Scruffy49

Same era F series locks and interior handles/trim rings are the same part. And you can use through mid-1980s MACK R- series in a pinch.

Looks really good. Been wondering how mine would look if the front bumper and guards got chromed. What's the story on the rear bumper? I like it, mine has a panel truck type rear bumper.

The crazy old man tricks tend to work. Dismantling your spring packs, greasing between the leaves and then encasing them in jumbo sized heat shrink tubing really makes things quiet. For a cobble job that sure is a nice looking truck. I'd drive it.

When I have to move my 69 Dodge I prime the carb with 2 stroke mix. Lights right off, straight gas it backfires like crazy. Plain old basically stock 210hp LA318 with a 2 barrel and true dual exhaust. My 98 Suzuki motorcycle runs best with an ounce or two of ATF mixed into the gasoline. 652cc single cylinder 4 stroke. Maybe the oil counteracts some of the bleah factor from the ethanol in the fuel. All I know (or care) is that those work for those 2 toys. Last time I fired up the 49 it managed to touch off the fuel residue from 1974 that got softened up in the fuel tank. A couple gallons of L'il Stinker (Idaho fuel chain) super high test (could still buy 100 octane then), 20 year old tank residue, hot 12v battery... If you use an outboard spec Champion J6 these old flatties will burn 36:1 2 stroke mix. That's all we used to run in a 201 powering an irrigation pump.

Put the maple part in when I was still in Washington state. The mahogany roof strips were originally for my 58 D300, then my father in law swiped them for his D-humungous based motorhome (1970 with a 413-3). He said he lost them, then Katrina came through (demolished the D300 and our 1946 cabin cruiser). We left the coast in 99, left the farm in 01, moved back this April. The strips were in the barn on top of a bunch of stuff salvaged from the vacation home in MS. Truck does need another shift knob. Had a skull in a Nazi helmet for it, but used that in the Ranger. Had covered the stock gas pedal in mahogany but it fell apart. Have to get a new one from Roberts or VPW. May get a gunstock checkered mahogany cover, not sure yet. Glove box guts for the CD player will be made of "flame" mahogany, brilliant red with gold streaks in it. If I bother with a radio that is, otherwise it will have a mahogany or cherry glovebox. I did find enough solid pecan flooring to do the bedfloor if I want it fancy, otherwise it will be bedliner spray over ground contact 3/4" plywood. Also found that some Peterbilt and Freightliner hooded chrome trim bezels will fit it... Stock looks too much like a Chevron gas company "happy car" toy.

Hit up Juliano's for the 4 piece seal and trim set for each pedal and the steering column. Rubber and billet or chrome, bolts to the floor, pedal arms move through the cut-outs built into the unit. Not stock, but, neither are the mahogany armrests or work in progress mahogany strip headliner, or the copper door/kick panel covers I'm working on, not to mention the vinyl wrapped steering wheel, maple shift knob, CD player for the glovebox opening, spare hood nameplate on the glovebox door... If original parts work, great. If they don't, or their repopped replacements don't, I'm hitting the street rod trim suppliers for stuff that will. If i don't like the modern replacements, I'll just weld the fastener holes shut and come up with something else.

Wish mine was that far along. My "new" 230 is still sitting on a trailer in the orchard. Front clip is still on the truck and the 218 with the busted rings is still in the engine bay. Works good as a hose holder, drape it over the mirror, fender mounted signals and across the bumper guards. Haven't hit the hose with the mower yet! I've kinda given up on mine for now. My daily driver is consuming a ton of cash and time with computer issues. I really hate EFI and electronic ignition...

My truck isn't going to end up all that stock on the inside either. Seriously considering a column swap, preferably for one out of a junked big rig. It isn't that hard to modify the old box/column combos to run a different column... Cut here, grind there, add a rag joint...

I ended up covering the wheels in both my old Dodges with RV covers. Couldn't find an adapter for the 69's column (I want a nice mahogany Peterbilt spec, I drive a 379 extended hood heavy hauler) and didn't bother hunting for a swap for the 49. I think it cost $10 or $12 per truck for the covers, Pep Boys usually has them. If not, some truck stops will, Freightliner Columbias use small wheels so the shops carry some smaller covers. Oh, Freightliner had keyed steering wheels up into the middle of the decade on some models, try those dealerships too.

