Ulu

Mine was decked and shaved and ran great at 8.4:1. It was balky to start at times, but I believe that was a starter issue. I'll bet 8.5:1 would be no problem with modern ignition.

I used both 90wt Sta-lube GL1 and 75w90 Penzoil in mine and had no problems. But I have had problems with modern "EC" (energy conserving) oils in wet clutch vehicles. I wouldn't put any EC oil in the car, but I might add a dash of positraction additive to the trans if you suspect the rollers aren't "grabbing".

Oh yeah. That's a Metro van.

I just hate when that happens!

Hmmm..My Holly Visiflow would make a nice lamp, with the glass float bowl and all.

It won't be the structural engineers. Every time we're called in to "OK" a remodel of one of these old buildings, the structural deficiencies make it a losing proposition, economically. We get called in to examine these dinosaurs every year, and the risk of just touching one is more than we would ever want to assume. Those brick spandrel jobs are the worst. None of those 10 million bricks are anchored or reinforced at all, judging by modern codes. Ties from floor or roof to walls are never sufficient. Gravity loads are usually well supported (unless the earthwork was poor and resulted in settlement) but lateral loads never figure, and uplift loads were generally unconsidered. Some really historic buildings were saved with expensive and heroic means (read about the Oakland City Hall rehab) but someone has to really want to spend ($85 million of taxpayer) money, more than to make money, to do this. Just like we build better cars these days, we build better buildings too. Not necessarily more attractive, but more solid.

I didn't flip the photo. That GMC is RHD.

My farming experience is limited to a pack of carrot seeds my grandpa gave me when I was 3. Well, that and a 1.5 hp cultivator--with which I had a small rural veggie garden, back in the Mother Earth days.

Looks like a sage brush seed planter, and a sage brush mower. Then there's a sage brush cultivator, sagebrush reaper, sagebrush windrow, and the sage brush combine.

These noses know what no nose now knows....

I do not think you damaged the gears. They mesh constantly except 1st/revese which slides. More likely you chewed up the pawl and ring a bit, and probably they can be dressed off to work OK. It may still work OK without that if the stickiness or whatever that prevented engagement is solved.

Mine were evidently missing the third screws, and mine had had been completely reupholstered.

No, I don't believe that's right at all. How the devil is first gear "blocked out"? I've only driven one of those, but it is essentially a 2-speed with reverse, and an overdrive is what makes it have 4 forward speeds. (Totally different from either of my 3-speed OD transmissions.) http://www.allpar.com/mopar/m6.html

I had a Ford with Nash badges on it. That used to start some discussions...

2 screws. It's way too easy.

It shifts because the solenoid plunger goes into the mechanism, or back out. It's all electric, and doesn't depend on oil. I don't think heavy oil will be an issue, especially on an old worn transmission. But rust might. If this car sat a long time, the internal bits can be getting stuck from rust & lack of use. My unit is a '49, and I did a 100% teardown when I bought it. I didn't replace a single thing except gaskets, seals & all the needle bearings and small parts kit stuff. I ran 75w90 gear oil in it, and it shifted fast. So did the one in my Edsel. It should shift as soon as you lift the foot. Click. done. Downshifts are almost as fast. This might be different if you car has a HyDrive fluid coupling. I never drove one.

Rust O' The Day...

I'll bet export model DeSoto badges and trim are as rare as rattlesnake toes. It'd be real easy to trim it out as a Plymouth of course. But all the export DeSoto badges & lights etc are special. They don't fit any of the regular DeSotos. Then again, you might get lucky. People get old and die and their old parts are forgotten, then rediscovered decades later. Also there might have been excess export Desoto trim ordered but never used when the export orders dried up. It could be sitting on a shelf somewhere, in the leftovers from a bygone auction. Keep the faith and keep looking.

Real basic question, but are you lifting your foot when you flip the OD switch? If the powertrain is loaded the solenoid/spring isn't strong enough to move the plunger. Same with kicking it down, the powertrain can't be loaded. There's normally a kickdown switch that shuts the engine off for 1/3 revolution so that plunger can move, because you can't lift the foot: you're mashing it down to get a kickdown. My OD cable had an assist spring that helped the cable move when you pushed it in. It was on the transmission lever. Without that spring it was hard to move the cable in. Out was never a problem though.

I thought the Kings Canyon fire was awful, but steep as it is it's only 60,000 acres. I read 1 million acres are on fire in Washington. Holy Moly!

We had a Navy surplus one like that but larger, at the hill AFB hobby shop. I cut all the parts for my engine hoist on it. There was lots of old stationary stuff like the saw there. Many crawlers too... A few big implements And peacocks galore.

Snow is my eternal enemy and ice is its minion. But I had to move it with a shovel and a chopper. Often an axe. I retired from that fight 40 years ago. But that big snowblower looks like fun to run.

One of my favorite pics of the Casa de Fruita "collection" Closer up Rolling tugboat

I'm working out doors, so no gas is collecting in the garage. HOWEVER, I find that if you use sacrificial anodes which have certain shapes, they can collect large bubbles of hydrogen under the water, which can release all at once.. You can light off the ordinary small bubbles and they will pop merrily. But when I moved the anode I'm using now (part of an old PC case) a large bubble of hydrogen was released all at once. You would NOT have wanted to torch that one off. BTW, I have just started up my tank again. It was off while I was busy with concrete work and other stuff. In this weather I'm losing a gallon a day to evaporation.

You are absolutely right. I can see the logo on a similar Chrysler & they match exactly. Dunno nuthin' 'bout Fargos....