How to remove mouse smell from cab of farm truck?

[sixdogs]

Look at the original 1967 brakes on it.

 

[OldMcDonald]

sixdogs, I have no desire whatsoever to become involved in the restoration, or even repair, of trucks nor anything else mechanica. I need to have a tractor and a vehicle to get into town for domestic and farm supplies. It ends there.

I purposely put in a break there to let people think up their replies.

I have followed this thread from the beginning because of the title. I am enjoying it. You have made it very informative and interesting. I look forward to each new photo you show. I still have no desire to become involved, but I can appreciate the passion you have for this project - and that others have for similar projects. I am sure it will end up as something spectacular.

 

[Sterff]

It's hard to see where you shortened the frame but it looks good. I would get a few pieces of old frame and weld a plate on both sides for additional support.

 

[sixdogs]

Thanks, OldMc, I needed a compliment right now. The truck should have been drivable this afternoon but there is a problem in the brake line right front. I replaced everything in the brakes and lines but could not find front brake hoses. Since they were in great shape I decided to leave them and find a pair over the winter. The parts are out there but not easy to find.

Anyway, one line doesn't work right and I might as well replace both fronts now. I have had to search brake lines individually on the internet tonight and there must be be 100,000 sizes and types. I've been at it for a few hours and maybe have found the right parts. That's the kind of stuff you do with older vehicles.

I did go to DMV and register it today so I'm street legal and ready to hit the road. The water pump and hoses need to be changes asap so that's on the list as well. The bed needs to have some mounting holes tig welded shut and a few other things need to happen as well. Anyway, I've been doing this stuff forever and just can't stop.

 

[sixdogs]

It's hard to see where you shortened the frame but it looks good. I would get a few pieces of old frame and weld a plate on both sides for additional support.

Forgot --duh--to take a picture of the "fishplate" that's welded to the inside of the frame. It's a frame within a frame and done right. The plates cost me $150 to have made and bent. It will get bolted as well but I need to get it home for that since I can drill a hole as good as the next guy. That frame isn't going anywhere.


EDIT---The piece of frame I took out is in the background of this photo. In the front is the "tag" axle that was on the truck and is now for sale with tires and wheels. It would also make one heck of a trailer.

 

[94BULLITT]

Take the brake hose to the parts store and see if you can match it up.

 

[sixdogs]

Take the brake hose to the parts store and see if you can match it up.

Not around these parts. The dummies at the chains can't do anything vehicle-related unless you repeatedly tell them the year and make. Not a prayer of getting them to open a parts book or figure anything out and that's why they're working where they are. I think rubbing their tummy and patting their head at the same time is the best I can hope for.

NAPA is better but if I get the wrong guy I would play 20 questions and 20 minutes later he would still be educating himself on the book he's supposed to already understand and asking me the make and model only to tell me the part is discontinued. It's not really, only "superseded" but that's too far outside the box for most to grasp. Heck, I'm getting older, my friend.

So I can do it better and faster myself, order over the phone and a nice guy in a brown suit delivers it for half price and says thank you. That works for me.

Incidentally, the 300 ci, 4.9 L, six cylinder Ford engine in my truck is the same engine in many UPS trucks. It was used until a few years ago when it was updated. If that six cyl is good enough for UPS, it's good enough for 'moi.

 

[94BULLITT]

Not around these parts. The dummies at the chains can't do anything vehicle-related unless you repeatedly tell them the year and make. Not a prayer of getting them to open a parts book or figure anything out and that's why they're working where they are. I think rubbing their tummy and patting their head at the same time is the best I can hope for.

NAPA is better but if I get the wrong guy I would play 20 questions and 20 minutes later he would still be educating himself on the book he's supposed to already understand and asking me the make and model only to tell me the part is discontinued. It's not really, only "superseded" but that's too far outside the box for most to grasp. Heck, I'm getting older, my friend.

So I can do it better and faster myself, order over the phone and a nice guy in a brown suit delivers it for half price and says thank you. That works for me.

Incidentally, the 300 ci, 4.9 L, six cylinder Ford engine in my truck is the same engine in many UPS trucks. It was used until a few years ago when it was updated. If that six cyl is good enough for UPS, it's good enough for 'moi.

They probably will let you look yourself for the brake hose. You could looks at dorman's website and see if you could find some close matches.

 

[farmgirl19]

sixdogs; This is a great thread, and I look forward to the next one as well! I'll bet that straight six will last longer than anyone expected. They are great engines!

 

[Dr Dave]

If you cant find the correct hose, you could have one made, or use the braided ones used on race cars. Just go to your local circle track speed shop, or check online with Speedway out of Lincoln Ne. They also specialize in nostalgic race cars and engine parts.
Yesterday I was on crags list and found an old farm truck , looks like yours, 69 Ford N600 with an 18ft dump box, it has been stored inside and covered with dust.I was thinking it would make a cool car hauler.

