<VV> Working on my Rampside

[D. Monasterio]

    Congratulations to all of you who are going to make Buffalo's convention (grrr). I, as some others, will stay at home working on our jewels.
    Having finished the irrigation season it was time to work on my "work horse" (62 Rampside), to fix several troubbles and give her a well deserved maintenance.
    I started overhauling the brake system (yesterday) and finished by 18:00 hs. then, went for a ride to check my brake job but, engine stalled at merely two blocks from home. After a quick checking I found the guilty (or faulty)... the electric fuel pump (It had been working only 7 years or some 50,000 miles !! ). In this case it was not big deal as my Rampside has a custom compressed air system (for tools, horns, etc) and I installed (years ago) a 1/4" plastic hose to the 1/8" NPT hole (factory pluged) at the front of the fuel tank so, I just put some air (carefully) into the tank to push fuel in the carbs and drive back home to continue working. Today, after asking the price for a new pump ($ 40 !! ) did a search in my ultra parts cave and found one well preserved and experienced electric pump. While being under the truck I decided it was time to take out the tank. Tank was clean inside, sender, float and screen ok but, all 3 hoses were real bad. Got new ones at my FLIPS (Friendly Local Industrial Parts Store).
    Reminder (for me): Connecting the custom plastic hose on the tank to a compressed air line (thru a valve and pressure regulator) to instant switching in case of another fuel pump failure.
    While having the tank out, I checked for the posibility of making an easy access to the fuel sender (without taking out the tank) but, unfortunately it points to what seems a structural area behind the seat. 
    Well.... it is time to go back working on the Rampy.

    Daniel