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In a post a few days ago, the subject of rear window venetian blinds came up. As usual, some liked them and some did not. Today I discovered on our favorite shopping site (e---) a fellow who professes to sell new blinds for P15s and others. I included a link to this fellow in the forum page for mention of other web sites and pages. Putting this note here as I don't know how many look at the referrals page.

Upgrade.

never trim the end gaskets... no need to. Use six guide studs...two at each end of the block and two at the center of the block. These will hold the end of the side rail gaskets in place as the pan is drawn up semi tight....then remove them and install the regular remaining six pan bolts. I also use 2 small pins to attach/hold each end of the side rail gaskets to the protruding top ends of the "U" cork gasket...using sealant where the ends meet.

Radarsonwheels, my PT had a hanging door handle on the driver side like yours. I really didn`t like that hanging thing, so I put it on to the to do list for the winter. But just some weeks ago the handle completely gave in and was hanging vertically down. I expected a broken spring. I pulled out the door latch assembly saw no obvious damage. After dismantling the latch assembly and figure out how these parts work together it was clear the reason was wear. Enclosed some pictures, which may help to understand and fix the latch in case yours has got the same problem: Blue arrows shows the edge which was worn. The green line indicates where the edge should be. I fixed this by welding material to the latch and grind it to correct length. Note: It helps a lot to draw the outlines to a board before welding (picture 4). So it is easier to grind the edge to the proper length. Picture 5 shows the worn edge (red line) which led to a gap to the rotating piece (green line) and thus to the wobbly/hanging handle Picture 6 displays the fixed edge. No gap - no wobble, no hanging handle ?

Seeing Mack the Fingers post reminds me of a very fond memory of my Mom Dad and I from when I was about 10. We lived in Tucson and we took a little day trip into the desert not far from where I live now to look for "Desert Roses" . Dad brought come Chef Boyardee spaghetti with us to eat for lunch. Well he forgot to bring something to heat it on . So he too the hubcap off our car it was a Vega so no loss there and built a first under it . Then he set the opened can on top of it and let it heat up. After a few minutes I look at the can and the heat had made the contents of the can rise up in a tall spaghetti column like a push pop almost to the point of collapsing onto the hubcap and ground. I brought it to my Dads attention and he hurriedly poked a the wedge shaped end of the still new/ unused tire iron lug wrench into it to shove it back into the can all the time laughing . Dad was a hoot. One night when Mom was at my Aunts house next door Dad decided to make his own corn nuts. He drained and salted a can of hominys and put them on a flat cookie sheet type thing and put them into the toaster oven to roast and get crunchy. Long story short.... after a while all of the sudden they started to explode like firecrackers just as Mom walked in the front door. Dad wasnt allowed to use the kitchen for a while after that. I sure do miss them both. John

I have a lost dog for the moment.....didn't have a dish handy....or did I ? 48D

Found this 1950 Plymouth Special Deluxe on Kijiji a few weeks ago a few hours from me, and for 400 bucks I couldn't say no. Complete car with floor rust but solid other than that. Interior has mildew but going to try and tidy it up. Original paint will buff up. Cleaned off the massive amount of algae for now. Last insured 10 years ago.

I bet you could also find a rubber grommet at the hardware store to cover that metal edge

My Rocket 3

I was always under the impression there are 2 sizes of valve stems for passenger cars, older vehicles used the larger size, then the smaller size seems to be the new standard. And yes, they make larger sizes for trucks. All valve stems are round and made to fit into a round hole. I would think you need to drill your holes round and install larger valve stems. No clue if that would work, sure it would be a fast way to ruin good wheels. Just run good tubes, stay with a brand name like goodyear or firestone etc... There is nothing wrong with a quality tube. They also make radial tire or bias tire tubes. Radial tires produce more heat and need a thicker better tube, no doubt you could probably run a radial tube in a bias tire, they just cost more. Must be a zillion trucks out on the highway running tubes, been doing it forever. Another option is to buy a new set of wheels, be nice to run one set for one style, then 6 months later change her shoes and get a new look.

Hello Everyone, 1500 mile update and I have to say all is well. I have aligned it so I don't eat up my new tires and retorqued the intake/exhaust, it has been a hoot to drive. I also cleaned up some over spray from the glass and polished the chrome as much as I could. I have taken it to 2 local shows and it seems the Dodge crest on the hood and the intake gets the most attention. My oldest comes home from college this weekend and I will loose my pick-up for a week so the Dodge is on deck... Supposed to rain a few of those days but my wipers are up to the task it's just a car, right? Picture from local car show #1. It sure felt good to park next to the Ferraris and Lambos only to have to stand there all day and talk to people about the old Dodge. One guy with a 6 digit Italian car asked me why am I getting all the attention? I said "Not sure, it's just a POS old Dodge." He left in a huff Show #2 And with my youngest, she always asks to take "Lumpy"

Same here with my 3.73's going to Vegas and back...

