1948 Chevrolet fleetmaster.

[Dez]

Another new addition, although it was one in, one out. In other words, I swapped this for my S10.
It all started when I saw it up for sale or swap on a Facebook page, I casually mentioned I had an S10 I'd possibly swap, the then owner was well into that and about two weeks later it was turning up on a trailer, after a lot of messages, phone calls and pics being sent back and forth.
Everyone likes a no cash deal, and a vehicle going is always good with how many I have at the mo. Just a shame it was my only working on the road vehicle. oops.

So, these are the pics from the original advert-














In short, it's pretty damn solid, the only welding it really need is the totally knackered boot lid. There's pretty much every removed part with it including all the trim. The only bits missing are one bit of glass, the fuel tank, the steering wheel and some engine ancillaries. It appears to have been the subject of an aborted restoration. It's been body-offed, everything painted in staff car green drab, all the running gear gone through, and it looks like the motor has seen some attention too before being refitted. It basically needs bodywork and trim more than anything. Even 3 if the tyres appear to be new.

Overall, a pretty good deal I think, and really not a lot of work to get up and running and on the road, once I've sourced the parts.

[rustydan]

Very nice, I'd be half temped to leave the looks when its running haha

[coyote]

easy fix!
go green:

[craigrk]

I like it. Especially as you will note I have a '47 Aerosedan version of the same.

PS: I have an old tank (needs repairing) which you can have if it's of any use. I bought a new repro one for mine (£200+)

[darrenh]

what was the C10, the wolf airbrush thing ?

[rodharris83]

Feb 14, 2017 23:10:43 GMT darrenh said:

what was the C10, the wolf airbrush thing ?

Yes it was:
Thread Link

[RA40tony]

Woohooo!!!!!! Much prefer this to the S10

[Dez]

Feb 14, 2017 21:32:02 GMT craigrk said:

I like it. Especially as you will note I have a '47 Aerosedan version of the same.

PS: I have an old tank (needs repairing) which you can have if it's of any use. I bought a new repro one for mine (£200+)

I think I may well take you up in that offer, thanks. I'd not even got as far as looking where it fits yet, although I did find the filler neck and (broken) sender in the box of bits that came with the car.

I may need to pick your brains/ask for a pic or two of a few of the linkages in the engine bay too so I can figure out which bits go where and what I'm missing, if you don't mind?

[Dez]

Feb 14, 2017 20:09:41 GMT coyote said:

easy fix!
go green:

I may do for a while. I've found a couple of 47/48s that appear to have been staff cars from new, both in Europe funnily enough. I need to do some more digging To find out if this originally was, or is just painted up that way.

[craigrk]

Feb 15, 2017 19:07:35 GMT Dez said:

Feb 14, 2017 21:32:02 GMT craigrk said:

I like it. Especially as you will note I have a '47 Aerosedan version of the same.

PS: I have an old tank (needs repairing) which you can have if it's of any use. I bought a new repro one for mine (£200+)

I think I may well take you up in that offer, thanks. I'd not even got as far as looking where it fits yet, although I did find the filler neck and (broken) sender in the box of bits that came with the car.

I may need to pick your brains/ask for a pic or two of a few of the linkages in the engine bay too so I can figure out which bits go where and what I'm missing, if you don't mind?

PM me here for Whatsapp/Text details, I'll stick that tank to one side.

Let me know any time, happy to take pics.  We're all here to help each other!!!

You'll see from my thread that mine's running so a usefull reference.  My understanding is that chassis (and pretty much all the mechanicals) were identical on the various models.

[Dez]

Excellent, thanks very much.

Yep from what I've seen of mine they're pretty much identical. I've just had a read through your thread and found out where a couple of the random bits I have go from your pics, turns out they're bits of the clutch linkage. It doesn't help I don't have a pedal assembly so I have to source one. I've got a couple of brackets/linkages that I don't know where they go(tbh I don't even know if they're for the car!) I'll grab some pics and post them up.

[craigrk]

Feb 15, 2017 20:17:33 GMT Dez said:

Excellent, thanks very much.

Yep from what I've seen of mine they're pretty much identical. I've just had a read through your thread and found out where a couple of the random bits I have go from your pics, turns out they're bits of the clutch linkage. It doesn't help I don't have a pedal assembly so I have to source one. I've got a couple of brackets/linkages that I don't know where they go(tbh I don't even know if they're for the car!) I'll grab some pics and post them up.

Cool.  Does your's have the master cylinder?  The clutch & brake pedals assemblies are made of two pieces each,  one piece is flat bar with a shaft that mounts in the master cylinder, the other is the pedal with curved round bar with bolts to the flat bar.

I have an old master cylinder which I took off and popped into my storage box as I have a spare rebuild kit, but I put a brand new master cylinder it.

[Dez]

Feb 15, 2017 20:24:55 GMT craigrk said:

Cool.  Does your's have the master cylinder?  The clutch & brake pedals assemblies are made of two pieces each,  one piece is flat bar with a shaft that mounts in the master cylinder, the other is the pedal with curved round bar with bolts to the flat bar.

I have an old master cylinder which I took off and popped into my storage box as I have a spare rebuild kit, but I put a brand new master cylinder it.

No, master and the flat plate arms are missing. It's had various bits removed, presumably For refurb, that have them got separated from the car and lost unfortunately.

I've got one of the round arms with the pad, which I think are the same as trucks so shouldn't be too hard to source. I've got a suspicion the flat arms are the same too, only the actual master cyl is different (mounts differently). I think I've got the union off the back still attached to some pipework, but not much else. The handbrake mech has also been disassembled, but I think it's all there. I've got the starter linkage and throttle linkage back together, but not the additional cable yet. I'm also missing the shift rod between column and box, but do seem to have all the linkage bits on the column, including a second linkage attached to the other side than the shifter arm that's not currently connected to anything.

