There are companies that still sell those kits for modern trucks.  There was a company that did the conversions up in Allentown, PA when I was going to college up there.  Each wheel was replaced with a triangular track assembly.  No skis in the front though. 

Do I have a choice?

Never ready, got other stuff I’d rather do instead.

We had enough of PA winters. Camper is packed full headed for southern AZ. for the duration. My stack of firewood back home will have to wait for another time.

Here in central California I haven’t even turned on the heater in the house yet.  The last previous record was November 15th for turning on the heater.  Wednesday it’s supposed to hit a low of 38, first time in the 30’s. If it dips into the teens here then oranges freeze and small towns get decimated economically. We have full almond blossom and peach blossom bloom in February. Fog is the real winter problem here. Schools on fog schedule start and get out about 2 hours late.  School busses have strobe lights to help being seen.  Freeway pileups cuz idiots don’t slow down or trucks trying to cross highways getting hit.  Although that hasn’t really happened much during the recent drought years.

Last edited by Muzz 66 (11/22/2021 10:18 AM)

I am getting ready for winter by NOT installing the new engine in my boat until spring. That way I don’t have to winterize it and the block won’t blow the side out from freezing again

I always wondered why all our school buses have the strobe lights flashing on the roof as they go down the road.

Proof that freeze/expansion plugs are misnamed?  Some JB Weld should fix that right up.

Freeze plug holes are actually put there to get the core casting sand out.

Last edited by Rudi (11/23/2021 10:40 PM)

Rudi wrote:

Freeze plug holes are actually put there to get the core casting sand out.

Yep, they're properly called core plugs.  I had a block crack from freezing once too.  None of the plugs moved in it either.  I agree with Muzz 66: JB Weld that back together and rock on.  Scary how thin that casting is. 
 

Rudi wrote:

Ford pioneered “thin wall” block casting with the intro of the 1960’s Falcon i6 and carried over to the 221 v8.

Don't mean to start a food fight but I always thought that the 1955 bowtie 265 was the first modern production engine to have thin-wall castings.  Ford was still using the old Y-block and FE engines until 1960-ish.  

Dunno.  Maybe I'm wrong.

He's right.  The 265 debuted in '55, but things really got going in '57 when they brought out the 283.  The 283 was available with Rochester fuel injection and was the first commonly available powerplant to hit 1HP/cubic inch. 

John Ha wrote:

John Ha wrote:

Rudi wrote:

Ford pioneered “thin wall” block casting with the intro of the 1960’s Falcon i6 and carried over to the 221 v8.

Don't mean to start a food fight but I always thought that the 1955 bowtie 265 was the first modern production engine to have thin-wall castings.  Ford was still using the old Y-block and FE engines until 1960-ish.  

Dunno.  Maybe I'm wrong.

Just discovered an interesting forum quirk.  My original post as written said "1955 C h e v r o l e t" (without the spaces).  When it posted, C h e v r o l e t was changed to "bowtie". 

I'm irritated about that.  I try really hard to make my posts concise and clear with proper spelling and don't really think it's appropriate for someone else to impose their slangy editing preference automatically on my post without my permission.  The brand name is C h e v r o l e t, not "bowtie". 

Board owner - Please fix that.

 
Deal with it, John
MS