55 Fargo

The circuit needs to be grounded, is the engine out of the truck, the wire from the - side of the coil to the igniton switch, or solenoid circuit, this would be ground already, or should be. The other + goes from the dizzy to the coil. Check the high tension coil wire for continuity. If it is good, crank the engine, check high tension wire from the coil to the block and see if you get a good spark up to about 3/16 of aninch, if weak or no spark could be your answer. Are your points in good shape, are they gapped at .020, is the rotor,cap and condensor in good shape. Are the plug wires in good shape, are they in the proper order on the cap, are the plugs clean and gapped at say .025 to .030. Did you pull the dizzy out at all, is it in the right position, if it was pulled out, and is supect, just pull it back a bit an turn the rotor 180 degrees, they only go in in 2 positions. Place the coil onto the engine or in it's bracket and try that way. Let us know what happens. Also with the ignition switch circuit in the on position, use a circuit tester and see if you even have juice flowing to the coil wire at the terminal clip, if no juicey, no sparky, no starty, cuz no firey.......Fred

First off, how close to the fan is your rad going to be.If real close, maybe no shroud would be okay, but it is probably needed on this application, cuz it sounds like your engine is ways back from the rad. Can you make your own tabs to mount the shroud, have you enquired about a price for the rad shop to solder some type of mounting tabs. Why not take the shroud to the shop and get the estimate. Is your car 12 volt, if you eliminate the fan shroud, could you install a 12 volt electric pusher fan on the front, for those needed times, once your car is rolling at 55 mph plus, it's the flow of air through the grill that probably does a lot of the cooling, it is at lower speeds and stop and go driving in hot weather you will need the added benefit of a shroud or pusher fan. Let us know what you think, or if this idea is an option................Fred

Not bad,and it is a 2 door coach to boot, the typical rust areas, but from the pic doesn't look all that bad. If anyone is interested I know where there is a nice 1947 Chrysler Club Coupe in the Grand Forks ND area. this car was bought by someone I know in California, but he has a number of these cars and is willing to sell it for around a $1000. It of course needs to be fixed up, but has good chrome, and the body is good and solid.If anyone is interested, I can send pics to them.

Here is a wiring diagram, showing wire gauge and color

Hello Central, you have just the 3 connections for parklamps, low beam and high beams, as Tim has confirmed. Are you also wiring in signal lights for the front or not?. The you should have a 5 terminal contact set-up. If you are rewiring, and are obviously sticking with 6 volt, use 14 gauge wire for these lights, except for the high beam circuit, you may wantto go with 12 gauge as it's amperage draw will be the highest. If you are choosing to go with signals too, you will need the other 2 contacts, and the correct dual sockets to go into the park lamp housing. The hot wire will be 3 of them one for the parklights coming form the switch under dash, your rear taillights will also be on this circuit, the headlights power will come from the dimmer switch to the contact terminal near the rad, do you have the schematic for the P15..............Fred

Must be an error, cuz up above shipping is listed at $12.50 to the USA and $15.00 to Canada, there were some other countries included in these 2 prices, but my concern is with Canada and the USA

Gasoline is also quiet cheap in Venezuela, around 12 cents per gallon, China around $2.00 per gallon, Iraq 40 cents per gallon, Iran 35 cents per gallon a lot less than in the US or Canada, I think were being gouged, and as well decieved to the availability of world crude resources...........Fred

There you go Don. Have to say this is a great forum, a brotherhood of sorts, even if we disagree we remain friends and cordial to one another, not so on many other forums. Variety is the spice of life, so is change, and Beauty, is truly in the eye of the beholder. IMHO, whatever way Mackster goes with this it will be okay, as he is the one who will look back in pride at a job well done. It is also exemplary that he respects our opinions on his ideas, all great ideas were conceived in imagination, and the want to make changes, other wise we would all still have Model Ts..........Fred

My point is this, the dual would be a better piece of equipment, it's margin of saftey better also. But in limited experience with brake failure it is with a brake hose, wheel cyl etc. Bu the dual MC would allow you to brake in that event, but the single would not. The ebrake would thus be the back-up. These stock brakes, I would not leave uninspected, I check them often, behind the backing plates, lines, hoses, fluid level in MC

