1948 Dodge Two with Twin Carbs

[Dennis_MN]

Yep, all of the pilothouse trucks have only the one lock on the passenger side door. Logic suggests that Dodge was interested in safety and wanted the door locker standing on the parking side of the road. One has to either pull up on the drivers door handle to lock it, then slide across the seat and exit on the passenger side, missing the shift in the process. Or exit and walk around and reach across to lock the door, then shut and lock the passenger door. I leave mine open most times I park it.

Dennis

[Jerry Roberts]

Yep, all of the pilothouse trucks have only the one lock on the passenger side door. Logic suggests that Dodge was interested in safety and wanted the door locker standing on the parking side of the road. ...

Dennis

There is one more train of thought on this ; They might have wanted to save money by installing just one lock .

[greg g]

Ford did that for a while also. If you look at Vehicle laws in a lot of municipalities there are actually laws on the books against opening the drivers door into traffic while parallel parked at a curb. So you are ecouraged by this system to enter on the pass side, and slide across the seat. Then you are free to leave you parking space without looking and or signalling just like they do today.

[Dennis_MN]

There is one more train of thought on this ; They might have wanted to save money by installing just one lock .

I think is was their engineers thinking about safety. My 1971 Plymouth station wagon had the gas filler on the right (passenger) side and most other makes had them on the drivers side. Drove me nuts to drive into the gas station and have a ford on the far pump facing you. No orderly in and out.

I was told at that time that the Chrysler Corp was concerned about safety and didn't want a vehicle that ran out of fuel getting a fill can on the traffic side. Down side of course is that you can get siphoned while parked and no one would notice.

Dennis

[Mike Meade]

Don Bunn's book says it is probably a-282ci with net HP of 106.

[KJ's Dodge]

The pictures are of the equipment hoist bracket and tool box which is on the driver's side below the bed. Does anyone have any pictures of the hoist and/or the brand of hoist that would have been used to place heavy items (engine block or farm implement) on to the bed of the truck?

Most likely the hoist is on the farm somewhere in one of the twenty buildings on the property. So, your pics maybe useful in helping me to identify it on the property. I am also curious if someone knows if these were available options from the era.

[KJ's Dodge]

I got some time with the 2 3/4 ton today. Cleaned out the cab, washed down the exterior and did the glass. She looks like she will clean up really well. Should have her put up inside a barn by the end of next month.

See the pic below. It is definitely a 196 on the block cast on the engine block just above and to the rear of the genny. There is a small C stamped in place above the genny just below where the head meets the block.

[KJ's Dodge]

When cleaning out the cab today (which was a chore with 25 years of mice and bug infestation), I saw something I didn't recognize. I meant to take a pic but my camera died. What is the thing that looks like a breather cap under the driver's side of the seat for?

[Jerry Roberts]

Is the "breather cap" fastened to the seat ? If so you probably have a seat that is designed to partially hold air for and adjustable firmness of ride .

[KJ's Dodge]

It comes out of the floor of the cab below the seat. It is not attached to the seat but inside and under the the support frame for the seat. It is cydrical and probably four inches tall, four inches wide at the top cap with a base half that.

Thanks,

KJ

[Dodgeb4ya]

Your truck has a single diaphram frame mount "Midland" brake booster. The air intake for it is through the round Breather filter under the seat below the drivers side of the seat. You can unscrew it to clean it. All of the 1-1/2 and up tonnage Dodge trucks have this breather used on hydraulic brake systems W/ the frame mount boosters.

Bob

[Bodacious]

When cleaning out the cab today (which was a chore with 25 years of mice and bug infestation)' date=' I saw something I didn't recognize. I meant to take a pic but my camera died. What is the thing the looks like a breather cap under the driver's side of the seat for?[/quote']

It sounds as if it may be a breather for a hydrovac, that is a power brake booster used on larger trucks with hydraulic brakes. They're usually vented to the inside somewhere to help keep dirt out.

[KJ's Dodge]

I climbed under the Dodge today. The differential is off-set to the passenger side. There are two sections of the driveline, the first section comes straight off the transmission and then the other one makes a 5 degree angle or so and angles to the differential/two speed axle . Both sections of driveline are about equal length. There are u-joints at these transition points.

I have personally never seen a two section driveline before and never one that was offset, so is that how they all are on these big trucks or is this another unique design?

Thanks,

KJ

Note: Looking back at Bob's post of the dual mufflers responding to this thread on Oct 1, I think that the U-joints in his pic are the transition point of the two sections of driveline.

[wallytoo]

I climbed under the Dodge today. The differential is off-set to the passenger side. There are two sections of the driveline' date=' [b']the first section comes straight off the two speed axle and then the other one makes a 5 degree angle or so and angles to the differential[/b]. Both sections of driveline are about equal length. There are u-joints at these transition points.

I have personally never seen a two section driveline before and never one that was offset, so is that how they all are on these big trucks or is this another unique design?

not sure what you mean. the "two-speed axle" and the "differential" are in essence the same thing. do you mean you have two driveshafts entering the differential/rear axle? or do you mean your driveshaft is a two-piece driveshaft, with a center bearing located just aft of the cab?

if it's the latter, that's the way the large trucks are, both "back then" and today.

i think i get what you mean. the front driveshaft section begins at the rear of the transmission, and has the brake band on it, and terminates at the center bearing mounted just behind the cab, on the frame. the rear driveshaft section begins at the bearing and terminates at the differential/2-speed axle.

