JBNeal

while doing research, I found a replacement option that might be a viable alternative to the shot-in-the-dark of buying used radiators...while studying my spares, I noticed one of them might have core damage that is irreparable, and I'm positive I bought that one on eBay over 10 years ago...d'ohhhhhh... anyways, it looks like US Radiator has a decent replacement that should fit nicely...they have several models to choose from, although I believe these should also work for 1-ton models as well. They aren't giving them away, but these are new not refurbished radiators with warranties, so that could be a viable solution to a replacement need

additional information - Flathead Six Engine Numbers

the damage in the pictures is less than what I had and them guys were able to patch it up no problem...since the hole was over the pickup tube, I was able to give it a good inspection and they knew how to deal with that too...as far as cost, I think it was $300 back in '96, which fixed my original tank as the only options back then were other tanks with pinholes at the perimeter seam or make something else fit. Tanks Inc. has a tank that is close in size, but I do not believe it is coated so it could be prone to corrosion, plus brackets have to be fabricated for proper installation. At a minimum, get in contact with Renu and Tanks Inc. to get some estimates from them and you could make a more informed decision...I am glad I spent some serious $$$ on the tank, brakes, distributor, etc. years ago, because I was able to get quality that has lasted going on 2+ decades, and if I spread the upfront cost over that kind of timeframe, I ultimately saved a bundle from not having to do the same repair multiple times. At any rate, you've got plenty of work to get to before the tank becomes an issue to deal with...I sent mine off early in the restore cuz I was still in college at the time, I recall sending it off on a trip home for Spring Break, and got it back by Memorial Day

I started by searching the internets with the mopar parts numbers and was able to locate replacement lug studs and lug nuts at Van Horn Truck Parts...ya might have similar luck

what's wrong with the gas tank? I had one with a hole the size of a pie plate in the top, sent if off to get Renu'd and it hasn't leaked a drop in 20+ years...

Since this is flat glass, an estimate can be made by cutting some cardboard to fit...glass should be 1/4" thick...

I inherited Dad's '01 Ram 2500 QuadCab last year and have had H-E-double hockey sticks with the brakes, basically cuz the truck sat in a barn for 10 years...malfunctioning remanufactured hydroboost units, leaking new hoses, cracked reman.calipers, now intermittent sticking rear brakes...I've sunk over 135 hours into this beast and I still don't know if it'll pass inspection in a few weeks...I thought I was paying for quality parts, but it has really been a carp shoot trying to deal with the random ABS warning light, and this is for a modern truck that sold in big numbers and that has only been out of production for less than 2 decades...I shudder to think what's happening with replacement parts' quality for the low volume market of antique vehicles...I kinda gave up on getting help from the auto parts stores back in the 90s, but if the specialty suppliers are becoming a dead end, then we are on our own to supply part numbers, specs, etc...except we have the internets and online forums now, to share information, develop long-distance relationships, and exchange ideas to keep these machines alive for future generations... I know where there is a nice collection of parts books at a local parts store that closed around 2000, but the relatives who inherited the place are not interested in selling anything piecemeal, nor are they interested in driving up 2 hours to open the place up for anyone to purchase large lots of stuff for cash...I peek thru the filthy windows every few months and notice that stuff is disappearing, so someone is systematically cleaning the place out...my fear is that all of them parts books on the counter, chock full of notes made by the previous owner, are gonna end up in the dumpsters when nobody is looking ☹

I have to agree with DC about torquing by feel, it's how I was taught...with practice you can tell when helical lock washers have flattened and that's when the +1/4 turn is added. Now if you're looking for Destiny, there seems to be one in every town...but one man's Destiny could be another man's disaster, especially if ya get caught watching the paint dry ?

Hey Stwve...it is possible that t-stat was mis-boxed, give NAPA THM 155 another shot...I recently ordered a hydroboost for my '01 Ram 2500 and got the right box but a hydroboost for a '96 which looks identical except the firewall seal is different...returned + reordered and the correct box + part showed up...sometimes ppl make misteaks

I've had older mechanics tell me that if it isn't spelled out in the shop manual, then torque bolts hand tight +1/4 turn, which should be about 30-35 ft.lb...screws smaller than 1/4" should be finger tight + 1/4 turn max or they'll strip faster than a girl named Destiny

Allen Parkhurst's and grey beard's notes on wiring harnesses additional information - Modified Wiring Diagram with Headlight Relays + Turn Signals if you are dedicated to 12V conversion, might as well size the wiring for the loads...applying Ohm's Law, this doubled voltage increase reduces the current by half; ergo, the wire diameter can be reduced by half...this should give a lighter weight wiring harness, and cost a little bit less $$$. From one of the wire gauge charts I found online, the 16ga can be replaced with 22ga, but I wouldn't recommend going any smaller than 18ga for durability. So I reckon the original 6V 16ga, 14ga and 12ga can be replaced with 12V 18ga; the 10ga can be replaced with 16ga, etc.

