I Think Bill drank the Kool Aide as everyone knows Ken has NO truck ! . That being said , yes , that top nut had many a Farmer lying in hay dust in a field in summer cursing a blue streak and sweating like a dog in a Chinese Restaraunt . The correct wrench is a 90° dog leg open end one . if you chop down a cheapo open end wrench it'll kinda sorta work but not really tighten the nut fully . Of course , most DIYers will loosen or remove the bottom bolt first , thereby making the job much harder . Back to your bound up starter ~ if it doesn't spin easily , the bushing in the commutator end cap is prolly dry beyond belief , clean the end cap then try greasing it with some Moly based grease . if you decide to exchange the starter for a rebuilt one ,DO NOT relinquish your old dead one until the job is 1000 % done to your satisfaction ! you have been warned ! .
Even though Ken's lovely wife Sarah (maybe without the H?) offered multiple times, I drank NOTHING while at Ken's. You are right Nate. I pulled the bottom bolt first. What is the proper order for re-assembly? I eyeballed the bushings on both ends. Looked OK to me. When we pulled the bell (Bendix end) of the starter off I grabbed the shaft and could not turn it by hand. We then turned it commutator cap "up" and a bunch of that "varnish" stuff that they spray on the armature fell out.
Sounds Like It's toast . nevertheless , DO NOT let it out of your sight until your truck is once again starting well . BTW : running 12 volts through a 6 volt starter is O-Kay unless you keep the engine in such a poor state of tune that it takes a lot of cranking to get it going .
Ken: I won't be able to help this weekend. The Hanlon tribe (I'm the oldest of 9 kids), their kids, the kid's kids and various in-laws, outlaws and other hangers on are having a last big wing ding at my Mom's house before we put it on the market. Maybe one night next week?
You tell me the night and I'll have Sarah whip up another bunch of Kool-Aid and maybe you'll drink some of it.
Ken: How did NAPA cross reference the starter? Was the number on the starter case any help? Assuming it fits, make sure you publish the NAPA part number for all else who may need it in the future.
I just went to napa and said i need a starter for a 1950 chevy 1/2 ton. now it was the foot starter version, took a day to arrive. I did have to remove the two felt washers inside it to allow the starter gear to clear the flywheel. I blew the first one up before i realized that.
Ordering The CORRECT Starter If your truck is still 6 volts & has the pedal starter , no worries . For 12 volts on a later 235/261 *or* 216 with a 12 volt flywheel , ask for '59 Chevy 3100 starter . For push button 6 volt starter , ask for '53 Chevy SEDAN 6 cylinder with auto tranny . For push button 12 volt starter , ask for 1961 Chevy sedan 235 starter . Or , just send a PM to Joe telling him what you have & what you want , he'll fix you up , prolly cheaper . I hope this helps . If you have the average old 235 powered pre 1955 Chevy that's 12 volts and install another starter and it works O.K. but is suddenly very noisy when cranking , you have the wrong starter , most of the time your car's been converted to 12 volts but retained the 6 volt flywheel.... Unless you need to crank your engine for 60 seconds to start it , a 6 volt stater will last 35 years running 12 volts through it , no worries . If you have a push button setup that's 12 volts and it goes BANG ! every time you press the starter button , replace the 6 volt solenoid on the starter with a 12 volt one as the pinion is slamming into the ring gear , not a good thing .
On the road again! Remanufactured starter installed this evening, thank you very much Mr. Hanlon! Fired it up and took it for a spin! This was a very memorable drive leaving the subdivision with a '57 jimmy in my rearview mirror! Thanks again Bill!
Its alive!!!!! I'm man enough to admit it when I am wrong. Ken's 50 is real AND can move under its own power. It can even leave his subdivision and exceed a 35 MPH speed limit!!!! Ken's 50 parked next to a real truck. A better view of Ken's 50. Ken trying to remember how to operate a 3 speed column shift. It HAS been a long time since he had his '50 this far from home. IT ACTUALLY MOVES UNDER ITS OWN POWER!!!! Ken was critical of the rainspots all over my truck. See the blurs on the windshield? Leaving the neighborhood. Mr. Happy
Ken: Be sure to post the NAPA part number for the starter you purchased in case others here need it. I believe your engine is a mid-50s 235. Everyone else: Don't get the solenoid that NAPA supplied as the one to use on the starter Ken got. The lower stud on the solenoid was too high to connect with the power lead that come out of the starter motor. It happened that Ken's old solenoid would attach to the starter's power lead, so Ken and I did a quick no-parts-needed overhaul on the old solenoid (Nate will know the proceedure) making the old solenoid good for a long time into the future.
Hey Officer Hanlon! Was I really exceeding the speed limit? Must be those Diamondback tires! They are not quite as tall as the originals. I better watch out for the Precinct 4 rent-a-cops! They love to jack with us law abiding citizens on Louetta Rd! That will be my next experiment. I know the speedo is not accurate, but I plan to run several baseline cases to see just how off the speedo really is!
Okay~ it was on the street. *Once* Why are you driving on the wrong side of the street, Ken? Trying to find second gear and not watching the road again??? Thanks for posting these pictures, Bill! I really was having my doubts!
By the way Ken, your inspection sticker has been expired for over a year. It was probably still valid the last time you had your '50 on the road.