Dave

 

[sixdogs]

If you cant find the correct hose, you could have one made, or use the braided ones used on race cars. Just go to your local circle track speed shop, or check online with Speedway out of Lincoln Ne. They also specialize in nostalgic race cars and engine parts.
Yesterday I was on crags list and found an old farm truck , looks like yours, 69 Ford N600 with an 18ft dump box, it has been stored inside and covered with dust.I was thinking it would make a cool car hauler.

Dave

Yes, plan B for me was to get the correct ends on the hose and then a universal and correct length hose in the middle. One of the problems was the inside diameter of the hoses was not the same as OEM for the truck.

If you can buy an N600 that's in good shape for an honest price, buy it. There seems to be a cult following for these trucks and, unless you grossly overpay is hard to lose money.

 

[scott_vt]

Look at the original 1967 brakes on it.


View attachment 339783

Good Mornin sixdogs,
WOW, those brakes look like brand new, the shoes need nothing, are you going to change out or rebuild all the wheel cylinders ? Maybe some new springs ?

Thanks for posting...

 

[sixdogs]

All new wheel cylinders, rebuilt Hydrovac, new master cylinder and all new lines. New brake hoses. Clean up the brakes, shoes and springs and lube underneath correctly. Now I feel better.

Good Mornin sixdogs,
WOW, those brakes look like brand new, the shoes need nothing, are you going to change out or rebuild all the wheel cylinders ? Maybe some new springs ?

Thanks for posting...

 

[cockeyedMFer]

Beautiful truck. I hate to see it modified but to each his own

I passed up a similar N series when I didn't have the space for it a couple years ago. It was a similar wheelbase but built as a log truck, with the 6 cylinder motor. Not quite as nice as yours but it went to the scrapper. Those trucks were built to work, but made the driver work as well LOL.

Best of luck on the project.

 

[Tomtint]

Back to the mouse smell issue. Last year a mouse got into the heater box in my skidsteer. I was moving snow in the driveway and smelled wires burning, I drove it back to the garage immediately and opened up the heater to see a nest and some chewed wires ( that we're burning nest material ) I removed all traces of the nest, vacked all debris, sprayed everything you can imagine to clean it out. And this spring/summer, it still smelled. Finally about 3 weeks ago I removed all the hoses where the warm air travels to the vents and replaced them. There was a plastic manifold looking piece that distributed air to different vents. This MUST be where the critters were pissing because after numerous cleaning attempts it still smelled. I had decided that I would buy a new one, because I had the entire system taken apart and was not going to go through that trouble and re assemble a mousy smelling machine. As a last resort, I poured gas inside the plastic manifold and lit it on fire...3 times. Each time the smell diminished just a bit. After the 3rd time... No more smell. I imagine the urine penetrated the plastic and when heated and partially melted, it out gassed and released the smell.

 

[sixdogs]

My seat smell has gone away but there is still a "dankness" to the interior. Since it's only a simple seat with no other upholstery I'll probably just get it reupholstered. You want the interior of a vehicle to be fresh and sweet smelling or at least not smelling like mouse urine.

Fished the truck split and all the brake work today. Here's a photo.







Also took the water pump off and will replace all hoses and thermostat. It come off really hard and I had to take the hood off for access.

 

[sixdogs]

Here's a photo of the "fishplate" inner frame piece I had welded to the inside of the frame. It's a frame within a frame. The holes are for bolts and I had 10 holes--maybe 12--punched in each side and I'll drill the other half of the holes ASAP. The plate is maybe 2 1/2' to 3' long and it's not going anywhere.

This is a more complex project that I first thought because all the parts are interrelated and it's difficult logistically. One thing leads to another sort of thing. Plus, it's hard to find four friends at the same time to fit the pickup bed to the body. Actually it's hard to find four real friends in life but that's another story.

Anyway, here's the fishplate.

 

[sixdogs]

Here's a photo with the pickup body being test fit. Note there are no rear fenders on yet.
Ditto on no running boards or fill piece between the bed and running board yet.

Oh...mouse smell is mostly gone. The concoctions that were sprayed on earlier in the thread did the deed.

 

[Paul Thornton]

Looking good!

L2800 w/FEL - 72" Land Pride rake

 

[rpottsl]

Pretty hard to get into every nook and cranny without taking the whole interior apart... One thing to check if you haven't (and would be much simpler) is the ventilation system. Seems like i remember talking to one of the guys at the Chevy dealership who told me they spray some stuff the lines to get rid if the mildewy scent the a.c. leaves behind. Something like that might do the trick. The truck looks great!!!