MBF

I'd grab the fan and check for front to back or side to side play. If it clunks, I'd pull it and replace it-no sense in having the fan go through your newly repaired radiator. You may also want to check timing chain play by pulling the distributor cap and rocking the crankshaft back and forth to see how far the crank has to turn before the rotor moves. I'd used a never sieze compound on all the fasteners when you're putting it back together in case there is a next time! Mike

If you don't have any accessories on, and if the engine is parked in a position where the ignition points are open you probably won't see any movement of the needle. I'm pretty sure in this situation that the only thing that would be active is the fuel guage circuit. I bypassed my ampmeter when I converted my '52 to 12 volts and installed a voltmeter. Mike

Was it holding good oil pressure while it was hot? If so, since you've already got it out, you may want to drop and clean out the oil pan to make sure that it isn't all sludged up. I agree, if it aint broke don't fix it, but I'd give her a good look over as long as you have it out. Got any pics? Mike

If these are the convex type that go up against a lip in the block I believe you work them in until they touch the lip and thenin and then hit them in the center to set them. I did a set in a Chev v-8 a long time ago and I don't remember which type they were. To remove the old ones you can drill a hole in the center of the plug and then stick a punch in the hole to pry them out. I would definately give that block a good flushing with the plugs removed. If you haven't had it on the road, you may want to check the radiator too. Mike

Don't know if this is recommended or not, but I always use neverseize on the axle when reassembling to make the next go round easier-but my kids will probably have to deal w that. Mike

Pickups are welcome and always have been providing they're 25 yrs old or older. You can obtain the registration form at the website www.antiquetruckclubofamerica.org/ This year the show is featuring trucks with manufacturing names beginning with H, I, or J, but all are welcome. We just feature different manufacturers every year. I think the D year was in '06 and there were a lot of Dodges, Divcos, etc along with all of the other brands. Mike

51 or 52

Haven't had any problems with the Delco alternators in either of my old mopars for several years now, but I've replaced the one in my '78 1/2 ton several times in the 26 yrs I've owned it! Next time-that will be getting an internally regulated Delco too! If it isn't 6 volt it isn't original anyway-but its the way I like it-simple and reliable! Mike

Here's where you can find out all about Macungie, and a great organization. http://www.antiquetruckclubofamerica.org/ We're looking for more MoPar guys. One of our members drove a PH from NJ to Colorado Springs last year for the national ATHS show. I've met the guy and have spoken with one of the guys that went with him in a Ford. 5 days of pedal to the metal! Mike

Hey Dutch-where have you been? I shoulda used a Dodge for our Flyer-God knows I've got enough pics of em. Our show is as shown in the flyer-but this year it is the same weekend as the national Macungie show. I'll be down there from Thurs to Sat to work, and then leave after the board mtg on Sat to be up in Rhinebeck on Sunday with the '52. If there's any way we can do this on Sunday that'd be great. The show at Rhinebeck has the potential to be a huge overall event as it is being held in conjunction with the Antique Motorcycle Club's national meet, along with the Century Museum Antique Machinery folks that have hosted it in the past. Anyone going to Macungie-please plan on stopping by on your way back. There is not charge for exhibitors. Mike

That's a beautiful piece of craftsmanship. Will you still be able to access the cap from under the hood, or will you have to create an access panel ahead of the battery box? Mike

I'll have to look in the service manual-there was a test to isolate the sending unit and guage and a way to troubleshoot each. Have you checked that you have a good ground to your tank? Sounds to me like your sending unit could also be acting up, but w/o seeing the manual I can't be sure. I'll see if I can find it tomorrow. mike

I've got one similar to the Mopar one. Wrought iron and has a big D in the center. Anything short of a Petercar would bounce off it! Mike

When I made the upholstered panels on the back of my cab I used a 1/4" sheet of luan, and some light foam under the material. I only went down below the top of the seat back. That made a big difference. Anything you do to soften up the interior is going to cut down on the noise level (door panels, kick panels, headliner, etc). Like you I don't have anything on the firewall yet, but plan to use something like the dynamat product-especially on the roof to cut down on the heat during summer shows. I've got rubber matting on the floor which also helps, but because the windshield gasket I got from Roberts leaks in the rain, I haven't put any type of backing under it as I don't want anything that holds water-but it doesn't see much rain locked in the garage. Mike

I've never had my 52 1 ton w the 16" budd duals over 55. At 52 she sounds like she's getting ready to leave the ground-amazing amount of fan noise. I try to keep it around 40-47 where she sounds comfortable. I just have to keep a window scraper in the vehicle to scrape the bugs off the back window after a long run! I don't like pushing older stuff which is why I also don't pull my antique tractors. Maybe its a sympathy thing-I'm getting older too and don't want anyone pushing me to the point where I break either. Mike

Pretty sure the original equipment was round. I changed mine to square (actually they're rectangular) on my 1 ton rack so that I had more viewable area around the stake sides. To me this was important when you're going down the road at 40-45 and some cityot in an SUV wants to ride on your tail. Like to be able to know what's coming at me-not that its going to make much difference. I think in a rear ender, my angle iron rear step/bumper/hitch is going to poke out a few teeth in someone's grill unless they're driving a Pete. Just my 2 cents. Mike

I think the improvement is two sided. 1) It provides insulation for the carb and thus the fuel, and 2) provides increased volume in for the intake manifold-I forget what the exact term for this is. Mike

You may want to check the forum to see if anyone has a parts frame that is in better shape than yours is. I know I'm going to have to one of my cross members down the road too-not looking forward to that at all. Mike

I don't adjust mine regularly-kind of leave it alone. I never took the bottom fiber board off the seat, but after installing the new seat covers you can tell the difference in the firmness of the seat if the slidebar adjustment is open or closed. Probably would be more noticable if you had 3 adults on the seat, but its usually just me, and sometimes a kid or the dog. Mike

Thanks Dodgeb4ya! That's kinda what I thought. I may look at doing a gut swap as I like the positioning of the steering wheel in my 49 er 52! Mike

Thanks Merle-I'll have to look more closely-I do have a complete box from a 53 that is tight-I didn't think it would fit due to the steering column angle. Maybe it isn't in the way the ears on the box are mounted, maybe the frames were drilled differently. Mike

Curved windshield means 54 or 55 1st series cab-nose is from a 48-53. How's that? Mike

Maybe now that they're done with this sales campaign they'll put a good truck and their stores featuring Dodge B1B's. Mike

The box in my '52 (actually its a '49) is loose. I've removed a shim and adjusted it, but its still loose. I have the guts from a known good box from a '53. Are these internal parts (worm, sector, bearings, bushings) the same as a '49? I was going to swap in a box from another 53, but the column is more vertical in my truck than the '53. I suspect that the bolt pattern on the boxes are different. Anyone got any idea if this will work? Anyone had a column rebuilt before? Mike

I put a PCV valve in the vacuum line from the road tube to the intake manifold. I bought a new 60 gallon compressor @ LOWES (their web guy made a mistake and had it listed for $89.00 instead of the usual $499.00) so how could I pass that up when I needed to upgrade anyway-and its American made or at least assembled! Anyway, Monday it was colder than hell outside but I needed the rack body to bring my new purchase home. Ran ok, but even w the radiator blocked off-couldn't get any heat showing on the temp guage-usually runs around 180 when its above freezing out. I'll finish off the plumbing this weekend and maybe post some pics. Mike