Dingo's 48

Finally retired and starting on my 48 B1D build. I am looking for anyone that has found a great weld in ifs for these trucks. I am also looking for a triangulated 4 link kit for this truck my truck is 126” wheelbase. So my ride height will be a little higher than those slammed trucks the younger kids are rollin’. i am making this truck a driver. May use a new gen three Hemi, but haven’t decided. i would post a pic but it keeps rotating the pic 90 degrees

I have been remiss in updating this report. Last month my son Jimmy and I took the "Old Girl" (his name for our truck) to the Bass Derby car show in Rio Vista, CA and entered the truck. My intent was to gather information and maybe some tricks from the experts. We had no less than three people around the truck from 6am until 2:30pm all day long. Most asking questions, some providing insight and ideas and others determined to buy the truck. It was a hoot listening to Jimmy (9 years old) tell everyone about his truck. I am surprised that he really learned the specs and was able to answer all questions. When ever someone would ask if the truck was for sale his dead pan answer was simply, "NO!" I found that everyone was nice and were learned allot looking at all the Hot Rods and old cars. By 2:30 he was dirty as a grave digger from crawling under all the cars. I also learned that he has no filters....like asking a guy with a 36 Ford, "Why did you put a Chevy motor in it?" To my surprise we were told to line the truck up for the parade. Even more astounding is that Jimmy won "Best Hot Rod under construction". He still has not picked out the perfect place to hang his plaque in his room. More later Happy belated birthday to the US Marine Corps, and happy Veterans Day. Mike

Took the truck to Rio Vista today. About 26 miles or so round trip. My eight year old son was smiling and said: " She is is good old girl".. I think the name stuck because now that is all she calls the truck..."The Old girl" On highway 12 at sixty MPH, I opened the vent. Next thing I know is the cab is filled with leaves, dust and twigs. We must have been a sight walking into the NAPA store covered in dust and laughing. Picked up an oil filter, oil, oil pan gasket and valve cover gaskets. Tried to find a pinion seal but NAPA did not have a listing for it. Any ideas out there? I am thinking that I should change the rear main seal while I have the pan off. I believe it is probably a rope seal. Haven't done one of those since 1973 or so. Any information on parts sources for engine and trans parts for this truck? I need king pins for it too. (Haven't done king pins since the seventies either. lol I did take someones advice and checked the kick panels. Found a brand new in the box spare voltage regulator...lol. In closing, Our drive today was fun. We were laughing the entire trip. It is amazing how much fun you get out of an old truck.

Installed the remanufactured carburator from CARB-X.com. Engine fired right up and runs better than ever. Dingo

Keven Sorry we already have commitments. Thank you though.

Thanks JBNeal. Todays project awaits me. lol

I Thank everyone for the responses. I am surprised at the outpouring of shared ideas and knowledge. I will post more pictures of the truck in the next few days. (Actually, my wife will post them) STEERING: Driving the truck is a little bit like guiding a wandering goat. Is there a way to tighten up the play in the steering gear? Are there rebuild kits for these? What are my choices????? if any??? Dingo

Thanks Keven, Dingo

Thanks Merle I may rethink the 6 volt issue. I do have time as the Springs come first. Dingo

I stumbled on to a 1948 Dodge B1D on craigslist. It was only posted for a few hours and I responded. I received no response. Six weeks later, i received an email from the seller apologizing for not responding as family life situations got in the way. He sent me his number and asked me to call if interested. I chatted with the gentleman and was surprised to find that the truck was still available. He told me about the truck and I agreed to buy it sight unseen and would be there next weekend to purchase it. What I purchased: I arrived to find a dodge truck in good condition. It would not start, the brakes didn't work and it had two flat tires. The truck was purchased by this gentleman's great grandfather and had stayed on a farm in Fresno most of it's life. This gentlemen had received it from the estate 12 years prior as a fun project for him and his son. They would get it running and drive it once a year and had dreams of restoring it. They never got around to it and it sat at their residence in Redding for those 12 years. I loaded the truck onto a trailer and towed it home. and hour after i unloaded the truck, she was purring like a kitten and the brakes were bled and in fine working order. The truck has no rust holes, minor surface rust, broken leafs on the front springs. Yesterday I put a remanufactured carter B&B 1BBL carb on it and ohhh what a difference in performance. This next week, my son and I will remove the front springs and take the to SAcramento Spring INC and they will rebuild them and make new U-bolts to match the ones that come off. We have had the truck for a year and I have been debating all the avenues of what to do to the truck....... My sone wants to keep it "old School" so we are opting to do the following. Wet sand the faded paint and just clearcoat it with flat clearcoat. I would like to update the brakes to disc but other than that it will remain stock. I will convert it to 12, negative ground just for durabilities sake. I found an electrical company in Lodi, CA that will convert the starter to 12 volt negative ground for the same cost as rebuilding it as a 6 volt. I need to find wood, bolts and metal for the bed replacement. It is the 9 foot bed. I also need to find every seal for the rear axle. I need seals for the 4 speed transmission. I need to find a company that can either restore the old radio or find a radio to replace the original. I need a fuel pump rebuild kit. If anyone has a source I would greatly appreciate direction. If anyone needs a carter B&B for there truck, go to : carb-x.com, call the number and ask for Herman. The carb I got for 189.00 included being rebushed and preset. I put it on and fired it up. If you need springs I recommend Sacramento Spring Inc. They are on the web. They do most of the restorations and hotrods here in Nor-Cal. I have rambled enough about our truck and I hope some find this post of interest. In closing I can say I have never been hounded so much in my life. People knock on the door and want to buy our truck, we go to the farm shows and people want it, we get stopped in town and people want it. Thanks for reading the Mopar rookies diatribe. Dingo