51 B3B build thread - after all these years

[Radarsonwheels]

Hi Brad!

 

Hey nice work man. I have a piece of trivia to share- a jeep ZJ rear axle takes the stock driveshaft U-joint like it was made for it and provides modern disc brakes with a cable parking brake. It does need billet wheel spacers though- they are a little narrow for our track width. 

 

My truck’s OG 4.10 rear was still working like new but the brakes were always a problem and I never found parts for the stock parking brake- 2 birds one stone.

 

I did have to make a bracket for the parking cable splitter and weld on new skinny perches for the original leafs, along with relocating the axle shock brackets but it was a great swap. 

 

Fingers crossed that your engine decides to free up and there isn’t any significant rust damage on sealing surfaces.

 

I’m enjoying your build thread- lots of great pics!

[JBNeal]

Here's a discussion on brake and fuel line routing from a few years ago...that fuel line needs to hug the cross member under the engine for maximum clearance.

 

Terrill Machine supplies fuel pump rebuild kits, he'll need the pump model off of the casting to send ya the right kit

 

 

[CO54]

What color is that green?  Looks really good. 

Thanks.

Eric

[bkahler]

On 11/2/2019 at 11:00 AM, Radarsonwheels said:

Hi Brad!

 

Hey nice work man. I have a piece of trivia to share- a jeep ZJ rear axle takes the stock driveshaft U-joint like it was made for it and provides modern disc brakes with a cable parking brake. It does need billet wheel spacers though- they are a little narrow for our track width. 

 

My truck’s OG 4.10 rear was still working like new but the brakes were always a problem and I never found parts for the stock parking brake- 2 birds one stone.

 

I did have to make a bracket for the parking cable splitter and weld on new skinny perches for the original leafs, along with relocating the axle shock brackets but it was a great swap. 

 

Fingers crossed that your engine decides to free up and there isn’t any significant rust damage on sealing surfaces.

 

I’m enjoying your build thread- lots of great pics!

 

Thanks for the tip on the jeep diff.  My current diff is the factory optional 3.73 so I'm wanting to find out just how well it drives with that ratio.  

 

Brakes are a concern but until I get a chance to drive it I don't want to make any conversion decisions.  Truth be told I'm probably getting to old to drive fast!!!

 

Thanks!

 

Brad

[bkahler]

On 11/2/2019 at 12:54 PM, JBNeal said:

Here's a discussion on brake and fuel line routing from a few years ago...that fuel line needs to hug the cross member under the engine for maximum clearance.

 

Terrill Machine supplies fuel pump rebuild kits, he'll need the pump model off of the casting to send ya the right kit

 

 

Brian,  thanks for the links.  Pictures are worth a thousand words.

 

Back in 97 when I was dismantling the truck I had a brand new digital camera that I thought would be the cats meow for the restoration process.  Problem was it was only 320 x 200 resolution!  Not near good enough.  Fortunately I did use a regular camera for some pictures, just not enough of them.

 

Thanks,

 

Brad

[bkahler]

On 11/2/2019 at 2:33 PM, CO54 said:

What color is that green?  Looks really good. 

Thanks.

Eric

 

Eric,

 

The color was listed as "Dodge Truck Green" for 1951 in the Sherwin Williams paint books.  The truck was originally black but I wanted a green truck and got one

 

Brad

 

[CO54]

Brad, 

Thanks for the info, my wife and I have decided we're going with a green and grey color scheme of some sort.  She picked out a green that is used on the Michigan DOT trucks for some reason.  I'll be showing her yours though. 

Keep plugging away. 

Eric

[bkahler]

Ok, time for another question 

 

In the attached picture is the throttle linkage arm that mounts on the bell housing sitting in the right orientation for when not pressing on the gas pedal?

 

I'm having to fabricate my own throttle linkage and brackets for the carburetors since I'm using the Offenhauser dual intake.  

 

Thanks,

 

Brad

[Los_Control]

Are these carter B&B carbs? just thinking the typical position for the carbs with no spring is wide open throttle.

And the spring closes the throttle down to idle.

That is the way a stock factory setup works. This means if the spring breaks, it goes to wide open throttle and you need to change your underwear.

I assume your dual carb setup is the same.

[JBNeal]

additional information - throttle return spring installation 

[bkahler]

3 hours ago, Los_Control said:

Are these carter B&B carbs? just thinking the typical position for the carbs with no spring is wide open throttle.

And the spring closes the throttle down to idle.

That is the way a stock factory setup works. This means if the spring breaks, it goes to wide open throttle and you need to change your underwear.

I assume your dual carb setup is the same.

 

Yes they are B&Bs.  And you answered a big question that I was getting ready to ask about the fact the carb defaults to full throttle!  I thought maybe I had put them together wrong

 

Thanks!

 

Brad

[bkahler]

2 hours ago, JBNeal said:

additional information - throttle return spring installation 

 

Thanks for the link, good info.  

