't one of those. Diesel engine oils still have zinc in them, you need that to keep your cam and lifters alive. You DO NOT want to have to contend with major engine problems with your vintage Ford truck engine. You will learn parts are made of 'unobtainium'.

[giderich]

Originally Posted by aeperry1

I have found much of the information to fix this bird on this website, however I'm having difficulty determining the correct gear oil for the Timken Differential. I was thinking of going with a synthetic gear lube in the 80w90 range. Will that work? what is the actual specification for a 74?

I just completed redoing all of the fresh water plumbing with PEX tubing. Got a new tiolet, and will be removing the old wastewater tank this week. That should be the last of the major repairs and I will begin the upgrades next.

Thanks for all your help, I'll post some photos soon

Allen: May be better to use non-synthetic and save your cash for other upgrades...you will not be creating that much heat in your '74 BB to require the synthetic. Besides if you have any leaks now, the synthetic lube will leak much worse from what I've read. My choice for you '74 would be Chevron Delo Gear Lube ESI SAE 80W-90.

Don't overlook the change interval...up to 500,000 miles in truck fleets.

https://www.cbest.chevron.com/genera...PDS7664168.PDF

[aeperry1]

Suppose I want to replace the old steel wheel split rims with aluminum wheels on this 1974 bird? 20" wheels are hard to find, will the 19.5 or 22.5 inch wheels work? any specific pitfalls (other than installing longer studs)? any good sources for wheels & tires?

Thanks

[bubblerboy64]

Alan, I have a four new steel wheels and a complete set of very nice wheel simulators which I had on the napper before buying alcoa's. You would need to buy two more wheels but I'll make you a real deal on the four wheels and the simulators if you are interested. Worked will on my 73 FC should be fine for what you are doing. I don't even have a number in mind but they are taking up room in my garage so they may as well be put to use.

[Mike Hohnstein]

Probably the best money you could spend would be on six NEW satin finish 22.5 wheels. Much cheaper. You need to specify stud centered, and pop for all new lug nuts. After that, find a good truck tire shop and have new rubber installed. I use beebees, ammo for a beebee gun, about ten oz. in each tire. May sound weird but it balances them tires great. Chintz here and you will suffer.

[aeperry1]

Hi,

For those of you following this dream (I'm being optimistic), I completed repairs to the generator this week; replaced a blown condenser, probably due to no ground shunt on the battery switch, inspected the brushes, rebulit the carburetor and adjusted the voltage and frequency to specs...runs great now. also repainted the genset. I sanded and repainted the LPG tank and my propane dealer says he will inspect it for free. My wife took out the overhead cabinet doors and we reupholstered them, we also picked out new carpet & vinyl and will install them after all the other interior work is complete. The new waste water tank arrived Monday. I replaced the entry door interior panel with aluminum diamond plate and intend to do the stairwell likewise. The rest of the family helped us with giving it a thorough bath since the weather warmed up, and I'm seriosly considering NOT giving it a new paint job now. A little aluminum cleaner worked great on the windows and trim. It's really starting to shape up, now if only the DMV would move along and issue a title and tags so we can start getting some use out of it!

[samdurrett]

Hello Alan and welcome, I have not been on the site in a while and just now read the thread. Sounds like you got your work cut out, but it will be really something to be proud of when you get it all done. I am on my 3rd year of fixing up an old 69 model. We started using it last year, so it is moving slower now. You should get all the help and knowledge you need from the forum here. Keep us posted on the progress.

[jasperalden]

Hi, aeperry1, good for you, alot can be saved if you can do it youself, and I doubt you will lose anything in the end, everybody needs their own accomplishments, It's nice to have $30,000 or maybe $50,000 lying around, but the majority of us plain folks don't, we do what we can with what we have, if you meet anybody looking for another one, I've got a '67 with a detroit deisel in it, I don't want to sell it, but health reasons says it's gotta go, have fun with yours