Bobacuda

My B4B dash does not have a radio cutout. I have never wanted to cut the dash, so I don't have a radio. If ever get one, I will figure out some way to mount it under the dash - or in the glove-box.

Jeff & Davin - That ad must be a misprint....he's really offering that much to get someone to get it out of the brush and off his property, right?

Jeff - That "For Sale" sign has one "0" too many on it...or, if that is the market for a truck in that condition, you need to stop driving your $125,000 truck and sell it to one of that guy's customers . Very few old Dodge's come up for sale around here (SA, TX), but even those usually aren't priced as crazy as that. BTW, Texas swap meets seldom have any Mopars of any type or age, either. If I ever see or find anything, it is usually just the case of a" blind hog finding an acorn.".

17 yrs ago a machine shop screwed up my engine and I was so depressed, I just parked the truck (B4B). By the time I was ready to work on it again, all my spare money was going to my kids, their education and cars, and our house. About 4 yrs ago, everyone in the family told me to get the truck going. So, I am completely rebuilding the truck and had the engine overhauled (lots of machine work to fix the other guys screwups), and the engine has been on a stand, or just sitting in the frame for the past two years. I finally got enough done to the rest of the truck (like wiring) that I could test fire the engine. The first day was total frustration. It would put some gas in the carb, the engine would fire-up, then die. I let it sit for the week until I had a full day to work on it, and after about an hour I realized I was not getting any fuel from the new fuel pump. Another hour later, I realized that I had hooked the gas tank to the outlet and the carb to the inlet - D'OH! Works so much better when it is hooked up right. I static timed the engine and it fires right up now. Engine still has some bugs. Old vacuum gauge shows that the timing is off, but I can't turn the distributer far enough to satisfy it. By the same token, adjusting the air/fuel mixture doesn't change the vacuum one iota, either (carb has been rebuilt). To top it off, I can't find my timing light. Once the engine is started, the oil pressure goes from about 10-20 lbs and no higher. It used to be a consistent 40 lbs. Guess I will be buying a new spring from VPW. BUT IT STARTS AND RUNS!

Check for play in the king pins and the drag link. My B4B had those problems. Gave the truck "death-wobble" at about 55, would smooth out lower than that.

Brent, I guess your reputation precedes you - perhaps the Redding police have heard about your truck addiction .

That is a Hollywood Wolf Whistle that I bought from JC Whitney and put on my '51 Plymouth around 1968. Exhaust whistles are illegal in Texas, intake whistles aren't. The whistle portion looks like a small siren that is held in the trumpet portion. I installed it on my intake, attached an old choke cable to it that I mounted under the dash, and with a little practice manipulating the cable, I could do a great "wolf whistle" with it. A short burst would freeze a deer in its tracks. I moved it to my truck in 1975. The problem with having one is EVERYONE wants to play with it. I took my truck to college after my time in the Navy. When driving by the girl's dorms or the river where they young ladies would be out sunning themselves, I damn near had to break my friends arms to get them to quit pulling the whistle. They really are fun and if you are doing parades, just don't use it by the horses. BTW, that one is pretty well worn out, but everyone in the family wants me to get another when I have the truck back together and on the road.

Mike's Carburetors has kits with dashpot repair parts, as well as dashpots - if you need it. A carb with a dashpot will look like it has two accelerator pumps in it. Look at the attached photo of my carb and you will see the "dashpot hump" on the side of the carb closest to you. It has an adjustment with a screw and spring on the top. If your carb doesn't have this, no dashpot.

My truck is a fluid drive and it has a DTG1 with a dashpot. The first kit I got did not have the gaskets or the dashpot. Make sure yours has, or does have a dashpot when ordering a kit or replacing it.

I haven't reached that point yet, but I have cut pieces from an old mud-flap found on the road so I don't know how well it will work.. It appears to be the same material and approximate size as the originals. A friend cut me a few from a conveyor belt for some thinner pieces, just in case.

And I forgot to mention, when building your own wiring harnesses, label each connector on each wire you make per harness. That way you can always compare it to your old one when you are installing the new harness.