You could just buy a Powermaster, 12v alternator inside a generator case... Use the Chevy version. Or go see Dennis at the starter and alternator exchange in Puyallup, just off Meridian, turn right off 512, turn right at next stoplight, half a block down on the right. He should be able to put modern guts in the generator housing. I kinda prefer generators though on the old guys. Best bets on kingping sets are Parts Plus retailers, I liked Bonney Lake Auto Parts or Hagans on River Road in Puyallup. Either tended to have next day availability on old Mopar stuff. If you have a three piece hood you should have a side fill radiator. Take yours as a core to A Plus truck wrecking in Auburn. They pull all the radiators and have them on shelves, and the yard has parts junkers back to the 1930s. Take Ellingson exit off 512, head for Auburn Way, turn left at Auburn way and they will be on the right just past the Albertson's complex. Don't eat at the McDonalds by the junkyard... Your other option is to get a couple pieces of stainless tubing and fab up a top hose with a fill port. You can curve it as needed for clearance. Any good parts store or tractor shop can get the fill port, you just connect everything with clamps and chunks of soft radiator hose. Do yourself a favor and run a true dual exhaust on it. Or at least a dual inlet muffler and long pipes. You need to check the Sweptline boards as well, there are some hardcore poly fanatics on them.

I work for a local tree service and disaster recovery company. Got called today for possible dispatch to Long Island NY Monday morning. I'm a heavy haul driver, may be moving a giant track hoe and front end loader up there if the storm is significant. I have family on the east end of the island I haven't seen since July 1990, so may get a chance to see them. Not sure I like the sound of a Memphis to NY trip in a storm, with a blackout, but... somebody has to do it.

LA318 alternator bracket will work if you can scrounge up a set. I had a 1958 D300 stake with a 315 poly, used brackets off a 1970 engine and the 1970-up "square back" alternator. Where the heck is Rainy Wa? I grew up on the west side (Graham). Just drug my Pilot House to Memphis when we moved back here in April. Pulled my late 60s horse trailer behind my 69 D100-128 Sweptline. You won't need IFS, just strip the spring packs of every other leaf. You should get a roughly 2" drop, softer ride... and if you are good at "cobble jobbing" a quick trip to the boneyard will net you the front sway bar from a 61-71. Drill 6 holes and bolt it up. They were I-beam front ends as well, just avoid the stock Sweptline power steering like it was contagious... if the truck gets a new kingpin set, you won't need it, even at parking lot speeds. Tell your daughter to enjoy it. Nothing beats a classic American truck, and my D100 is 100x more reliable than my fuel infested confuser controlled 94 Ranger (too bad the Dodge isn't street legal right now).

They always had a V8-60, or small L4 or straight 8 or such inside under the tool bins. I was born in Puyallup, grew up in Graham. Any Parts Plus dealer can get pretty much any other parts you might need.

Call the guys at Hagen's in Puyallup. If they don't have a decent block in one of the jillion storage buildings (offsite), they'll probably still be able to get you one. The 218 in my truck was done by Centerline Machine in Puyallup in the early 60s. Rings broke in 2005 or so... Someone used to offer .090 pistons for L6 Chryslers. Been awhile since I thought about hotrodding one...

No kidding Ed. That old manor house here survived a strong F3 that ate the pool house, ate a pecan tree as big around as a truck tire, ate a 150 year old black walnut tree, had the tenant house for dessert, the barn sides for a pre-bed snack, and washed it down with the contents of the swimming pool. Lisa and I live in her grandmother's old house, across the driveway. Her dad lives in the big house. At least he doesn't use the carbide lighting anymore (he could, still in the house and doesn't leak).

Advanced in the closest town to me won't go anything older than 1995. At least that is what they told the old guy next to me when I stopped in to grab a bottle of power steering fluid (Rangers really are pathetic little pieces of junk, aren't they)... Local HD dealership has a 10 year old cut off date for service/repairs... Ditto the metric bike shops. Local "antique car" mechanic (term used loosely, cost me a 2330cc VW racing engine) is only good for turning your vehicle into yard art. Local NAPA garage has had my father in law's motorcycle for over a year. The "me can't fix" (mechanic) can't figure out how to fix the carb (bent slide needle, $5 part and 15 minutes of time)... I live in farm country. I have a day job and farm on the weekends. You'd think the locals would know how to fix old stuff, and how to find parts for old stuff. There is a running steam tractor up the road, still earns it's keep. Parts have to be coming from somewhere... And the NAPA machine shop quoted me $300 to weld a cracked exhaust manifold mounting ear. Don't think so...