When I first built my truck I used some Peterson trailer tail lights that I picked up at my local Farm & Fleet store for around $6 each. The both had the license plate illumination lens in them. I blacked out the one on the right side. They looked very similar to your Grote lights. They looked good and served the purpose for several years. I finally took the plunge and purchased the reproduction tail lights from DCM Classics. I wasn't all that pleased with the design of the lamp socket. It seemed a bit cheap and didn't seal out the elements well. After a little modification I mounted them and have been using them since. Now I have a more 'vintage' look with the "DODGE" script on the lenses.

I've done 70-75 "all day long" in my truck, and 80 to pass, with 3.73 gears. Most recently during our trip down to Chattanooga, TN for the WPC Club meet.

Lots of great info in this post. Thanks for the pictures, definitelygiving me some idea's on my build.

My 2 Oz cents worth would be also to wait and look around for a car that has had the hard work already done or at least after you have seen a few cars, some of which you start to realise that they were definately a good deal or conversely a pile of crap that thankfully you passed on......unfortunately a lot of this knowledge and experience in picking cars only comes with time, and experience can be bought but DOES cost.............as an example, I check US Ebay, 1940-1949 Collector Cars daily......just a habit I have..........lol..........a week or so ago they was a 1947 Plymouth Club Coupe, hot rodded 6, new upholstery, lowered, nice maroon paint, good chrome, in Oregon or Washington State so a west coast car, easy to get to Long Beach for shipping to Oz.........in was 20K or best offer, personally I thought it was an absolute gift................on the other hand at present there is a 1940 DeSoto Coupe listed as a Dodge, bright blue & white, looks like a sub frame swap, sitting like a 4wheel drive, 429 Frod engine, lots of shiney checker plate inside and out, dirty, rusty scabby a genuine POS ........I wouldn't consider it even if they pay me 20K to take it...........then theres a nice 1941 Plymouth 2Dr Sedan in Colorado I think $7-8,000, older grey paint but new upholstery looks like a really nice car for the money, complete and doesn't appear to be a basket case either..........so they are around............1949 to 56 Plymouth & Dodges don't appear to be the most popular and therefore parts etc are harder to find sometimes but its a give & take............a good popular car like a Frod or Shev will always be more expensive, have a better parts supply and cost more..........but who wants to be boring?..........lol.......welcome to Mopar........regards from Oz.......Andy Douglas

I used sealant on one side of. the side gaskets and grease only on the other side. I used grease only on both sides of the end gaskets and no sealant. I did not trim the end pieces. By doing this I have been able to remove the pan twice without replacing the gaskets. Do not over tighten the bolts that saquezze the gaskets to much as you will fatten out the gasket.

In 1952, the starter drive was changed to minimize this problem, and it worked. If you can get a starter from 52 to 55, change the whole unit.

Not really a problem, just need to get a taller hat

Kinda odd how something like this can bring back memories.. On a long two-wheeled weekend many years ago a riding buddy and aspiring chef raided a freezer some trusting soul had on his carport and came away with some frozen burger patties. Another stop to liberate a hubcap and he now had a skillet! Nothing tastes quite like a burger with a little wheel bearing grease.. ? I lost track of that old friend in the early '80s after he married a woman who shut the door on his old life. A month or so ago I learned he had just passed away from complications from diabetes. Speaking with his brother at the funeral I learned that my old friend had lost a leg to diabetes about fifteen years ago. According to his monitor he hadn't checked his blood sugar level for several months prior to his death. At his last check it had been over 300. Seems like he'd just given up the struggle. He was one of the most fearless motorcycle riders I've ever known. In the early '70s he rode a Honda 450 black bomber with Z bars, laid back neck, slugs in the fork tubes. Wish I had pics. It was a beast!!

I worked as a field service diesel mechanic a long time ago. For ease of future service, my rule of thumb was to never use any type of sealant on the engine side of anything. It is much easier to scrape the old gasket off the part (sitting on the back of my truck) than the engine while it is still in the vehicle. The other reason I do it that way - if you look at the most stable surface, it should be the machined surface on the engine block. Unless it has defects, it most likely won’t be the cause of any leaks. The oil pan on the other hand will flex and bend if/when the bolts are over tightened - that would be the surface causing the leaks. Every Engine has specific places where leaks are more of a potential - generally where joints are created in the gasket material. Those are the only places where I would use a small amount of silicone - just my opinion of course.

Lately we've been carrying change and are splitting our smaller purchases into a few singles and the rest in coins. The cashiers may not like it, but the change jar is getting emptier.

Wow! 12 already? Seems like yesterday I met Tim and we did the first one. I'll be there for number 12...

Hi: My memory is not what it used to be (if it ever was!) but, on some vehicles the handle's shank becomes worn, letting the handle sag. If the handles can be swapped from side to side (i.e., swap driver's and passenger's handles) both will look good for no cost. This may not apply to your exact vehicle, but may be worth checking into. Dennis M. in W. Tenn.

She's a beauty. The truck looks nice too.

Restore them yourself! I did mine and it was an enjoyable experience.

junk....but then I may just be a bit harsh on them....