55 Fargo

You've lost me Dave, what patches on what tank, do you mean mine or someone else? If you mean mine, not sure what patches you are getting at, cuz there ain't any. This tank has really given me no serious issues, but the sender did, hence I dropped the tank, to get at the sender, as there is no access from inside the cab. After inspecting the inside of the tank, thought it may be wise now to have it cleaned and coated, oh my there is rust in a 60 year old gas tank, wonder how often this happens. I could have easily re-installed this tank as is, but chose not too. Now what are you saying about true preventive maintenance, yup suppose I may have erred on this one. I could easily do so much preventive tear down that the truck may still be sitting in pieces like some others may have, getting thing perfect before turning the key. You got me wondering what tank has patches and holes though, oh you thought when I posted saw a few rusty patches, in reality, there are no patches, just a few spots where the inner coating of the tank has rust on it, the tank is super solid never been repaired or had any patches welded in. Yes I chose to stick with the tank on the truck rather than my spare tank on my parts truck frame, not that it matters.....

The appearance of a tan colored milky substance is from running this engine in the cold weather without a real true warm up driving the car and allowing the engine oil to heat up. That is quite normal as the other poster pointed out. What does the dip stick say, do you have a ton of antifreeze in the oil pan, has your coolant level dropped in the rad. How did you do a pressure test on a non pressure rad, if infact yours is stock? Head gasket, always possible yours is leaking allowing some coolant into the oil , do a compression test and see if you have any issues, and do a vacuum test too, that can show a bad head gasket. Black carboned sparkplugs, yup you be idling or driving around the block, they look much different if you are driving the car with engine load for a sustained period, with engine good and warm and burning fuel correctly. What temp is your T/stat, as 185-190 in winter, sitting idling sounds a bit warm unless you are running a hotter t/stat to begin with. Please post your findings and solutions when you get there....

Today discovered that new Bosch copper core ignition wires are making static noise on the radio. I am running NGK B6S sparkplugs. Now should I be running a resistor plug. I did not get any static noise with the old wires. I did notice my video's audio had static after I installed the new wires....WTF

I know the "hectic feeling" thats for sure. Well at least there is some light at the end of the winter tunnel now.....LOL

yes that would be a nice old highway cruiser,, like the Pops old 68 Vista Cruiser. You know i think the old trucks have no problem going 65 mph, well at least mine and yours , you have the T5 I have a 3.23 diff. Its the handling on them that has a bit to be desired for longer trips. The cars are different mu old 47 Chrysler, could handle a long trip much easier and more comfortable, as long as it is in good running condition. When I was a kid, a neighbor teen and his buddy drove an early 60s Furd to Florida. It was a $50 car, with a case of oil and clothes off they went, half way back they ditched the car, they ran outa money for gas, then hitchhiked the rest of the way home...

Bamford and Jerry have driven the 47 D 25, for 1000s of miles, 1 trip was in really fall all the way from Edmonton to Hershey pa, then all the way down through Virginia southward to Georgia Florida, then across the south and back north to Canada. These old cars can make long trips, you have to be in good shape and prepared. Most do not have the stomach and never for these types of trips because of the unforeseen and stress situations that may arise, I may be one of those types. I would however try this if I had help, and funds for an emergency situation, it would be a whole lotta fun in my opinion. So either way, drive an old car on a long trip, or trailer it with all your creature comforts and security of a modern tow vehicle, the choice is yours. But make no mistake these cars will make these trips, and lots of times without too much troubles, do not assume they can't. If the car can go 50 miles trouble free, most likely it will go 500 miles. When I was a kid my Dad drove the whole family from Winnipeg to the LA area to San Diego and all the way back, in a 1968 Olds Vista Cruiser, and he was driving 70-75 mph all the way, car had close to a 100000 miles on her too...

Yes PP I know what the meaning of the statement is. I just don't get how it applies in this thread. I had to pull the tank to install a new fuel gauge sender, the tank has rust in it, it needs attention, i could have put it back in service, and let the tank continue to rust until it had holes. So it was BROKE it needed FIXIN

I agree, and most likely in the 2200 to 2500 RPM range....

Whats yur point?????

Its in the shop right now, and will be ready next week 250 buck$

Hmmm, just pulled gas tank tonight, a few rusty patches on bottom of tank , but lots of rust free metal in the tank. Now do i wash and flush out tank and put back in service with new sender, or have it cleaned, and chance holes and get it relined....hmmm I have been using this tank for 4 years, without issues, have 2 inline filters for it.....Hmmmm

Another beat the "oil' to death and the ZDDP must have thread, this is entertaining.....

Tim ,we were in that war first, from 1939 through 1945, so maybe we got the contract first being in the war already..

