1948 Dodge Two with Twin Carbs

[KJ's Dodge]

I recently purchased a 1948 Pilothouse 2 ton with stock dual single barrels. I have looked through a number of threads on this site and others sites to see if there is anything out there like this and I haven't came across it yet. I have seen dual carbs but not with the oil baths. So are the others stock or an aftermarket?

Here is a pic to show you all. There are so many unique features on this truck that I am curious of how rare these features were. You can see the dual horns in the pics as well.

[greg g]

These were available on heavy duty 1 ton and up. The decals suggest it's a for real one. Measure the length of your cylinder head, this will provide a better idea of what you have. Also the engine number is stamped int a flat boss in the block casting driver's side above the genny, just below the cylinder head, block interface.

Space between the carbs suggest it should be at least 25 inches, or more likely a 33 inch.

[KJ's Dodge]

The truck has a five speed with an overdrive as well.

Again, I have only seen a five speed in these forums on even larger trucks, but the original owner picked this truck up in Detroit and broke it in on the drive out to the Palouse.

I will get to the truck tomorrow and pull the numbers from the block and measure the distance between the carbs. Thank you,

KJ

[Don Coatney]

Good find on the truck. Is it in running condition? The factory dual setup is

somewhat rare. Thye red truck behind the car in the first picture below also

has a factory dual set-up. The second picture is the engine in that truck. As

mentioned measure the length of the head on your engine as well as

collecting the engine numbers to find out what it is. You mentioned your 5

speed transmission is an overdrive transmission. Not sure if that combination

was factory available. I suspect you do not have an over drive transmission

but instead a 2 speed differential. Is there a push/pull lever on the gearshift

handle?

[KJ's Dodge]

It is a 2 speed differential/axle, I miss spoke. The truck has 33,500 original miles on it and was running when it was last park 25 years ago (its last harvest). Hopefully with a new battery, a good cleaning of the fuel system and a brake job she will be up and running.

The 15 foot bed is supported by a 14" frame with the bed on 5" channel beams & 4"+ cross I beams (A total of 24" of steel supporting the load and 2 inch rough cut bed deck). Never seen anything this stout. Single hydraulics on the bed (the manuals found in the glove box show this as a St. Paul Hydraulic Hoist Division).

Edited August 3, 2010 by KJ's Dodge

[Todd B]

Are you sure that is a 2 ton?? The frame looks alot heavier than that.

[KJ's Dodge]

The truck model number is B-1-RA 172.

Its weight on the plate in the drivers doors has it at 18,500 lbs and down low on the exterior doors it has 26,000 gross. So, is it not a 2 ton?

It was all black from the factory. Hopefully I can get this to be a big black beauty again. Not many of these trucks had the three bumperets but I have seen them on this forum and other galleries. The interior has deluxe features (arm rests, sunvisors, finished kick panels, and AM radio).

The engine has 196 on it above the genny. The plate in the driver's door shows 106hp at 3200 rpm. The head measures 30.5" but with the water pump it is 33" long

The 2 speed rear end is an Eaton 2 Speed Axle and Vacuum Shift Control (the Eaton manual and its instruction booklet (neat little comic book) were in the glove box).

[Merle Coggins]

I think the "R" designates a 2 1/2 ton truck.

That's an interesting routing for the exhaust.

[greg g]

From the AllPar site;

Larger trucks used another family of in-line flathead six cylinder engines. There was a 331 cubic inch and a mammoth 413 cubic inch lugger was available in the T series and up. There may have been another engine in the 370 CID range, but I am not sure about that. The 331 was highly regarded in trucking circles as a durable, hard working engine. The 413 was equipped with two single barrel carburetors and had a very large appetite for gasoline. It was noted for twisting the drive sprocket off the end of the camshaft.

I believe yours to be the 331 as I have read the 413 was longer still.

http://www.allpar.com/mopar/flat.html

[KJ's Dodge]

I think the "R" designates a 2 1/2 ton truck.

That's an interesting routing for the exhaust.

The exhaust was routed that way to prevent a fire out in the field from being sparked off by the hot muffers. Until the advent of semidwarf wheat in the 50's, the wheat was shoulder tall and a wheat farmer could lose it all in the dry time of harvest with a spark and wind. The ablility for newer thrashers to cut lower on the steep slopes of the Palouse has made this much less necessary. Practicality won out over aestics.

I would like to return to the dual exhaust (yes, it does have two separate exhaust manifolds 1-3 and 4-6) that came with this truck originally and return the pipes to their stock location, so if anyone has pics or drawings of that please point me in a direction.

[Dodgeb4ya]

I have several of these "Heavy series" trucks-2-1/2 ton to 4 ton. A couple pictures of my 4 tonner with the 413 are shown. Your 1949 truck should not have had the twin carbs as original equipment. Some dealer might have put the setup on later as some of my literature states in 1950 that could be done. Your engine in the 1949 b-1 series would have been a 281ci. single carb single 3" exhaust. Some time in mid to late 1950 Dodge started the factory twin carb/exhaust setup on the 306/331/377 ci. and in 1953 on the 4 ton- the 413 ci. All these trucks came only with 5 speeds. OD 5 speeds are really rare. Case is stamped "OD" at rear of case next to drain plug. Most all 2 speed rear axles were Timkin/rockwell double reduction units. Your truck also has the optional 10 bolt bud wheels- not the "Dayton" cast spoke widow makers! T156 should be the start of the engine code on the top forward drivers side of the block right below the head for 1949 B1RA 2-1/2 ton 281 ci. If you have air brakes its on a machined pad area rear of the compressor. These engines are a much stronger (7 main bearings) and more industrial engine than the 251/265 chrysler /DeSoto engines used in the 1-1/2 to "K" series 2-1/2 tonners.