If you are ever around Memphis I have a 3 on the tree trans you can have for parts. It came out of a 57 Savoy in Broken Arrow, all I wanted was the 230, got stuck with the trans.

Not bad. I live on an old plantation north of Memphis. Big house built in 1841 to replace the 1790s one that burned down. It does need some work. I guess any house that old would... Here's ours:

I rarely try NAPA anymore. 3 weeks for a brake drum to get from Chicago to Seattle. Not even for an old vehicle, 69 D-100 isn't "old" (okay, it's 3 years older than me, so what, it has overhead valves). Oil filters (four trucks) "not available" (really, Fram quit making PH8A filters)... External bypass water pump not available ($60 out the door at Parts Plus stores in two states so far). Tune up parts not available (yes they are, even autozone has them). CarQuest has gotten as bad the last 5 years or so. The NAPA here at the farm co-op isn't too bad, not great, but not bad. At least they realize that the gas caps for my trucks and John Deere 1020 (3 cylinder gasoline) are the same part number. I was a motorcycle shop counterman for years. Don't give me that DUH look when a real machine isn't in the computer... If Harley Davidson can stock parts back to the 1960s, and BMW can stock them back to the 1920s... trust me kid, if you open the book, it won't bite you.

I quit going to the Mopar show where I grew up because of powertrain snobbery. Which does have a non-mopar engined display section.I'd rather see running than rusting in the back field. Even though I do despise general mistake company engines (with a few exceptions, think 455 Rocket). If that coupe having a Vette engine is that offensive, I have a 48 P15 218 engine you can come pick up and give to him. It's a worn out useless piece of junk with a bunch of broken rings, but it is a P15 engine. Okay, P15 block, the rest is truck 218 stuff. The whole mess is getting replaced by a 230, 57 vintage, from a Savoy that now runs a Vette 350... (not my car, friend of a friend in Tulsa). I'd drive that coupe even if it had a pathetic little Willys Go-Devil (144 ci L4). Or a Lexus/Tundra V8 (seen it done, not that difficult). Get over it. Girl has nice headlights... Would love to see her rear bumper...

Measure the leaf spring spacing. Write it down. Go to Speedway Motor's website and check their selection. If something is close enough to what you want, buy the axle, spindles AND the disc brakes for said spindles. You can get Ford or Chevy spindles/brakes. Mor-Drop in California can still drop your stock axle if need be.

That would explain our stoned mini horse, there are 3 mulberry trees along one of his fences. At least the berries are pretty much played out here for the year. Guess it got too hot. Wonder if I'll be able to keep him out of the watermelon patch? Barely July 4th and ready to pick...

What is your "must have" on the front end? Mine hasn't been used in years, had to gut a drum to load it for the move. And, I'm just up the road from you, work at the Ag Center.

My 49 (3 on the floor) had a small plastic cue ball with a nut pounded into a hole drilled in the ball. So old it had yellowed like ivory does. Currently has a cheap maple or birch parts store shift knob with a 50 cent piece epoxied (eagle side up) where the shift pattern sticker would be. Also have a couple cut glass door knobs to make spares out of. I like them, very traditional but kind of over done lately courtesy of rat rod enthusiasts and bobber fanatics. I'd really like a classic (and classy) nude woman shift knob, but all I can find is tacky resin junk. Way overpriced tacky resin junk.

I'm making my door and kick panels from hair thin copper sheeting laminated onto fiberglass. Some old Navy junk my father in law had floating around to use in one of his boats. Amazing what you can find at military auctions... Mahogany strip headliner, mahogany armrest/door pull combo. Corrugated plastic election signs make excellent panel boards. Easy to cut, easy to bend, usually free after the election (or before if you don't like the candidate...). Simple spray adhesive will affix a fabric or vinyl cover, material is soft enough for a sewn vinyl edge, folded over to hide the stitching. No worse than edge binding carpet, easier than sewing welting (I do both by hand, but, I'm kinda old fashioned...okay, strange). My stepson and I made the panels for his 54 Ford Squire (English miniature station wagon) out of Home Depot and Lowes sourced fiber board and western red cedar "benders", 1/4"x4"x6' or 8'. Even the fiberboard headliner that came stock in my 69 Sweptline is being redone in wood strips. Adds character.