Mopar experts help me

Hey guys, my buddy has a 1956 dodge truck that his dad gave him and has no mechanical skills. It's over heating and needs a water pump. I'm having trouble finding one for him, I dont know if the engine is original to the truck or what. Block # VT33-14322
Please help me finding a pump.
Thanks

 

Mopar flathead 6's have a water distribution tube behind the pump, in the D-shaped hole. If it corrodes away, the coolant just circulates through the front of the block, causing a heating problem even with a good pump. You should be able to hook the tube with a bent piece of wire and pull it out to inspect it. I have no idea if they are still available, haven't bought one in decades.

 

They used the flat head 6 in fork trucks into the 70's. You should be able to find one somewhere.

 

http://compare.ebay.com/like/360357126573?var=lv&ltyp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&_lwgsi=y

Here's one on ebay

 

Hey guys, a VT33 code isn't a flathead 6, its a poly V8. Which matches the pictures. So, no distribution tube. Starting in '55 Dodge trucks also came with poly's and hemi's as optional engines.

I can't seem to match the VT33 to a poly code though, closest I have is a VT332. Is there another number in that series before the dash? VT33_ -14322?

Update:

Ok, found it. Based on the casting # on the intake, the engine is a 270 ci Dodge poly. But that's just the intake, the engine could actually be a 241 or a 270, the same intake would fit both. The water pumps are the same though, and they're rebuildable if its not working, you best bet would be to take it down to the local NAPA and see if they have a rebuilder local to you.

Also, you may look into other issues with the cooling system. When my girlfriend and I changed a couple of the freeze plugs on her '55 Dodge Coronet (also with a 270 poly) we found the cooling passages were pretty well blocked up with gunk. Rebuild the pump, but look into boiling out the radiator and possibly replacing the freeze plugs and cleaning out the block while they're out.

Not sure if the engine is original to the truck, although it could be. The serial # on the engine seems like its a number short, that should tell you for sure what year truck it came out of. The alternator is definitely a late model edition, I'm guessing it was converted to 12v if it wasn't originally. I think '56 was 12v already, but trucks may have been behind. Also looks like the engine has been painted fairly recently, it may have had a refresh at that time.

 

"73RR" here can rebuild the pump

 

Might try to do a cooling system flush with it first. Prestone makes a solution and the process is on the bottle. I'd try that simple thing first. If that doesn't work, then you can try the pump.

 

Instead of messing with the freeze plugs I'd run some engine flush just before taking the old pump off.

 

Yup, that too!

You'd have to ship it to him, but he's also a great resource for info and other parts for the old hemi's and poly engines. If your buddy is going to keep that truck running, Gary "73RR" would be a good contact to have.