Jeff Balazs

Mine both have 3/8" so you should be good. Jeff

Should be 108" if it is a standard 1/2 ton

Very nice!!!! Amazing condition for a work truck. I am sure Davin will chime in....... Love those UTE'S. Jeff

Can't say about the timing and firing order. Either you have it correct or not. One thing I can tell you is that these modern fuel formulations are crap. I drive my 52 B-3- C daily and I treat just about every tank full with 4 to 6oz. of MMO. If I don't I start having issues fairly quickly. As long as I remember to dose the fuel it runs just fine. That is all the proof I need. Jeff

Big Easy; I can't remember the last time I put it into 1st......and I have a 3.55 rear end in it. Got to get it up to speed here......as quickly as it will get there. I was missing a few things when I got my project. But the badges were there. At that time around 2012 they were selling for around $200 on ebay which I thought was high. Guess things have gotten extra silly. Hope you find one cheap. Jeff

Big Easy; That is a good point about Fluid drives. I think it all depends on planned usage. I have a 52 with FD and it did cause me extra work and some grief during the build. It took me quite a while to get comfortable with it. It does effect what all you can modify or revise because of the additional length etc. But a few years into using it daily here in fairly heavy traffic and I have to say I like it. I would like it more if it had synchro in 2nd......but it is a pretty comfortable driver. Also most of the trucks equipped with FD were Deluxe cabs and came with most of the options which is a plus. Does it add to the value? ?......It surely does.....if you have the badges.!!!!! Jeff

I agree with most everything said here. Very hard to put a sale price on something that is not finished. If I had to guess ....somewhere in the $3k to $5K range. If it were a well sorted runner then perhaps $6k to maybe $8k. One thing worth mentioning is that because it is a 3/4 ton it is actually a more desirable to someone who wants to actually use it in stock form. The longer wheelbase of 116" gives it a dramatically better ride than the more common short wheelbase 108" 1/2 ton versions. Hth; Jeff

Tim; You may be right. I am looking at it from another perspective.......fuel related if you will. Not sure what their fuel formulations are like over there but here the fuel needs treatment in order for these old engines to perform. When I started using MMO in the fuel I noticed several improvements in the way my truck ran. No more sooty plugs......easier starting.....fuel bowl stays clean. I have a few buddies here that have older vehicles that have had the same experience and results. I know this stuff works. I ran out of it a while back and it wasn't too long before the old truck started acting up. Got some more and the hard starting etc...went away in a couple of days. Jeff

I suggest you try adding 4oz to 6oz of Marvel Mystery Oil to each tank of gas. See if that doesn't make a difference after you have run 2 or 3 tanks of fuel through it. This stuff really works. And it is not expensive. Jeff

When I saw your post.......I was thinking you went and did it. But then I knew you were much too sensible to go down that road...... ? Jeff

If you are not going to restore it I don't think you should even clean it. You should not have any trouble selling it just the way it is. It is a very nice 52 by the looks of it. Very intact too. Move it along to someone who really wants one. Jeff

I would start with the parts diagram arrangement. God only knows what previous owners may have done over the years. Glad the Roberts seals worked out for you. Jeff

My 52 B-3-C has a fluid drive 4 speed and I use it here in Southern California as my daily driver. They are great trucks and honestly the FD is a nice feature to have in heavy traffic. Your Truck o Matic is a fairly rare option and a great conversation piece. With a good running flathead I would not be afraid of using it. I have put around 20,000 miles on my FD since putting it back on the road and I am glad I left it as it was built. Dodge did a good job on these trucks. If you don't mess about with them too much the driving experience is a lot of fun. Basically they are old work trucks...... and very functional time machines . Enjoy Jeff

I use NGK Br6s in my 230 and they seem to run cleaner than some of these other plugs. Motorcycle shops in the UK should have them. Jeff

Welcome to the group. Roberts Motor Parts is a good source. They helped me quite a bit with the things I needed. Jeff

Well about a month ago they had a Porsche Cayenne in .......guess what the battery and black boxes are in a box under the seat. It is a low spot like a sump. Wanna guess where anything spilled in the car winds up? Not sure what happened but the owner brought it in complaining about an odor......... it was a stinking mess down there. Never did hear what the cost was on the ruined electronics.....but it was not cheap. The "engineers" that designed this accident waiting happen should be ashamed of themselves.

