BEING THE "KING OF OBSOLETE I GET GIVEN SOME DIFFERNET GIFTS THAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD NOT WANT ANYTHING TO DO WITH. IN 2010 I WAS GIVEN A 1938 MAPLE LEAF TRUCK BY FRIENDS OF OUR FAMILY. I USED TO RIDE AROUND IN THIS TRUCK WHEN I WAS ABOUT 5 YEARS OLD ON THEIR FAMILY FARM. 40 YEARS LATER I WAS GIVEN THE TRUCK WHICH IS IN GREAT SHAPE FOR BEING 75 YEARS OLD. MY BUDDY VINCE WAS NICE ENOUGH TO HAUL THE TRUCK 1500KMS NORTH THE "KINGDOM".
WITH THE 1938 MAPLE LEAF IN THE "KINGDOM" SOME PREP WORK WAS DONE TO MAKE THE TRUCK READY TO BE WORKED ON IN THE WINTER. ALL OILS WERE DRAINED AND EVERYTHING WAS SOAKED DOWN WITH DIESEL FUEL.
IN DECEMBER 2012 WITH LOTS OF SNOW IN THE "KINGDOM", THE 1938 MAPLE LEAF WAS MOVED IN TO THE LITTLE SHOP. THE SHOP IS REALLY SMALL WHEN YOU HAVE A TRUCK THIS SIZE BUT I MADE IT FIT. TO FOLLOW ALONG WITH ALL THE WELDING IN MORE DETAILS CLICK ON SHOP FLOOR TALK WHERE I HAVE MORE DETAILED PICTURES AND INFO.
SINCE THE TRUCK CAME FROM A GRAIN FARM IN THE SOUTH, YOU GET A FEW FREE RIDERS TOO. ONE OF THE GUARD DOGS IN THE "KINGDOM" COULD SMELL THE LITTLE MICE.
THE MICE HAD BUILT A TWO STORY HOUSE IN THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. NO PROBLEM BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO WELD UP ALL THE RUSTED PIECES FROM THE MICE PEE. MICE PEE WILL CAUSE ANYTHING TO RUST.
ONCE EVERYTHING WAS WELDED UP I JUST HAD TO PAINT MY NAME ON THE SIDE TO MAKE THE DOOR LOOK BETTER. PLUS IT HIDES ALL THE ROUGH AND BENT SHEET METAL TOO.
THE BACK OF THE CAB ON THE TRUCK IS BROKEN OUT BIG TIME AFTER ALL THOSE YEARS ON GRAVEL ROADS IN THE SOUTH.
A LITTLE WELDING AND EVERYTHING IS FIXED. NOW WHEN YOU CLOSE THE DRIVERS DOOR, THE CAB DOES NOT MOVE AND OPEN THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR.
I LIKE SPLASHING PAINT ON TO SLOW THE RUST DOWN. THICKER THE BETTER AS I SAY.
OF COURSE THE GUARD DOGS LIKE THE NEW PAINT TOO.
JAN 02 2013
IT TOOK ME A WHILE TO GET THE HOOD TO FIT BACK ON THE TRUCK LIKE IT DID 75 YEARS AGO. THESE BUTTERFLY HOOD DESIGNS WORKED GREAT FOR THE FIRST 40 YEARS AND THE LAST 35 YEARS THEY JUST FALL APART. SO A LITTLE WELDING AND A SET OF HINGES INSTALLED AND THE HOOD FIT NICE AND OPENS WITHOUT FALLING APART.
THE GRILL SHELL IS READY FOR ME TO MAKE THE GRILL FOR THE GREAT WHITE NORTH THAT CAN TAKE A FEW PTARMIGINS BOUNCING OFF OF IT.
JAN 03 2013
TODAY I HAD TO MAKE THE BOTTOM OF THE GRILL THEN THE TOP WHICH IS HARD TO DO SINCE NOTHING IS STRAIGHT INCLUDING THE RECYCLED MATERIALS.
