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Showing content with the highest reputation on 04/05/2020 in all areas

  1. Thanks to all who wanted to be here......we'll figure it out next year. ....................."The 2020 Best of Show" goes to ......EVERYONE!!! See you all next year! 48Dodger
    9 points
  2. I've enjoyed reading the comments on another thread, comparing P15 Plymouth and 1950s Volvo styling. So, for a bit of fun, I thought I'd share this photo of 1950s doowop group, The Medallions, posing with my '48 Plymouth coupe, way back in 2000 when I brought them to the UK to perform at our Rhythm Riot Festival. I did my best to recreate the picture in the style of the famous promo for their 1959 hit, '59 Volvo'. Here's a link to the song...
    4 points
  3. You cannot rotate the flathead oil pump in any manner after taking out the distributor. The distributor does not drive the oil pump. The cam gear turns the oil pump drive gear. The only way to rotate and say prime a flathead engine using the oil pump is to use another pump with the pump drive gear teeth ground off. To inspect your old oil pump follow what the factory shop manual instructs.
    3 points
  4. Only two words for not being in Clements today.....well, maybe more! THIS SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! grrrrrrrr !!! Stay safe y’all!
    3 points
  5. Well I tried to celebrate! Just NOT the same!!!! (And the mask kept getting in way.....)
    2 points
  6. I don’t post many pictures, but I have enjoyed looking at everyone else’s projects so here’s what I’ve been able to accomplish with a lot of advice and information from everybody here. This has been a little over a year and half project to this point, with a lot more to go. Complete tear down and rebuild of my wife’s great uncle’s pickup that he bought new in 1948. It sat in a pasture since 1964 after his passing until we brought it to our place in May of 2018. It sure was a pretty cool moment when the motor fired for the first time in 55 years.
    1 point
  7. I hope this ok here. I am not affiliated with this product. I just bought it to try it out and think there are likely many here who would really benefit from it. I sure will love this upgrade in both of my old Mopars. It's a great solution for the price. Simple very effective. I bumped into this idea a little while ago. A simple bluetooth circuit board. I did some more research to learn, you can find this stereo option that can run on DC power as low as 5V DC. I found one on E-Bay from China. They cost about $10-$15. Seek out Wuzhi Bluetooth on Ebay. It took about a month to arrive and should be covid free by now. I bought the 50Wx2 power amp version as a trial. I see that a 100Wx2 stereo power amp is also available. I am pleasantly surprised how good it sounds. I will hook this up to my old 6V 1953 Chrysler. Likely order another one for my '38 Plymouth. All I need is a speaker or two. It's simple, cheap, and then I can listen to all the songs I can handle via my iphone. I'll just hide it up under the dash. It's very small. Set the volume and leave it. Everything can be controlled through my phone. I am not affiliated with this product in any way. Just a happy buyer, thought the vintage car community could benefit from this. See my further explanation and demo here:
    1 point
  8. Oh man Rolland! So sorry you made the trip to Clements for nothing... I thought everyone knew ?
    1 point
  9. I have heard that the population of domestic cats is on the decline in some areas because of predators ...
    1 point
  10. To sort of second what Plymouthy Adams said...when I had my tires mounted the tire guy put what he called "Truck valves" on my wheels. Basically metal valves with nuts instead of the standard rubber to help seal the area around the valve. Hopefully this pictures shows better than I describe.
    1 point
  11. Oil pumps in the flat heads are very reliable other than the oil pump cover rubber O -ring getting hard and leaking.
    1 point
  12. By the way back in the seventies I primed an oil pump on a tractor by filling the engine with a drum of motor oil and letting it sit overnight. Nobody had primed the oil pump before it was installed, and they wanted me to pull the pan off. It too could not be primed from above. I drained it down after oil had seeped into all of the passages. Then I had half a barrel of slightly used oil that we just put into other engines. That engine had instant oil pressure when we started it It saved me a lot of Labor and Gasket scraping.
    1 point
  13. Well it's been too long since I tore one apart guys. I just looked at my distributor and you are absolutely right. And you are right about the Ford because I saw a few of them in Minnesota that had sheared oil pump shafts in cold weather.
    1 point
  14. On the Ford, yes. On Mopar flatheads, no. The oil pump drives the distributor, See post 3. Another example of good engineering. I've had the pleasure of repairing the carnage that happens when that too small hex drive on early versions rounded or sheared on a cold winter start. Not mine, thankfully, customers. Distributor was happily making the engine run. Oil pump, not so much. Some folks noticed before the engine quit, others didn't. Can't happen with a flathead Mopar!
