55 Fargo

The Lockheed brakes, can and will have a low pedal, if shoes "are out of adjustment", pumping up pedal gives you better brakes, and temporary higher pedal in those cases.Air in the system will give you a spongy pedal, and sometimes require pumping of the brake pedal for firmer brakes. These shoes can be real fussy to adjust, especially with brand new brake shoes. In the old days, they would arc grind the shoes to coincide with the brake drums. I have found with some miles on brand new brake shoes, and adjustments, the pedal gets much higher, and does not need to be pumped for good braking repsonse....good luck

Hey you 2, isn't it around 50, or is it windy and rain with that. That is workin weather, it is 30 here, I am enjoying this spent 2 hours outside, even drove 55 Fargo, washed the tries and rims off, cleaned garage floor, chickens want to even come out of the coop. I will tell you, would give anything to have winters 50 above, and no snow, dry and cool, unless doing bodywork, is great. I have done plenty of paint stripping, hammer/dolly, sanding, in temps down below freezing. I have been known to pull parts in weather below 0, stuff like this is done a lot up here on nice winter days, or nothing would get done.....all the best

Had the Fargo out on the hwy today, went for about a 10 mile drive. It is mild out, so stayed away from salty roads, hwy was dry. 50 -55 ph like nothing, you can barely here engine at 45 mph, I have 3.23 gears. I brought this old beast up to 60 mph, at 60 mph, things started to sing a bit. I would guess it would sound busy at speeds over 65 mph. I really like the sounds of things at 55 or so, very quiet. I did not want to go faster, my rims are not balanced, and the outer tie-rod ends, need to be replaced, creatinga little play up front. I am quite happy the way this drives and runs. I am not sure I even need a 5th gear OD , witha 3.23 diff, might end up being a tad high for 5th od, on hills or windy days. I have these old P 205 75 15 tires, that may be 26 inches tall, I should go with a tire up to about 28 inches, would make it even better. Some pics

I used as Rick did, a 60 amp GM 1 wire delco alt. Some do not like thses, so far it is great...

Enjoyed this thread, hope it all works out, and i know it will......

i have a similar bit of clacking sound at idle when the engine is cold in the cars engine a 218 long block It is quiet after it warms up a bit, i have attributed this to loose and some worn internal components of my tired old engine. I will be following your thread with interest. I have good oil pressure, and had decent uniform compression at last test about 5 years ago. This is why I take it easy with this engine, keep the speed to 55 mph whenever possible...

Anybody getting pop-ups, Bidyertizer Ads, this is coming up on 2 of my home computers. What is this ?

Hey Dodge Girl, those are some nice photos you put in the gallery, hope you get everything sorted out. Your truck will most likely cruise at 70 mph no probs with the 318 , but those old truck suspension and handling, will have some to be desired at higher speeds, just weren't built for the modern day freeway. Years back a friend of mine in Long Beach, had a 64 Chevy panel, I was whiiping up and down the Long Beach Fwy and some others too, doing only about 55-60 mph, but the speed limit was lower in those days, but still I was left in the dust by most. So get everything up to snuff, and be safe out there, hey you drive a big rig, I don't need to lecture you.............LOL

Sounds like a real nice truck, and some good history to go with it. stay off the freeways till you have this front end corrected, what about the diff, is it stock, I would still go over the brakes, make sure they are adjusted well, especially the stock Lockheed type. Hope you enjoy this forum,sounds like you are having a blast with the truck, even being in 2 weddings already.....PS grease up all the grease fittings, plenty on this truck, especially the leaf spring zerks....

Get those tie rod-ends replaced, check the steering box, and adjust if necessary, and if possible. make sure the steering box holds lube too. Front shocks, and king pins should in good condition too. Good tires, and brakes are a must now that you have a little more juice with that 318. Good luck, welcome, and post and ask questions, do searches on this forum too, a lot of info has been covered, over the years. How about posting some pics.............

Now that could be a" handle to mis-handle". Okay I know it's our Good Buddy Tim Adams new handle, and it is kind of a nice jingle to it. Hey Tim, was only kiddin around with this thread, I have change my user handle twice since the new forum, nothing wrong with" out with the Old, and in with the New".

Not too worry, did not take it the wrong way...

I dunno, your getting a few things with it, some new items too, by the sounds of it. Canadian prices will be higher, but someone who wants or needs this set-up, may feel it's not a bad deal. I am not expert on the value of this, but like most vendors they want the most they can get for an item, even if they think they can get it...

Here you Guys go, this is right in my area, would be nice to have, but not going to happen for me.. http://winnipeg.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-auto-parts-tires-engine-engine-parts-For-Sale-1951-HEMI-331-Chrysler-Fire-Power-complete-engine-trans-W0QQAdIdZ316736771

Just like to ask all of you to welcome Plymouthy Adams, Hey welcome, great forum, any relation to Timothy Adams by chance.....LOL Nice handle, very original, and unique, hope yall enjoy this forum, would you be from West Virginia by chance. Hope to read your posts soon.....

Thanx Doug, it dawned on m,e after my post that perhaps you meant just the innards. I like you idea of the 3.73 with the od, why not, if I could afford it my 47 Chrys would have this combo like yesterday. nice lookin car you have there BTW

Doug, can tell you this, not sure if this is the same in your books. I had a 4.30 diff 10 spline pumpkin in the diff on my 47 Chrysler, I then acquired a 3.73 10 spline pumpkin, it was a direct bolt in swap, no problem whatsoever....

Yes a decision,and yes it ends up being a fair chunk of change. This 1 decision only you can make, and how much it's worth to you, and you only, regardless of any resale value. Being that your engine has only 5k, is it still possible to just have a valve and ring job done. At the same time, clutch job, not super expensive or real big deal either. How is the oil pressure, did you perform the usual compression test etc?

Although it looks like GTK has answered your ? Do you have a fluid drive with the Dodge 230 engine now? if yes, could you use just the trans from the Chrysler? If no, then you need to move rear mounts, backward to accommodate for larger fluid drive housing, clutch rods, E brake cable and shorter driveshaft.

3.9 gears would work well with an OD trans, on your car Doug what you hear at 80 mph in OD, is what you would hear at 65 mph just in 3rd with the 3.9 gears. I am not sure uncle pekka, even has an overdrive trans waiting to go in, but if he did, then the 4.1 gears would be fine, that is why I think He is looking for a 3.73 set of gears...

L.L. C.O. 2652

That would be a heck of a deal, if that's all what is involved, there should be no problem with a direct swap with 3.73 hoghead from Mopars till 1953 or 54, just ensure what you buy is a 10 spline set-up, direct swap, nice and good to go....

Hey does anyone have a clue as to what these park light lenses might belong to. They are glass, and in nice driver shape, gonna sell em cheap, but do not know what manufacturer they belong too.....thanx

Scruffy, had a 4.30 diff in my 47 Chrysler at 1st, no idea how it got there, someone was a bit crazy to install it. Even if you swap in a set of 3.73 gears, would make a world of difference, or install late model mopar 8 1/4 diff, like mine, and sail along not bad, at 50 mph she isn't revving all too high at all, 60-65 mph would probably not hurt it much either, but you better have brakes, steering, and suspension in preemo condition at higher speeds....

Yes shipping would be pricey,but maybe not a huge amount of choice, the side gears can be swapped if 1 unit has the newer 16 spline and the older has 10 spline. The newer came out in 1954, according to info,but who knows. A lot of the europe guys ship entire cars and bigger parts, so if needed not much choice...