JBNeal

here's a better image of that B-1or2 and soap box derby racer on the hamb

additional information - C-1 two tone survivor

VINTAGEPIC: another B-1or2 1-ton on the hamb

additional information - B-3-D survivor

VINTAGEPIC: this B-4 Fargo on the hamb is listed as vintage 1984

additional information - B-4 survivor

additional information - B-3 survivor

additional information - B-1 Panel survivor

additional information - B-2-C Fluid Drive survivor

I put the MMO in the cylinders as well to free up the rings, usually a day or three does the trick...also pull the air horn off of the carb to put MMO on the accelerator to soften it back up again to see if it works; if not, then a new carb kit is in order. Either way, put a little fresh gas in there before sealing it back up to prime the jets. Ya might want to pull the distributor cap and do some cleaning in there and the cap to blow out the cobwebs (lubricate as needed) and shine up the contacts, maybe the same should be done with the regulator as well. To soften up the crank seals, after startup, let the engine idle for <5 minutes then kill it to let the oil soak into the seals a little. Grab some lunch, then restart

additional truck picture thread - B-1-B

additional truck picture - grey beard's B-1

grey beard's reflooring project

was doing a search, pushed the right buttons, and answered my own question grey beard's pickup bed reflooring part 1 grey beard's pickup bed reflooring part 2 it looks like that pdf link is out of order as well...

The fluid drive was an early attempt at an automatic transmission that was replaced by fully automatic transmissions with integrated park lock pawl that was developed in conjunction with the slant 6 and V8 engines. The literature I have read about the fluid drive was that some of its benefits were to reduce stress on engines and improve tire wear (harder to initiate wheel spin). As far as I know, Dodge Truck did not offer an automatic transmission with the flatheads like Dodge Cars did, and it may have been because the flathead/auto combo did not have enough power for truck applications. I think Merle's 3.73 rear axle ratio is the best setup for modern use as it still falls within the flathead's torque curve for good power delivery. The 3.55, while good for cruising on the highway, is a little tricky at low speeds, because this setup is right at the edge of the flathead's torque curve, which is why it was never offered from the factory. Powertrain development is a balancing act that employs entire divisions of engineers by manufacturers. Engine torque curves are established, axle ratios are chosen, and the transmission is designed to fit in between to operate within a set of parameters for shifting (manual or automatic). You may improve the flathead torque curve by a few percentage points with some engine modifications, but there was a reason Chrysler developed the slant 6 engine family, and it probably was that the flathead's limitations had been reached; any major improvements in power and economy could only be made with a new design. I think you are approaching the limit to the flathead powertrain you have installed, as any changes you make now will not be a quantum leap in performance. I know how ya need to shift through the gears quickly for fear of some yahoo smoothing ya over from a red light, which amplifies the lack of 2nd gear synchronizer. The Outback has a 5 speed, and many a time there has been somebody who nearly rams me after a light change when I shift to second and they are still stomped on the gas. This of course leads the offender to blow by me at their soonest opportunity to hand-signal that I am super #1, to which I exclaim in my Floyd Lawson voice "ohhhhhhh such a nice man"

the only stop leak I recommend is that goo ya put in the lawnmower tires...stop leak in radiators, engines, transmissions, axles, etc. works sometimes, but ultimately it only buys ya time until the actual repair needs to be completed

additional truck picture thread - B-2 tanker selfie

NAPA's site lost something when they did their format change a few years ago, now I can't find anything on there if it does not fit within their search protocols...IMO ya might want to tear it apart for an inspection before doing some retail therapy, ya might find something ya didn't anticipate

the hood can go atop the bed panels stacked flat & weighed down; the seat frame and cushions will go up into the attic...I have a stripped hood in pieces stacked flat in the attic as well with several bed fenders & radiators and old fuel & brake lines

my plan is to stack bed panels, running boards, & other sheet metal with surface rust outdoors as I work on the powertrain, brakes, frame, etc. indoors. Every truck I have has been sitting outside for decades, a few more months in the elements ain't gonna hurt'm. I've got plenty of space outside to stack sheet metal, as long as I keep the stacks below knee level, off of the ground, boards in between to let air pass thru, pitched so that water drains off of them (even condensation), and weighed down so that the stacks don't become projectiles. I had smaller parts on shelves, but bugs & rodents would besmirch my organizing skills so I upgraded to the Rubbermaid tubs from HD...an added benefit to keeping things clean, it allows me to pull a tub anytime and make an inventory list to leave in the tub for future reference, which cuts down on the hunting and allows for more time to actually be productive. The extra cab corner glass I have is wrapped in bubble-wrap and stacked in one of those tubs out of harm's way. Flat glass I have stacked upright and in a corner of my attic, with some other sheet metal that had been stripped but not painted by previous owners. I had seen machine shops stack crankshafts on end, as well as heads & engine blocks, but I've heard this may be a problem if done for an extended period. Definitely spray some lubricant on exposed machine surfaces and keep as dry as possible. Did I mention all of the old butter tubs I kept over the years? They are excellent for compartmentalizing nuts & bolts for sub-assemblies, can be taped shut and labeled for future re-assembly

I vaguely recall hearing something like this as well, something like "if we go into town with the truck for ice cream, don't try to eat it in the truck or we'll be walking home"

as an engineering student, I was put into a group (of slackers) for my senior design project to take a GMC 2500 that had been heavily modified to run on CNG and get it to run on LPG with a measly budget. The first week I surmised that the professors' pie-in-the-sky ideas were not feasible and priced out a conversion with existing technology with modest modifications. At our 1st presentation, the profs told our group to prove that the pie-in-the-sky ideas could not be done for the next 2 semesters...a year later (long story), I was approached by those same professors to complete the project unassisted with the same measly budget using my original assessment so that the department could have a deliverable. My point is that I learned in engineering that time & $$$ both will define your budget, no matter what your aspirations are, because in the end you need to show something for your work or it's all just a waste of resources. I have rescued a dozen projects (and almost bid on a bunch more) from the scrap heap as the original "project managers" all did the same thing: they wanted their pie-in-the-sky but reality set in, time passed on, and they opted to not continue after dismantling/butchering a limited resource, as these old beasts do not grow on trees (one guy took a running flathead powertrain & axles, sold them for scrap cuz he was in a hurry for $$$, then lost interest in what was a pristine B-4 ). I apologize for the lecture, but I would hate for ya to lose interest in a unique opportunity such as the Pilot-House...pump yer brakes for a few days, stew on a plan of action, do your research, weigh your options with time & $$$ in mind, assess your long term goals (immediate use, ownership, possible sale to fund the next project), and then proceed with an open mind and open eyes P.S. when these old trucks get fixed up, they are rarely "finished"...there always seems to be something to fix or upgrade

New Port Engineering markets a 12V replacement setup...their website does not specifically have an option for the B-series trucks, but there are other websites who do specify it...or you could fix up what ya got

this came up a few months ago without clear resolution...

Today's ambivalence: finding out that the engine machine shop in the next county over that I have done business with over the years suddenly closed a few weeks ago, just days before I planned on dropping off a flathead for them to inspect. I looked in the windows and it appears that they just shut the doors one day, as there are engine blocks & crankshafts still lined up to be worked on or picked up, all of the shelves are still stocked, the parts books are still open, ash trays not emptied, etc...the guy across the street from the machine shop said that one guy shows up for a couple of hours in the early morning but the phone isn't working so who knows what is going on up there. So the search is on for another engine machine shop that knows how to work on a flathead and can magnaflux cast iron... Anyhow, found a pic of the old beast back when it was still running, having survived a few fender benders...