Bobacuda

Went by today to free the diff up.  I had a half qt of auto trans fluid, so I topped that off with diesel - not enough. Used a funnel and began flooding the diff with diesel - took about another quart or two before it flowed back out the hole. Still frozen.  I guess the 70 yr old gear grease had become a semi-solid. 
 

Finally, I used the U-Joint straps to clamp a 5’ cheater to the diff.  Took all of my weight, but I finally worked it loose. Worked it back and forth till I could rotate it. Got it loose enough to tow.  PITA. 

The tires came out of a barn, and they still hold air. Wow. I only need to tow it about a mile, so I will only put about 25lbs in them. 
 

Next, air and install tires, get some more stuff out of the way, then drag it where I can get the front on a tow dolly.  I will get it in the open before I get a dolly.  Maybe I should just buy a cheap tow bar. It would cost about the same as renting a dolly. 

I think it is a factory accessory.  All of them I have seen look like that. The “D” was added by the guy I just bought the truck from. 
 

Current plans are to use it when I rebuild the truck. 

Here is a photo of the brush guard, IF the computer photo gods allow...

Got to spend some time with the truck. Got the bed and the cab emptied out. Disconnected the rear U-joint and tied up the driveshaft… and the diff does not turn. It’s going to get Chem Tool and diesel to loosen up the old gear grease. 
 

Found the license plates in the cab - last tagged in ‘79.  And they threw in a grille guard - it was not on the truck when we owned it.  Score!

Getting closer.  

8” of rain?  I don’t think we have had that much rain total since December.  Still drought conditions here.  It was totally overcast for the eclipse.
 

I’ll take the tractor and a rented tow dolley, hopefully within a week to get the truck - it’s only about a mile from my house.
 

They have a lot of crap on the back of the truck and around it that has to be moved.  The tractor will be good for that. The tractor also has a much better turning radius.

On top of that, I have to go to a barn and move all of the stuff stacked on tbe tires. It’s going to be a treasure hunt, for sure. 

While taking the photo of the block numbers, I noticed the starter is not not a “stomp” starter. And as my usual Mopar luck, there has been plenty of mods done to the wiring - looks like Silly String scattered about. For example, there is a 110 V female connector mounted in the dash by a purpose unknown switch. 
 

I need to get that Chevy done just to dig into this Dodge and get a good laugh. 

Thanks for the detective work. Carb is open to the world, no oil in crankcase. Clutch is frozen, so no turning over. 
 

Since I still have to get it home, and I need to finally get my late FIL’s 54 Chevy wagon done, I’ll flood the engine with diesel+auto trans fluid to start dissolving stuff. 

Not home yet. Got lots of crap in the bed, the cab and in the way to move.

Once the crap is out of the bed, I need to go thigh there (wood all gone) to unbolt the driveshaft and tie it up. Pretty sure the clutch is fused to the pressure plate.  Can’t get the shifter to move enough to get to neutral. 
 

Got to borrow a tow dolly, as well.

The guy that sold it to me said nothing had been done since he parked it. I think his son and nephew disconnected stuff playing mechanic back in the day. 

Throttle linkage on top of the head. D1 E1 (?) carb.  Numbers on other side are hard to read.

The numbers on the side of the block, by the dipstick.

The tools used to remove the rear hubs

Not counting a lot of PB 

Blaster, this is what it took to get the rear hubs off.  Once I got the hub started coming off,I had to use the  3/4” impact socket to fit over the end of the axle, allowing me to totally pull the hub off with the puller. I took the brake shoes off to eliminate that problem in the future. 
 

Got a photo oh the engine number low on the block and the carb & linkage. 
 
But first, I need to go to the computer to shrink some photos so I can share them

Got lots of brake cleaner, PB Blaster, and an old Mother Mopar hub puller.  Got a BFH, as well.  Hope to not need a torch.  Worse comes to worse, I have an old diff I could swap in, but I would rather not. 
 

Going to use my 3/4” socket and long breaker on the brake adjusters to totally “relax” the mechanics so that only the rust, or linings that have broken loose from the shoes are the problem. 
 

And this is just to drag it home. 
🤪

I’ll try to get more numbers this week end - depends on weather and access to th last owner’s ranch. 
 

I remember the engine used to have a tag that said “Campbell Rebuilt,” or something like that.

it looks like a car engine. To me. The throttle linkage connects to the top of the head, not to the back of the block. I’ll take some photos of that, as well,

Right now, I still need to finish one rear drum removal and then do the other to be able to drag it home.  Brakes are rusted to the drums. 

Maybe the Internet Gods will allow me to post a photo of the engine number this time.

That is the number someone put on the engine. I’ll try to “shrink” the photo so I can post it later today.

I know the folks I bought it back from.  They have the title and are hunting it down. 

Spent about 2 hrs getting the front hubs loose and another 3 hrs getting one of the rear half loose. Haven’t touched the other rear yet. Brake shoes are rusted to drums.  
 

On the brake adjust nuts, which direction loosens the shoes?

And I know it got a rebuilt engine, but I suspect it was from a car and got a new number “tapped” on the block. It has the throttle linkage on top of the head.   The number. appears it was tapped on with a center punch. 
 

And the file is larger than 3 MB,  so I can’t post it. The number is

T 2  19 960. So this tells me..?

9’ Box -

One thing I am not short on is projects.  I am in the the very final stage of gremlin chasing on the 67 Barracuda convertible. 
 

Meanwhile, the 54 Chevy wagon has its drivetrain in operating order. I won’t pull it apart till I am confident the Barracuda can leave the shop. 
 

After the Wagon, it will either be an e-body Barracuda (I have 2), or the 51 truck. 

BTW, truck originally had a blue cab and a black bed. 

We had a 1951 Dodge 1/2 ton on the ranch when I was a kid. It’s the truck I learned to drive. In the ‘70’s, the truck was sold by uncle to a local kid that drove the wheels off of it, then parked it on their ranch. 
 

I found out that the truck has been sitting outside for the past 45 yrs. I got to talking to the current owner, and he agreed to sell it back to me - it needs everything.  But, no major dents or rust throughs. 
 

For $400, I got another project, and this one has sentimental value.  Now I have to lube the doors and hood to get them opening, break the brake shoes loose from the drums, and drag it home - only about a mile. 

Brent - 

Good to hear you are making it to retirement. ?

I retired about 6 yrs ago.  I am busier now than I was when I was working full time. I still design septic systems for two installers that are my friends. No idea how I got  everything done while I was working full-time.

Bob

That would depend on the species of bear. A griz or a polar bear would outweigh a black bear…

?

The 50 model