[KJ's Dodge]

The driveshaft is a two-piece driveshaft, with a center bearing located just aft of the cab. With any vehicle with more length, I found out that it is really common to have two sections for the driveshaft thus providing room for travel and movement of the suspension. Makes sense, the moment would be much greater given the length.

[Dodgeb4ya]

Kj`s truck probably has a "H-300" 2 speed Timken double reduction single rear axle in it W/ 2 piece drive shaft.The 2 speed truck rear axles were shifted by a red button on the shift lever for high or low range. A large 8" vacumn chamber is bolted to the side of the differential and operates the shifting collar inside the diff. Speedometer has a little vacumn operated gear box attacted to it to compensate speedometer for the rear axle ratio changes.

Attached picture should show the driveshaft angle like KJ`s but driveline and rear axle are the heavier "R-300" series.

Bob

[KJ's Dodge]

Thanks Bob,

I saw the large 8" vacuum chamber bolted to the side of the differential, just didn't know what it was for. I will look for the red button next time I am out at the truck.

KJ

[KJ's Dodge]

I had a request for more pics of the dual horns so here is some updated pics from my truck for all to see.

[austinsailor]

those u-joints are not available anymore, so if you disassemble anything, take real good care of them. If you lose a part, or find one bad, you'll be doing some converting. Not fun - I just finished one today.

As to the motor number, it's on a flat place just below the head, a few inches forward of the distributor. You should be able to see it in this picture of my motor.

Then, you can look on this chart and see exactly which motor you have:

http://www.t137.com/registry/help/otherengines/tengines.html

Oh - I'm not sure they put that motor in a 2 ton, I was under the impression it was only 3 and 4 ton.

My '47 3 ton has a gross of 21,000.

Gene G.

[Dodgeb4ya]

those u-joints are not available anymore, so if you disassemble anything, take real good care of them. If you lose a part, or find one bad, you'll be doing some converting. Not fun - I just finished one today.

As to the motor number, it's on a flat place just below the head, a few inches forward of the distributor. You should be able to see it in this picture of my motor.

Then, you can look on this chart and see exactly which motor you have:

http://www.t137.com/registry/help/otherengines/tengines.html

Oh - I'm not sure they put that motor in a 2 ton, I was under the impression it was only 3 and 4 ton.

My '47 3 ton has a gross of 21,000.

Gene G.

Gene,

Did you need a new U-joint for your 3 ton? I probably could of helped you out if I knew you needed the 3 ton and up joint #947555 !

Bob

[KJ's Dodge]

Gene,

There is only a small C stamped in flat place (no other numbers at all) where the head meets the block on my truck's engine.

Thanks,

KJ

those u-joints are not available anymore, so if you disassemble anything, take real good care of them. If you lose a part, or find one bad, you'll be doing some converting. Not fun - I just finished one today.

As to the motor number, it's on a flat place just below the head, a few inches forward of the distributor. You should be able to see it in this picture of my motor.

Then, you can look on this chart and see exactly which motor you have:

http://www.t137.com/registry/help/otherengines/tengines.html

Oh - I'm not sure they put that motor in a 2 ton, I was under the impression it was only 3 and 4 ton.

My '47 3 ton has a gross of 21,000.

Gene G.

[austinsailor]

Gene' date='

There is only a small C stamped in flat place (no other numbers at all) where the head meets the block on my truck's engine.

Thanks,

KJ[/quote']

If its original, it'll start with a "T" (for truck), then one of the codes on that chart. Car engines were rebuilt and sold by many places, and might have no number or a strange number. I'd be surprised to find that these big things were rebuilt that way. They weren't that common. If it's on that flat place just forward of the distributor, my guess (and only a guess with my limited knowledge) is that it was a replacement engine or something like that. But, starting with a "C" would indicate a Chrysler engine, and I don't know of any with that large block.

If anyone knows more about this, please chime in, it would be interesting to find out what is going on.

Gene

[austinsailor]

Not sure what happened to the engine chart link. I'll try again:

www.t137.com/registry/help/otherengines/tengines.html

help/otherengines/tengines.html

I can't figure out why it changes the link when I post it, but if you patch in the above to cover the dots, it should work.

If yours is a '48, it should have either a 281 ci (T156) or 331 ci (T158).

[Dodgeb4ya]

Gene' date='

There is only a small C stamped in flat place (no other numbers at all) where the head meets the block on my truck's engine.

Thanks,

KJ[/quote']

KJ,

Here are two pictures of where/what your engine ID serial# pad should look like.

[KJ's Dodge]

Got some time with the Dodge yesterday. Pulled the plugs, added some Marvel Mystery Oil to each cynlinder, pulled the battery out (which literally broken in two halfs) and getting her ready to turn over, fire up and start soon I hope.

Anyone have an recommendation for a replacement battery for these big trucks (Bob, maybe)? It had a Ward Commercial 6 volt in it.

Thank you all for the help.

Once the battery is replaced I will drop the gas tank and clean out out the supply route and carbs with some aviation fuel, get it back together.

Thanks,

KJ

Edited June 12, 2009 by KJ's Dodge