JBNeal

I went through my box o' seals, and found a pile of inner & outer seals for the rear; then I remembered that those are the same as on a Power Wagon / M37. Since the '49 is still up on blocks and the front wheels are off, I pulled one of the hubs to check on that number and the brake shoes I adjusted by ear (they're a li'l off). Looks like I used: National 5836 Advanced Auto has an on-line listing that shows 1.734 / 2.73 as its dimensions. SKF 17145 shows 1.73 / 2.73 as its dimensions...dunno what size is required as my micrometer has gone AWOL.

If you are pushing in the starter pedal and the starter motor does not turn, then try going under the hood and push the starter motor button switch (not the lever) by hand to see if the motor will turn without the starter pinion engaging the engine flywheel. If the motor still does not turn or turns slowly or intermittently, then the problem is either in the starter button switch (misadjusted or corroded contacts) or the starter ground circuit is at fault. If the starter motor turns fine when the starter pinion does not engage the engine flywheel, but the motor bogs down or does not turn when the pinion does engage the flywheel, then 1) the battery might be too weak, 2) the battery ground may be faulty, or 3) the starter motor may be weak from worn, dirty or corroded internal parts. The starter is not sealed, so moisture can condense on brushes, stators, etc., attracting dust, etc. and ultimately boosting the starter system resistance. That's when it's time enjoy the removal of the starter and getting it serviced

I thought I would try to install a crankcase ventilation system in the '49 while I had the inner fenders out of the way for the fuel line replacement. I originally wanted to follow the vacuumatic crankcase ventilation service bulletin from way back when to see how well that system worked. I had chanced upon 5 NORS PCV valves on eBay last year from an unheard of manufacturer, but the boxes appeared to be from the late 60s from their application tables printed on the backs. I was able to get the seller to get some critical dimensions off of these, and they appeared to be similar units to those sold by VPW...I made an offer on all 5, and got them to the house for less than the cost of one from VPW Being *ahem* frugal and laden with extra odds & ends in the parts shelves in the garage, I thought I'd try to make my own crankcase adapters rather than purchase the ones from VPW. So I've cut down a couple downdraft tubes and brazed on a fitting for the PCV valve side of the PCV system. I've also brazed on a fitting to the oil fill tube, similar to the ones sold by VPW, for the air flow side of the PCV system. I attempted these modifications before trying to make the oil bath air cleaner modifications. With the thinner sheet metal of the air cleaner housing, I have been hesitant to get out the brazing torch for fear of ruining one of these. The housings I have are in very good shape and I don't want to run the risk of butchering these specimens. But first things first: a hole would need to be drilled into the base of the housing throat. This task is practically impossible as it is not a straight shot for a drill bit, nor for a center punch to start a pilot hole. The only straight shot is to drill a hole through the side of the air cleaner housing and into the throat, then braze a horizontal tube through both holes. This would put the tube below the oil fill line on the housing, and my brass brazing practice is a work in progress so I'm not that confident that one of my submerged braze welds would not leak. Maybe with enough practice material to perfect the brazing technique, I would attempt this tube installation...my guess is that is the same reasoning why I've never seen one of these air filters modified per the service bulltetin. If I was converting to a paper element, I could probably try something like this modification... While reading up on brazing techniques, I turned the problem upside down and thought about putting some sort of fitting on the air cleaner itself. Brazing was out of the question for fear of damaging the cellulose material. Drilling a new hole in the cleaner was out because there was no good way to access the innards of the cleaner. But there was one hole already in the cleaner, where the wingnut clamps the cleaner onto the housing. So looking at some brass fittings, doing some air volume calculations, and mocking up some fittings to check for clearances, there appears to be a way to have a PCV port at the top of the air cleaner that requires very little surgery. With a bit of finagling and some sealing washers, we'll see how well this works out

I cringe when I see a 'nice' paint job on an old truck and wires hanging out from under the dash, especially considering how little wiring there is on this one. The cab/bed alignment would make me want to put that thing on a lift to get a good look underneath. The frame may have been damaged, and weld repairs may have arched the frame rails. Or the bottom of the cab has rotted away and a makeshift fish-plate repair was made that has caused some misalignment. There are missing trim details in the sheet metal but no visible mounting holes in those locations, so I may assume that under that non-stock color paint is a slathering of bondo. Askew windshield wipers could be a sign of another annoying repair that needs to be made. Bottom line: there are way too many little things wrong with this truck, its patchwork of repairs spell "WALK AWAY" to budget-minded folk

you're gonna hate that truck if'n ya go from radial to bias-ply tires; also, that Firestone tire is for rims up to 5" wide. Coker lists the Excelsior Sports Radial as made in the USA and for rims 5" to 6.5" wide, but they are nearly a Franklin more per wheel. Choose wisely...

almost sounds like that last leg of yer trip was akin to the end of the road for the Blues-Mobile...GOOD TIMES!!!

