austinsailor

Will doors off a '50 fit a '48? How about the hoods? Thanks for any help.

I've got my B1B here in Texas this week, working my way through the bonded title process. On the way back from the inspection by the auto theft officers, we decided to go through Port Aransas. You drive on to the south end at Corpus on a road, the only way off on the other end is by ferry. Since she spent her whole life as a farm truck near Moberly Mo, (at least the last 20 in a barn) I doubt she's ever been on a ferry at all, and most certainly has never crossed salt water on a ferry.

It looked right from what I remember. The last one I bid on went for well over $400 plus shipping. I can build one for that! I'll keep an eye on it. Thanks.

I'm 1000 miles from my parts books, can someone check to see if it'll fit my 42 2 door? Thanks very much

Hitting to remove it is close. Hold a big hammer (like 5 lb or more) on one side of the part the tapered end goes through, then hit it with a 2 pounder on the other side. One or two hits it'll pop loose. This saves the seals. An old guy in a junk yard in Germany showed me this in 1974. I've used it dozens of times on many vehicles, big and small, and have never had it fail. It'll remove it with less effort than the pickle fork, and puts no strain on the other components.

I tried again to buy it when I returned it and offered him $200. He said no, I'll take $35, that's more than I have in it. I forced $50 on him. I'm excited. I told him I was stealing it from him. He said his wife wouldn't put anything on eBay for him, so this was fine. "Many miles of happy motoring to you".

Thanks for the assistance. Rich also had a good idea. My friend won't sell the tool, although he's never used it, doesn't know how and it's set in his machine shop for probably 30 years. He will let me use it. Rich suggested I leave a note in the box with my contact information and saying I wanted to buy it. If it ever is going to be disposed of, hopefully I'll get contacted. And unless I borrow it again, it'll probably not see the light of day until that happens. Gene

With the help of several people here I now understand how to use the Miller tool. It took about an hour to clean it up and lub things so it was in working order, but I just did my first brake and it worked great. This is probably the first time I have had a brake adjusted correctly on one of these, and I've messed with a few over the years. So, thanks for all the help and information. Now I just need to get back to the shop and do the other 3.

I had no idea what to call them or where to look. I'd never seen one in person. They'll help a lot when I start on the 48 panel I just bought. Which will probably be just after the 48 b1b is on the road - in November.

Some time ago I saw a thread somewhere, maybe not even here, where somebody was using a small tool that held two sheet metal edges together while they were welded. It fit through the joint, then a flat piece was put through a slot on the back side edgeways, the top side was made to tighten it up. It would basically clamp sheetmetal from both sides, then could be removed when the metal was tack welded. I searched the web, found them and bookmarked them. Some months ago my computer disk drive ate itself, and I lost the link. I don't recall what they were called, so it's hard to find them again. Would anyone have a clue what I'm talking about? I'd sure like to order a couple if I can find them again.

http://houston.craigslist.org/pts/1435297997.html Might be of use to someone here.

Miserable trip, 475 miles in driving rain. But it's here. It's a little rougher than the pictures would leave you to believe, but if you have to fix a panel, it doesn't matter much if it's a little rough, or a lot rough. Pictures nearly always look better than the read deal, though.

I did a little politics. I sent her these links as well, just to show it was a great deal: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1948-FORD-PANEL-VAN-WITH-FLATHEAD-V-8_W0QQitemZ260471668476QQcmdZViewItemQQptZSalvage_Parts_Cars?hash=item3ca5523efc http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1940-41-42-Ford-Panel-Wagon-Truck-Project-Rat-Hot-Rod_W0QQitemZ220500468371QQcmdZViewItemQQptZSalvage_Parts_Cars?hash=item3356da2293 http://roanoke.craigslist.org/pts/1403833439.html http://duluth.craigslist.org/cto/1403249462.html http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/cto/1437988688.html

I happened onto it 30 minutes before the end of the auction, it was at $100. Couldn't let that happen. Might make a 4 hour run this afternoon to get it. I have a good, running chassis from the parts truck I bought a couple weeks ago, and it has a good front clip on it. I see a quick rat rod type project here. Run em like you found em, huh? I sent my wife a link to the auction - I haven't heard a scream, guess she hasn't checked email yet!