I am just about finished rewiring my B4B - I have about 40 hrs in the wiring job. I took photos of everything before I disconnected stuff so I would have an idea how to run the harnesses again. Next, I removed each harness, labeling (masking tape with a fine point Sharpie) each end of each wire to tell me where it hooked up. For wires connecting to gauges, I noted which side of the gauge the wire connected. I also used the Sharpie to number the poles on the switches where each wire connected. That number was also written on the label. While I was at it, I drew a wire diagram for each harness, where it started, where each wire went, and where it terminated. In addition, I have a wiring diagram for the truck that tells wire size and color. I would have been screwed without my notes and the numbering on the switches. BTW, the wiring diagram did not cover the electric wipers or the heater, so make sure you take good notes. Once I had all of that, I cut a panel of chip-board into four 2' W x 4' L panels. I then drilled a few holes in the boards and attached the wiring harnesses to the panels with wire straps. I cut the tape back to see the wire colors. Then I measured each wire, noting its length and color and the terminals on each end. That allowed me to order bulk wire and the connectors from Rhode Island Wiring. I also ordered a directional blinker at the same time. I spent about $274 on the components, and I have bought some additional connectors locally. I would measure a wire on the old harness, strip the tip of the wire, and solder it (use a gun, faster than the solder iron). Slide on the heat shrink tubing (bought locally), crush on a non-insulated connector, then re-solder the wire to the connector to make certain it was a good connection that will not come loose. Pulled up the heat shrink, and used a cheap cigarette lighter to shrink the tube. After a harness's wires were all cut to length and the connectors attached, I had my wife and kids hold the ends of the wires while I taped them. I measured how far to tape a wire before it left the harness - when you pull yours out you will see what I mean. The worst part is getting started, then crawling around on the ground. The next worst is the things you will find that you have to fix - like a broke horn wire or the fuel gauge. I might have been able to do the job quicker if I had taken vacation and dedicated time to it, but I have been doing it on weekends in between family stuff and the weather. Like I told my son - If it works, I am a genius. If it doesn't work, well, just another day in the shed with the old truck. Good luck. If you have anything specific you want to ask, give me a shout. Bob

I have read, and re-read the Bamsford Garage trip in the Great White North from a couple of years ago. In fact, every friend that I told about it enjoyed it. Got us all to thinking, Bamsford Garage needs to plan another trip like that - only this time, get the History Channel to go along and film it. It would easily be the best "reality TV" on TV.

My rims' barrels were rusted to death near the valve stems - one had rusted through in two places (where you could not readily see the holes standing outside of the truck looking at them. "The Wheelsmith" in California is doing the work - too far for me to drive and compare. I could not find any shops in Texas doing this work. They may be out there, and if they are, they have not learned how to use the internet or to advertise. I contacted at least 6 other shops, mostly in CA, one in FL - several had bad reviews and one told me that if I sent them the barrels and my wheels, they could do the work (told me "Use the 'net., you might find the barrels."). I chose The Wheelsmith based on glowing online reviews - many of them on the HAMB. For me, this was basically my last resort. I am probably going to use the 215's, just to have a little less width, unless someone knows if this will work. I have pretty much conceded that I will be changing bump stops or spaces on the front end - but there is always hope

I am running the original engine, fluid drive and 3-speed. I changed out the original rear with the 4.11's for a 1990 Dakota diff (no tag, so I don't know its ratio - yet). The Dakota diff had no leaks, so I have not torn into it yet. think it is in the 3.5 range. If it does not "work well" after the final reassembly of the truck, I will take it apart and go with 3.5-3.7 range rear gears. Now, back to my rim setback and tire size questions. I know some of you are using 16" radials. Some on 4.5" rims, some of you must be using wider rims with different setbacks. Here are the comparisons I found for the 6.50-16" to a couple of radials: Tire size: 6.50-16 Height: 29.30” Width: 6.80” 215-75-16 28.70 8.46 225-75-16 29.29 8.86 I know the tires will fit the rims. What I need to know is will the setback being proposed for my rebuilt rims and these radials work under my truck without rubbing fenders, chassis, etc.? Looking for sage wisdom and the voice of experience. Thanks for the input thus far. Bob