    1 point
  15. Cleaned up, went through, and painted the steering box and column over the past couple weeks. Attached it to the frame, roughly aligned the wheels, hooked up the tie rod, and put on the steering wheel. Maybe in the next few weeks I can figure out wheels and tires and get them on. It would be fun to rig up a milk crate on a board across the frame and take it for a spin around the yard.
    1 point
  16. Wow was the tube trashed. Good thing you got it out. I guess I got lucky with mine - after 68 years it was perfect and came out in one piece quite easily, and yes it was steel.
    1 point
  17. We’ll, I’m a day late to the BBQ, but here’s my contribution. I showed up at the ranch in Clements this morning, but the gate was locked and everyone had already left, ?. Just finished bush-hogging and thought I’d share my lunch with you fellers, since I had to share with our barn cat, Berlioz anyhow. -roland
    1 point
  18. The key on the distributor turns the pump. Make a shaft to fit that key. On my ford it was a hex shaft, so easy. Plymouth has a straight key drive, so a collar might be needed to keep it engaged.
    1 point
  19. Unfortunately the pump on the Mopar is the driver as it has the gear rather than the distributor. So, you can't spin it with a spare shaft as the gear is engaged with the cam. But, it is easy to remove and disassemble for inspection. Yes on the silicone. It is a boon for these old engines. Cheap vinyl gloves to apply and spread work better for me than trying to use the 'even bead' approach. Also great in the oil pan corners that so often are sources of leaks.
    1 point
  20. I believe you can take the distributor out and spin the pump with a spare shaft and a drill motor. I have done so on a Ford, but not on a Plymouth I used to use Permatex Aero on my engines, but nowadays I tend to use Permatex silicone. Make a thin even coat, so you don't get excess sealer in the coolant, plugging up holes you want open.
    1 point
  21. Though I have never made it to the BBQ, I have long wanted to come, since I am only a few hours away. So for the truck lovers in angst today, some old shots from my gallery. These old trucks are all sitting up on Pacheco Pass road, but you can't buy them. It's an outdoor museum of old farm and road machines.
    1 point
  22. Back to your original question. You may already know, but the 38 Plymouth for one has telescopic shocks on front with an upper mount that bolts on with captive nuts inside the chassis rail and extends several inches above the rail. My shocks are Munroe made in Oz by Wylie, too old for numbers to mean anything, about 1-1/2 inch bore, 13 inch compressed and 21-3/8 inch extended. The originals are Healing made in Oz, same bore, 12-5/8 inch compressed and 20-1/2 extended.I imagine you could work out what lengths you need and pick a shock from the catalogue. I looked at a current Monroe catalogue online and Holden wagon shocks could fit the bill for me. Oh for the days when everything possible was made in Oz. We are just starting to realise the folly of reliance on China for everything. Sneak preview below.
    1 point
  23. That sounds like a plan, Tennessee is only a few hours away for me. We’ll need to find an east coast donor truck to make a BBQ grill from, though.
    1 point
  24. Yup and you'll be using coolant with better rust preventers than that one saw
    1 point
  25. Take a good hard look for it down in the bore. I recently rebuilt 3 BB carbs. I thought one carb was missing both check balls.....turned out, they were both in there but held in by a powdery deposit between the ball and the bore that almost completely covered the balls. Worked at them with a long sewing needle and some spray carb cleaner and finally got them free. Also, on one of the carbs, marked BBR, there was a very light compression spring between the discharge check ball and the brass plug. This spring doesn't show up in any exploded view I could find for a BB carb so I left it out when I put the carb back together. Somewhere in this carb's long lost past someone must have put it in there. I'm not quite sure where I got this carb from, it is an extra for me right now, but maybe someday I will mount it on one of my 218s to see how it runs with and without the check valve spring. A project for a later date. Regards.
