Desotodav

Email sent to you Ian.

Looks great Barry - almost like a new Hank! I look forward to seeing it go together.

Have a look at this post on how Mark did his Tom... http://mopar.pairserver.com/p15d24ph_forum/topic/25219-door-lock-keeping-it-in-place/ - might give you some ideas.

We are just getting news updates here in Australia on this devastating event. They say total neighborhoods flattened with over 50 deceased and countless people still missing. What a tragic act by mother nature. Our thoughts and prayers are with them all.

I like the whitewalls, although probably not as much on a lighter colored truck. I reckon that I made the right decision in going with them on my blue 52 truck when you compare the before and after photos.

Looks like a work of art Paul. Keep up the good work!

I'll PM ya when I get a chance Jeff. I just walked in the door after working 8 hours overtime on my day off. My crankshaft is still in being machined as far as I now. I'll chase it up in the next couple of days as I'm not back at work til Wednesday.

Funny think Mark is that this is a new spring fella - I have temporarily lost track of the other one (Mick) as he has moved further down south. Russell does seem to be very switched on though. He took on-board my comments of the need for stainless steel due to rusting problems and made the sample spring accordingly. I don't expect that he will have any issues making the other springs - door lock and door latch. I'll wait to see what the other springs (and the prices) are like Jeff - he's getting back to me within the fortnight. I'd love to see a door modified over your way to take one of our left side external door lock latches. I have 4 or 5 of those left side door latches at present that I could sell over your way if people were interested in making the relatively simple modification. I have chopped the mounting cylinder from the doors that had them in them. I suppose it would be just a case of fitting it (spot welding?) in the right place of the door and then finding a lock barrel and bezel? You talk almost like an Aussie Tim!!!

I saw these on Ebay a while back and reckon that they could be easily modified to do the trick... http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/190745341276?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649

I may have good news on at least one of the door latch springs after my visit to see the Spring Maker today. It appears that he has been able to make a sample (photo attached) of the smaller spring - the one that puts pressure on the door handle to keep it in the horizontal position (or prevent 'droopy handle'). The sample has been made from stainless steel wire and flattened out slightly to match original specifications. We haven't looked at costing yet but will do so shortly. He will have a look at the door latch return spring and the door locking spring next for me. I'm hoping that they come back within a workable price range. He would prefer to do a smaller manufacturing run as he has to make each one by hand - so stocks will be limited. I'm also hoping to confirm that the springs are the same as those used in trucks outside Australia. I'll post more info when it comes to hand. The attached thumbnail should open to almost the exact size of the spring.

I see what you mean now ferdball. I've never seen a bottom-plated crossbeam like yours. I suppose that it would give a bit more structural support to the chassis, but it sure makes life difficult for you in doing anything with that suspension mount! I don't think that I'd be grinding off the rivets in your situation as you would have no way of getting to the back to tighten up mounting nuts for that bracket. You might have to continue in your efforts of removing the pin from the front. It shouldn't be in there too tight as they were only pushed in.

I don't have any of my trucks here to take photos for you - but then it's a bit after 11pm here now so photos mightn't work too well anyway! I've attached 2 photos for you ferdball that should show you where the holes are located. They are up in the crossmember. First photo (attached) shows the location of the hole in the rear mount of the rear spring. The second photo shows that the mount at the front of the rear spring is also lined up with a crossmember - so access to the that hole should be gained in a similar way as the rear mount. I hope all of that makes sense to you...

We used poly-coat black graphite grease in my truck wiper motor as it's a good lubricant that never goes hard. Link to recent wiper motor thread discussion on the truck side... http://mopar.pairserver.com/p15d24ph_forum/topic/32844-windshield-wiper-motor/?hl=%2Bwiper+%2Bmotor .

You started in the right direction by removing the bolt - the pin is actually slotted where the bolt goes through. There is a hole perfectly placed on the inside of the chassis rail to allow you to get a drift on the rear of the pin and hit it with a 'BFH'. I found that using a chisel (or some sort of wedge) in the slot that tightens up with the bolt will relieve a little tension on the pin and make it slide out easier. Keep up the good work!

It's a pity that you are so far along with the project Jeff as I have some door lock mechanisms that would work on your trucks over there to give you a driver's side door lock. It looks like I am making ground on having replacement stainless steel door latch springs (all 3 of them) made. I should know more next week and I'll update the other forum thread.