New valves oversized? If so, then the machine shop can ream the old guides to size, if not too worn out. That should work, not sure if knurling the old guides may work as an alternative....good luck and frohliche Weihnachten und ein gluckliches neues jah

Thanx DB, good info

Hi all, was on the HAMB and noticed a thread dedicated to those who drive there vintage classis antique cars and/or trucks. Now not being specific to any brand or years, just anything from 1920s to 1980s. There were a number of posts and some interesting comments from Guys in southern areas as well as guys in the snowbelt and Canada. So lets here from those with daily driver vintage cars and trucks motorcycles beaters etc. Lets see some pictures too, stories, and methods of keeping your old vintage beater from rotting away on salty roads....

nope not 100%, but the owner of this tester told me it's always like this. I am going to buy my own vacuum tester, and will test again and report my findings. It flickers on about 19 inches

Okay after working a 12 hour shift today got home at 8:00 PM and decided to have a look at my timing with a timing light. I was specifically wanting to see if the vacuum advance was working on the distributor, and it is. I noticed my timing was about 10-12 degrees btdc, I figured i would retard this. So loosened the adjuster bolt on dizzy, and could only get it back to about 2 btdc, and no more room to turn the dizzy. I then loosened the bottom bolt, and adjusted the dizzy to tdc, with the minor adjuster in the middle of it's travel. With the timing set to 2 degrees btdc, I got out the vacuum tester and reset the idle mixture to a vacuum reading of 19 inches. The engine was warm and I had driven it a bit too, the idle is nice and low at 500 rpm or so, and is much smoother than before. I went for a road test, truck is running great, and idling a lot better. I musta did the 1/4 mile from my place to neighbors to about 60 mph. It is dark and near 0f, but had a good drive, things are running much better, and I did not realize my timing and dizzy were out this much. An old timer on the HAMB said these old 6s don't like too much advance, retard her a bit, guess he was right. Off the line she is nice and quick, had her up to over 3000 rpm before shifting in 3rd and 4th, drove her like i stole her.. I am not saying she is perfect, but is a whole lot better than before...

Not sure I could even send you some as the State of Cal, mght not let in fruit from out of state...

I would have to say there must be a whole lotta happy campers on here then, no doubt a lot of engines with 100 psi compression. Of course your engine would push out 125 psi with a shaved head, decked block and new pistons. But factory was not that.With the exception of the US built 230 with 2 bbl intake and carb and higher compression head with 132 hp, not sure where some of the 265 bigger truck engines were on HP either. Mopar service manuals state 100 psi compression for an acceptable figure, with no cylinder being out by 10%, so I am offf a little bit. I would think your engine would be in the 125-130 hp range with that fresh rebuild. It would perform a whole lot more with a bit of a cam grind, 2-3 carb intake and split exhaust too. Shootin for the starts, nah gonna keep burnin gas on the ground for now............lighten up, it's stilll winter gotta do something with my time

Where did you get the 125 psi compression figure from? What is the compresion ratio for a 250.6 engine for 1955. That seems kind of on the higher side. That would equate to an engine with 8 to 8.5 to 1 psitons and compression ratio. These engines were a 110 hp, most likely around 7 to 1 compression ratio, so new they would have 100-110 psi compression. I sure wish they came with 8.5 to 1 pistons. Valve job smelve job, will still be driving it for a while, it ain't perfect, but am not going to rip into a valve job right away, when I do go in deep, it will be a total rebuild or will have another engine ready to R&R. PS I had a 218 in my 47 Chrysler, came out of a 1950 dodge, had a bit of uneven compression put 6000 miles on her, sold the car, and engine still runs great. It had a bit of idle problem but hardly noticeable.

Okay see the thread has moved. I thought this was a P15 D24 driving related topic? Guess Not.

If your engine is verified as a 1950, then order your seal relfecting that engine. Is your engine a USA built, or a Canadian built export model? here is a link to Rock Auto, for a timing chain cover gasket and seal kit, they also have a sleeve kit too. This is for a 1950 USA built 230 engine, https://www.rockauto.com/catalog/raframecatalog.php?ck[iD]=0&ck[idlist]=0&ck[viewcurrency]=CAD&ck[php_SESSION_ID]=559oedg9b19jvp9q52h4raiun7

Not sure, possibly having 85 and 90 could result in a lower reading, but in reality 17-21 is consdiered a healthy engine, according to specs. I am near 1000 ft above sea level, and not sure if barometeric pressure would have any effects, as we have high pressure this past number of days, hence the old arctic air flowing southward. The gauge? It's a NAPA Ultra Pro brand, made in China, might be another reason... Your reading of 105-110, would certainly create a better vacuum draw than my 95 -100 psi range, at least that shoudl make sense, maybe not.... All info regarding a normal vacuum reading with needle vibrating a small amount point to ignition issues, bad plug, bad wire cap, coil primary circuit. or High lift longer duration camshaft, which I do not have. Valve isses show themsleves in unsteady reading where needle moves 3-4 inches or more.. I am going to try another gauge, then if reading is still unsteady, will revisit my ignition circuit..

Thanx Jeff, yes all very good suggestions, and I am like you in the beleif we are dealing with a sticky valve or 2. I spoke to the owner of the vacuum gauge yesterdy, and he did tell me this gauge flutters a bit on all the tests he has recently done about 3 engines. So will try it on my healthy 3.3 l V6 Dodge and se what I get. I did a compression test yesterday, did you see the results? Not bad a few a little low.....thanx again for being a part of this thread...