Bobacuda

...and they have 1 5/8" cup type brass freeze plugs. Our old Mopars use concave freeze plugs. Still looking.

I Googled Dorman 560-023. Some of the sites that came up had other Dorman brass freeze plugs, but not the concave brass ones. Some sites listed the information, but they did not have any for sale nor did they want to get any to sell me when I tried to order them. The Dorman site directed me to try their authorized dealers - Autozone, Advance, NAPA, and several other chains - but none of them carried the plugs or wanted to order them. That's why I came on here asking for help. Hopefully someone here has 6 extras to spare/ Thanks.

Seems like no one in the San Antonio area stocks brass freeze plugs for the flathead 218 or 230 anymore. I hate rebuilding an engine and putting steel freeze plugs in. The brass plugs are Dorman 560-023. I was able to find three at different part stores, so I still need 6 (or I am stuck with steel plugs). I have checked online with no luck, either. I orderd some from AutoParts Express, but they recently refunded my money and said they did not have any. Anybody have 6 brass 1 5/8 freeze plugs they want to sell? I have several extra 1 3/8 brass plugs to trade or sell if anyone is looking. Thanks.

I have installed the spindles and front brakes from a '70 D100 on my '53 B4B. When I was completing the install, I thought the wheels were now turning sharper than stock. I saw that the bump stops on the '70 spindles were not contacting the I-beam when the wheels were fully turned. This project just keeps on giving. With that in mind, I hope this request makes sense. Would someone with a 48-53 Dodge 1/2 ton please measure the distance from your front leaf spring (90 degree from spring) to the outside of your brakes baking plate when the wheel is turned fully to one side? This would give me a real measurement to set my front end with. Otherwise, I'll just put the tires back on and set the bump stop to keep the wheels from hitting anything, making certain both sides are set the same.

I'm still trying to come up with a way to make the 69 brake upgrade on my truck work, and so far, the only alternatives I have is having going back to the 53 brakes or having my spindles sleeved to fit the 69 hub. Will 1969 D100 spindles work properly on my 53 B4B straight axle? I think the JY might still have the 69 donor truck.

If there is enough light when I get home, I will try for some photos. My engine is out of the truck, which makes it all a little easier to get to. While TRYING to replace both front brake hoses, I manage to twist the ends off of both steel lines, so the point where they pass through the frame will be a little vague. Bob

I have a 53 B4B, fluid drive long wheel base 1/2 ton that I am rebuilding. I have read on this site and several others that the 67-71 dodge front drum brakes are a bolt on improvement - simply take off the old hub, brakes and backplate and put the Sweptline hardware on. So, I spent a day collecting the parts off of a 69 D100 6 cyl truck at a junkyard, spent $200 on new brakes and bearings and two days later I now have the backplates and brakes on the front of my 53. So, I was ready to install the hubs, which is where I found the problem. The problem is that the diameter of the inner bearing for the 53 is smaller than that of the 69 (at least 1/10"). IN other words, this swap NOT a direct bolt on (at least on my truck). If I use the 69 bearing (and race), the hub flops around. If I use the 53 bearing and race, the race is too large for the 69 hub. If I put the 53 bearing in the 69 race, the rollers are not completely covered by the race (bearing sticks out at least 1/10" more than normal). I have the following bearings and races: 53 - Bower 14125A; race Timken 14276 69 - Timken LM548; raceTimken LM48510 HELP! How have you others fixed this? (1) Do I use the 53 bearing that protrudes? (2) Do you have a bearing number that has the correct dimensions? (3) Am I just screwed and now I have to go back and rebuild the 53's brakes (another $200) or go back to the junk yard and get the 69's spindles (if it has not gone to the crusher). What did you other people do? Photos attached. First photo the 69 is on the L, 53 on the R. Second photo the 69 is on top of the 53. Third photo the 53 bearing is in the 69 race on the R, compared to a matched 69 set.