Polished aluminum tread plate decking on service bodies of utility trucks, brush fire trucks, etc. usually has black grit paint applied to the horizontal surfaces, as that noonday sun will blind ya if you're working in the vicinity. I've seen the polished tread plate floors at hot rod shows, and they look nice indoors and early & late in the day outdoors, but they have the same blinding effect in the noonday sun. So a body color or black tread floor could be sunny-day safe...if ya could find some checkerboard tread plate, then ya got somethin'

hex nuts are cheap: cut them stuck ones off carefully with an abrasive disc on a dremel tool or die grinder or whutnot. I haven't done this on the D-O-D-G-E emblem yet, but I've cut hex nuts off of other studs, and the cutting does two things: heat from friction can break the nut loose, and material removal releases the tension inside the nut so it'll let go of the threads; this can be seen as removal of a corner of the hex nut will allow the nut carcass to be peeled off of the stud threads. I've recently taken up brazing, with steel and brass rods on sheet metal and tubing, with improving results. I'm gonna try that silver solder on one of the mangled D-O-D-G-E emblems and see if I can make the magic happen

I picked up an aftermarket bumper made from channel; it has a similar bump in the middle, but bent towards the truck, for a trailer hitch.

that's a good-lookin' starting point...if ya could scare up a 230 and hook up a T5 overdrive, ya might have yerself a nice driver

that thar is a steering column bracket for all column-shifted transmissions '51-'53

the tail light bracket you have and its mounting location are correct for 1-ton flatbeds, etc., not the Express models, as there would be interference with the bed sides. Further study of the parts manual shows an error in Group 23 Body illustrations and Group 8 Electrical parts listings for the Bracket: 8-55-75 shown for all chassis & non-Panel body configurations in Group 23 does not match the Group 8 parts description, as 8-55-75 is for Express models only. Arm 8-55-111 is for all models except Panel & Express. From Bunn's Dodge...Ref.Guide & History, tail light location can be seen on pp.29, 48, 50, etc. Also on p.48 is a close-up of tail light installation. From what I've seen from The Money Pit, there appears to be a provision for self-tapping screws on the passenger side, as the sheet metal is formed in a way to double its thickness in this location. So I reckon the driver side was installed the same way at the factory. But since this is sheet metal that sticks out, the bracket can be easily ripped out. I've got three beds that this bracket is re-attached with nuts & bolts & a variety of washers, both flat & locking. Another bed has the bracket brazed back onto the sheet metal. The Spring Special has its original mounting intact, with bolt heads visible from outside the truck, but no nuts visible inside the stake pocket, only the bolt threads. Bottom Line: Express tail lights mounted to the bed; flatbed tail lights mount to the frame

how'bout this: take a hex head bolt that's a tight fit with a glob of RTV or JB Weld on the threads and plug that thar hole but good

Tire stores can be full of hooey at times...I've been told by one store that they will only install tires with sizes that came original to a vehicle, no exceptions; another store only spoke in "4-ply, 6-ply, 8-ply" when I was asking for a C-rated tire rather than an E-rated tire; when I told another store that I wanted a static balance on my wheels, the techs told me that was not legal; yet another store told me the lock-ring rims on the 1-ton were not legal for highway use so they wouldn't work on them...all I'm really hearing from these folks is a lot of baloney cuz they don't want to be held responsible for anything going wrong. Anyhow, I'm surprised that ya found someone who could patch a tire tube at all; the fact they slung that BS at ya is a real stumper.

I found this awhile back that confirmed some info in Bunn's books...that one pic appears to show the black grille bars that Bunn wrote about for the '50 Spring Special he found...I didn't believe it at first glance, but after I thought about it for a good while, it made sense since Dodge had the park lamp doors painted black for '48-'50.

wiper motor linkages and pivot locations are different on 48-50 and 51-53 models; I tried to make a '52 electric motor work in my '49 by making some new linkages, but I don't have the right tools to get the bushings right, so the wipers slop purt'near off the windshield. This truck shows the different locations on the cab for the wiper arm pivots...it also shows a car engine that has a rear sump, dipstick in the block, and throttle linkage parts mounted on the head...

