Sam Buchanan

The engine looks great! However.....rubber fuel hose from the filter adjacent to the exhaust manifold.........maybe this isn't the final installation.

5/16" on my '48 Plymouth with the 218 engine.

Reverse the battery, coil, and ammeter connections. But positive ground alternators are available, positive ground works great, and it is required if you have an original radio.

Here is the illustration in my manual that includes the '51:

Jerry, it is a 6v alternator. https://www.qualitypowerauto.com/category_2/Special-Applications--6-Volt-8-Volt-and-12-Volt-Positive-Ground.htm I got tired of messing with the old genny and regulator and when they died I wasn't going to throw good money at them. The alternator is a huge improvement in performance....and I hope reliability. The alternator is internally regulated....what you see where the regulator used to be is a large fuse. Battery cables are available here: https://www.batterycablesusa.com/0-gauge-battery-cable-with-ends-1-0-awg

Calculate the loads on each circuit and confirm the wires in the new harness are heavy enough if you stay with 6v. Harnesses intended for 12v may have wires that are too light to handle the heavier currents in a 6v system. This is especially the case with battery cables and headlight circuits. Battery cables need to be BIG (my car has neg ground):

You will want to also replace the flexible line between the hard line and fuel pump. You can either make one with barbed fittings, adapters and rubber fuel hose or purchase one here: https://www.oldmoparts.com/parts-fuel.aspx As others have suggested, I used pre-made sections of 5/16" brake line purchased at a local parts store. Tape up the open ends of the tubing as you snake it through the gaps in the frame to prevent introducing crud into the line. The line running at the front of the frame past the front wheel and under the radiator may test your patience....just consider it a character-enhancing experience...... A good filter near the tank in an easily accessible location will keep any crud from the tank out of your new fuel line. I like this type: https://www.autozone.com/fuel-systems/performance-fuel-filter/spectre-5965-fuel-filter/228357_0_0

In the course of uncovering the frame number on the P15 to see if it matches the engine number (it does!) I found evidence that the rear tire sidewalls have been lightly contacting the inner fender liner. I have H78-15 Coker bias-ply tires......obviously these tires are a wee bit too wide. Question; Is there any safety reason why I can't put 1/8" spacer washers between the rear wheels and drums? I think that will be enough to eliminate the rub. Another remedy might be the judicious persuasion of a 3-lb hammer on the inner fender......

It took persistent wire-brushing followed by acetone to remove some paint but was finally able to make out a faint number on the frame that matches the engine number. That is a bit of history I was happy to find to go along with the rebuild tag from 1987 on the engine block. Probably doesn't mean much but if anyone asks if I have a matching-number car I can answer "Yes".

Much discussion on trans mounts in this thread: http://p15-d24.com/topic/50844-engine-mounts-p15-caution/?tab=comments#comment-539481

Thank you for the reply....Bernbaums is usually my fallback, just checking to see if there are better options. Will have the rubber gloves handy...

I've read threads in the archives but many of them are several years old. The rear boot on my car has split so am needing to replace it. Has anyone purchased universal joint boots recently and have a good source and part number you are happy with? Also, any tips for installation beyond what is detailed in the Service Manual? Are the leather boots on eBay a good option? Thank you!

I can add the ol' 48 has given me ample opportunities to support these local stores! ?

I am fortunate to have two such stores in town. I can remember as a teenager when the father of the current owners of the NAPA store sold parts out of his truck to local gas stations. When I bought a couple of 6v bulbs for the P15 one of the guys told me there was no telling how many miles those bulbs had traveled in his dad's truck. They also have a rack of parts books that must be at least ten feet long. I try to support these stores as much as possible!

I would order two 158L and two 158R....and wouldn't be surprised when everything worked out fine.

MT-90 is rated as 75W90 and MTL is 75W80. I suspect the lower viscosity is why MTL is recommended for street use where transmissions are often not up to high temps. Thank you for the datapoint....sounds like the MTL is a long-term solution for my car.

Rock Auto can have you a set of four for about $35 in 3-4 days....... https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/plymouth,1948,p15+deluxe,3.6l+218cid+l6,1486874,steering,tie+rod+end,7428

After getting the transmission leaks fixed I put GL-5 oil back in it. No, that is not old-school GL-1 but the bottle said "recommended for manual transmissions". However, I've had a persistent crunchy 2nd gear shift going either up or down until the transmission got hot, then 2nd would shift smoothly. I even resurrected my long-forgotten double-clutch technique. In the course of researching alternate oil I read up on Redline MT90. It is less "slippery" which promotes good synchronizer operation but I saw where it is recommended for high performance use with a hot transmission. For street use Redline recommends their MTL (GL-4) which is supposed to work even when cold. It has very low sulfer content so it plays nicely with brass synchronizers. The "crunchies" are gone, even with a cold transmission. Second slides into gear very smoothly going up or down. The only downside to the Redline is the price, a little precious at nearly $20/qt. But I consider it a fine value to get a smooth-shifting transmission. I haven't used GL-1, it may work as well, but wanted to let folks know the MTL seems to be a good option for addressing notchy shifts.

Yes....one each for each tie rod.

No need to move this thread...just start a new one in the other forum. Thanks for sharing the photo of your truck!

My Coker bias-ply tires are working well with no tubes on the standard 1948 wheels. Are you sure your new tires aren't tubeless?

I sure would like to have a digital file of that fine poster!

Are your rims too porous to run tubeless?

That is a beautiful ride! At least you don't need to worry about paint and interior work. Might be best if you post on the Truck Forum side of this site, here it is: http://p15-d24.com/forum/6-mopar-flathead-truck-forum/ As has been suggested, you will need to clean everything thoroughly so you can get a better idea of the location of the leak. Few of us ever achieve a totally leak-free flathead, lots of ancient seal technology in these vehicles.

Well....you've got the '48 to the point now where you don't have to work on it all the time, it's ready to go for the occasional spur-of-the-moment drive while you finish up the '58. Might oughta take down that classified ad before somebody wants to look at it......you will need something to drive to the cruises while your bride is driving the '58........