Tired iron

My replacement head bolts where just a little long, so I used washers (didn't have them on originally).

Hi all, Well I shouldn't have been surprised since my project car, a 1950 Dodge Meadowbrook, sat for about 30 years, but discovered today that the pick up tube in the gas tank is plugged shut. So much gunk, rust and varnish that no amount of air pressure would open it up. Dropped the tank, took off the sender unit and saw the reason why: that dang oilite filter! Now comes the puzzle of how to remedy this. I could by a new tank, but I dont want to shell out 300 bucks when the tank is in good shape and it's just a plugged up filter. I soooo wish that they wouldn't put filters in the tank when you can't get at them and,instead, would rather have a inline filter outside the tank that I can easily replace. I contemplated cutting an access hole so I could get in there easily and separating the pick up tube from the plugged filter, but that requires alot of work: filling the tank with water so I dont blow myself up, cutting the hole and then tig welding it back up when I'm done. I can do it, but dont want to. And then I stumbled upon this solution and thought I'd pass it along for those who dont want to buy a new tank.... First, using a long screwdriver and a hammer, bust the end of the pickup tube off of the oilite filter. Itll take a bit of patience and precise hits, but it will come off. If you are lucky, you're done. Just clean the tank up with soap and water and then vinegar if you have rust issues. Seal it if you wish and put the tank back up. Also put a inline filter in your fuel line before your pump. If you were not lucky (like me) in the process of knocking the pickup tube off, you also crimped the tube shut. Here's what worked for me. The pick up tube comes thru a fitting which is soldered on and the the wall of the tank. I used a big old soldering iron, the kind with the big chisel tip and laid it upside the fitting. It took a while but eventually the solder melted and the fitting could be pushed into the tank. Now the entire pick up tube is loose in the tank. I turned the tank upside down and shook it until the tube presented itself at the sender unit hole and fished it out. Then I cut off the crimped end, put it back in the tank and resoldered it back up. No flames or sparks, no boom, no ugly cut and repaired patch. Now I have a clean tank and an open pick up tube. I'll splice an inline filter in the fuel line tomorrow. I like the filters with the clear plastic housing so I can see when they get full of crud and then replace them.

A welding shop can fix that no problem. I've taken cracked tranny cases in before and it was an easy job for them.

When you said that you tried heating it are you using a oxy/acetylene torch or just a plumbers propane torch? I ask can use I find that an oxy torch that can get a bolt truly red hot quickly before everything else heats up is what works best for me with very stubborn bolts. Course that's my last resort!

I got that manual at rockauto. Pretty fair price, too.

I bought the twenty-five pack from summit racing. Super happy with them. Thanks for the tip.

So this question will show how much of a newbie I am! But here it is... Ive noticed on this forum, as well as others, that you guys refer to your cars by the model numbers...p-15, d-24, etc. instead of by model names, wayfarer, coronet, etc. Why is this? Ive just begun working on my 1950 Dodge Meadowbrook and so far Ive been using that label when I pose questions here (i sure appreciate all the good advice I've gotten). Should I just be calling it a D-34? I did some digging about this, and I see that for very early models the number code was the "name" but what about later cars? Like my Meadowbrook vs the Coronet? Arent they both D-34s? I'd sure appreciate some schoolin about all this. Thanks!

Thanks,there was a link to some good info in there. Copper coat it is.

Okay, thanks. I did search before asking and didnt come up with anything...maybe I was using the wrong key words.

Got my valves unstuck on my Dodge 230 motor. Finally! New head bolts and gasket. I was reading in the original Dodge manual and it says to use grease on the head gasket! I wouldn't have thought that. In fact, on the newer motors ive rebuilt, the head gaskets went on dry. So, I'm asking if you guys use some type of sealant and, if so, what you use? Copper spray?

I just got all 21 out on my 1950 meadowbrook. Held my breathe quite a few times. They all came out ok, but I did bust one of the two bolts holding the thermostat housing on. Luckily it snapped with quite a bit of it sticking out so with a vise grip and a acetylene torch was able to free it up and twist it out. I'm enjoying reading about your project as I'm doing some of the same right now as well. ~martin

Thanks everybody for all the great information. I'll be on this site often as I work on the meadowbrook. Hope you all ate too much turkey!

And since you replace them, what kind do you use and where do you get them? Just standard grade 8s or specifically headbolts?

Hi all, Just found this forum from over at HAMB and this place is just what I need! I've got a 1950 Dodge Meadowbrook that I'm start to restore...well, maybe should say wake up first as it's been sitting for many years. I took the head off cause I had 3 valves stuck and wanted to check status of cylinders etc. All looks pretty good and I got the valves unstuck, so I'd like to put a fresh head gasket on and put her back together for a comp test and run. So regarding headbolts, can I reuse them or should I replace? And if I elect to replace, can I get away with grade 8s or do I need to go with ARPs? At this point I'm not wanting to put alot of money in it as I dont really even know what I've got here. I guess I'd just rather reuse, but I get nervous about them breaking ( especially after seeing the broke deadbolt pull here!) , tho I did get them all out just fine.