well C-R-A-P ya got yerself one of them canuck RMP gauges [/FACEPALM] when I sent my '48 gauges off back in '99, I held my breath for 4 months, and got back ok work, the color was wrong and some of the numbers were a li'l sloppy, but they operate...the speedo gauge didn't get re-worked because the guy said he couldn't do the curved face, so I was glad about his honesty there. Maybe a fifth of Dr. JD can help ya deal with this episode, cuz I know I'm kinda grittin' my teeth for ya...the "P" on the AMP gauge sticks out to me for some reason...anyhow, if the gauges operate accurately, ya can tell folks that yer gonna fix the faces some day

1948 B-1-B-108 great grandfather's only new buggy that he drove for over 20 years Build Card B-1 horn button repair B-1 horn button assembly original style gas cap original tailgate lettering paint & location cab floor to fuel filler neck seal fuel line routing at B&B carburetor from fuel pump to improve hot-starting starter cable optional routing brake line routing at engine compartment carburetor throttle return spring cowl vent mechanism operation dipstick gasket, dimensions, etc. door check parts & function door check replacement windshield frame details windshield wiper blades door glass drawing (with vent window) dome light installation wiring diagram with turn signal & headlight relay 3 speed transmission speedometer cable pinion seal fuel gauge operation & troubleshooting fuel level sending unit upgrades early/late B-1 bed fender differences internal vs. external bypass water pump identification front hub dust cap front wheel bearings grey beard's steering box adjustments grey beard's reflooring project B-series brake drum replacement (11") partial bed removal 1949 B-1-D-126 1-ton rescued from The Panhandle / W. Oklahoma area (2001) Build Card steering gearbox overhaul steering gearbox dust seal steering gearbox and cross link installation floorboard bolt alternative B-series fuel tank comparison B-series fuel tank frame flex springs B-1 / B-2 shock absorber replacement B-1 park brake assembly (driver side) dual horn setup speedometer cable routing (4 spd spur gear) 4 spd spur gear output shaft seal 1-ton pinion seal 1-ton front wheel seals 1-ton rear wheel seals 1951 B-3-D-126 flatbed dually picked up in Oklahoma after being rescued from a barn in Kansas (2010) B-3 / B-4 shock absorber replacement B-3 / B-4 door seal info 1953 B-4-B-116 Spring Special rescued from within spitting distance of a crusher at a defunct salvage yard being cleared near Lancaster, TX (2011) Build Card B-4 bed hardware change after fuel tank redesigned B-series bed strip comparison: Midwest Military v. Mar-K Frankenstein projects: cobbled together buggies from a collection of rescued & abandoned projects, to reduce parts inventory and utilize complete rolling powertrains Pilot-House fluid drive general dimensions miscellaneous technical information grey beard's PCV valve installation & modifications + PCV theory Vacuumatic Crankcase Ventilation information grey beard's fuel pump testing for engine performance evaluation grey beard's distributor information grey beard's reflooring project grey beard's GM alternator information bullseye halogen conversion B-series wheel color B-series Dodge Truck Green B-series bed strip dimensions Chrysler Master Tech - Story of Valves flathead starter performance minor upgrade flathead fuel filter + gasket information flathead bypass oil filter operation DeLuxe Products Oil Filter information bypass spin-on oil filter + installing a spin-on bypass oil filter B-series battery tray information carburetor float pin retainer replacement flathead technical information flathead vacuum tuning column shifter adjustments radiator cap identification Gates molded rubber hose catalog flathead milling information + volume verification master catalog for engine bearings brake shoe installation Fluid Coupling Rebuilding Pilot-House rejuvenation checklist rear axle shaft end play Autolite HA-4032-D horn adjustments

doing some Spring Special research, I found this...it's close, but ultimately a copy.

I'm thinkin' the problem with poor horn performance could be rooted at sketchy ground continuity through the gearbox assembly. After the horn button is engaged to the wire contact, ground continuity has to pass through about a half dozen points before reaching the frame...if the battery is grounded to the transmission housing from the factory, and there is no ground strap added from the frame to the transmission, then ground continuity has to further pass through about another half dozen points through the rear motor mount area. Lots of opportunity for corrosion to have a cumulative effect on a good ground for the horn for the 6 volt systems. Using a two wire contact switch at the horn button and having a ground strap to the frame could greatly reduce this effect.