Hey John; It is wild how a lot of the new stuff is built. Too much plastic and way too dependent on electronics. Most of the higher end stuff really only has a short usable life. My buddy had a customer bring in a big BMW the other day that he picked up for $1500. It looked fairly new but was 8 years old. Oil leaks everywhere and the braking system needed $3500 worth of parts and labor to get it working. The fuel injection system was a real mess. By the time the fellow put new tires on it he had about $12,000 into it and it still needs a lot of attention. I think I will stick with my old truck. Jeff

Nice save! Jeff

Good point Ed. My truck is still 6V positive ground. In retrospect I wish I would have converted mine to 12V during the build. Would have been less expensive and easier to set up and maintain. There is nothing really wrong with 6V but I have a lot of money in 6 volt specific components like the alternator, ignitions system, 6v to 12v power converters and batteries. Oh well.... Jeff

I can't comment on those specific points. I can only tell you that most of the stuff like this that is available through retailers is made in China. Or somewhere overseas. I drive my truck daily and have for the last 4 years. It always starts right up. Besides easy starting the inside of the distributor cap and the rotor stays nice and clean. No points system will stay nice like this does. We are talking about zero maintenance with this system...... The best way to order the module is to call them directly and give them the distributor model # and the voltage and polarity you want to use. If you go this route you should buy their matched coil and follow the instructions carefully. I am aware that there are people who have had problems with these modules. I have not. I do know that this system should never be left in the on position for extended periods when the engine is not running.......and that not following the installation instructions to the letter can cause failure. I believe that these two items are probably the cause of the lions share of any module failures. Again mine has worked flawlessly. Also if it matters to you it looks entirely stock from the outside. Jeff

Quite a lot of the points and condensers being sold these days are rubbish. In other words many just are not up to the job. Maybe you could find some good new old stock ones from when this stuff was made here? Otherwise you take your chances with the made in China items. I fussed around with 3 different sets of points from 3 different suppliers early on with my truck. I know it shouldn't be like that....simple stuff really ....but these days it often is. I got tired of it and put a Pertronix module and matching coil in. Never had a problem with this set up. Pretty much fit and forget. Jeff

Nick; Once you have it sorted out I highly recommend using an additive in your fuel. The fuel these days can cause issues. I have found a few ounces of MMO in every other tank full works very well. Jeff

Thanks Mark; I had done a search for this....and it didn't come up. Maybe I will just send a couple to you for rebuild when I get back. We are headed to Flagstaff on Thursday to visit our daughter. You know stuff like these cable actuated controls are part of the real charm these trucks hold over me. Screw all the "new" stuff I love the roll up windows....the hand actuated cowl vent....and the cable actuators. It is all just perfect. I have a buddy who has a automotive repair shop across from mine. OMG almost all of the late model stuff they work on is just silly. Plastic engine parts ? who thought up the plastic valve covers on BMW's & Audis? Guess the factory doesn't understand what happens to plastic that is subjected to heat? Many of the newer vehicles have 20 or more specially shaped hoses in the cooling systems. They had a Toyota van in there the other day......had to remove literally half of the interior including the dash and steering column to get at some these hoses. Great thinking there. And then there was a Honda van that had more wiring, switches and motors in one of the rear doors than my entire truck. What a bunch of hooey. I tell you what all the "new" stuff makes are old trucks look real good. Just spending a bit of time in Carl's shop has given me a deeper appreciation for the old ways. I will be driving my old truck long after most of this rubbish ends up in the recycling bin. Jeff

Sound like you need to rebuild the accelerator pump......and make sure all the internal passages are clean. That is where I would begin at any rate. Jeff

I knew it had come up....just couldn't for the life of me remember who. Care to share what kind of wire you use? I just want to fix a couple and put them back into my spares. Jeff