MBF

I've had excellent luck from the ones that I bought from NAPA (I've used them in all 3 vehicles). I kept the old ones as rebuildable cores in case down the road they're no longer available as new.

Since you asked, I'd do it original and keep it simple and go with the hoses. These are 60 yr old vehicles, why risk a breakdown on the side of the road for aesthetics? Just my opinion. It your truck. Mike

I've had one of mine all the way apart to change the dial face. You have to be very careful when trying to remove the needle or you'll break it. The only lube I put on mine was on the wick I used a light oil for that. Not sure why you'd want to reset it to 0 if its still working, there are a lot of parts in the odometer gears if I remember correctly and if it isn't put together correctly it won't log miles accurately.

You'll have better luck with a good battery for a bench test than a charger. I don't see a lot of wear on the commutator from your photos. I pulled one out of a parts truck this spring that I thought was junk. I was surprised when it ran on the high and low speeds. Cleaned it up and put it on the shelf. Good luck!

With the steering wheel and dash support removed, drag link separated, and the front end jacked so that the front suspension isn't compressed (wheels just not touching the ground) you can remove it and reinstall w/o touching the floor panels. I've done it on my floor shifted 1 ton. With a column shift, I'm betting you have to remove the shift linkage from the column, but I don't have anything w 3 on the tree. Mike

I'm running 7.00-16's on my 1 ton (front and the rear duals).

We had this problem on a friend's truck years ago. Turns out the rear cylinders were frozen up and the front brakes were the only one's working. If you haven't already done so, I'd replace all of the flex hoses.They wouldn't cause the brake to lock up, but they could cause a slow release If your front cylinders were leaking, you could have fluid or if the seals are leaking grease on the shoe linings which as the shoes get hot is starting to come to the surface which could cause them to grab. Did you clean and lube lube pivot surface and the felt washers/ on the bottom adjustment bolts? Mike

Some fine pickin' there.....

Last year I bought a NOS set of springs for my 36 Plymouth on Ebay. They appear to be identical to those of the PH latches. I know for a fact that they fit. My dad took one of my part latches a few years ago and used the spring in his 35 Chrysler. Similar to these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1935-1936-late-Dodge-Chrysler-Plymouth-DeSoto-Door-Lock-Latch-Repair-Springs-/131917853400?hash=item1eb6eab2d8:g:xQ8AAOSwDNdVrBG5&vxp=mtr

Absolutely agree w what Merle says. Yesterday the pump in my 2.5 ton quit (actually it spit the pin out). It was new 3 years ago (Airtex?) through NAPA by the previous owner. I ordered a new one, and decided to repair and rebuild this one for the shelf. New one came, half the bolts holding the two halves together were stripped, two others were missing. NAPA-Mexico. I put the pin back in position on my pump and staked both ends and it worked fine. I don't even think the brand new pump is rebuildable with the housings so screwed up. I had good luck rebuilding the one in my 1 ton about 5 yrs ago with updated material that tolerates ethanol. Going back to that guy just north of Albany, NY to get a kit for this one.

I think the bolt pattern is different between the 1/2 and 3/4 tons.

I'm 99% sure that the bolt pattern on any 3 speed differs from that of the 4 speed and requires a bellhousing change. Not sure if a 3 spd b/h can be tapped to accept the bolt pattern of a 4 speed.

Just a guess, but I think the firewall mounted regulator is the culprit. I too am running internally regulated alternators on my 49 1 ton, and 36 Plymouth. I removed the regulator on the 1 ton, and the cutout on the 36 was part of the generator replacement. I bet that your regulator is putting some type of load on the headlight circuit when the engine is running. I'd be interested to see how you resolve this. Good luck. Mike

A problem I have found is when these flatties sit for a long period of time w/o being turned over is that they hang exhaust valves-sometimes really hang them. If you're still having starting problems I'd check the compression on all cylinders and see if you have about the same amount in all cylinders. Sometimes a hung valve will let go with a shot of MMO down the throat of the carb while the engine is running, but I've also had them so stuck that I had to pull the head and work them with oil to get them moving again.

How many lugs on the wheels, and what size rubber does it have? If its a 2 speed, it's like 8.xx on the low side, and 6.xx on the high side. Where is reverse on the shift lever? I would think that would have a 4 or 5 speed in it. Mike

Not sure if the frame width is the same or not, but a friend of mine swapped in a rear from a Jeep Cherokee for road speed in his '38. I don't remember if he had to move the spring perches or not, but it runs right along nicely with the original 218/3 spd, and he's got better brakes. He also did a spindle swap on the front end with a late 60's/early 70's D100 that gave him self energizing brakes on the front end too. Wheel bolt pattern were also the same. That is a nice looking truck! Good luck with your project.

I removed mine by removing the steering wheel, horn wire, undoing the dash hanger, frame mounting bolts and drag link. With the front end jacked up and front suspension hanging I was able to simply slide it out the bottom. Installation of the replacement box was just to reverse the process. Didn't need to touch the floor panels or anything else. Mike

Bicycle tube worked fine for me.

It is a lug wrench. Even if that did fit the crank nut it wouldn't be safe to use as a starting crank. There is no safe way to disengage it when the engine starts.

Not that you asked, but an engine need to run hot enough to get the oil temp above 200 so that the condensation in the crankcase can vaporize and be drawn out through the road tube, or a PCV system if you have one installed. W/o reaching a high enough temp you're likely to have problems with sludge buildup, and dirty oil. I run 160's in all my flattys, and have a PCV system on my 1 ton. Keeps the oil clean looking longer than the road tube on the other two. Just my 2 cents. Mike

I believe the 48-50's are interchangable among those years, the 51-53's used different hoods and the noses had a different setup for the radiators on top.

I never lock mine. The foot starters are my anti theft devices. The battery disconnects and potential 45 mph getaway speeds are my backup plans. If I had a 3 on the tree, hell you could leave that running with the doors open and none of today's young thieves would know how to drive it.

I put one in my 1 ton probably 15-20 yrs ago from NAPA and haven't had a problem with it. Same for my 36 Plymouth. Quality of today's switches must be much lower than the past.

I bought a 46 Dodge truck a couple of years ago that was running on only 5 cyls. I could hear the lifter clicking, and I was pretty sure the head would need to come off. I know that these flatties are well known for hanging valves after sitting long periods of time. I had one that was so bad it had pushed the guide up a bit. I took a chance and gave it a drink of MMO slowly down the throat of the carb, and then choked it off with it. While I was picking up tools I heard a clunk. I started it back up and had all 6 with an occasional miss. I put some MMO in the gas, and when I did an oil change I put some in the oil. Miss was gone, never hung that valve again while I had it. Running it was the best thing for it. Good stuff-

I had the same problem with my 36 Plymouth. I converted it to 12v several years ago along w one of my PH trucks. Check your grounds, and the condition of your battery cables, and their gauge. A hot engine takes more battery oomph to start. If the cables are corroded internally, or too light a gauge (6 volt systems have twice the amp draw of a 12 volt system), the starting problem may be affected by too low a voltage to the coil. That along with percolating gas/heat sink will make it hard to start when hot. I'd also make sure that the fuel pump heat shield is in place-that is needed with the formulation of today's gasoline. Nice truck!