Jeff Balazs

Dolly Dodge; If it makes you feel any better......I live in the big city (LA area)....and trust me it isn't any easier getting things you want done here. Even simple little things like Dorman lug studs. I ordered these two weeks ago..... and they won't arrive for another week ???? OMG! Yes we have more choices than you here.....but not many are all that good. I am not sure what has happened to this country......but it sure ain't the place it used to be. I have viewed several of your posts & photos with envy....... Man do those lonesome country roads look good..... Jeff......trying to build a 52 B-3_C

.....I had to look twice. The one on the left is actually Hank! I should have had a clue when he showed up here wearing those Sisterhood of the traveling pants.....pants. Last time I join one of these e-groups..... Jeff

Thanks Guy's; See.....it is better to ask before forcing something. Jeff

Hi Guys; I have a question regarding the removal of the rear windows. I am sure this has been discussed but I tried searching posts and came up blank in regards to Pilothouse windows. The rubber on my windows is pretty much petrified. I have started hacking away at it from the inside but am uncertain how the corner windows in particular pop out. It looks to me that they want to push out......but I don't want to break one and then find out I am going about it wrong. So far nothing is moving. Any suggestions ? Thanks, Jeff

Thanks Rustyzman; I have ordered the studs that Dave came up with. Hopefully they will all be in this week. If they work out.... I will do a post with all the info......so the next guy that run's into this has an easier time of it. Should be interesting......will have really big (1 1/8") nuts after this little mod. Jeff

Wow! This is really going to a great truck. Must feel good to be over the hump on a project like this. I am curious ...... how long have you been working on this? Very inspiring. Jeff

Merle; Me.....get a good grip? If you only knew. I think I lost what ever grip I had the day I bought this truck Will take your advice though. Jeff.......have the never-seize and will be using it.

Dodgeb4ya; I have the bulb removed from the engine.....no square nut retainer on mine. Had what looked like a brass fuel line fitting instead. The brass fitting is buggered up so I cant get it out. But I had enough slack in the cable to back out the entire bulb holder. I think it must of been replaced at some point in the distant past. The bulb was pretty rusty so I soaked it in phosphoric acid for a while and it has cleaned right up. Not certain any of it works.......but I have tried to preserve it. I suppose I should test it with some boiling water now. Jeff

Hi Keven; Thank you. I didn't want to mess anything up......thought it was better to ask than to force any of this. Jeff

Hi Guy's; I am prepping the cab for removal and have a question regarding the removal of the instrument cluster and a few of the switches. I have the cluster just about out except for the connection to the temp gauge. What is the proper way to remove this? Do I just unscrew the fitting? or do I take the gauge back off? I am trying hard not to do any damage even though I don't know if any of the gauges work. Also I am uncertain about removing the headlight and panel switches as the knobs do not seem to unscrew. Maybe they are just rusted in place? The retaining ring nuts are free but I don't want to break the knobs trying to force them. One more related item......the wiper switch has a chrome knob with a wing on it. Again I don't want to force this off and do damage.....is there a trick to removing it? Thanks very much. Jeff

Hi Dave; This looks like it will work just fine. The wheels will need a little work......but not too much. Thanks again for the part number and the great idea. Once I get this done I will post photos and a run down on what was involved with this. Jeff

Dave; You are the Man! I mean it. I owe you one. It just never even occurred to me to look at a 5/8" stud. It is strange but when I went to the Dorman website just now......it wouldn't let me look up this part without a year & make......when I picked something it kept coming back as "We are sorry but we do not offer this part at this time" I figured it was a joke at first...and not particularly funny one either ... but I kept at it and went in in a different window and there it was. I don't see why this would not work.....I will have to look at things tomorrow......but all that should be doable. And Hey.....bigger is better ain't it? Thanks again ........ Jeff

Hi Hank; Well.......I need to get the truck off the jack stands. The fenders, running boards and entire front end have been cleaned up and primed. I am pretty much ready to remove the bed. Got a few of hours work to remove the cab......oh ya......need to make some rolling carriers for these. Once I have had a chance to assess condition of the frame then I will have to make what is becoming a tough decision....... stay stock or go modified route. I really wanted to stay stock and keep things simple..... but to be honest I am not sure I have the patience to deal with some of the silly parts supply issues I have already come across. If I end up going the modified route.....then it will get a completely different treatment. I really want it to be different....so quite possibly an aluminum Rover V8. The best independent Rover shop in the country is less than 200 yards from my shop. Parts are no problem. Wasn't what I had in mind when I bought it. But I like to make daily progress. I guess then I will have some really nice stuff up for sale on Ebay....powder coated wheels.....tricked out new radiator.....and a pair of perfect Fluid Drive emblems.... Oh well. Jeff

Hi Dave; The way the hubs are cast this is not really a viable option. If you examine the inside of one of these drums/hubs you will see that the surface undulates around the 5 existing stud recess's. About the only solution I have been able to come up with to make "modern" replacement studs work here is to sleeve the existing hole in the hub. And I am not totally happy with this because so far the replacement studs I've looked at have a smaller diameter head than the originals. At the very least some welding would have to be done to rectify any potential safety issues. It just seems (to me) like there ought to be a direct replacement item available. Jeff