It may seem like it and in all probability, a dual would be a better piece of equipment. Having said that, there are many cars on here with or without disc, with only a very well maintained single jug MC. These single jug MCs were used till about 1967 with most auto manufacturers, was there a lot of malfunction and/or accidents because of this, what was it like then. I had a number of vehicles with single jug MCs, never had an issue,at least that I was aware of. These are some of the vehicles I had with single jug MCs, 63 Pontiac, 64 Chevy 2, 65 Impala SS Convertable(not sure if that was single or not), 64 Chev 1/2 ton, 65 Chev 1/2 ton, 66 Chev 1/2 ton, 55 Pontiac, 60 Chev Impala. I never had a failure on these, but I did get in accident with a friend in his 70 Cougar, because of the MC. I also had a brake failure on a poorly maintained 1990 Nissan 240, the rear calipre started to leak. I als had brake faiure on cold winter night with my 1970 Pontiac Lemans, the front right brake hose started to leak. I am pondering all of these things myself, currently my brakes are stock, they are new, but 1 rear wheel cyl has a slight leak, plan to replace before spring. But if the fronts start leaking it will be disc brake conversion, end of subject. I find these brakes not bad, wouldn't want a panic stop at 50 and above, but my legs are strong, I would no doubt push out the brake fluid somehow, by jamming my foot down too hard, but maybe not, I would at this point cuz the back wheel cyl has a slight leak now. I am running Dot 5 , I am happy with this product so far........Fred

It may seem like it and in all probability, a dual would be a better piece of equipment. Having said that, there are many cars on here with or without disc, with only a very well maintained single jug MC. These single jug MCs were used till about 1967 with most auto manufacturers, was there a lot of malfunction and/or accidents because of this, what was it like then. I had a number of vehicles with single jug MCs, never had an issue,at least that I was aware of. These are some of the vehicles I had with single jug MCs, 63 Pontiac, 64 Chevy 2, 65 Impala SS Convertable(not sure if that was single or not), 64 Chev 1/2 ton, 65 Chev 1/2 ton, 66 Chev 1/2 ton, 55 Pontiac, 60 Chev Impala. I never had a failure on these, but I did get in accident with a friend in his 70 Cougar, because of the MC. I also had a brake failure on a poorly maintained 1990 Nissan 240, the rear calipre started to leak. I als had brake faiure on cold winter night with my 1970 Pontiac Lemans, the front right brake hose started to leak. I am pondering all of these things myself, currently my brakes are stock, they are new, but 1 rear wheel cyl has a slight leak, plan to replace before spring. But if the fronts start leaking it will be disc brake conversion, end of subject. I find these brakes not bad, wouldn't want a panic stop at 50 and above, but my legs are strong, I would no doubt push out the brake fluid somehow, by jamming my foot down too hard, but maybe not, I would at this point cuz the back wheel cyl has a slight leak now. I am running Dot 5 , I am happy with this product so far........Fred

Hi all, $4.00 a US gallon here in Southern Manitoba the land of the frozen dollar, , I spend a $100.00 per week minimum jus for work travel. This is for both my wife and I going to and from work, this does not include leisure driving ,or going inot the city for extra things like shopping visiting etc.........Fred

In Vancouver BC it borders Bellingham Washington, Windsor Ontario/Detroit Michigan, Fort Frances Ontario/International Falls Minnesota. Emerson Manitoba/Pembina North Dakota, and the list could go on and on.....Fred

Wow Norm, I burn at least $100 worth of gas here every week, my truck and the wifes van, gas is 4 bucks a gallon, so about 25 gallons per week minimum. The wife has an hour commute to work, 20 minutes to the outskirts of Winnipeg, and another 30 to 40 just from the outside of the city to her work location in the south central part of the city. I go 25 miles each way to work, all country highway.It is getting expensive for transportation just for work...........Fred

Yes a westernvehicle, North Dakota Truck or Montana are often very solid, same as Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, very solid metal on old vehicles. I actually have an opprtunity to buy another 48 Chrysler Coupe in Grand Forks ND, it is a very solid car with loads of good parts for mine, but not sure I need another vehicle on my property right now............Fred

Ed, what are my chances do you of getting a cab, fornt clip, box, for my frame in the upper midwestern USA. I am seriously thinking of putting a truck together. This particular truck, the 55 Fargo was running and on the road till about 3 to 4 years ago. the hillbilly owner had my uncle pull the body off and drop in onto an S10 frame with drivetrain. But they drove the truck to my uncles place to do this swap. I subsequently bought the frame and drivetrain, minus the body. The 55 fargo was then taken to another bodyshop, like way out in boondock land, it was there the bodyshop caught on fire and destroyed the truck and shop of course. If I can locate a body, I could do a nice body-off resto, which would be nice.....................Fred