Pilothouse panel. Ebay item # 330370451542 What can I say? What will I tell my wife?

The miller is what I have. I'm not home now, but I think I can make it work now that I see what the parts are for. Thanks very much for posting the link. It'll Probably be the weekend before I get back on it, but I'll post some results when it happens. I'm excited now - I can finally set the brakes correctly on my 40 sedan, too!

I' wonder if it was originally built with a 25" motor or was modified? Might be Canadian, then motor replaced? Well, we won't have to wonder long - one of the many experts here will know from the serial numbers. If you can save the block, great, if not there are 25" motors around fairly cheap. $100 to $200 should buy you a rebuildable motor, and with luck, it won't need rebuilding after all. Chrysler, truck or another desoto would work, it's not a "matching number" truck anyway. Watch eBay and search craigs list within you comfortabe driving distance and one will show up. Pictures??!! Gene g Getting ready to tear down my "new" desoto motor

Looking for a fun truck that surprises people, sound good and is dependable. Not a racer, more street rod. Been too long since I saw a head off, stopped by to see an old machine shop guy and realized the piston to head interference problem. Got some leads from him, probably all outdated. Another idea I'd had was to weld up the piston top on the correct side. I thought it was too outlandish to mention here, but I found that another machinist here has done it often. I'll keep looking and asking until I figure out something or drive everyone nuts! Oh, how much would milling the head .1 increase the compression over the standard 7 to 1? What should be my goal, about 9 to 1 or so?

Didn't see my typo until too late!

Down the road I plan to put a big six in my B1B. Got a Desoto six yesterday, have another located. Should have plenty of good core parts. 7 to one is standard compression. What I see needed is higher compression, hotter cam and better breathing. Compression is what I'l like to find more about now. All the Chrysler and Desoto motors seem to be the same, except stroke. Same bore, same crank dimensions, bearings, etc. First idea is to find higher compression pistons. Anything off the shelf, or was there at one time? Another method is to have new ones made, cost around $125 ea. Any increase in compression, whether using custom pistons or otherwise, would seem to need the piston dome to go into the compression chamber of the head. All Mopar flatheads I've seen have pistons that go flush with the block deck. Just brainstorming, it would look like I could take a crank out of a 4 1/2 inch stroke Chrysler motor, put it into the 4 1/4 inch Desoto motor, using standard pistons, leaving the pistons to go 1/8" into the the combustion chamber, increasing the compression. Is this just a completely insane idea? Wilder would be to use a 4 3/4 inch stroke crank out of a 261 Chrysler, going 1/4" above the deck. Any of you guys ever heard of anything like this, or should I just trash the thoughts? I don't think it will be be much of a challenge to have a cam reground, or build headers, but the guts will take some thought.

A small town used car lot has it. He says it was driven there, but became stuck for no good reason. He pulled the head and pan, still doesn't understand why it's stuck. Low miles, he says, at 100k. Worn out at 100k, I'd say. He asked $500, I said it was a hundred dollar car. He points out it was worth $250 as scrap, probably right. If I was pretty sure I could bolt in a higher gear, I'd probably give the $250, part and scrap the rest. Sounds like it's not a bolt in 3ed member, though.

I have located a 53 Plymouth with an automatic not to far away. I'm wondering what gears are under it, and if it would bolt under a 48 pilothouse, either 3ed member or entire axle? I'd be looking for taller gears. Thoughts?

Thanks a lot. I think either I am missing some parts, or this is a different tool. I planned to get pictures of what I have and post them to see if anyone can add to my confusion. I do see how it is supposed to work, really about like I expected. My set has no micrometer tool with it, and it's still not clear how it is supposed to attach to the spindle/axle. I may just make a tool myself. I thought I would take a front and rear drum off my parts truck and cut out a small place for a feeler gauge, but I found that my parts truck has different sized drums on the front. Might still work on the back. My 3 ton is made that way, with small inspection ports in the drum for a feeler gauge.

I bought it minus bed or cab.

Napa is on the third pass trying to get front wheel seals for my b1b. Does anyone have a good current part # for these? Thanks, Gene