While looking for a somewhat higher geared rear end with emergency brakes for my B4B (currently a 4.11), I found a '90 Dakota 8 1/4 rear end (3.55) with larger, finned brake drums at the local Pick a Part. On top of the center of the differential is some kind of factory electronic gizmo. When I first saw it, I thought it was the differential's breather, but then I noticed that it had and electric plug and wiring. OK, I give up: 1. What the heck is that thing on top of the differential's center? Can I ignore it or will it interfere with my use? 2. Is this unit a good match for my old truck? One last question. My truck has a "T-306" 218 engine and fluid drive. Does this engine use a rope main seal or the 2 part neoprene? Thanks for your input.

All of the ads I see list GM or Ford Pulse Generators for the Speedometer. I assme you still have the Pilothouse transmission, so what Pulse Generator did you use to make it work?

My '53 Dodge truck is a fluid drive 218 and it has an 8 hole crank. Good luck.

I hav seen the responses for swapping other Mopar rear ends into Pilothouse trucks, but I have missed any info on the 9.25. Has anyone put a 9.25 in their truck? If so, what donor and year model did you use? Were you able to use your same driveshaft and U-joints? Did you hook up the modern e-brake? Basically, what did you use and how did do it. Thanks

You were able to use the '70 model Dodge truck hubs on the '50 model Dodge truck spindles? Has anyone used the '70 model hubs with the Rustyhope disc brake upgrade? What about using a set of disc brakes from a '70 model Dodge truck on a '50 model truck?

This projects just keeps providing new fun things. I got an engine from a '47 Dodge to rebuild to replace the messed up engine in my '53 Dodge truck (with Fluid Drive). The '47 had Fluid Drive. I took the two engines to the machine shop, where I noticed that the '47's crank has 4 holes and the '53's has eight holes. Needless to say, I told the machine shop I need the 8 hole crank from the '53 to mate it up to the Fluid Drive (BTW, the '47 Fluid Drive had 4 studs cut off to mate it). Now I read somewhere that the 4 hole crank and the 8 hole crank use different length connecting rods. Is this true? I just need to know so I can tell the machine shop to use the '53's connecting rods before this thing gets bolted together. Any thing else the 8 hole crank would have different than the 4 hole crank I need to switch out? Thanks.

Ryan - Does your truck have the carburator linkage that bolts to the back of the block? If so, there are two more bolts there holding the engine and bell housing together. Six bolts in all - two on each side and the two in the back. After I got all of the bolts out of my Dodge B4B, the pins were also a problem. I WD-40'd them, moved the hoist up and down to "jiggle" the engine and then a large screwdriver popped it all apart. Hope this helps. Bob

I have been considering installing a newer differential (housing, brakes, "the works") in my B4B (fluid drive). I would like to find a replacement that: 1. Requires the least modification to my truck - preferably none. I would really like to not have to alter my driveshaft to accomodate a different U-joint. 2. Is a reasonably priced replacement. 3. Has 3.55 (or close to that) gears and readily available parts. 4. Has "modern" emergency brake (tired of mine behind the trans either cooking or not working). I know that I will have to move the spring perches from the bottom of most diff housings to the top (my truck has overload springs, bottom mounting not an option). Anyhow, I assume some of you have done this swap already. What diff did you use and what changes did you have to make? Thanks for your input.