Ed, I doubt we superceded the USA on the change, this 1955 Fargo may have been altered over the years, or maybe it was a 1956 model, who knows, I bought it from a hillbilly guy way out in the sticks. I bought only the frame and drivetrain, still have it at my uncles, not sure if I should try and get a body to through back onto this frame or not. Would a Dodge body also go on this Fargo frame, should be one in the same...........Fred

1957 could have very well been a change to an electrical temp gauge. It may have been mechaincal prior to this I don't know...........Fred

Not in this one, so not sure if it was some conversion once upon a time or not. This is from a 1955 Fargo with a 251 engine, I own this engine, runs good too, going to be my hi-perf 6 engine project someday. Ed this could have been converted eons ago, I have the starter and genny here at home, they are both 12 volt.

Great Idea Thread hijack: Why isn't there a collective FAQ or stickey about disk brake conversions? This is probably the most beat horse around here, and it's always the same folks posting the same info.

I have heard of cases like yours, where th front discs have locked up, and required this valve to be removed from the stock MC, so on the otheres that did not require this, what was different, is everyone using the same calipre assemblies, could that have anything to do with it. Would the residual valves in the lines to the fronts and rears, compensate for the fluid force and allow it to function. Is every one using the same style MCs, ie the dual outlet on the MC,or are some using a single outlet MC to a splitter somehow. I am not trying to stir the pot, but would like to know exactly how this should be done, as I wan to do the change inmy Car someday. IU would like to use the stock MC, but in reality, it might be worthwhile to spend another $500 for the dual MC. The other thing might be this, the valve in the stock MC might not work as well on some as the others, mine, when I apply the brakes, holds slightly for a second , as you can hear the brakes slightly touching in the back when you take off afetr applying the brakes. Or unless my return springs are to weak..................Fred

Thanx Rodney, I agree 6 volt parts for a 6 volt system, I hope my problems are resolved, still need to static time engine, to be sure. Funny thing, I tried using a distributor from a 55 flattie, I could not get the engine to start, it even ahd brand new point rotor and cap, still would not start. I don't think the diz cares about the voltage, so not sure why it would not work. I was having a lot of trouble with the coil wire, I ended up putting an old one back on, the roberts wire would not carry current, even though i played with it quite a bit. I will never buy there wires again, bought em this summer, the outsides are already cracking...................Fred

Hi all, without sounding like a broken record here goes. This morning, garage temp 26 degrees, turned heat right off, it was about 7 above outside overnight, so 26 in a detached garage, not bad. I find if you put 2 warm vehicles in the garage at night, it can be 0 or colder outside, it still stays around the 30 mark overnight, the heat from the cars keeps it warm for a while. Went to start the 47, it fired right up, was started yesterday, the only slight problem I see is this, the fast idle does not engage immediately, it takes about a minute, not sure why. The engine, even in this cooler garage, turns over 10 times better than before, I did clean all the contacts, but replacing the solenoid seems to have made a big difference, the old ones contacts may not have been very good, the old one was from a 12 volt system I think,should that make a difference. Yesterday after starting the car a number of times, I put the charger on the battery, it was showing just about full charge, so the charging system appears to be working, everytime before I put the charger on the battery, it would appear run down, not sure what has changed, any of you ever experience this before. On my carb, I put the accelerator pump to the intermediate position, it was on the summer position, we are below a 1000 feet above sea level here so that should be good...................... Fred

Wesley, as has been mentioned, go to NAPA and get a carb kit, pull the carb and rebuild, if thats the problem. Possibly you have not spark, check this by having someone crank the enginewhile you hold the coil wire the end that plugs into the distributor cap, you should have a bright spark upto about 3/16 of an inch. Make sure the coil wire is contacting both the coil and cap, check all plug wires. If your carb was not rebuilt, maybe it's in order. Let us know what you discover..................fred

Others have added residual valves, 10 psi for the rears, and 2 psi for the front brakes. Also proportioning valves have also been used. Or you can eliminate the single jug MC and get a bolt on dual MC conversion, these mount where the existing MC mounts. Go on the search section and type in Disc Brakes, there are a ton of threads/posts on there......................Fred