OldDad67; Well that has been the ongoing theme here......the largest they carried had a knurled shoulder of .623". Turning something larger down is an option......if it actually exists??? I haven't found it as yet. I am not opposed to reworking or making a part...but a lug stud for an American made truck that had a run of almost a million units ? It just doesn't make sense.I never imagined that something so mundane as a lug stud would be so difficult to track down. A few years back I built a fairly rare and even older Competition Brit Bike from bits and pieces. All sorts of odd and unusual thread patterns and sizes.....at least on this side of the pond. Whitworth cycle thread...British Standard Pipe... and a host of others....and even a chain driven Lucas (the Prince of Darkness) Electrics Magneto..... Lots of special bits like Hairpin type valve springs and a wire wound piston that runs at .001 clearance. And all sorts of special tools and taps and dies. I expected it would be a difficult build.....especially from scratch.....but as it turned out there were good sources for everything I needed. I am beginning to think that the "M" in Mopar has something to do with masochism. Jeff

Dave; Thank you. Any help with this will be greatly appreciated. The shoulder has a diameter of .700" +/-. It is roughly .5" long. The head is .980" in diameter and is about .125" thick. The threaded portion is 9/16 and is roughly 1" long. Overall length is 1.75". I have attached a few photos. If you have an idea or see something you think might work please let me know. I would like to replace all the broken, bent and left hand lugs with right hand thread lugs. Thanks for your help. Jeff

Dave; I have considered that.. and would have no problem doing that...the problem is finding a suitably sized stud. GGdad; No I have not gone there specifically although I have been into a few wheel and tire shops......most of the shops around here are not old school......if isn't something fairly new they just look at you like your crazy. As an example the local Dodge dealer is really beyond belief..... they have nothing back past 84 and no parts books either. Can't even be bothered to try AND LOOK UP SOMETHING. AND THEY ARE NOT EVEN BUSY.Totally useless....I pity their customers. I certainly won't ever be one of them. Jeff.......frustrated but hanging in there.

Hi there OldDad 67; Just got off the phone with Dutchman......no go there either. I am running out of ideas on this. I have tried pretty much everyone and spent hours looking through catalogs with no success. It seems these are a real oddball size. I know that others have said that they were able to get them through Napa and such.......but there does not appear to be a match up out there these days. They are 9/16" thread pattern studs with a .700" +/- dia. shoulder. I have attached a photo of one here. I have considered buying the ones that are available with a smaller knurled shoulder (.625") and making up some bushings.....but the retaining heads seem too small to be safe. I suppose I could have something made up.....but I am certain the cost would be silly. Jeff

Hi Guy's I have been having real trouble finding the press in type lug studs for my 52 B-3-C. I have tried Napa, Dodge, Roberts and several others and no one seems to have any ideas on a source for these. I feel certain that this should not be this difficult....but what do I know? Does anybody out there has a good source or a part number for a suitable replacement stud for these? Any specifics would be helpful. Thanks, Jeff

Hi Guy's; Thanks for your responses. Man was I bummed. I will get over it....and this truck will move forward. I just have to get a handle on how best to proceed. Hank; I know what you are saying about stripping her all the way down and I was planning on doing that after I got some stuff taken care of. The cab and bed were always coming off to do the paint work in my mind...I just wasn't going to do it right away.... and if I had the right sort of patina I might be inclined to leave it.....but I don't so that was never the plan. Ed and Dave; Once I get a chance and start to expose this I will take some photo's ...... I would like some input on how severe this really is. Allan: Thank you and depending on what I find we may be able to strike a deal......I have a cousin in Ohio that was in the shipping business for many years.... Thanks for your words of encouragement, Jeff

Hi guy's; Well I sure hope you are right and it can be fixed. I am not exactly sure how to assess this or how to proceed from here. Do I remove the cab, bed and fuel tank? .....should I leave the complete drive train installed ? Jeff

Hi Guy's; So here I am feeling really good about my project. I got the water distribution tube out (in 12 or 13 pieces) but it is out...front clip is off... I made it past the dreaded stuck rear hub....with the help of some heat. Today I stripped all 4 axles down to the bare spindles. The brakes were a real mess........cylinders corroded.....brake line fittings frozen etc...... but I had I figured new cylinders, linings, fittings and lines and new studs for all the hubs and I should be good to move forward. Right? well you would think so......then as I am cleaning up the drivers side spindle and planning my next move I see something I had not noticed before. I can't believe I missed this. The frame is bent from the rear motor mount south to the cross member ahead of the rear end.....and not just a little bit.......it is bowed in a fair amount. I knew that the drivers side door had been replaced but the body work all lines up pretty well. I don't know how I missed this......but it does not look good at all. I am no expert on frame straightening but after looking it over it looks like it is going to be a real bugger to get this frame straight......if it even can be done. Man am I bummed. I don't know how I could have missed this. Jeff

Hey Guy's; I think it was rated PG...........for Pilothouse-Great! The truck is in it quite a bit.....particularly the last 1/2 hour or so. The very last scene the boy's are on their way out of town with the horse in the back. As they are leaving town they pass the police car they evade earlier in the film......and of course he spins around and takes off after them. The End Or is it? Maybe the chase is still on. Jeff

Hi Guy's Just finished watching an old cowboy movie with Glenn Ford & Henry Fonda called "The Rounders". Guess what the star of the movie was......an old red ranch equipped Pilothouse.......pretty darn cool. There was even a chase scene in it .... complete with a horse in the back. Check it out if you have not already seen it. The old truck is in it quite a bit. Jeff

Hi Guy's; 49Dodge1ton; I have used that trick more than a few times......it might be worth a shot here. I've left the biggest 2 finger puller I could find on it overnight....but that is just wishful thinking. Dave; Yes we are spoiled ...... in so many ways. On the negative side it is a real zoo here.......traffic and congestion like you wouldn't believe. Compared to my truck....it is rough. Hank; I know where I can put my hands on an impact gun. btw, I finally took your advice and removed the front clip......mo'betta for sure! Jeff