ashenbst

Hey everyone,
This is my first time using this site. I'm just looking for help. My father passed away 9 months ago and he had a 1949 Chevy 3100 Truck, rear wheel drive, 2 door, V8. I am not too experienced with vehicles and it won't start. New transmission just put in. Could it be in the gas line? If anyone has any advice, it would be greatly appreciated.
-SA

suzuki-guy

Welcome to the forum!!!!!
Its hard to tell with that description. Is it turning over ok? Is it trying to fire? Is it getting spark? Is the gas old?

ashenbst

Unfortunately, it looks like everything under the hood is stock. Rusted, old parts. I know that about 3 years ago, I new spark plug was put in. As for the truck itself, when I turn the key, it is silent. Its not turning over, not firing, nothing. Its acting like I'm not even turning the key.
Thanks a bunch for helping,
SA

suzuki-guy

Sounds like you need to start with a battery then go from there.

Koffietje

If that car has been standing still for so long, then it will be a lot of work, getting it to drive again. Dont just replace 1 thing. Because it will break down, once it has to struggle with the other parts that are broken down.

See it like a clockwork. All the raders in it are rusted and broken. Take out one rader and force it to turn around. for a while it will go well, but then it'll suffer from the other raders and break down anyway.

So it's an all or nothing thing here, really. Take your time , buy a good car manual and do a complete tune up of the car. It will cost you a descend sum of money, but in the end it will be worth it.

We can all tell you just to keep your car running for week after week, one day replacing the battery , then the next week we tell you how to clean the fuel line, then the next week we tell you why your transmission got broken down again, ... But if you want to keep the car for a long time, then do the complete tune up.

Mike Sigmond

Sorry to hear of your loss as well, I went thru the same thing last November.

Welcome to the forum and best of luck getting the truck running, Id like to see pictures if you have any? I love those old classics.

How long has the truck been sitting without starting it?

old dog

welcome to the site ,sorry to hear about your dad .first thing i would do is check the water in the battery ,top it off if low with distilled water , check all battery connection's verify every thing before just replacing anything hook it up to a battery charger with a high (boost)medium and low setting ,let it charge on low for 5-6 hours to see if it will come back .after a while the battery plates will get sulphated and will drop off inside and not take a charge .you may have3 to replace the battery . see if it will turn over on medium or boost if necessary .put about 5 gal of fresh gas in the tank make sure it is getting gas to the carburetor but do not flood it ,when it turns over . good luck and keep us apprised of the progress .

ashenbst

I know this may sound like a stupid question, but I'm looking under the hood, and I see a battery no where. I may be just blind though. Could old gas be the cause? I'm just curious because I figured that even if it had old gas, which it doesn't, it seems like I would fire anyway.

I will also get pictures up and posted as soon as I can. If you want, I can take some pictures of the engine and such to see if that helps.

Thanks again for everything,
SA

MDTAHOE

Battery may be behind the seat. If it has not been run in many years you need to pull all the plugs out and put lubricant in the cylinders then crank it then put the plugs back in. If not you may damage a ring. After 3 years the battery is surly dead.

old dog

it will probably be under the passenger side floor board ,if in the stock location ,lift up the floor mat and their should be a access panel that you take a screw out and it swings to the side . it may be a wooden floor insert panel ,i know the one on my dad's 1940 1/2 ton is .