pflaming

MRWR: I would guess many like myself have been quietly following this build. I am more then impressed at what they are doing. One observation: He referrs to the "kid". What a talent that "KID" is, and to do this as a father / son project is inspiring.

ACE HRD has a product "Jasco Prep and Prime" which is the same product as POR and at 1/4 the price.

In the recent past I was given a copy of the eighth grade test required for graduation in the 20's and 30's. WHAT an eye opener!! Wish I had a copy to share. I have a big problem with the 'exact same' combination used by many:

I went to a friend's auto shop with my windows. He has a steam box into which you place an object. The box is about 36" x 24". It has a rotating device with pressure nozzels every 6" and its steams and rotates around the object. It GETS HOT! We placed my door windows in there for two hours and then we were able to remove the bottom channels. Didn't need a torch. Also put my spindles in with the glass and now they are clean also. Much easier than sand blasting.

For LOTS of good interior ideas and pictures use "Lowes" on the search. I'm working on the interior and this gave me a great shopping list for today. Today: FYI: Found "Jasco - Prime and Prep at Ace HDW for $7.99 / qt. It has the identical directions as POR at NAPA at $25.00 / pt. Interesting. A antiquege auto upholderer told me for a low dollar sound definer, use heavy Roofing tar paper, and butyl rubber, according to ACE HDW is not legal in California. I bought two rolls of blister insulation at Lowes, Visalia, CA for $22.00 per 50' x 24". The SAME product and amount in Lowes in Fresno, CA was $39.00. I asked the Visalia clerk if the prices at the different stores were always the same, she said NO! that higher volume stores had better prices! The SAME product at ACE HDW in Reedley, CA was $1.95 per foot!!!!!!!!!!.

neat yellow color. What is the color of your truck? Will be watching. Edit: With that steel plate gone, it's likely to ride differently!!!

If you could get that up on a fork life and put in about two hours of steam cleaning, you would appreciate it as you dismantle. I pulled the engine first. In hind sight I would take off the dog house, remove the engine, then the bed and that baby is well exposed. Good luck. We'll be watching.

OT I'm working on guages, etc. I see you have a metal line for oil, mine has a plastic. I am guessing that the plastic is not preferred, oil gets hot and if that leaks ... not good. (2) My temp guage (off market) has a copper wire surrounded by a coil. I take it that is different than the original either ones, is that correct.

I Removed the door windows today. How does one remove the old glass from the 'bar' across the bottom. I've been in 'search' mode for an hour. Seems I once read some one carefully put some heat to it, to soften the 'tar'. What holds that window in? With those windows out I am going to put some type of sound deadening in. Any suggestions. Could start a new thread, but figure anyone who has removed windows has deadened his doors also.

I paid $200 for mine plus $50 to have a friend haul it. The cab was white like the bed. The engine needed to be rebuilt. I like the old look, so I gave the engine five coats of clear to slow the rust and to clean a bit easier. The silver engines really look great. Good luck and welcome. Not many Dodges here in the central valley. Never seen one on the road.

The attachment shows an unmolested bed. I went the inexpensive route and put in a 4x8 plywood. I did mine OFF the truck. Some do not use the six bolts so I didn't either. Just bolted the cross members to the frame. Personal choice. Thats what I like about trucks, they get personal. Fun to see what others do. Good luck, takes time. p.s. It may be more difficult to keep things square putting in single boards. By using the sheet I was able to hit all the holes, maybe I just got lucky. On the first picture you can see where the six holes are. The left side is the easiest to see. I'm not going to repaint my truck so did not think a fancy floor would look good. I stained the marine wood (both sides) before I put the shovel strips on.

Dave, I put in at 10:30 also but I had a glass of MILK first. Found a good doctor, who put me on Zoloft, that has really helped. So looking forward now to a good year. The Zoloft put me back in the gararge. My garage floor is a lot lower than it used to be! Happy New Year to All:

I met Mark and his coupe, nice. He gave me a ride in his '50 sedan, nice too. Go for it Mark and thanks for the hospitality. I'm back in the garage again, front spindles are off and new ones on order.

