TrampSteer

He almost lost it on the corner before this shot. Guess who he was chasing ...

I'm always up for one of these. Just never sure if the truck will be with me. I'm with Deathbound, likely after the Holidays. (And yes, I'll bring the brake tool again -LOL )

You already have the fastest P.H. on salt brother.

This is really what the guy I talked to was on about. You would need to be someone who can Kludge / jury-rig / rube-goldburg / (insert U.S. Service term here) these vehicles together. I don't have that expertise, all I have is you guys ...

Discovery channel is looking for potential T.V. people to go to Cuba and fix up cars. You have to be pretty resourceful as they won't be shipping in parts so swapping, trading, junkyard crawling to make them run would be the flavor. Talked to the guy today and I am pretty sure I would be a bit short technically. I told him I was just a phone or web site away from anything 'cuz of you guys but I don't think he was looking for that. Who knows, maybe you'll be famous after ... http://www.pilgrimstudios.com/casting/cuba/ Mike

I know I can do 100 miles ... Now, If I happened to be driving by Turner's for some reason I could pick up some rims and drums. Then maybe 450 miles?

I've got three also. My fourth one gone in the fling (flew off at 50mph somewhere).

I had that problem when I put in a junkyard replacement (I didn't have one at all) on the right door. I immediately took it out, gave it a light sanding at the joints and put on some three-in-one oil. It was a lot quieter right away, and now (two months later) you don't even hear it. Mike

I remember seeing that truck too. Not where unfortunately. Did you try searching "Go Navy"? Best I could find was this Worthington Cheif

Don't look for a center hood (ram) ornament for a '53. It wasn't even an option. (sad face)

Thanks guys, that helps a lot. No 4.7 is my new rule. Dan, Love the idea of that Terraplane, only ever seen one in my life.

I'm seriously considering trading in my car to go back to a pickup truck as a daily driver. My very first truck - a D100 with an inline 6 cylinder is a fond - if not underpowered - memory. I've since been driving Ford trucks (250/350 with 460s) and became familiar with them. But the only Dodge I know is my '53. When my vision turned to a Dodge pulling a Dodge I realized I had no real information to judge. I started by looking at something from the '94 redesign forward. The research problem I've run into is that every time I start talking to a mechanic or technical person they start warning me about the Dodge engines. That makes me wonder about the plan in general. I don't know enough about these newer trucks and thought I could ask for your general opinions on the matter. My very loose spec is about which truck might be appropriate for a low maintenance daily driver and yet capable of trailering a #5000 pilothouse to a certain bar-b-que next year. Mind you, this is likely the only 900 miles towing it would ever see in any one year. The rest of the time it would be a 40 mile round-trip to work and back. And I was thinking gas, not diesel (never owned one) but I'd like to hear all sides possible. Is it just the 4.7 liter gasoline engine? Is it specific years? Thanks in advance. Mike REF: http://www.allpar.com/model/ram/1994-ram.html http://www.consumeraffairs.com/automotive/dodge_ram.html

Yeah - you don't get the fastest pilothouse in the world with a stock 218!

Full marks! Great images.

a "signal stat 800" I varied from something I found on TruckLite for a series 900 if that helps.

So as the jury is still out on this. Found some 15 and 16 wheels at a junk yard on-line but he wants $130/$150 each. I've bought something sight unseen from internet pictures once and don't want to again. Besides, that seems like over double what they should be worth. Plus there was the $27 shipping per wheel. I found some Hankook Optimo H724's (225/75r15) and Cragar 344 Smoothie Rally wheels (15x6, -6mm offset, w/o caps of trim rings) that might do. The wheel backspace is 3.75 which would make the other side 2.25 but I am assuming that backspace is the side that goes against the axle as in this drawing here. I could be rolling with four new shoes and a spare out the door for under a grand. But that's a lot on money to possibly only come to the conclusion that it looks cheesy. Honestly, this is harder that getting the frame fixed. Soul-searching indeed.

My dad retired in red stick. Spent a lot of Christmas's there over the decades before he and Ma passed. Great city, fishing and food - miss mud-bugs and catfish the most.

No problem Hank. Just don't want to delay you by sitting on the tool. PM me an address and I'll get it to you at your convenience. As for that stutter, Rod and I were pouring over the differences between our trucks (50vs 53) and one thing we noted was the location of the fuel bowl. HIs, like many, is up high in the heat of the engine. Mine is low on the right front, under a heat shield so the manifold won't boil it. Secondly, as you might recall when I got mine out on the road for the first time it was "drive it like you stole it" as it either idled or it roared. That was the middle circuit of the carburetor and a rebuild from Mike's set me straight. Thirdly, I flat out died in a driveway once after it was hard-starting for a week. Simply cleaning the points got me going, and resetting them (gap and all) fixed all the hard-starting issues. I didn't even actually put in new points. Hope to get together eventually. Two butterfly hoods open next to each other seemed to draw more than a couple of people driving by. Three could start a stampede.

Rod, The breakfast topic site I mentioned is here. Watch all episodes from the beginning. https://www.youtube.com/user/badobsessionmsport Hank, You need to take off your cloak of invisibility. PM me and I'll drive the part up to your place. We can talk 16 vs15 tires as I am pretty settled on switching to 15 all the way around - so I'll have two 16's I won't need. Jeff, Where's the fish? All, Nothing worth mentioning at the swap meet but this ...

Great news, see you all tomorrow then. Jeff can send a picture from the boat to make us all jealous maybe.

Heard there's a lot of them out there the last couple of weeks. If you have to many, I'm sure we could all drive to your place and empty your fridge for you! Ribs for breakfast might be a little to rich for the old ticker. Not to mention the staff. Excellent - anyone have a time that works? 9AM? I have the brake tool. Hopefully I will remember to bring it also. Hey! Don't you have a girlfriend now? LOL

For you southern cal folks ... The long beach high performance swap meet is this Sunday. Couple of months ago we all met after a vigorous shopping experience that morning. I did promise Rod to bring my truck next time. Think I'll make it without anything falling off this time. I can show you my working parking brake!! I've also read that Jeff's truck may be legal now. Might need a shake-down run? I need to deliver a Deathbound's tool to Hank in any event. The passing of the brake adjustment tool would be a much better ceremony in the company of several people don't you think? Hank, if you can't make it PM me and we can arrange for a meet Sunday afternoon? If anyone remembers the name of that restaurant that would be helpful. I couldn't find that old thread to reference. Mike

Straight Castrol HD 30 or nothing. But nothing makes it run hot so I don't do that any more.

Hey Paul - sure looks like your paint job. Did you help out there?