Reading the posts about how much torque is required to turn a rebuilt engine has confirmed my suspicions on my 1st rebuild for this truck. The truck is confirmed as a '48, but the engine is a '55 Plymouth, and when I rebuilt the engine back in the mid-90s, I was focused on pulling old parts out & installing new parts, not measuring machined surfaces. My first inkling of a problem is that the '48 front & rear seals would not fit, so I ran the old ones until I could figure out the problem. Wellll they leak cuz they were dried out for a couple of decades, so running the engine now develops a nasty pair of puddles. But more worrisome is that after 10,250 miles, that engine is very hard to turn over by hand...my guess is that it's in the 120 ft-lb range instead of the 35-45 ft-lb range. So something is too tight or binding (possibly piston rings or bearings), which explains why the starter seems to drag more than the '49...that 230 would spin quick & fire right up just a few years ago (hopefully again soon). Doing some preliminary frame measurements showed that the front bumper is at an angle. But checking some of the fender parts makes me think that they aren't lined up straight either. When I get around to it, I'll have to verify all this before tearing the truck completely apart. Checking fit now is easier cuz I'm not too attached to the paint job as it is part original, part body work from the '60s that is crazed & flaking off in big chunks. I decided to address the horn problem that's been nagging since day one. Grounding the horn to the motor produces an eardrum rattling honk, but using the wiring I installed back in the 90s and ground through the horn button produces a cartoonish muted beep. Looking over the wiring I did in my teens, I recall doing the best I could with what I had, but even though it is still in decent shape, it will have to go as the wire gauges I used aren't correct. The bakelite(?) horn button broke, so I figgered I'd epoxy repair that before buying a new one. This kind of repair is similar to a butt weld, which ain't too strong by it's nature, but may be adequate for this application. I saw-toothed the failed areas to increase surface area bonding surface. I found some old weed-eater line that I tried as a molding surface for the epoxy, used some masking tape to complete the mold, then applied the epoxy. The next day I sawed off the excess material, filed down & cleaned up the surfaces, and test-fitted the button back on the truck...so far so good What I'm fiddling with now is the electrical switch inside the horn button. The idea was to replace the one-wire contact switch assembly at the horn button with a two-wire contact switch. The prototype I've put together looks like it may work, but until I get it bouncing on the road I won't know for sure how it will perform. The new switch plus wires costs less than $10 and requires minor modification to the wiring harness. I've opted to use two 14 AWG solid wires, which will fit through the floating bakelite(?) bushing, and a whittled down & modified Dorman horn contact. More info will follow after some road-testing...

The original fuel lines are clamped to the frame in strategic places, but I've wondered why the lines were mounted outside the frame rail, where they would be prone to flying debris damage, while the fuel tank was mounted inside the frame rails. My only guess is that if the fuel lines are inside the frame rail, debris (e.g. road salt) can accumulate between the lines and the frame rails and not easily be cleaned off, leading to fuel line corrosion and failure. But on both the trucks I've worked on, the fuel line was beat up & pinched near the front left wheel (attached is the area with the fuel line removed). So one of the things I'll be working on is installing the fuel lines inside the frame rails with some sort of stand-offs to reduce any debris accumulation. The tricky area will be at the bell housing motor mounts as brake lines are going through there also. I think it's possible to make this work...it's on the to-do list

Out of curiosity, I pulled the empty fuel tank out to compare it to spare '52 & '53 fuel tanks. The '52 tank is a bit mashed on the bottom, so I couldn't do an effective side-by-side comparison. I eyeballed the '48 & '51 fuel tanks that are installed, and they look similar to the '52. the '53 tank is a different shape than the '48-'52, and its fuel line port is atop the tank rather than at the lower front. The '53 frames have a different cross-member to accommodate the tank, so putting a '53 tank in a '48-'52 is not a direct swap. The '53 spare tank has an aftermarket sending unit installed that will probably be converted to a plug. the original fuel line on my '49 matched that of my '48, but had been bent to attach to the short line I've shown pictured coming off the '49 tank. I had not handled this tank since '04, so my memory was a little fuzzy as all of my Polaroids of my work have been lost. Looking at the tank for the first time in years from above, I was stumped: this tank is similar but not the same as the '48-'52. I thought maybe the tank had been damaged and a '53 draw tube had been grafted to the tank top to repair it some years ago, but the entire top of the tank is a different shape than the '48-'52. Not only is there a factory installed boss for the draw tube, but there is a factory indentation in the top surface to strengthen this area. Also, there is a sloped section at the filler neck that reduces the cab seal contact area. whatever the differences are, the fuel tank fits and works, so I'll just clean it out, check the sending unit, replace that O-ring, and re-install. The Gas Tank Re-Nu treatment seems to be holding up well, as the fuel that was in there back in '08 didn't leak out but boiled out through the gas cap vent.

