wallytoo

i bought a waterpump last year over-the-counter (well, on-line, but whatever [i think it was rock auto]); so far, so good. hasn't leaked, and all the holes aligned correctly, etc. edit: i guess the water pump was earlier this summer, not last year... i also purchased a new master cylinder a year ago (via Roberts Motor Parts) also on-line. again, it fit correctly, works correctly, and doesn't leak like the old one did. i don't have a generator. the truck had been converted to 12v when i purchased it, and i'm happy with the one-wire delco alternator in it.

yes, it has the eaton 1350 2-speed vacuum shift. i like it a lot. makes the truck more driveable. i should mention that the carb is the one from the 237; not sure why the starts aren’t as “instant”.

c'mon, brent. that's a great deal. DO IT!

back in late june, i finally got around to replacing the exhaust manifold gasket. the new one that i installed with the replacement motor got blown out - my fault, i didn't torque the manifold nuts properly, so it was a bit loose - and i was tired of hearing the loud exhaust. of course i forgot that the long through-bolts on the exhaust manifold enter the water jacket, so i dumped a bunch of coolant before i could get the bucket under there. oh well. install went well, made sure the special nuts/washers were in the proper place, then torqued everything properly with the torque wrench. ta-dah! no more exhaust leak at the manifold. much quieter drive now. best part was i got it done in time for the "cruise-in" at a local restaurant later that evening. sure was a hot day, though, in the mid-90s. and, a month and a half later, still running quietly (as quietly as a spur geared, low ratio (5.83/8.11 2-speed rear), medium duty flathead truck can run).

mine has been running great since getting it back on the road a year ago. missed it for those 3 years after the rod end went through the side of the block. but, it has been worth the wait. i've put almost exactly 900 miles since then according to the odometer (more actual miles, because the odometer drops out regularly in 4 speed hi-range), so likely 1100 to 1200 miles in reality. the replacement engine (251) runs nicely, and clearly has more power than the 237. it does not start quite as nicely as the 237 did after sitting overnight, but once it has been started, it will restart quickly the rest of the day.

for sure. my 1.5-ton "F" clearly never has had shocks, and no provision for mounting shocks.

unload it on a flat area. push it off. let it coast to a stop. done.

implies that the door difference wasn't noted; it was, by merle.

agree they are the same, but it seems as though for the truck pictured that a front clip from a '48-'50 was transplanted onto a '51-'53 cab/chassis.

i'd spray some lubricant of choice into the plug holes, aiming across towards the valves (the plug is centered over the piston, and the valves are offest over by the manifolds). let it sit overnight or a few overnights. then rotate the engine and watch the valves. if they are still stuck, perhaps take off the head and then use a rubber mallet and gently tap on the ones with clearance, while the camshaft has the lifters down. do this for all the valves to see if they seat. probably worth a shot to see if compression then improves.

yeah, so the very first picture, of the engine, shows the rod and hood support that go with the '48-'50 series. they are the two bars at the top of the photo.....

the bumper is from the '51-'53 series, so perhaps the only thing '48 is the grille, hood, and fenders.

it's the cheapest option out there; a little elbow grease and some real grease, and a little luck and you might not have to do anything else..

pilothouse, as far is i know, refers to all of the '48 to '53 cabs, not just the versions with the cab corner windows.

did you try it anyway? mine looked pretty grim when i bought it, and it wouldn't shift (it was frozen in low). a bit of time spent cleaning off the old grease, and spraying the pivots/linkages with PB'laster and i had it working. that was back in 2007. it still works today.

been there, done that. still enjoying it, too.

looks pretty good. probably could run it with attention to mechanical issues and repairs and leave the sheetmetal alone.

pics of the COE! i'm sure i missed them in the past...

i can only dream of getting 12 mpg in my truck. pretty consistent at 4 to 6 mpg since 2007. but then, it’s an “F” with a gvw over 13,000 lbs!

if the nameplate follows dodge convention, it is one-year-only in 1953. it has widely spaced individual letters instead of the closely spaced stamped sheet.

for me, FedEx is by far the most unreliable of the three available carriers (UPS and USPS seem to be equally reliable, and timely). in over 23 years at this address, UPS has always managed to deliver. FedEx has failed dozens of times (not exagerated). USPS has a few hiccups.

i turn a fair bit of my cash into other assets, especially lead encased in brass. so far, it has been a pretty good investment, and it is apocalypse-ready.

to put the heat in perspective, the record high for las vegas is 117*F.

and a pic of the dodge on the above job site, back in 2015 (yes, a few years after it started).... note the small leaning birch just above the hood/cab, the same tree is to the far left in the above pic.

yes. but, kind of like left-hand lug nuts/studs. not needed, which is why the bores later were made the same for both sides.