55 Fargo

Hey all, spent about a week doing a fast prep on this ole girl, left some character on just for the helluva it, and to add to the charm. This truck is used on a rough gravel road and to do light hauling at time. I hope to someday get some better dnor parts and take things apart fora proper job. the paint, is Home Hardware Rust Coat enamel, this is a custom color I had made at local Home Hardware. Here is the mix, approximately 8 parts paint, 4 parts dupli-color medium speed reducer, 1 part Evercoat DOI wet look acrylic enamel hardener. 1st coat went on thin and sup wicked shiny, next coat, it started out dryspray, had to add a ton of reducer and make her wet. this helped a lot but not 100 %. no runs, it was 76 inn the garage, and hotter outside. it came off pretty good. i laid on a fair amount of paint, so cut and polish could do wonders but what for....

Robert I would forget about that tank, I will ask around here to see if anyone has anything. I would be inclined to look at tanks that are similar size dimension and use a brand new tank and have no issues. Phone Norm at Mid Canada Suspension, he is extremely knowledgeable on sourcing old Mopar parts, if he doesn't already have on of these 1-204-475-3399

Hey Bob, hope you have a swell time, wish it were closer to home...

Well said Frank, not every vintage car/truck/van need to be modified, changed ,hopped up to be reliable drivers. Yes they may not get away with it on the freeway, but plenty of around town, and small single lane US and State highways to travel on.

They were from someone I know very well, and will not cost me a dime, going to try and sell them to someone up here who collects WW tires of all sorts

Well with a 3.23 rear end, 60 mph is no problem , but 55 mph is the norm around here. With these tall tires, can cruise at 60 mph at about 2300 rpm too....

If i could get these babies balanced, will use em, don't drive faster than 55-60 mph anyways. Or most likely will have to return to radials. It will be what it will be. I am doing body work right now, and have n no plans of any real driving until next spring....

They sell those here at Princess Auto too.....

Tired unsuccessfully to spin balance these tires today. The machine is a new machine, so either tires are out of round or something. I posted this on the other thread in the Truck section too. Not usre if beads would work in this scenario, although it apparently works well with the big tire off road crew. Many of those type tires used pellets, or pad balancing too.... So will use these tires as rollers for now, until I get more work done on the truck, I have nothing invested in them anyway.... There is also no esablishments up here, that shave and tru bias belted tires...

So far this has cost me nothing, but will get different tires, gonna go with radials, no big deal thought I would give these a try...

So far this has cost me nothing, but will get different tires, gonna go with radials, no big deal thought I would give these a try...

So far this has cost me nothing, but will get different tires, gonna go with radials, no big deal thought I would give these a try...

Tires are out of round, at least 2 could not be balanced. No wonder it iwas a little hard to handle. Guess these will be ornaments now.....LOL Nobody in thee parts can tru and shave bias ply tires, that might be the only anwer for them. Years of a heavy 56 Caddy sitting on them probably did some kind of damage/distortion......thanx

Yup, seen a few around. That box does appear to be an earlier year, as the top edge of the sides are on an angle, the 55s and later are straight edged. the box i have is from a 52, rear fenders 56, but I got a fargo tailgate, now those are mighty less plentiful than dodge stamped tailgates. Nice truck BTW, love the 55.56 trucks..

108 inch wheelbase just like mine, mine is a 55 dodge/fargo, 251 4 spd 3.23 rearend

Glad it all worked out, and 170-180 around town in good hot weather seems okay to me. On the highway, and going fast =high RPM=hotter engine temps.

okay will be on the side waitin to see what yall discover, hope it is something simple....

If you had 3 days of normal engine operating temp, and the outside ambient temps were the same as now. did you blow a head gasket, allowing exhaust heat to leak into cooling system. Do you have a vaccuum/intake manifold leak causing a lean fuel mixture condition, that will heat things up, so will late timing..

You could flush the block, and get flow, but down low on the left side of the block, crud could be built up, allowing poor circulation and poor cooling . Not saying your tube is bad, but the outside of a steel water tube could look good and be corroded far end of block, mine were all brass, so never had problems once they were clean. Is the head gasket leaking exhaust gases into the cooling system, that will make a lot of heat? Did you confirm your heat riser is in the warmed up engine position allowing exhaust to freely flow out?

I would lay money on the following. The block is partially plugged, and/or water distribution tube is too. I thought you were gonna try that drain cock and see what is flowing out. In this heat, sitting there idling can develop a lot of heat, especially with plugged up water passages, or a rad that cannot dissipate heat transfer. Go out driving hard and then come to an idle, would boil over for sure..

Here's a thread worth reading.http://p15-d24.com/topic/30114-218-temperature-and-fuel-problems/?hl=%2Bwater+%2Bdistribution+%2Btube#entry300894 I make reference to an archived thread, thatg had a lot of good info on the cooling system and overheating problems. The heat riser in itself most likely will not overheat the block, but if is stuck in nthe cold warm up position, it sure as heck won't help. it will boil the gas right out of your carb, and restrict hot exhaust gases from flowing as freely as they could. Pus or turn it clockwise all the way front and forward and keep it there. Check the drain cock, sometimes a little crud will settle there, but if water pours out that is a good sign. Did you pull the water dist tub, you could have some plugging in the far end of it. Many many times, these blocks get full of crud, and the frost plugs need to be pulled, as well as the tube for rodding and flushing.. clean block, all passage clear and open, water pump that works, clean rad, that has good flow, and that is able to transfer heat, is critical. Timing, head gaskets, dragging brakes, all exacerbate heating problems, as well has heavy load and high RPMs, from cruising fast with low diff gears....good luck

This is where i learned a lot about body paint and welding too. Tim Adams is a proponent of the shrinking discs. Lots of body and paint threads on the hAMB, with a lot on cheap paint jobs too,

Just went for a 22 mile drive, on highway,(wheels not balanced causing the problem on there kept speed to 50 mph, and let traffic back up), only for about 2 miles though......hehehe. Around town, no issues whatsoever, not even while driving over railway tracks. Then drove down a windy old highway along the river, bumper to bumper traffic at 45-50 mph, not so fun as it really twists and winds. Next on a very potholed roadway, not that bad, no issues on pot holes, just bumpy, these tires handle that better than my old radials. The pics to prove. Deathbound, spent some time in LB many,many years ago, the bucket might have been on 2nd st or 4th st, can't remember, then there was the Reno Room, 36 36 Club, and a few others. stayed on Termino, broke foot there got fixed up at Long Beach community hospital. Remember going to a nice restaurant called the Port Club,

Thanx Deathbound, hey i read that HAMB thread last night too. barring my tires are out of round or otherwise damaged , should eventually be good to go. the tie rod ends are very pathetic, hopefully new ones will make a big difference. hey that "Potholder" diner still open, is it on Broadway, how about the Honey Bucket bar, and Marris Pizza.....take care

Thanx Neil, I also have the princess auto tire changer, but can have them mounted and balanced free st work in the fleet vehicle garage when time permits