New Project 1950 B-2-C Original

[WarriorDog]

Got the spring perches welded on the rear end today. Noticed the leaf spring bushings and shackle hangers are WORN OUT

 

[WarriorDog]

We pulled the tranny in the truck and popped the top to do a visual inspection for any problems.  None found. We put the top back on and set it aside for when we're ready for it.  

[WarriorDog]

Turned the drums on the Cherokee rear end and checked the brake shoes for fit.  We'll get the rear end finished tomorrow and  have to wait for the leaf spring parts to get here before installing.  Cupro nickle brake and fuel lines arrived today. So we stripped out all the old lines.  Got the Master cylinder out and started to pull the clutch and brake pedals.  Got a stuck key on the clutch shaft.  We'll get it tomorrow.  

[WarriorDog]

Got the old locked up engine out today of the truck today.  

 

[WarriorDog]

Lots and lots of sludge in the bottom of the oil pan.  There's enough to patch a large roof with the tar.  

 

[WarriorDog]

We took a break from the Dodge today and did a few mods on his '57 Chevy Tradesman Wagon.  

My buddy is a machinist, mechanic, engineer and transplant from Chicago via Naples Florida to the middle of nowhere East Tennessee and he's 74 years old.  So, we added a new seat to his 57 Chevy today.  Some pics of his handy work on this Chevy.  

[WarriorDog]

Water distribution tube came out kinda easy.  We drove a 1/4' rod down the side.  We welded a nut on the end and used a slide hammer to pull it back out.  We started to drive the rod down the other side and notice the tube was loose.  We grabbed it with some needle nose vise grips and it slid right out.  This was pulled  out of the 218 from the '53 Cranbrook.  Not out of the locked up 218 in the truck.  

 

Edited March 24, 2017 by WarriorDog

[WarriorDog]

We got the manifolds and bumpers back from sand blasting.  We straightened the bent bumpers to nearly straight and I'll get them back to the powder coat guy Monday.  Going to leave the manifolds uncoated and let them age naturally.

 

[WarriorDog]

We started on putting the engine back together today.  Put some new freeze plugs all around it.

 

[WarriorDog]

We started to put the new rear main seal in and noticed it was not what we received in the gasket kit from FelPro.  This engine is out of a 53 Plymouth Cranbrook and apparantly Chrysler decided midyear to change to a new style rear main seal.  Evidently this is a late '53 engine and has a split lip rubber seal instead of the bolt on pieces or a rope type.  Got a new seal ordered tonight.  We did some checking to make sure we had a 218ci engine and notice when we measured the stroke and bore of the  cylinders that the bore was  3.280".  Then we noticed the top of the pistons were stamped  with a 30.  So this engine has been rebuilt and bored .30 over.  By the condition of the rear bearing it hasn't been too long ago, either.    We'll get back on it next Wednesday morning.  

 

 

[WarriorDog]

New rear suspension parts were installed today.  We put the rear shackle hangars on along with new shackles and bushing on both sides.  Also installed new spring bushings on the front of the rear springs.  

[WarriorDog]

We finally finished installing then rear end today too.  Springs lined up and U-Bolts tightened down.  

[WarriorDog]

I've been up almost all night searching for this rear crankshaft oil seal .  Egge has it for $58 + $18 to ship it.  I finally found a cross reference guide to sort out this seal.  

Best seal 3675

Chrysler part no is 2084325  thanks to another member posting the pic

Another member posted this pic with a partial number from Fel Pro.  Fel Pro part number is BS 100853  Not the PR10085 listed on the plastic envelope

My understanding is this is a fairly common seal used in several applications I searche the felpro number BS 10085 and found one on EBay that is a BS 10085-3 that states it will fit the year and engine size for 14.99 + 4.00 for shipping 

I found a site that has all sorts of cross referencing info for this seal started plugging in these numbers.  I searched for the Victor JV1349 seal  This seal even fits Nissans

http://www.kakapart.com/oem/partscrossinterchange/victor-jv1349.html

What a PITA to find a reasonably priced part.  Whew!!