I pulled mine Saturday. Pretty much old school type job. Hope you have a good shed with a concrete floor. Get a reliable helper that is strong enough to help. Lots of "on your back work" if you don't have a lift. Lots of crawling up and down, chasing different wrenches, too. Block the wheels and totally disconnect your battery if it is live. Take photos before you remove stuff to help with putting it all back together. Put your parts and labeled bags of bolts where you will know how to and where to reassemble them. Sounds corny, but it really helps. I took the floor pan over the transmission and the first narrow one toward the firewall out to make access (and light underneath) better. Then I removed the hood, radiator, and disconnected every wire or sending unit to the engine (including the battery cable that is grounded on the top of the trans) and removed everything possible - starter, generator, oil filter and lines, distributor, fan and water pump, manifolds, carburator and linkage (disconnect from linkage that is bolted to back of engine) and I disconnected the exhaust. Be very careful with your temperature guage's sending unit. They are made from "unobtanium" and break easily (guess how I know). I put the front of the truck on jackstands after that to have more room underneath. With that done, I crawled under the truck and disconnected the speedometer cable, emergency brake cable and the transmission shifter arms. Then I took the nuts off of the driveshaft yoke where it bolts to the back of the transmission. After that, I put the rear of the truck on jackstands and disconnected the driveshaft at the rear u-joint and removed the shaft (it is heavy). Four bolts hold the transmission in. Best to use a transmission or floor jack or that really strong helper when removing the trans. Next, take the cover off of the bottom of the bell housing. This will allow you to get to unbolt the clutch. I popped the throwout bearing out, unbolted the clutch and removed it out the bottom. My truck is a fluid drive, so I still had to take out the "torque converter/flywheel." If yours is a regular old standard, you will have to remove the flywheel. Both are heavy and clumsy when you are on your back. To get to all of the bolts, you will have to turn the engine over by hand, either from underneath or with a big socket and breaker bar on the nut that holds the belt pully to the crankshaft. While I was doing this, my son removed two head bolts on opposite sides of the engine (R side, bolt #3 and L side, bolt #5). We put the chain for the hoist between the bolts. Hoist in place and a little lift, we took the engine to bell housing bolts out. There are two on each side and the two at the back of the engine that also hold the rest of the carburator linkage. Keeping the hoist tight, we removed the two bolts that hold the front motor mount's "saddle" to the frame. Now, only the hoist and two metal alignment dowels on the back of the engine into the bell housing were holding the engine. My engine was somewhat stuck to the bell housing, so I put WD 40 on the alignment dowels and used a long screwdriver between the bell housing and the block to get them apart-didn't take much. Once that was done we hoisted it up and out, then mounted it on the engine stand. Now that I have the engine out, I will have a much easier time rebuilding the brakes (master cylinder) and I'm going to break down and rewire it. My kids have threatened to have me committed if I don't repaint it. From start to finish, counting numerous breaks we were at it about 7 hrs. I don't remember it taking as long the last time I took one out, but that was 15 years ago. This should give you some idea what to expect. I would suggest that no matter how little you plan to do to the engine that you consider replacing the water distribution tube (which is also a PITA to get out). Every one of my old flatheads always seemed to have corroded or blocked distribution tubes. Good Luck!

I am in the process of rebuilding an engine out of a '47 Dodge car for my '53 Dodge truck. The engine from the '47 does not have any numbers on the top left side of the block to identify it with. The engine from the '53 used the narrow belt and a "normal" looking harmonic balancer/belt pulley. The '47 uses large harmonic balancer that is a separate piece from the pulley. I can't recall ever seeing the setup the '47 engine has before. My question is this,"Is it OK to remove the large hamonic balancer and wide belt pulley and replace them with the "normal" looking harmonic balancer/puller off of the '53 engine?" My current generator uses the narrow belt and if I convert to 12V I will want the narrow belt. Sorry for the short notice, but the engine goes to the machine shop tomorrow. Thanks for all of your help.

I have seen several postings where Chevy small block valves (1.60 & 1.50) were used as replacement valves in Rustyhope's and some other's flatheads. When I look at the Dodge shop manual, it shows the intake valve to be 1 17/32" (1.53) and the exhaust valves to be 1 13/32" (1.40). Am I misreading something, or is this correct? I am about to order parts for my 230 and I need to know before I buy something I can't use. Thanks.

I am rebuilding a '47 Dodge 230 engine for my '53 Dodge truck. I noticed the front of the '47 engine has a "large" harmonic balancer attached to the pulley for the fan belt while the '53 engine has a "simple" balancer with the pulley. Any problem with using the balancer off of my '53 engine on the '47 engine? Anyone know of a good, automotive machine shop in or near San Antonio, TX that works on these old engines? The last time I rebuilt the '53, the machine shop made an expensive anchor out of my engine, then closed his doors and moved away.

The front, right hub on my B-4-B is bad (innner bearing and cone will fall out if you turn it sideways). This got me to wondering what other hub/brake drums will fit my truck. Will a Dodge car hub (same era) interchange? Anyone got a Hollander's handy? Thanks, Bob