    1 point
  26. Thanks Sniper, I do have an exploded diagram of the carb, not that much different to the updraft version, and I know that there should be another ball (larger) in there, however, I think it may not have been in there when I opened it up. Or most likely it has fallen out...lol
    1 point
  27. It is possible to put all new gaskets and seals in the flathead engine, even new valve guides, without removing the block from the frame...but it's easier to get the engine re-sealed and spiffed up if it's out of the truck. I've rebuilt flatheads in two trucks, and if I wasn't standing on my head, I was crawling underneath always needing more room to work. I got 10k out of each engine before main seal and timing chain seals that I couldn't access leaked so bad that I didn't want to drive them anymore for fear of doing any damage (along with wiring issues on one and cooling problems on the other). But if this engine is running and not making any clicking, chirping, rattling or grinding noises, then it can be cleaned up, re-sealed and slicked up on a budget. The cast iron block can be cleaned and painted with a foam brush without overspray, except for the back of the block that no one sees. The head can be pulled off if you want to replace the head gasket and make it pretty the same as the block. Any carbon buildup can be cleaned off, and you'll see right away if it's burning oil. Head removal allows a visual inspection of the block bores and valves' condition to see if you've got a serious problem lurking or are good to continue. Rustoleum makes decent paint for rusty metal. I have followed the instructions on their red oxide primer and aluminum top coat to paint oil pans and castings, and they have held up very well after a couple of decades. Cleaning per instructions, as well as painting within their temperature and re-coating guidelines, makes a big difference in quality and durability. It might be helpful to make lists of what comes off the engine block so that they can be used not only for installation but for planning cleanup repair and painting. Spray painting can be fun but messy...what better way to learn the joys of wet sanding than on smaller parts, painted by foam brush but wet sanded between coats to give just as smooth of a finish... It would be a good idea to verify what year flathead that is in the truck...this is important to determine which gasket set you need, as there are critical changes to the rear main seal design, timing cover seal, etc. I recall having leftover parts from gasket sets back in the 90s that I didn't find out where they went until I found info on this site's predecessor back around 2000...most of those parts were not used on my particular engine, but some were, like the distributor shaft seal...OOPS
    1 point
  28. I am reminded again on the simplicity of these old automobiles. So many parts are interchangeable. I had ordered a kit to rebuild my fuel pump. I’d never done it before. Why not try? It’s 1930’s engineering, it can’t be too hard I figured. They had mastered the pumps back then. Yet 90 years later, humans can’t get the rebuild parts right. Lol. The kit I ordered was almost right. The valves that came in the rebuild kit were not the press -in type. The ones I received are the slightly smaller diameter, held in with retainer and screw, type. Arrgh...Lol. The trials we must endear for these old cars. Since local folks found out that there’s a new mopar nut in town they seem to be tossing old fuel pumps my way. I found 7 kicking around here. Different arms. Different glass bowls. Some no bowls. Between the various pumps, I may have a built a franken-pump that will work, and utilize all the parts in my rebuild kit. I have to soak the head at least overnight in carb cleaner. It was full of dry, cream colored dust. Like it just came out of Bryce Canyon. Rotten fuel left in there I guess. For 50 years probably. Is there any reason why they dropped the glass bowls? I think they look cool. I’d like to utilize one. Looks like it’ll fit. I was about to re-instal the oil pan tonight. Then I thought, I might as well clean the pump pick up screen. I removed it and pried the cover off. I found a nice mess of sludge under there. Glad I found it and cleaned it out.
    1 point
  29. it seems like all the parts I’ve gotten from this forum have come from out west or the mid-west. Definitely western influence.
    1 point
  30. I've never made it out there. Thought I could join in via virtual so I pulled the beast out into the sunlight today, placed the box on the frame and snapped a couple pics. haven't had a chance to get it back in the garage since FEF showed up but I've been busy. Number 8 since he left is getting fairly close to being finished and since it's my own, I'm not on a time schedule. It's literally been a ground up build.
    1 point
  31. Ed, I said the same to him. That grill is killer!
    1 point
  32. Brent, I could see the need for the mask if the truck was churning out pollutants. And I ought to report you to the authorities for energy wasting....you would do well to put a spit in front of that heater and at least grill up a tree rat (squirrel) or other timely recovered road kills....and get away from that bread.
    1 point
  33. My son and grandson, in. Memory of cancelled BBQ
    1 point
  34. Mini, You know what this means, right? We have to establish an East Coast BBQ! I’m in Jacksonville, something in Tennessee is definitely do-able and centrally located for all those in the East! I think my truck could make it to TN...it may take a couple days or so...and once established, we could have a joint, East-West BBQ every 5 yrs or so, somewhere in a more central location...I’m already getting stoked for this!
    1 point
  35. Yep, same, did it on my '37 Dodge couple months ago. Nice, neat, cheap and discrete setup.
    1 point
  36. As I lamented the canceled BBQ, I continued work on the Sportster. It’s getting very close to complete. It will be sold, but if not by 2014 BBQ, will tow it up. Stay safe everyone. In the meantime.
    1 point
  37. I did that to the 51 last fall. I used a Pyle marine amp with bluetooth to do the deed, pair of 5x7 Polk Audio coaxial speakers in the back using a set of oak adapters I made to bolt he speakers to the rear shelf. I use the original wiper switch as the on/off for the amp. Works pretty good and I never have to listen to stupid DJ's chattering.
    1 point
  38. additional information - Brake Cylinder Sleeving
    1 point
  39. Welcome to the forum! One rule we do have is that all requests for parts need to be in the classified area. Please repost in the classified ad area. I'm locking this thread now for that reason but will leave it visible so people can PM you.