 

Edited March 30, 2017 by WarriorDog

[WarriorDog]

I got my bumpers back from the sand blaster and took them to the press for a little straightening.  They got really really straight with the press.  I decide I didn't want to have the "Rust" powder coat as the bumpers would all be uniform color with a solid rust color all over.  So, I bought some Muriatic Acid from Home Depot along with some Copper Sulfate crystals.  I painted the back side of the bumpers to protect the surfaces from rusting.  I turned the bumpers over and painted a coat of Muriatic Acid on the bare metal.  This did nothing to the bumpers over an hour period.  I'm impatient, I know.  So I put some vinegar in a hand held spray bottle and applied that over the Muriatic Acid.  Still nothing.  So I came back to the thread that suggested using Copper Sulfate to accelerate a rusting process on metal.  I put a cup of Copper Sulfate in a quart of distilled water and let the crystals dissolve.  I put this mixture in the spray bottle.  About 1/3 full and then topped it off with more vinegar.  When I sprayed this solution on the bumpers,  WOW!!  the metal surface changed colors Immediately.  I mean, within 2 seconds of contact with the metal, the metal took on a new color.  I coated the bumpers and let them dry.  I added another coat and let it dry.  Each time I applied this stuff I got a new darker color.  Then I took a can of gold "hammered" spray paint and applied a light mist over the rusty, patina bumper and got a really nice patina hugh to them.  I may try a few different things tomorrow.  I can always sand off the "rust" and start over with something else.  

The first picture is what the bumpers looked like after sand blasting - bare metal

The rest are different stages of the rusting process.

 

 

 

 

[WarriorDog]

We found this mangled piece of metal in the bottom of the oil pan off the donor Plymouth.  We flipped the block over and started looking for something that had snapped.  Finally we realized it was the lever arm off the fuel pump.  No telling how long it had been laying there.  We did see a nick on the crankshaft lobe.

Edited April 1, 2017 by WarriorDog

[WarriorDog]

Wheel cylinders on the Jeep rear end have to be rebuilt and one has to be replaced.  So I got those ordered today.  We''l finish the brakes next Wednesday and get that doen with.  We're using the E brake from the Jeep and bolting the cable box to the right side under the frame.  We'll run another cable from the existing under dash hand brake to the box and have a functioning EBrake with the original under dash handle.  

We started getting the Master Cylinder mounted on the bell housing and decided to just utilize one of the existing holes for the original M/C and drill and tap another hole for the new Jeep M/c to mount on.  What do you guys think about turning the master cylinder at an angle to avoid fabbing up a mounting plate?

Anyone have  a current Item/Part Number for some shock absorbers that will fit this truck?

 

Edited April 1, 2017 by WarriorDog

[WarriorDog]

Here's the way we are setting Master Cylinder.  There will be a remote reservoir mounted on the firewall.  Feed tube will split to send fluid to both front and rear sections.  

Edited April 1, 2017 by WarriorDog
changed pic

[austinsailor]

I haven't see a decision on patina vs new paint, although it looks like you're going for patina.

For what it's worth, my old 48 b1b draws more attention in it's as-found condition that it ever would restored nicely. That surprised me.  An even bigger surprise is, women seem to be drawn to it far more than men. Go figure.

[WarriorDog]

The body of the truck is black and paint is not in the best of shape.  I will not paint the truck.  I want the truck to be roadworthy  and mechanically in excellent shape.  That's why I'm spending alot of time on the running gear and suspension before reassembly.  I want the truck to start and drive when I turn the key.  I want it to stop when i push the brakes.  I DO NOT want it sitting on the side of the road, broke down, with my store name on it.  The bumpers and wheels needed something though.    Wish I had the chrome style rails on the grill like yours.,  I may be tempted to strip them and make them in a rusty appearance also.  

 

[austinsailor]

Don't be too envious of my stainless on the grill - it's pretty dinged up and bashed to hell, just doesn't show in that picture.

[WarriorDog]

On 4/2/2017 at 3:11 PM, austinsailor said:

Don't be too envious of my stainless on the grill - it's pretty dinged up and bashed to hell, just doesn't show in that picture.

Well, it's not the blingy stainless or chrome stuff that I like.  It's the contrast against the body color of the truck.  Nice truck!!

[WarriorDog]

We started to reassemble the engine today.  Got the correct rear main seal on Monday.  Got the seal, oil pan, timing chain and gears, head and water pump on today.  Engine will be ready to put back in the truck by Friday.  

 

 

Edited April 6, 2017 by WarriorDog

[WarriorDog]

Progress was slow last week.  I'm waiting on some parts to be powder coated and we cant install the engine until the motor mounts are back from powder coating.  Finally scored a complete set of 5 on 4.5" wheels off the same donor car that the engine came from - a 1953 Plymouth Cranbrook.  The wheels are narrow 15 x 4.5.  I'm taking them to the powder coater and having them sand blasted this week.  I'll have the original 5 on 5 15" truck wheels sandblasted also.  I'll probably put them up on the classified section after the project is done.  Just waiting to get the engine off the stand, replace the freeze plugs on the rear, bolt up the clutch assembly and bell house and do the install.  Any suggestions on a tire size for the narrow wheels? The Cranbrook had Coker wide whitewalls 215/75's mounted on them.