Yep agreed - but you could get 4 people across the front seat !!!

Maybe that's why he broke mine?

I'll email you later this week about window bits Ryan after I drop down the shed. Nup the 52 is off the road for a little while whilst we sort out an engine bearing problem. Not what I expected after doing only 1500 miles on a new motor!

I used Dynamat on my floor - but it's certainly not what you would call "inexpensive" here in Oz. The rubber-backed foil insulation works well to reduce heat as well as noise. I think that I would be reluctant to use felt as it might store water and cause rust problems over long periods. A thicker rubber mat might work well too, but then I expect that you would pay dearly for thick rubber as well.

I sympathize with you Kevin as I know those window are a PITA to get in. I watched a professional struggle getting mine to go in - and then he broke the left side one! They only go in from the inside and the fit is tight. Tom used Vaseline on my window rubbers and thumped them in with the bottom of his closed fist. Even he agreed that he hadn't seen anything as hard to fit in all of his years of window fitting. You should have a small gap all the way around the glass. The inner lip of the rubber is used to hold the trim in place. I hope that it works out well for you mate.

Is that your window in the photos Ryan?... looks to be the American version as our Aussie vent windows are more rounded towards the front. I'll have a look at some window parts that I have down at the shed during the week and send you an email if I find anything. I wrecked a heap of doors a while back but can't recall if any of those parts that you were after were any good - the handle shafts usually rust causing the handle to break off. Ours here generally don't have the locking button. The handles from FJ Holden's are the same.

Yep, the rubber is mounted in a small metal cup and is more or less just a dust seal - it goes on before the bushing. I made mine from hex-head plastic irrigation pipe ends...

Yep, thanks Hank. I lost that argument quite sometime ago whilst making a crack about you guys driving on the wrong side of the road. I conceded that (as my 52 truck was made in Canada) it was the honorable thing to do by admitting that we are in fact the guys that have things on the 'wrong side'... LOL...

In answer to your questions ferdball: 1 & 2: I haven't noticed any difference (here in Oz) in the B series rear of the rear spring shackle mount fittings (except in heavier trucks), so the 55-57 (C series?) ones that you have may work if they appear the same dimensions. I dropped down to my shed and checked a few of my spare mounts and it appears that they are all right hand thread - so I guess that there would be no other reason why each side would not be interchangeable. I found a set that I had that had part numbers A5755035 embossed in them, which corresponds with part 13-54-15 'Rear Bracket' in one of my truck parts manuals. Both left and right mounts indicated those same numbers (as does my parts manual) so I would definitely say that they are interchangeable. I haven't seen too many offered for sale on-line over your way though. 3: Based on previous forum discussions, I believe that you will struggle finding the mounts for the rear of the front springs over your way. I do have a few used sets of them spare but I haven't checked on their condition. I believe that a fella who I deal with over here still has a few NOS ones in his stock - but I paid about $45 each for them a while back. I am told that our shackle threads are damaged over time by the lack of attention given to keeping the shackles adjusted correctly. I intend to inspect mine regularly to try to avoid further issues in that area. I replaced both front spring rear mounts and one rear spring rear mount whilst rebuilding my blue 52 truck 'Ernie' and have not had any further issues to date. I've attached a few photos of the ones that I have on my shelf. I have a few more sets still attached to springs that haven't been shown in photos. I have to devise a cheaper freight method of getting stuff over to you guys.

The 819 model may fit in your truck Josh. I found the attached picture that shows an 820 and says that it is similar to an 819. The turn knobs on the 819/820 appear to be horizontally in line with the pre-select buttons (different to the ever elusive 610T model radio). There have been many forum discussions on the topic of radios, with this one started by Hank possibly the most comprehensive... http://mopar.pairserver.com/p15d24ph_forum/topic/27822-motorola-610-t-restoration/?hl=+610t%20+radio . I suppose that whether it will fit or not depends on what the radio cut-out in your dash looks like? I had a quick search but didn't find a photo of the dash area of your truck. ...Then you are faced with the difficult decision of where to mount your aerial! We appear more fortunate here in Oz not to have to make these difficult radio decisions as we only had the choice of the more popular 602 or 802 vertically mounted radios (photo of mine attached). Good luck with your radio quest.