Reading between the lines is becoming a lost art...CHS accepts a bill of sale with a serial number and signature of the previous owner as proof of ownership, so I was able to produce one for each truck as required, made a grainy copy of each at the library, and stuck'm in the mail with a handwritten request...

Yep there should be a cork or rubber gasket that seals the distributor shaft bore... I was doing some research and noted that the search term Permatex yields a lot of interesting information, going back for years, on products, alternatives, applications, limitations, insights etc...as far as specifics, I do not recall a checklist but all I know is be aware of the water jacket and oil gallery locations and that'll give ya an idea of what bolt needs what sealant and where applied

RE: Proof of Ownership I received 7 build cards from the CHS a few weeks ago, and in each case, I submitted a bill of sale with the truck serial number. These bills of sale all had signatures from the previous owners with dates of the original transactions, some over 10 years ago...I say signatures because of the runaround I endured trying to secure a lost title for my '49 1-ton that involved my county registrar's office, the area TXDoT ofc, TX DPS, my insurance company, and a dubious automotive appraiser...along the way, I had a DPS detective explain how the auto title system is supposed to work, and finally a knowledgeable clerk at TXDoT (a rare breed indeed) clued me in on the paperwork. She splained to me the form I needed to fill out, and said multiple times that she just needed to see a signature on the previous owner's line, because when it comes to the low-volume of antique vehicles compared to modern vehicles that are more subject to theft and fraud, the state only wants to collect taxes on them...I've had the conversation on a few occasions about documentation validity, but the bottom line is whose requirements are ya trying to satisfy when the burden of proof is only looking for a signature to obtain a document confirming ownership on a transaction that was not witnessed first-hand by a state employee attached to the governing agency...in the case of the Chrysler Historical Society, they do not know if you sold your pride and joy to your neighbor for $10 on Arbor Day 22 yrs ago to satisfy the terms of a bar bet, then bought it back from him for $15 after a wild weekend of tree planting, as long as his signature is on a bill of sale with the serial number and dated accurately, the CHS views that bill of sale as proof of ownership...if that neighbor is not available for confirmation cuz he's taking a dirt nap 5 counties over is immaterial...the signed bill of sale + possession of property are considered adequate proof of ownership unless a valid title exists that contradicts information on the bill of sale, but as far as I know, the CHS is not interested in arbitration of some kind of ownership settlement, just supplying build card information

additional information - Head Stud P#s.

the polite answer is "too long and too much"

another forum for trucks for the 70s - 90s

the upper tanks I have generally have a flat top with the neck on the left side of the engine compartment, no tabs on the top... have ya looked into layering some aluminum coke cans and peening them over to hold them in place?

Ya might not want to sandblast that fan, it could cause some damage to the metal that won't show up until the blades fly apart somewhere down the road...I had an antique desk fan re-worked and the guy mentioned that the old metal blades need special care for that reason, he has to clean them up using a rust dissolver then looks at the rivets under a big magnifying glass to spot any cracks...I've read where some guys have replaced their heater old motors with new + plastic fans to avoid this issue...

Doing a quick google search shows a guy selling a 972210 on eBay for a 46-48 DeSoto...and it sorta looks like one of my spares... The rad.cap data is kinda misleading much the same way in there are some variations between manufacturers' and vendors' websites, much like the shock absorber info I dug thru...pressurized rad.caps will have some kind of thermostatic spring between the cap and sealing plunger, whereas non-pressurized rad.caps will only have a positive seal and locking tangs. If I read it right, the NAPA caps are made by Motorad, and their data matched the Stant data...I looked at some generic info for tractor rad.caps just to compare and it all seemed to mirror the Stant and Motorad data, with similar pricing. So for all I know, the Stant, Motorad, Balkamp, NAPA, Murray, etc. rad.caps are all made in the same building managed by some guy who looks suspiciously like Tommy Callahan ? I was stewing on the different p#s and my nocturnal problem solver woke me up this morning to take a 2nd look at the brackets and tanks...so I examined these radiators and sure enough, there are slight differences in the mounting bracket stampings and hole patterns, as well as different # of tank vertical ribs, different upper tank inlet tube lengths, and different lower tank outlets + drain plug orientation...so these radiators may all function the same way but some are more well-built and less expensive than others ?

Looking at my money pit, the B-1-B-108 has 4 x-members, the B-1-D-126 has 5 x-members, and the B-4-B-116 has 4 x-members...the short x-member is closest to the tailgate, and the next x-member is the floater on all of them