My original rims are for 6.5 x 16" tires (1953 Dodge B4B, 1/2 ton, 116" wheelbase). I am reassembling my truck as original as practical and I want to run 16" radial tires. However, due to rust I am having new "barrels" put on my stock rim centers. My original barrels measured 4.5 across the inside, the new ones will measure 6". The shop contacted me today and said the stock setback was 3 3/8" and the closest they could get without "flipping the rim" was 4". The original outside space was 2 1/4". The new one would be 3". First question - Does anyone have experience with this or do any of you see a problem? Second Question - I have seen lots of sizes recommended, mostly for 15" on this site. In the opinion of those of you running 16" radials, especially if your rim's setbacks will be close to mine, what size tire would you recommend. Second question - any problems hitting the tires on the front hitting the frame or any of the fenders hitting the insides of the fenders with your radial tires? Thanks, Bob

If yours adjusts like a truck, here is the section from the truck manual. It is a pdf file. If this does not come through, PM me with your email and I will send it that way. adjusting e-brake.pdf

It is unique...and at times, too damn unique. It seems the shop manual and parts manual kind f forgot about the '53 models, which makes working on it a learning adventure. Oh, and finding parts has sent me to some interesting places where I got to meet some interesting folks.

Brent, you are one sick puppy...or your wife loves you so much...or, she is about to hit you up for something really expensive you never would have agreed to . BTW, when you raise the bed to work underneath it, BLOCK IT UP!. I know a family in the heavy construction business that lost their dad to a dump truck "mousetrap" while working on the brakes.

This is a decision that I hope is WAY in the future. My son wants my B4B and at least one of my Barracudas ('70 convertible and '74 coupe) they all need to be rebuilt - slow process). He would also like his grandfather's 1954 Chevy station wagon (he was close to his grandpa - the wagon also needs going through - I will have a busy retirement till I die ). I have told them both that I will not give either of them any vehicle if they transform into turds in their old age, or if their kids look at them and say "hot rod or rat rod." (BTW, I get asked all the time how the hell I got so many Barracudas and two are convertibles. I bought them when prices were cheap and they were not road worthy years ago). Plans are currently the daughter will get the 1967 Barracuda convertible, the son will get grandpa's wagon & probably the B4B. So far, the daughter has said to give him all the cars (other than the 1967). That said, if I go first, no telling what my wife will do with them (other than the B4B and her Daddy's wagon).

Matt - Here is some non-solicited endorsement. Keven just redid my gauges and speedometer - total knockout! Can't wait to get my truck running to see them in action. Bob

Can you get a new key made at a key shop (the type that only does locks and keys), or is the ignition switch roached?

A new shed with a lift, my compressed and 220 plumbed and wired in it, and Iron Man's Jarvis to do all the heavy work.

While cleaning and blasting my 16" rims this week end, I noticed that 3 out of 5 had suffered rust on the inside of the rim around the valve stem hole (rusted area does not to exceed 3" in length x 2" wide). Two are not so thin as to concern me, but the 3rd has at least two holes rotted through. I know that there used to be a couple of companies in San Antonio that would remove the "center" from your wheel and install it in a new rim - lots of old school hot-rodders got their wide rims that way. It's not like I am working on a Hellcat or 3.5 ton truck. However, I cant find anyone in Texas (or anywhere else other than maybe Stockton Wheel in California ) on the net that still does that type of work. It seems everyone just wants to repair/sell rice-rocket wheels or sell muscle car repro rims. Has anyone tried just welding a small steel panel inside the rim, over the affected area, then welding the valve stem hole shut and drilling a new valve stem hole?

The way the local, old time mechanic showed me (for Mopar 1/2 ton trucks or cars) 50 years ago (damn that makes me feel old) was to pull the drum, then take off the brake backing plate. Once that was done, put the drum back on and snug down the nut that holds it. Hold a piece of 2x4 across the inside diameter of the drum and hit the 2x4 with a 5lb hammer to drive the axle out. You usually have to rotate the drum and whack the 2x4 several times, I have used this method more times than I care to count - it works. After the axles are out, replace the inner seals for the axles - or they will leak - then you can remove the pumpkin . When you put the axles back in, turn it till you feel it line up (it will go in a bit) and a light tap or two with the 2x4 once its lined up, replace the outer seal in the brake backing plate and bolt it back in place, connect your brake line and put the brake drum back on. Oh, and get the drums on the correct side of the car unless you want to pull them again - that whole L & R lug bolt thing (don't ask how I know...) Remember to bleed and adjust the brakes.