Bobacuda

Tex Smith's book has an excellent section on relocating the front shocks. Lots of other stuff and a great read as well. https://www.amazon.com/Build-Chrysler-Plymouth-Dodge-Rods/dp/1878772171

I insulated my cab much like you did, except that I now have the "fatigue mat" foam over the top of the "bubble insulation" you have in your photo. I think that is more than enough. It is insulated, quieter and it is "dark" behind the seat. When I put the rear covers in my truck. I had to custom fit the product on the sides and on around the gas tank tube. Since I am tall, the seat was jammed against them. Tough to move the seat where I was comfortable and the seat rubbing/hitting the back covers made lots of squeaking noises. On top of all of that, you could not see them anyway. I wound up taking them out and wishing I had saved the money. They are now sitting somewhere in my garage.

Ever get tired on a 90 degree day and you don't want to go to a motel? This is not an "internet photo," I spotted this guy at a truck stop in my hometown today. The generator and the AC were running and people were having a good time taking photos of this urban camper.

'53 has different rear fenders. Does the dash have a chrome metal plate in the middle or plastic script that says "Dodge" ('53 model).

I am 6'1" and weigh about 325. Body shape is "old guy." The distance from the "face" of the back of the front seat to the steering wheel is about 17". The distance from the bottom of the steering wheel to the "face" of the seat bottom is about 7.5". That's more room than my '53 Dodge has. I fit in the Sambar fine, although it is a bit narrow at the shoulders (compared to what I am used to), and getting my feet in at the bottom of that door (foot has to clear front wheel well and the door jamb - see the photo I posted) are the greatest challenges - much like some of the UTV's I have been in. A 5'8" average size guy would have no problem. Unmodified engines of the Kei vehicles (Subaru, Honda, Daihatsu, Suzuki, Mazda & Mitsubishi) have been ruled compliant by EPA. All of these little trucks look pretty much the same and by law have the same dimensional sizes, engine size, hauling capacity, etc. regulated by the Japanese government.

I don't know about other states, but a 25 yr old one is considered a "classic" by the EPA so the engine clears that hurdle. Since the Fed accepts them on the road, Texas will as well. I have to get the local sheriff's department to look at the serial # on the frame and compare it to all of my paperwork to show that it is not a stolen vehicle, next the Japanese title will have to be converted to a Texas title in my name (the paperwork to do so was part of the deal), then I have to get insurance, a safety inspection and plates. I start that process on Thursday. I see that a lot of folks in Canada opt for the Suzuki or the Daihatsu versions and attach snow plows to them (those two are more suited for lifting, oversize tires and the snow plow).

So, for several years I have wanted a Polaris type vehicle. However, the price tag ran me off. Just over a year ago, at a swap meet I met a guy using a Japanese mini-truck to set up his wares. His was a Mitsubishi, and he was very informative and allowed me to sit in it (too small for me) and he told me that a Subaru Sambar or a Daihatsu Hijet Jumbo cab would probably work. So, I started researching them. I took the plunge and imported a 1990 Subaru Sambar from Japan. It is a rear-engine, 660 cc 4-cyl, 5 spd, with a low-crawling gear, 4 wheel drive, fully independent suspension, and it has a heater and AC. It will carry 750 lbs. And yes, it is smaller than a US truck - it is the size of a Polaris. Vehicle price was minimal, compared to the exporter's fee, shipping, US import taxes, etc. Roughly $3.5K total from Japan to off the boat in Freeport, TX. That price is much less than even a used Polaris UTV's that needs work around here. I'll post some other photos and my overall impression with it when I get it licensed (bureaucracy takes time). Here it is in Japan. Either I made a good deal, or I have given my family another thing to laugh at.

Another week of 80 degree weather forecast. I like getting my ice from the freezer... Snow is for Snow Cones

When the Harrah's Auto Museum in Reno was still intact and on display, my wife and I drove to Reno just to see it....spent a great day there - it took a full day to see it all. After the Harrah heirs sold out to a hotel chain, quite a few of the cars were sold off or shipped elsewhere. I often feel like I was lucky enough to see a "Wonder of the World" before it fell apart and became a shell of itself. Please report back and tell us how big the place is, how long it took to tour and what were your impressions of it.

These are great stories. The first car to traverse the width of the US was a Winton, in 1903. https://www.history.com/news/the-first-great-american-road-trip The feat was repeated by the first woman to make the journey in 1922 in a Maxwell. Hard to imagine how fast the roads and auto industry has developed. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/alice-ramseys-historic-cross-country-drive-29114570/

(I posted this back in 2009, tells how I did it, leaving the Bell Housing in the truck.) 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, carb 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 (that is what I did). 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 - put your new one on before you reinstall the engine or you will regret it) 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!