[wallytoo]

Its weight on the plate in the drivers doors has it at 18' date='500 lbs and down low on the exterior doors it has 26,000 gross. So, is it not a 2 ton?

Not many of these trucks had the three bumperets but I have seen them on this forum and other galleries.

[/quote']

if the "ton-rating" were done that way, wouldn't you have a 3 1/2 ton? 26,000-18,500 is 7,500 pounds, or 3.75 tons.

my 1.5 ton has the triple bumper guards, with the larger center guard containing a hole through which one might insert a crank to manually turn over the engine (good luck with that).

nice find. hope you get it on the road and enjoy it. welcome aboard.

wally

[KJ's Dodge]

Your 1949 truck should not have had the twin carbs as original equipment. Some dealer might have put the setup on later as some of my literature states in 1950 that could be done.

The original owner flew from Spokane to Detriot to pick up this truck directly from the factory after World War II ended and new truck models became available. He had both influence and $. After finding a box that the dual carb and exhaust pipes in the barn. I stand correct and a local Dodge dealer most likely installed them. He purchased a new Jeep as well and drove the truck out to the Palouse with the Jeep strapped to the bed. Upon arriving home, he immediately purchased a wheel tractor and dozer and loaded those up on the truck and drove them home.

It begs lots of questions. Who did that in 1948?

Edited August 3, 2010 by KJ's Dodge
spelling

[carl b51]

Shes a good lookin truck , glad to see your savin her we need more here in washington . Carl

[wallytoo]

It was my understanding from him that everything was set up there at the factory.

cool story about the original owner. picking at nits, though, it sounds like a "factory custom", rather than a "stock" setup, as some of the options weren't ordinarily available (unless one had influence and $$$).

[KJ's Dodge]

Couldn't find much identifiers on the block when the hood is open outside of what looks like 196 above the genny on the drivers side and to the right a few inches. I need to take a little closer look and make sure what I think is a 9 isn't a 5 making it a 156. Maybe once it is degreased and power washed I will be able to see something else but the head has what looks like a N married to an H, NH in a diamond and 1122793 in the casting. Thoughts?

Pic of the dash and AM, AM, AM radio.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Here are a couple pictures of the correct routing of the 306-413ci. dual header pipes and Factory correct mufflers. I had to route the dual headpipes around the PTO like Kj's truck will require. The transmission on my truck is quite a bit bigger than the 2-1/2 to 3 ton trucks-causing a real tight sqeerze on the header pipes. Pipe size is 2-1/2" for both head pipes.The Dodge truck parts book picture shows the original dual exhaust system parts as used on all 2-1/2, 2-3/4, 3, 3-1/2 and 4 ton Big Dodge trucks W/O PTO's.

Bob

[MBF]

What a find-good luck with it and welcome to the forum. Mike

[KJ's Dodge]

Thank you for the warm welcome and all the help. I look forward to participating in the forum and keeping you posted along the way.

I am curious if anyone can tell me what the three dials or buttons are to the left of the radio? The two ivory colored round switches and the larger black knob. The tuner control and volume are below the radio correct?

[wallytoo]

I am curious if anyone can tell me what the three dials or buttons are to the left of the radio? The two ivory colored round switches and the larger black knob.

pretty sure that's going to be part of the hoist operation - controls whether the hoist will rise or drop, via a simple cable. should be some other "means" of engaging the PTO. usually, pushed in is the way to allow the hoist to drop down by gravity, while pulling it out, and having the pto engaged/running, allows the hoist pump to lift.

[Merle Coggins]

The big knob at the bottom looks like a PTO engagement cable. Are the upper 2 switches or cables like a choke cable? If they are switches maybe they were for auxillary lights or an extra cab fan at one time.

What are the two gauges just above the steering column?

[wallytoo]

The big knob at the bottom looks like a PTO engagement cable.

hadn't considered that, but that could be.

i'd figured it was the same setup as i'd had on a previous '46 chevy. the pto was engaged by a single lever through the floor, while the pump hydraulic bypass was controlled by a dash-mounted cable with a big black knob, appearing identical to the one above.

either way, i'd suspect it's part of the dump system.

[KJ's Dodge]

What are the two gauges just above the steering column?

One is to log engine hours for servicing (oil changes, etc.) and the other is vacuum, I think. I may have to take a closer look.

KJ

I did take a closer look and the gauge is the Brake Vacuum.

[KJ's Dodge]

hadn't considered that, but that could be.

i'd figured it was the same setup as i'd had on a previous '46 chevy. the pto was engaged by a single lever through the floor, while the pump hydraulic bypass was controlled by a dash-mounted cable with a big black knob, appearing identical to the one above.

either way, i'd suspect it's part of the dump system.

There are two levers on the the floor below the radio. You can see the tops of the handles in the lower part of the pic with the radio.

KJ

[KJ's Dodge]

I found this a little curious, why only a lock on the passager's door? The drivers door can't be unlocked from the exterior but the passager's door can. Notice the lock below the passager's handle with a cover that swiviels over the lock itself and none on the drivers door. The other door would have been used the most. Is this a quirk or are all of them that way?