JAN 06 2013
TODAY WAS THE BIG DAY AND I GOT THE ENGINE RUNNING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 30 YEARS. I LEARNED A LONG TIME AGO TO SEND THE FUEL DOWN TO THE CARB INSTEAD FOR TRYING TO GET THE FUEL SUCKED UP TO THE CARB. ONCE THE ENGINE HAS RUN FOR A BIT THEN I'LL CHANGE IT BACK TO SUCKING FROM THE FUEL TANK UNDER THE SEAT.
ONLY PROBLEM WAS THE BRAND NEW WATER PUMP ONLY LAST 4 MINUTES AND STARTED TO LEAK BIG TIME. OH WELL, I WAITED 8 DAYS FOR THIS WATER PUMP TO ARRIVE FROM 300 KMS AWAY ANOTHER WEEK OR 2 FOR THE REPLACE IS NORMAL. I CHANGED OUT THE LEAKY WATER PUMP WITH ONE I HAD IN THE SHED.
ALL THE WIRING IS ABOUT 90% COMPLETE SO I HAD TO TEST OUT THE LIGHTS WHEN THE TRUCK WAS RUNNING. THE NEW GRILL TURN OUT NOT BAD AND IT GAVE THE WHOLE RAD SHELL A LOT OF STRENGTH.
I WORKED LATE TONIGHT AND GOT A THICK COAT OF PAINT SPLASHED ON THE TRUCK SO IT CAN GO OUTSIDE IN THE MORNING. I NEED THE SHOP SPACE TO FIX A FEW CATS. ALSO THERE IS ONLY ONE HEAD LITE BECAUSE THE TRUCK HAS ONLY HAD ONE HEAD LITE FOR 50 YEARS WHY CHANGE NOW. THE OTHER HEAD LITE WAS STOLEN WHEN THE TRUCK WAS GETTING AN ENGINE REBUILD. I CAN'T REMEMBER THE TRUCK EVER HAVING 2 HEADLITES.
JAN 07 2013
TODAY I MADE THE AIR INTAKE SUCK FROM THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD BECAUSE YOU NEED HOT AIR IN THE GREAT WHITE NORTH OR THE CARB ICES UP. THE OIL BATH AIR CLEANER GOT CUT UP TO MAKE THE DRY FILTER AIR CLEANER FIT.
NEXT I WHIPPED UP A BUMPER IN UNDER AN HOUR BECAUSE THE TRUCK HAS NO BRAKES RIGHT NOW AND I NEED TO PROTECT THE GRILL. THE BUMPER WILL BE FINISHED AT A LATER DATE.
OF COURSE IT WAS DARK AT 5PM WHEN I DROVE THE TRUCK OUT OF THE SHOP. FIRST TIME IN 30 YEARS THE TRUCK HAS MOVED UNDER IT'S OWN POWER. PLUS I LAST RODE IN THE TRUCK WHEN I WAS 8 YEARS OLD AND HAD ALL MY HAIR, LOL.
june 2015 i decided to rip the brakes apart on the 38 maple leaf because stopping might be important.
it is always great fun to work on a truck that is part of the family history.
the maple leaf being canadian made it has a lot of things different form the usa made GMC truck. the rear wheel bearing are packed in grease and a felt seal keeps the dirt out. but after all these years the seal leaks for some reason.
the front brakes are very different too with the adjust for the shoes at the bottom not at the top like most truck of the 1930s.
in december 2018 the money tree blossomed and i shipped the brakes shoes 1200kms to the south to be re-lined. they are now ready to be installed on the 38 maple leaf truck.
february 2019 i need info from the 38 maple leaf that is parked beside the 38 GMC in about 3 feet of snow.
it was easier to drag the maple leaf out of the snow bank and work on it in front of the shop then deal with all the snow.
it only took about 10 minutes to pop the wheels and hib off to double check my notes that had the measurements from 2015 on the wheel seal.
Oct 08 2019 -- 1938 Maple Leaf Truck repairs