MBF

I just reread your original post a couple of times. I know that there were different amp ratings on generators that was usually shown on a tag on the generator. I would assume that when the vehicle was built that they would match the original rating of the generator to a similarly scaled amp guage. I'm pretty sure that my 1 ton rack body has a different amp guage than my 2.5 ton of the same year. I'll have to check tomorrow. The 2.5 ton was originally a firetruck and had a lot of lights and two radios-I'm sure that had a bigger generator than the smaller truck. I could confirm this, but the 1 ton was converted by me to 12 volts (alternator) several years ago and I no longer have the generator that was on the truck when I got it.

I think what they're trying to tell you is that with a 12 volt system, the amp draw / requirements are half that of that 6 volt system that was previously used. What Chrysler may have done is to change the scale of the amp guage because the higher amp flow would no longer be needed to be shown since the power requirements were less. Mike

You'll know in a fraction of a second once you turn the key on. Don't ask me how I know. I got anxious to see how it started on 12-heard a "tink" as soon as I turned on the key in the 36 Plymouth, and I immediately realized what I had forgotten to do.

What Hank said! Happy Thanksgiving all. Mike

Did someone move the starter pedal? It should be to the right and above (mounted in the lower firewall) the gas pedal.

The swivel I think he is referring to is to engage the dogs to lock down the button or ring. Thanks guys. I used some fine stranded wire and left about 6-8" of slack below the column. If it fails-no big deal-I'll just replace it again. Mike

I bought a used steering column from Mark and installed it. I hooked up the horn wiring today through the column (in my old column it had been disconnected and the po installed a button in the cab). I fished the wiring down through the column, but I have a question. Was there a swivel fitting or loops of wire left where the wiring exits the bottom of the column? Will stranded wiring allow for the twisting of the column during turns w/o fatiquing the wire? On the 2.5 ton the wiring was replaced by the po and it just comes out of the bottom of the box. Sure is nice having the horn button working again. Mike

Don't worry about guage damage. If they're still the original setup, the oil pressure and temp are both mechanical. The ammeter will show a + flow (like it was charging) if you turn on the headlights and the battery is in backwards. Starter won't make any difference unless the truck has been converted to 12V and the starter had not been rewound to accomodate it. It will work fine, just don't grind on it for a long period of time w/o giving it time to cool off. A 6 volt starter on a 12V system will get hot enough to damage itself if you let it get overheated. I've been using the original 6 volt starters in my 1 ton and 36 Plymouth since I converted them several years ago. Never had a problem. If you get a rebuild kit for your fuel pump, make sure it is rated for today's fuels. Good luck.. Mike

For the fender fillers, vent gasket, and door seals, gas fill grommet what I got from Roberts was fine. The windshield gasket could have been wider to cover more of the flange, but all this stuff has been in there for many years now and held up very well. Mike

I've got the spot where we can hold it, I was just wondering if there are any other guys in this neck of the woods. Our local ATCA chapter hosts an annual antique truck show and draws in the neighborhood of 50+ trucks. There are getting to be more Dodges. Our national event in Macungie, PA on Father's Day weekend draws over 600 trucks from all over the country (antiquetruckclub.org). There are probably a 20-25 Dodges in that makeup, but there is a ton of big stuff. If there is interest, maybe we can put something together. I'm planning on taking the 1 ton to Macungie this year, and I think our youngest son is taking my 78 1/2 ton. It'd be great if we could hold it as part of either event. CA is just out of the question to make in a 45 mph truck, for me anyways, but I know it has been done in the past Mike

Damn-I wish you were closer. It'd be a great way to kick off my new career - RETIRED! Any thoughts of an eastern franchising of this event?

Thank you Todd! Mike

Does anyone have any updated p/n's or crossovers for the drag link and tie rod ends? NAPA can't help w these. I'm looking for replacement p/n's for 1238 406, 1238 395, and 1238 394. The first one is the ends for the drag link, the other two are tie rod ends. Thanks. Mike

I made my own for my 1 ton. I started out with Eastwoods dynamat sound deadener for the roof and firewall. I then made patterns out of corrugated and transferred them to 1/4" luan as the backer with a vinyl material for the covering glued to it w contact cement. I saved my patterns and I'm going to do the same thing with the 2.5 ton. It was an interesting project and it sure quieted down my ride. Seems to be holding up very well. Mike

Typical. Someone took a design that worked well for many years and modified it to the point of ruining its appeal.

These old vehicles give constant feedback which you've got to be attuned to. I wonder where all this automatic braking, collision avoidance, self parking, etc is going to take drivers that grow up dependent on these features? This will be especially true when they get some age and miles on thesm. I like the simplicity of these vehicles, and the fact that it takes some skill to drive them safely. Hope you find a stash of PH's. Need pictures!

I had some flat rubber in a roll about 1" wide.

You may want to remove the rear springs and take out a leaf or two if you're not going to be carrying anything approaching the capacity of the truck. I'd also get some oil between the individual leafs after making sure that they're not too rusty to move against each other. You may want to check your shackles to make sure they're able to move freely. Neither of my truck ride very well unless there is a load in the back. That's what they were designed to do.

My 2.5 ton has the original glass in it and it appears to be slightly tinted. .

I've answered my own question. Yes, it can be done very easily with the pitman arm left on the box. You need to jack up the frame of the truck and relieve the front suspension. If this works with the 48-50 box with the cast mounting bracket, it will be even easier with the later styled boxes.

Thanks. My floors are very solid, and I've had them out once to replace the anti rattle strips between them. I'm just trying to avoid doing that again if I don't have to. Yes-all of the shims were in the box. A couple of years ago I removed the thinnest shim (put it in an envelope in the glove compartment) and replaced the sector shaft and bushings. It was better, but I still had excessive play in the box that cannot be adjusted out. What I suspect has happened is that the box was run dry by the previous owner (back in the 90's or before) and the adjustment tightened down on excessively in an attempted to "tighten up the box". I have a good box from a '52 but I didn't want to go through the hassle of installing the later cross member brace that is needed to mount that style box in a 49 chassis. I was going to send my box out to have it rebuilt over the winter when Mark came upon his parts cache. I bought a good box from him, and I'm in the process of removing the old one. If the box can be removed with the wheel off by sliding it through the bottom I''d like to go that route. I was hoping someone had done this before so that I wouldn't end up taking the floor section out and then realizing it didn't need to be done.

Cleaned up well-and full of grease!. My wheel came off pretty easily. This one seems a lot tighter than the one that's in the truck. I couldn't adjust the play out of mine. If I recall when I got it the box was dry and had probably been run like that long before I bought it in '95 or so. It holds grease, but I've swapped out everything except the worm & steering shaft and still can't get the play out of it. I'll bet the worm is worn from being run dry. Hoping this new box makes a big difference Mark. Mike

Paul - I have the wheel off. I'm asking about removing the column/box assembly w/o removing the floor panels. I used a bearing puller and and old piece of radiator hose to cushion the neck of the steering wheel with a two arm puller. Came off easily.

I'm going to swap out the steering column in my 1 ton. I have the steering wheel and under dash supports off. My question is can the box be removed and the other installed w/o removing the floor panel? If I jack up the truck can it be removed by sliding it down and out the bottom? Does the drag link need to be removed to do this? Thanks. Mike

There's another example of the future of the hobby! Great story. Mike