it took some finagling, but the gearbox was installed on Independence Day. Installation with the cast bracket mounted to the gearbox, the cab + front fenders on the frame, and the transmission + pedals mounted to the engine, is a real exercise in patience and holding one's tongue just the right way. It can be done, but I nicked up the shiny paint on the column a little bit. The gearbox slips easily between the pedals, but mounting the cast bracket with all that front sheet metal in place requires one to stand on one's head. The driver side inner fender would only release upwards about 10 inches before it hung up on the radio hump on the firewall, and I did not want to start disassembling the rusty sheet metal out in the dirt patch I was working on because the cracks in the ground had already swallowed up a few bolts and washers before. The cast bracket has one bolt to the gearbox that cannot be seen or accessed with the bracket mounted to the frame, so the whole thing was bolted up on the workbench (aka front porch) and worked into place, pressing the brake pedal in and wiggling around the master cylinder & the starter, as well as the oil filter & distributor. with the gearbox bolted to the frame, and the bearing collar removed at the steering wheel end of the steering shaft, the shaft rides towards the center of the cab instead of perfectly centered on the bearing. I'm not sure if the cab is off centered a tad, or if it's another design flaw with the steering. One thing I noticed with the cast bracket is that the mounting surfaces to the frame and to the gearbox do not lie on parallel planes. This can partially be seen in the first picture posted, as the frame mounting ears appear parallel, but the two gearbox mounting ears are different than the hidden mounting hole. Those two ears are proud of the casting by about 1/8", while the hidden mounting hole is flush. This kicks the steering shaft alignment towards the centerline of the frame instead of parallel to it. Is there a reason for this? My only guess is that it puts the slightly flexible steering shaft into a pre-loading condition on the bearing near the steering wheel. Of note is how much room is available to work on the engine with the frame jacked up & front wheels removed. This allows the front axle to drop out of the way enough to pull the oil pan. I've done this on the '48 & '49 engine rebuilds and brake overhauls. Once I get the engine running again, I'll drive this to a more work-friendly surface...while jostling around under there, I've had more than one big spider fall on my face, as well as a field mouse bouncing off my knee, causing me to bang my head on the grimy 4spd housing.

I have had hot starting problems on both the '48 (218 w/ Carter B&B ) & '49 (230 w/Stromberg), and assumed it was vapor lock. Daytime temps over 100, pavement temps well over that, with heat being shelled off by the radiator, and the engine compartment air temp can get hot enough to blister ya. Both had heat shields in place, with fuel lines routed away from the exhaust manifolds. The Carter carb was more prone to the heat as the fuel filter was over the manifold, and the fuel line is aimed towards the radiator before breaking towards the fuel pump. Installing a couple of spark plug boots spark plug wire sleeves helped, but on really hot days, hot starts were complicated by a very slow turning starter. New 6V batteries helped a little, but the starters would still turn much slower when heated up. Eventually, Ohm's law was considered, and it was determined that the original 2/0 battery cables were at fault. These cables, though appearing in good shape, had corrosion between the strands throughout their lengths, boosting resistance when hot, bogging down the starter motor as current was being impeded. New 2/0 cables, with chassis ground relocated from the transmission to one of the starter bolts, increased starter speeds, even on very hot days. This partially cured the hot starting problem. Checking the spark plugs, they appeared fuel-fouled. Once those were cleaned up, hot start-ups were a very rare problem that were often attributed to old gas. I recently tried the Coke bottle of water down the carb trick to steam clean the spark plugs: works like a charm! I had never heard of the clothes pin trick, but I had seen wadded up aluminum foil on old Chevrolets & Fords and was told it was to help with hot starting. Anyhow, clothes pins can act as a heat sink, the aluminum foil can act as a heat shield. As for the thermostat, the temperature rating is when the thermostat opens. Back when these flatheads were new, coolant with lower boiling temperatures than ethylene glycol were used. When ethylene glycol became readily available, cooling systems were redesigned to accommodate the 180 thermostats so that the hotter operating temps would boil out any condensation in the crankcase to reduce sludge buildup. Eventually, cooling systems were designed to accommodate 195 thermostats to combat sludge on tighter tolerance motors... As the flatheads have a great deal of mass to heat up, the coolant jackets would be much warmer than the oil in the lower end of the motor. As a check, I verified thermostat function at 180, then checked the oil temp...the oil had barely risen over ambient air temperature. So it takes several thermostat cycles for the block to heat up enough to raise the oil temperatures. At any rate, the hotter operating temperatures are beneficial to the internals of the flatheads to combat sludge. To offset the higher temps, insulating the fuel pump & lines from this extra heat can improve engine performance.