I might be nice if a map existed which had icons showing where members are. Then when one travels it would be easy to have coffee. I am working on driving my truck to Indianapolis and will look up as many members on the route along the way. That way I have help if I need it and good places to stop. I wish Tennessee was on the route, maybe I will have to make a detour.

Don: (1)I agree, I have read some posts on fresh air 'adaptations' and I am studing that. I have an 87 T Bird parked and may look at what is on it and . . . (2) My daughter is in Westfield near Noblesville. I will look up members close by and see if I can find a 'personal' mechanic for her. My uncle moved here to Ca in the 40's from NE. He said Californians told the biggest lies and had the smallest heaters. Not all true but early California cars did have different heaters than midwest cars. Thanks for the input! Happy New Years to all!

Has anyone ever put two heaters in truck/car. I'm thinking of putting a 2nd one on the drivers side. Use the original one for defroster and the 2nd one for heater. This truck is to go to my daughter in Indianapolis and I want her to be warm. (Ordered new king pins/bushings today)

When you pull it, put a good log chain around the axle, then run it over a car/truck wheel then to your truck/tractor. The wheel will force the axle UP before it goes horizontal. Works good with posts and trees also. Interesting doghouse/cab combo.

Does the grill and the dash match. I thought the '53 dash (yours) went with a two piece grill? (see attachment) How long did they keep the four bars grill. Welcome!

I did remove the bolt. Once I realized there was a 'grease cap' and removed it, the pins drove out very easily. So I now have the spindles and the steering arms on the work bench. There were no shims. I just looked at Charlies webb page and his kit includes the bearing, bolts, etc. I'm about ready to order. Thank you for the added advice. Do I have to remove the axle to get it reamed out? Wish I had a lift and a good steam cleaner. It's easy to go to the floor but a chore to get back up, so I make sure I have all my tools.

I am working on truck '52 1/2 ton. Mine does not have any shims on the king pin, but rather a roller bearing. My spindle has some wobble. Now the king pin goes through two bushings on the spindle and one on the axle. It would seem to me that the wear would be on the axle not the spindle. I would hate to replace the kingpin and the two bushings and still have a wobble. The king pin and bushing are not cheap plus the $$ to have a machine shop remove the old and press in new ones. Am I thinking correctly?

I removed the front back plates and spindles today. When I went to drive out the king pins, the metal moved about 1/8" then was SOLID. So I went to search and found these, but had to read alot to find so I will relate them so the next novice finds them sooner. (1) there is a grease cap above and below the king pin. Those removed and the pins drove out. I used a 9/16' socket to drive. Take out the top one and the king pin can drive out the bottom one. Drill a hole in the top one, then insert a small punch in the hole and out it comes. (2) next time I would remove the tie rod ends before I removed the steering arms, to the experienced this may seem obvious but I'm just learning. (3) lots of old grease, under it were cotter pins, and 'lock washers' (metal pieces which had bent up tabs to lock the nuts (news to me) (4) There is a roller bearing spacer on the king pin that the axle frame rests on so that the spindle turns on this bearing not on the bushings in the axle frame. Nice. Will take the spindles and steering arms to a shop and have them drilled tapped and bushings pressed in. Now I need new tie rod ends. MORE $$$$$$$. OPS !!!! Wonder what I'll learn tomorrow?

Dave: Thank you. I just read through the links Don suggested. As most of you know I am a novice and a T-5 swap appears to be far beyond me. If I can cruse at 65 with a standard 3 speed which I have and a stock 218 which I have by changing the rear axle, I will be pleased.

Dave: Who makes this tranny and will it mate with a 218? Is OD a different ratio than 3rd / high? EDIT: I going to SEARCH !

If memory serves me correct prior to 48 the color choices were dark green, dark blue, dark red. So maybe most just kept what they had and the green was the closest to their John Deeres!!!

Now I'm ignorant: What is a T 5 and the reasons to change?