Quick look. If you were to buy it, you best be very gifted at sheet metal fabrication or you better have a real good boneyard to find the damaged pieces of that grille - or you better be ready to pay about 1/4 of what he is asking for the truck for them. I noticed the back wheels are too far forward, which makes me think it is sitting on the jeep frame. I also noticed the back fenders are welded to the bedsides...makes you wonder why. Take a good look at the profile - the "nose" of the truck looks elevated (that could just be my uncalibrated eyes) and the hood does not sit right (that is visually correct). Once again, probably a frame swap or the radiator support was cut up and now the nose is too high, the hood is not correctly anchored and the hood wings cannot close correctly. I am not a fabricator or a body man, and as much as I like these old trucks, I would keep looking.

My condolences to all in Alabama. This old rock has heated and cooled so many times in its history. The last ice age was not that long ago (Little Ice Age - 1300 - 1870). For you history buffs, look up the Galveston Hurricane of 1900. It took an estimated 6,000 to 12,000 lives in September 1900 and is considered the deadliest hurricane in U.S. history. It was reported that calls for help could be heard buried under sand and rubble, but no one could get to those people. Or there was the Indianola Hurricane (TX) in 1886. It is the sixth strongest hurricane known to have hit the United States, and by winds, it is tied for the fifth most powerful hurricane to hit the U.S. mainland. It completely removed one of Texas's busiest seaports from the map - it was never rebuilt. Only a few pilings remain today.

After looking at all of the winter snow photos, thought I would post one of my truck on Feb 17, a winter's day in Texas! About 64 degrees F, but the high for tomorrow is expected to be 48 degrees and rainy...

f_armer - it was 70 + just a couple of days ago just NW of San Antonio. I imagine Dallas wasn't bad, either. Would have felt like mid-summer for your daughter.

But just to make the Great White North feel at home, it is currently 33 degrees and we just had several nice, loud rounds of thunder followed by a round of freezing rain.

JB, I'm with you. Here in the Texas Hill County the agaritas are about to bloom, peach buds are swelling, all of the animals are feeling frisky and its freezing again. - but will be back in the 40's on Saturday. I will take our moderate to hot weather over ice and snow any day. I know that many of you prefer the Great White North, and I'm glad you do...fewer people here, and when I want to see really cold weather, I can come on here and see the photos that the Snowbirds post.

If that door was a brass monkey freezing his parts off this topic would have blown up...

When you do your fuel tank, replace the fuel level stuff in the tank while the tank is not in the truck. It will make it much easier to pull the unit in and out until you get the float set for an accurate reading. I didn't do that when my tank was out...so my fuel gauge accuracy is still "more like a guideline."

Now would also be a good time to replace old steel freeze plugs with brass ones. MUCH easier when the engine is out.

Snow Thanks! I think my ancestors had enough of that type of weather when they left Denmark and Sweden for Texas .

Pete - Make sure the starter you use has the same "starter arm" as your original. Some of the older models have different arms (the part the stomp starter hits to actuate the starter). Since it is all apart, you might want to consider "MC from a Cherokee" swap. It has been discussed on here several times. Raybestos still carries MC's for your truck ($100+), but it will be a single chamber. If you use an original transmission, make sure you have the shifter arms for it. I think the fluid drive trans arms are longer...but I could be wrong. Good luck finding a grille. might get lucky in a boneyard out west. If you can get the entire nose section with the grille, take it. It will be less expensive than fixing the one you have. Jocko - Here in South-Central Texas, I do not have a heat riser in my truck.

If you need any photos of a '53 for reference, or if you have general questions, shoot me an email. I finished (are they ever finished?) my '53 a couple of years ago. The wiring (I made my harnesses), brake and fuel lines were definitely easier to replace with the engine out. I see on the side of the hood that you have "Fluid Drive" emblems (mine is a Fluid Drive, as well). If you are keeping it Fluid Drive, make sure your new engine's crankshaft has the same thickness "flywheel flange" with the same number of holes as your original. Also, the Fluid Drive has a longer bell housing to accommodate the Fluid Drive coupling than a "standard transmission" bell housing. If you are installing the engine & bell housing (with Fluid Drive or flywheel installed) as a unit, I would recommend mounting the starter and the master cylinder before putting the engine back in the truck - much less cussing involved. If you are not going with the Fluid Drive, consider changing to a modern 5 speed while it is all apart - less gear grinding and an overdrive for cruising. Several of the folks on this site have done this modification. I kept my truck predominately original, so it is still Fluid Drive. But I did go with a '90 Dakota diff. When I rebuilt the front end, I replaced my spindles, hubs and brake with those from a '70 Dodge Sweptline truck. I did this to make the brakes easier to work on and to make parts readily available. Overall, finding some of the small parts was a challenge. However, the folks on this site were great at helping me figure things out and some even had spare parts. One of the things you will get a kick out of is whenever you take it out, your truck will not look like everyone else's.

I cut mine out of an old mud flap.