[craigrk]

Feb 15, 2017 20:46:50 GMT Dez said:

I have an old master cylinder which I took off and popped into my storage box as I have a spare rebuild kit, but I put a brand new master cylinder it.

No, master and the flat plate arms are missing. It's had various bits removed, presumably For refurb, that have them got separated from the car and lost unfortunately.

I've got one of the round arms with the pad, which I think are the same as trucks so shouldn't be too hard to source. I've got a suspicion the flat arms are the same too, only the actual master cyl is different (mounts differently). I think I've got the union off the back still attached to some pipework, but not much else. The handbrake mech has also been disassembled, but I think it's all there. I've got the starter linkage and throttle linkage back together, but not the additional cable yet. I'm also missing the shift rod between column and box, but do seem to have all the linkage bits on the column, including a second linkage attached to the other side than the shifter arm that's not currently connected to anything.
[/quote]

Ok: We can have a discussion about the master cylinder I have if it will help, I popped it away in storage as I believe also have a rebuild kit for it and the wheel cylinders, (it was cheaper to buy a full rebuild kit to include all brake seals, springs etc than to buy individual parts and leave out the seals). I kept the old M/C and wheel cylinders, but realistically doubt I will ever actually use them as I bought new stuff.

I can get you more pictures than what are on my thread at some point if it helps, just let me know. I haven't looked at the truck pedal mechanisms (have a '49 truck, maybe you meant the earlier trucks). The pedal arms won't be beyond your skill skill set to make if you can get access to lathe for the "axle" stubs on the bottom, but obviously you need some in your hand to use. In the US, many of these have probably been binned when they have gone dual circuit.

On the gear linkage front, I haven't even looked at mine, but that is definitely on the list.

The handbrake linkage is very agricultural and simple, so any missing bits would be simple to make. I think there might be some good pics on my thread on these. If you link through to any of my photobucket pictures you should be able to browse the entire album. While I link a LOT of pictures, I take even more, so there are some not linked.

[Dez]

craigrk, I've just bought a supposedly working m/c off US eBay, so I think I'm sorted on that. Most importantly it comes with all the arms, so even if it turns out to need rebuild, I've not wasted my money.

As for handbrake setup, i think i've figured out this big crescent shaped bracket with a pin halfway along goes here, and connects to the dash pull at one end and the linkage dangling under the car at the other-





The column linkage on the right here is obviously for the shifter, but what's the additional bit on the left attached to on yours?


And finally, what's this bracket for? Looks like a horn bracket to me but it's in a damn odd place if it is-

[Dez]

And for everyone else who's probably a bit bored about me and Craig talking about the intricacies of 40s GM bracketry, I'll put up some more pics and words about the car.

A date and time was arranged, With the other party turning up a couple of hours late due to terrible weather and traffic. fairly understandable in such a long trip (Weston super mare to Colchester!), I was just glad it wasn't me having to do it. But by the time we were unloading/loading his trailer, it was dark, Cold and raining/snowing. Luckily his mate was driving so it wasn't just the two of us! And I quickly upgraded the current molegrips on the steering column to an actual steering wheel i conveniently had laying round to make things a bit easier. Still, by the time it was done I couldn't be bothered to have much of a look at the car, so I didn't have a proper look til Monday.

Here some pics from then.


Engine. Turns out it does have one, although most of the ancillaries are missing. It's the original 216ci straight 6, and it's not siezed, as i found out by cranking it over with a starting handle as the starter motor is missing. The motor seems to have been recently painted and refitted, so I'm hoping it all good. Some precautions will be taken before giving it a proper go, but it don't look half bad.


Engine no. Oddly this prefix seems not to exist. Not in American sequences anyway. I have a suspicion this car is Canadian (even though it don't say it on the body plate), so some further digging is required.

Missing dizzy/ignition parts and starter, and the fuel pump bowl. I did find the gearbox mounts in a carrier bag in the boot though.


Once I'd emptied the trunk I found a pretty damn good floor, plans some of the missing bits from around the car. Here's the dash clock (broken glass unfortunately) some other dash bits, half a starter, and the missing trunk lock/handle plinth/number plate light, plus the original rear plate. It's a 60s style bluemells type plate, so this car must have been over here a good while.


Parts parts parts. Figuring out where they all go!


Interior is cool. Seats are doggy and there's some smaller parts missing, but not too bad overall.


Grille (chrome knackered but it's all there), and rad (looks perfect).


Did I mention it came with some parts? 95% if the missing stuff off the car is here, thankfully. Would get very expensive very quick if not!


And lastly, the one very rusty bit. God knows what's gone on here, as most of the rest of the car seems to have had nothin more than small patches. Still, not a problem for me to sort.

[darrenh]

bullet holes that have rusted thin and enlarged over the years

[grizz]

looks like you have landed a nice one Dez.

I wonder if the boot lid lay around on its back somewhere for a long time, or even just on the ground so that it corroded on the contact patch.

[Dez]

Feb 18, 2017 6:14:50 GMT grizz said:

looks like you have landed a nice one Dez.

I wonder if the boot lid lay around on its back somewhere for a long time, or even just on the ground so that it corroded on the contact patch.

This more or less what I think. The other possibility, is that if you look how the license plate mounts on one of these-
goo.gl/images/sDmmSz

If it was sat around for a long while with something wet wedged behind the plate- remains of an old cover, carpet, etc. It's exactly where it would rot.

[william123]

Loving this resto. Bookmarked !!