 

When I dismantled the truck all I had was the cotter pin and needless to say I was baffled by it for a long time until I saw the complete setup at a junkyard.

 

Brad

[bkahler]

4 hours ago, CO54 said:

Brad, 

Thanks for the info, my wife and I have decided we're going with a green and grey color scheme of some sort.  She picked out a green that is used on the Michigan DOT trucks for some reason.  I'll be showing her yours though. 

Keep plugging away. 

Eric

 

I need some paint for touch up and will try and see if Sherwin Williams can still come up with the formula.  If they can I'll post the info.

 

Brad

[bkahler]

After doing some research on my front end steering mess it appears the only thing I have to swap are the two pivot arms, i.e. swap sides so they point to the rear.  The backing plates themselves are the same part number.  That saves me a fair amount of work.  Sometime this week I'll put the front end on jack stands and start.  Some good news for a change

 

Brad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bkahler]

These numbers are stamped on the side of the frame above the left rear wheel.  They don't seem to match the vin number.  Any idea what they represent?

 

[Dodgeb4ya]

That's a frame part number.

[bkahler]

20 minutes ago, Dodgeb4ya said:

That's a frame part number.

 

That explains it, thanks!

 

[ggdad1951]

39 minutes ago, bkahler said:

These numbers are stamped on the side of the frame above the left rear wheel.  They don't seem to match the vin number.  Any idea what they represent?

 

 

How clear they are!  Not all mucked with rust!  I only found mine after sandblasting.

[bkahler]

4 minutes ago, ggdad1951 said:

 

How clear they are!  Not all mucked with rust!  I only found mine after sandblasting.

 

The frame was sandblasted and then painted with a coat of Bill Hirsch's Miracle Paint and then sprayed with his Chassis Black paint.  

 

 

[bkahler]

Question:  Is the fuel line a one piece affair from the fuel pump to the tank or was there a splice/union in the middle somewhere?

 

I've reviewed the link provided and that helped a lot.  I've found the front half of the fuel line and it has a fitting in the section running along the side of the frame to the rear.  I also think I found the rear section although it seems to have a section of hose attached on what would be the section that runs towards the front along the frame.  Makes me wonder if someone spliced in a fuel filter and I've lost a piece over the years and moves that I've made.

 

Thanks,

 

Brad

[ggdad1951]

1 hour ago, bkahler said:

Question:  Is the fuel line a one piece affair from the fuel pump to the tank or was there a splice/union in the middle somewhere?

 

I've reviewed the link provided and that helped a lot.  I've found the front half of the fuel line and it has a fitting in the section running along the side of the frame to the rear.  I also think I found the rear section although it seems to have a section of hose attached on what would be the section that runs towards the front along the frame.  Makes me wonder if someone spliced in a fuel filter and I've lost a piece over the years and moves that I've made.

 

Thanks,

 

Brad

 

if memory serves I had a union in the center under the rad, I can look tonight.  It definitely has an odd run, but that's what they did.

 

[Los_Control]

1 hour ago, bkahler said:

Question:  Is the fuel line a one piece affair from the fuel pump to the tank or was there a splice/union in the middle somewhere?

I just pulled what I think is the original fuel line from my truck. It is one piece all the way.

When I replace it, the local parts store only sell the steel lines in 5' section, and there will be a splice when I replace it.

If you have a splice, maybe it has been replaced in the past?

 

The original does end before the fuel pump and a short rubber line to finish it. I believe for vibration between engine and frame is the purpose.

Edited November 4, 2019 by Los_Control

[bkahler]

13 minutes ago, Los_Control said:

I just pulled what I think is the original fuel line from my truck. It is one piece all the way.

When I replace it, the local parts store only sell the steel lines in 5' section, and there will be a splice when I replace it.

If you have a splice, maybe it has been replaced in the past?

 

The original does end before the fuel pump and a short rubber line to finish it. I believe for vibration between engine and frame is the purpose.

 

If it's one piece all the way then I'd bet it's original.  I wouldn't be surprised if mine is a replacement as it has been heavily wrapped with tape in a couple of spots for what I think was to keep it from rubbing on the frame.  The splice joint is just forward of the spring shackle.  

 

I should amend my statement about fuel pump to tank.  Mine does have (had) the rubber hose at the fuel pump.  I will likely fabricate a replacement line and while doing so will add another filter underneath by the tank.

 

Thanks,

 

Brad

[bkahler]

33 minutes ago, ggdad1951 said:

 

if memory serves I had a union in the center under the rad, I can look tonight.  It definitely has an odd run, but that's what they did.

 

 

Which one of your many project vehicles are you referring to?!!!

 

 

[ggdad1951]

17 hours ago, bkahler said:

 

Which one of your many project vehicles are you referring to?!!!

 

 

 

yes I confirmed on FEF, which was a stock truck there is/was a union center "below" the radiator.