When it comes to truck radiators, most folks just want them to fit inside the engine compartment and to keep the engine cooled off sufficiently without needing much attention. When I first started working on my '48, I took my radiator to a local radiator repairman for a checkup, he ran a garden hose through it and called it good, said it looked like some of his work from a long time ago, elaborated by saying the flat-finned core was probably from an old Pontiac...there was evidence in the upper tank that the original neck was dead centered, not on the driver side. In '95, I found two mostly intact parts trucks in a local wrecking yard, '48 and '53 half tons, with the distinctive honeycomb core radiators, which my '48 did not have. I snagged the radiator in their '48, but when I went back a few months later to get some more parts with my lawn mowing $$$, I was informed both trucks had gone to the crusher just a few days prior...! While doing some research on cooling system interchange part numbers, I came across some information in the April '54 edition of the '48-'53 parts manual, and it got me to look into my stash of parts as well as the radiators in the trucks in the yard. And to my surprise, even though these radiators looked the same at a glance, it turns out I've got a menagerie of radiators that are related but have different p#s, filler necks, overflow tubes, and core thicknesses. My parts manual muddies up the waters even further with some conflicting information regarding replacement radiator caps. But the one thing that I can say for certain is that even with these variations, it appears that the cooling systems for the B-series and Route Vans used non-pressurized systems from the factory. I looked into the flat-fender Power Wagons and there's indications that some systems were not pressurized thru '56 but others were depending on other criteria...I didn't want to go down that rabbit hole as I have before with other research that crossed Pilot-House parts with Power Wagons, WCs and M-37s. This is based on the parts manuals I have and information gleaned from a few Power Wagon websites. The radiator caps for these non-pressurized radiators can be identified by their size, either 2-11/16" OD (776379) or 2-1/4" OD (795519): Cap 776379 is listed for all B-1 & B-2 except R/T/V/Y Cap 795519 is listed for all B-3 & B-4 except R/T/V/Y Several vendors offer non-pressurized caps depending on year specified but not by size. Local alternatives may be available that have a slightly different look, possibly with more moderate pricing: Radiator Cap: Mopar 776379 - Stant 10232 - NAPA 7031475 Mopar 795519 - Stant 10203 - NAPA 7031400 Studying my parts manual, the breakdown for replacement radiators is by model: Radiator Core: Mopar 1272945 == B-1-B, B-2-B, B-3-B, B-3-C, B-4-B, B-4-C Mopar 1272947 == B-1-C, B-1-D, B-2-C, B-2-D, B-3-D, B-4-D The replacement radiator cap specified in a note is 795519 for both radiators...apparently Dodge was specifying the newer style production radiators with the smaller fill neck to replace the older style with the larger fill neck that had gone out of production. Looking through my stack of spare radiators and radiators in my trucks, I was scratching my head at what I was finding: '48 B-1-B: 1195170 was pulled from a '48 parts truck, has the large fill neck, a discharge right overflow tube, and 2-1/4" core '48 B-1-D: 1195178 has the large fill neck, a discharge right overflow tube, and 2-1/4" core '49 B-1-D: 1195178 has the large fill neck, a discharge left overflow tube, and 2-1/4" core '51 B-3-D: 1272446 has the small fill neck, a discharge right overflow tube, and 2-1/4" core '52 B-3-B: 1272446 has the small fill neck, a discharge right overflow tube, and 2-1/4" core '53 B-4-B: 1272446 has the small fill neck, a discharge right overflow tube, and 2-1/4" core spare (1): 1195178 has the large fill neck, a discharge right overflow tube, and 2-3/4" core spare (2): 1272446 has the small fill neck, a discharge left overflow tube, and 2-1/4" core spare (3): 1272947 has the small fill neck, a discharge right overflow tube, and 2-1/2" core spare (4): same as spare (3) As reported earlier, the 1195170 was superseded by 1272945. But I cannot locate the other part numbers in my parts books, and at a glance, these radiators all look the same with respect to tanks, core thickness, and inlets + outlets. The differences in overflow tube discharge direction has me a little stumped, as the left discharge radiators do not appear to have been repaired, so maybe these are deviations from Dodge specifications. From a practical standpoint, the left discharge seems to be a defect as any sharp right turn or traversing a slope at an angle will cause coolant to drain out, whereas the right discharge would allow more coolant to stay in the tank. The 2-3/4" core might be a repair job, but it is a honeycomb core, so maybe that too is a deviation. At any rate, these part numbers might be helpful in determining if your radiator might be relatively original, a replacement, or "custom"

those look similar to the truck armrests I have in the B-1 and the B-4, but the shiny strip is absent and the materials look different...maybe those ya got could be customized to personalize that buggy

from what I can glean from my parts book, there are two radiators listed: one for Bs & Cs, and another for Cs & Ds, for B-1, B-2, B-3 and B-4 trucks. There are also two radiator caps specified: one for B-1 & B-2 (usually a galvanized cap with a non-rubber gasket), and another for B-3 & B-4 (modern style cap with rubber gasket). The radiators listed in the parts book both specify the B-3 & B-4 radiator cap...so it appears the truck cooling systems from '48-'53 are not pressurized... See Radiator Identification for Non-Pressurized Systems

get engine running first in case something comes up that requires long lead times such as machine shop attention or special parts...when the engine is done, it takes up way less space than body work...I have rebuilt motors and put them on roll-around stands then sorta crated them, kinda like a residential radiator cover...that way I could have the engine sitting in the corner but use the flat space of the crate to work on or have parts drying or whatever...stacking things safely in the shop to maximize floorspace takes time and practice but well worth it... if the engine has to wait at a machine shop for attention, then you can shift gears and work on the rolling frame while you wait...this keeps the project moving forward while having different tasks being completed in parallel