Hillbilly On Board Air

[cakedude]

Hello All,

I was looking at an old thread on On Board Air and it reminded me of something I saw in the Texas Hill country as a kid. We were at a spring fed swimming hole one day when we were joined by a local teenager in a beat up old pick up truck. When he went to leave an hour or so later his rear tire was almost flat. So the guy pulls out a hose from the bed of his truck and pops the hood. The hose had an air chuck on one end and a brass fitting on the other end. He pulled out one of the plugs on the straight six, screwed in the brass fitting, fired up the truck and filled up his low tire. I remember that to this day. On Board Air anyone? I thought some of you might get a kick out of that.

Grant aka "cakedude"

 

[DebosDave'72]

Hello All,

I was looking at an old thread on On Board Air and it reminded me of something I saw in the Texas Hill country as a kid. We were at a spring fed swimming hole one day when we were joined by a local teenager in a beat up old pick up truck. When he went to leave an hour or so later his rear tire was almost flat. So the guy pulls out a hose from the bed of his truck and pops the hood. The hose had an air chuck on one end and a brass fitting on the other end. He pulled out one of the plugs on the straight six, screwed in the brass fitting, fired up the truck and filled up his low tire. I remember that to this day. On Board Air anyone? I thught some of you might get a kick out of that.

Grant aka "cakedude"

That's a pretty good one, I would have never thought of that.... Not that I would have had a hose with the appropriate fitting anyway! Not exactly what I am going to run for my on board air, but who knows, if you ever got stranded with a flat....

DD

 

[bigpappa]

I hope he did not drive through any open flames with Air/ Fuel mixture in his tires.

 

[Mark in Memphis]

Talk about "popping a bead"...

 

[Broncobowsher]

I have heard of it. It is a little piston that is driven from the compression in that one cylinder. Haven't seen one in a very long time. Last place I saw them was for motorcycles.
Spent about 90 seconds looking and found this.
http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/Engineair-Power-Pump-p-16780.html
Many people think it pumps engine air (air/fuel) but it doesn't. The mix drives a piston that pumps fresh air. Not a good thing for new cars. Dumps a lot of fuel into cats, confuses O2 sensors. But for an old engine without new stuff on it, it should work. Just don't expect a lot of speed out of it. Sure beats a hand pump.

 

[RangerRob]

I remember those from the Texas Hill Country as well! My mom's cousin had that setup on his old Ford 6N tractor and we used it often. It ran straight from the spark plug hole and into whatever you were pumping up. There was no intermediate piston.

Rob

 

[Skiddy]

yeah, I have also seen farmers fill their tires up with propane I wouldn't recomend it though.

 

[Bart]

Yea, and I have one. Screws into the engine and airs 'em up. I don't know what keeps the fuel vapors out but it does. Go figure.;D

 

[GRIZZLY]

Used to be called a chuffer....

 

[X53Gunner]

My friend had tube bumpers and he just filled the bumpers full of air with his compressor and had a hose to hook up to the bumper and put air in his tires that way. Works great!
Scott

 

[Solar Aviator]

My Dad was kind of a pioneer running the Lake Michigan dunes. (1950s) The first dune buggy he built was powered by a Studabaker Champ engine and drive train. He used one of those sparkplug air pumps to air up for the tow home. It had some ports on the sides and a check valve that allowed fresh air to be sucked in. Did that for years and never blew up. Luck maybe. That brought good old memories... Thanks

 

[ManTruck]

My dad had one. I seen him use it in he back country when I was a kid. I spent plenty of time off road with the ol man when I was young. Those were good days.