FINALLY - My 1948 B-1-D Build Thread, 33 Years Later

[billrigsby]

2 minutes ago, bkahler said:

Interesting.  I have the same NOS lighter with the same part number but it has a different lighter insert.  

 

 

I wonder if that's the black version, it came Chrome, Black and Ivory.

I was kind of wishing it was black to match all the other knobs.

And I may paint it black with white lettering. Not sure yet.

 

 

[bkahler]

I would bet it's the black version

 

My 51 came with a cigarette lighter from the factory but no ash tray and the heating element was long gone.  I scrounged a bunch of different lighters out of various trucks in the junkyards and then found this one on ebay a number of years ago.  Most that I found were rusty chrome although a couple of them might clean up reasonably well.  

[billrigsby]

 

The more I look at it, I think the next time I have a bunch of Kubota Hood decals printed

I'm going to have a black with white lettering insert printed

that way I can just put a decal in there and keep the Integrity of it being NOS.

 

Just a small black circular insert / decal and a better match to all the original knobs.

 

 

 

[billrigsby]

 

Finished up the cigar lighter mounting bracket, happy with the results.

 

Ash Tray and Cigar Lighter side by side

 

This will be the insert decal I will have made as opposed to painting the lighter as it is NOS

 

 

 

[Young Ed]

For anyone looking I believe that knob is the same as 53-54 plymouths. Perhaps it got box swapped or they didn't match part # to knob style as they all would fit in the same hole?

[billrigsby]

14 minutes ago, Young Ed said:

For anyone looking I believe that knob is the same as 53-54 plymouths. Perhaps it got box swapped or they didn't match part # to knob style as they all would fit in the same hole?

 

The parts book does list three knobs, have yet to find a picture or photo of a Black one.

[billrigsby]

On 12/4/2021 at 2:57 PM, bkahler said:

Interesting.  I have the same NOS lighter with the same part number but it has a different lighter insert.  

 

 

 

That looks like a 1959-71 Dodge & Fargo Truck Lighter Knob & Bezel - 1665009

 

 

[bkahler]

Who knows how many years the 1498-770 kit was available.  I do know the one I got has a 6-volt bulb in it so it was likely for the earlier years.  

 

The 51 sales literature shows the following cigar lighter.  I've never seen one like it before.  What I will likely do is take one of my spare knobs and fill in the letters and just make it a smooth face like the glove box door.  At least the knob will look like the rest of them.

 

[billrigsby]

 

Got some 'LIGHTER' decals printed this week,

setting up to do the installation

 

Some photos of the finished product,

the font on the NOS lighter is a tad smaller than all the other knobs

but at least it is white on black

 

With the stylus I was able to indent the text so it 'feels' right

 

 

 

 

 

[bkahler]

That definitely looks better than the all chrome version.  Nice job.....

[billrigsby]

 

Received my new serial number data plate from Poland today, nice work

 

Compared to the old one

 

Highly recommend, lots to choose from....

His Ebay offerings

 

Robert's email; g503@interia.pl

 

 

[ggdad1951]

13 hours ago, billrigsby said:

 

Received my new serial number data plate from Poland today, nice work

 

Compared to the old one

 

Highly recommend, lots to choose from....

His Ebay offerings

 

Robert's email; g503@interia.pl

 

 

 

I think that is the guy I used as well.  A quick note to him back to maybe consider getting the stamps to size the numbers closer to the original might be good?  But I was happy with the starter, geni and dizzy tags he did for me.

[Bryan]

On 6/6/2021 at 2:23 PM, billrigsby said:

Crankshaft is installed and spinning smoothly.

 

Everything lubed up

 

 

I'm tearing mine down right now.  Was wondering..that small hole above the 3-4 cylinders in line with the pump gear on the cam. I suppose people would tell me it's to oil the distributor or pump shaft, but with so much oil slinging around why would you need it?

[billrigsby]

That would be my guess.

 

[billrigsby]

Well, decided to leave the oil pump as is and rearrange the wires, can fix it later if need be..

Set static timing, cranked over the engine and nada.

Pulled the cap and no rotation.....

 

 

Pulled the distributor and looking down at the oil pump, also no rotation.....

 

 

I know it WAS working, after installing an oil pressure gauge, I bleed the line of air, til oil came out.

 

I recall someone else had an issue with a new Melling oil pump, searched but could not find it.

Might have been @Brent B3B , not sure.

 

Guess I am pulling the pump, hoping it all comes out in one piece and there is no further engine 

surgery required, back to frustration.

 

[billrigsby]

YEP It's $^&(*&% seized and worthless,

lets hope the camshaft is better made,

son of a ________!

 

 

 

Looked online couldn't find a NOS Part,

wonder if one of my old originals is worth using

I don't think I want another Melling melon.

 

The proverbial one step forward and this time ten steps back depending upon how deep I have to dig into this engine again.

 

 

Edited January 7, 2022 by billrigsby

[bkahler]

Wow 

 

Where did you get the oil pump?  I've rebuilt probably a dozen engines over the years and never had anything like that happen.  

 

You might check with Vintage Power Wagons for replacement parts.  I bought my pump and camshaft from them and if I remember right the pump was called a high volume pump.  Bought probably 22 years ago.

 

I sincerely hope that's all the damage you find.  

[billrigsby]

 

It was in the rebuild kit that I got from Clegg Engine, Melling M-37, I think.

I just sent them an email asking about warranty information not that I want another one.

Unless it is to sell on eBay.

Seems to be a somewhat common problem, I did find the post I remembered seeing earlier here.

FAILURE

 

Unfortunately I'm going to have to pull the oil pan which means putting the engine back on the stand.

If nothing else to get rid of all the little bits and pieces.

I don't see a way to inspect the camshaft without doing that anyway, I don't have a borescope which might get you in there I'm not sure.

 

AAARRRGGG ?

 

 

[bkahler]

Pulling the pan is the smart thing to do.  A small hidden stress crack on the cam would be a disaster waiting for the most inopportune time to present itself.

 

[bkahler]

I don't know if this is the same one that I bought but it's listed as a High volume oil pump.  The M-37 seems to be advertised as a stock flow / stock pressure pump.  Maybe that means the VPW pump is not from Melling.

[billrigsby]

 

I'm torn man, even if I don't see any damage I'm half tempted to pull the cam and have it magnafluxed, or see what I've got on the shelf and put a different one in.

 

Sometimes things just suck

 

This is one of those times

 

 

I was looking forward to the engine firing, sputtering, running rough and needing some dialing in,  not this.

 

Oh well, as the kids these days say, "it is what it is".

 

 

[billrigsby]

6 minutes ago, bkahler said:

I don't know if this is the same one that I bought but it's listed as a High volume oil pump.  The M-37 seems to be advertised as a stock flow / stock pressure pump.  Maybe that means the VPW pump is not from Melling.

 

I see they're also listing NOS I wonder if that really is the case or if it's a reproduction or aftermarket, I'm going to call them.

 

 

[bkahler]

I think the saying "You can pay me now, or you can pay me later" kind of applies here.  The sad part is paying later usually means you pay more.

[bkahler]

Just now, billrigsby said:

 

I see they're also listing NOS I wonder if that really is the case or if it's a reproduction or aftermarket, I'm going to call them.

 

 

 

They used to buy lots of NOS military surplus so I'm betting it is NOS.

[billrigsby]

Yes I believe I use that phrase in @Bdblazer1978's post back in 2020 LOL.