    1 point
  40. Need to pull the flywheel off. Its 4 or 6 bolts depending on the flywheel.
    1 point
  41. Well tomorrow arrived. Mother nature had different plans in mind for me today.
    1 point
  42. Okay. I have changed the topic heading and this will be my build thread. Bear with me as it is my first build thread. Sorry I tend to be long winded but here is the story on it. 17 years ago, when I was a volunteer Big Brother, my girlfriend and I bought a lottery ticket for the Big Brothers Home Lottery and ended up winning the early bird prize of $10,000. Pretty excited, as it was a few days before Valentines Day, we decided to take a romantic weekend getaway with our new found fortune, and whatever was left at the end of the weekend, we would split evenly, we weren't married and no joint account after all. Since we were both cheap and pretty much broke, not much was spent that weekend as we celebrated in our cabin most of the weekend?, and we each ended up with $4000. I had been looking for a cheap project truck for a while so I decided to take another look with my cash. Keep in mind it is February in Alberta, Canada so it was cold and the classifieds didn't have much to offer in the way of summer toys. Lo and behold, this 1956 1/2 ton Job Rated pops up so I go have a look. Bought locally originally buy a farmer about 1/2 hour away, passed down to his son, truck had never left the province, in fact barely left the farming community it lived in. Son is moving off to Vancouver and can't take it with him, so it's up for sale. $3500 later and I'm driving it home on a nice balmy -30 degree day in February with summer tires and no heater, and a bad clutch, but hey I can drive it home so I'm excited. Truck seems pretty solid, worth what I paid anyway, so I decide to put some rims and tires on it, replace the king pins and put it on the road. April rolls around and my girlfriend and I are out for a nice picnic with the truck and it's proposal time. Year and a half later, the truck is our wedding limo. Married at a ranch with a bunch of straw bales in the back for seating. Great time. Three years later my daughter comes home from the hospital when she is born and yup this is her first drive in the real world. Almost 5 years later the clutch finally gives out(yup, same one that was bad when I bought it) so it was parked, as I had another project on the go, and a year after that we move across the country. Truck gets loaded up and sits since 2013 only being run a couple times, but never road driven again. Fast forward to now, my daughter is 12 and wants a truck for her first vehicle. She has her heart set on my 2012 Ram dually but she has been informed that isn't happening so she is slowly accepting the fact that it will be the 56. I'm betting she will grow to love it along the way. The plan is a low budget build with a few critical upgrades like brakes, steering and seat belts. I'm hoping we can do the majority of the work ourselves and am even seriously contemplating the paint and body myself as well. Having never done either, it will be a challenge but that looks like it would be the most costly to farm out, so I may attempt it. Anyway here are a few pics of the truck when I got it and where it is at now. I'm sure I will have lots of questions along the way, and appreciate the knowledge here. The cobra was the project that put the dodge on the backburner for a few years, then there was the move across country, starting a new business, etc etc. A you can see, my daughter has been a bit of a car fan for a while. The Firebird will be the next project and has a special meaning to me, and was a motivating factor for me to get at the dodge. It belonged to my best friend since high school. We dragged it out of a field back in 1986 and with tons of help from his dad(and his wallet), put it on the road. We spent countless hours cruising around in this thing in our teens and twenties, blowing up the motor in the process, and swapping in a worn out Buick motor about 25 years ago that is still in there. When he got sick, I went to see him as much as I could, being a 18 hour drive away made it tough but I went often. He didn't have much energy and couldn't get out much but had lots of hope, so when he was resting I would go out and work on his shop. getting it finished so that we could work on his car and bring it back to life. Things were looking a bit better for him, so I started working on his car once the shop was done, hoping he would get the chance to drive it again. He managed to get one last ride in it when we took it to get new springs put in. A white knuckled ride as it handled like crap, so it wasn't ideal. But he drove it so he was happy. Unfortunately he passed away a few months later and the car never got finished. We talked a lot in his last few days, mostly about cars and memories. He left me his Firebird with one condition, I had to get off my ass and finish the truck first and then the car, but both had to be done before my daughter gets her license. A weird request but it gave me a laugh and so here I am. Dodge rebuild has begun. Plan is to drive it this summer at some point.
    1 point
  43. Forgive me, Paul, for you are a scholar and a gentleman, but I have seen your truck. I don't want to work that hard. I had made about $30k in the market I wasn't expecting to have & I was looking at Hollywood showroom ads for rare ducks and polished gems. Anyhow, just numbers on paper that mean nothing, since I didn't sell in time. If this depresses the collector market enough, I may still buy something nice. Market crashes work both ways . . .
    1 point
  44. 1 point
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