A lot of information to absorb here. Mostly all true. No matter how great that truck may look. No matter how nice the interior is. No matter how well it runs, it ain't safe without new brakes and decent steering. Also don't drive it till you check every inch of fuel line, rubber and metal. Remember, you or your friends can make it go. But your life depends on where it goes and how well it stops
make sure anything you get from the library is for your truck and not a newer one or you'll just end up even more confused, gorgeous truck by the way good luck and keep after it
When you get ready to start ripping those brakes apart or scatter the carb all over the driveway, pull out your cell phone and take a few pix of how things look before you start and as you disassemble anything new to you. The older you get the harder it is to remember how things go back together...especially if other projects come between disassembly and assembly.
That's what I'd call a cherry tomato, cool little truck. Love the tree shifter and pedals coming out of the floor.
looks like a cool project... just take your time & 1 step @ the time.. plan carefully... its a nice ride...
Thanks for all the kind words everyone! My Gramps adored it and I just want to show respect for such a great gift. I know deep down he would not have left it to me if he thought I was not up to the challenge but....yeahhh ......deep breaths, lots of reading and baby steps are my new daily motto
Read the whole thread, and don't be a jerk. She inherited a truck and wants to learn, what more can you ask?
Ok your not such a girly girl that you can't figure this out. You can swing a hammer right? Engines can be a little difficult some times -even for real experienced folk, but most of the time they aren't. Just keep reading and learning. It really depends on what your financial situation is as to how you should approach this. If you have a $1000 to spend on it; have it towed to a shop and get them to give you an estimate on what needs to be done. More than likely you should come in well under a grand for the following: 1. Replace or 'clean and seal' the gas tank. 2. Replace fuel lines and add a fuel filter, using all metal lines. 3. Have the brakes redone 4. Rebuild the carb. 5. check the electrical system. New battery and a few new cables, spark plugs, wires etc.. The hardest part of that will be to find a good shop that you trust -folks here can help. Get a little more specific on where in Arkansas you live. If you don't have that kind of money, you can do all that stuff yourself, but you will have a bit of a learning curve. Kelvin
I "could" get a grand together but.......but......but ....man ..........I just don't think I can break down and send it off....... I rewired my house, re-roofed it and did all the plumbing and drywall alone..... I really think w/ some good reading I CAN do this. but thank you for the "to do list"!!!! I am making a cliff -note of this thread that should keep me on the right track and out of trouble. You all are amazing!!!!!!!!
Pull the air cleaner and pour a little gas in the carb, if it starts then step 2 should be getting the fuel tank cleaned or replaced. I don't know if they make reproductions for your truck -probably not (someone here may know). 'Search' the HAMB for tank cleaning if a new one can't be had or is too pricey. You may be able to skip replacing the fuel lines, but you should add a fuel filter. I like these: http://www.lategreatchevy.com/full-size-chevy-glass-bowl-gas-filter-assembly-acdelco-1958-1972.html Its 1/8"NPT inlet and outlet, you'll need some fittings from an auto parts store to get to 'flare' on either side of it. You will need a flare tool and a tubing bender to get it all hooked up. Once you get it idling try driving it -in your driveway! Find out if your transmission works (probably) and brakes work. YOU WILL STILL NEED TO DO A COMPLETE BRAKE JOB before going anywhere at any real speed, but you can probably drive it around real slow just for a few kicks More than likely, you will need to rebuild the carb -this involves taking it apart and cleaning it. Take pictures as you take it apart, soak the parts in carb cleaner and blow out the little holes with compressed air -wear safety glasses. Get a rebuild kit and replace the gaskets -don't adjust anything, such as float height etc.. it was probably setup ok before you took it apart. It isn't quite that easy -so read up before you do it, but it ain't that hard either. Add tires to the list I posted earlier. Also, you should keep a fire extinguisher around, and in the truck when you drive it. You wont need it, unless you do -get it! You know this already because you use tools, but buy good ones.
Looks like you have a good solid truck to start with which is great when it comes to these old Dodges because replacement body parts are not available. I had a 48 that I end up selling off for parts because it was to far gone with rust. I now have a 51 that is very solid. From what I understand the factory brakes on these trucks can be a little scary on modern roads so check this sight out they offer a kit to up grade your brakes to disc brakes. http://www.rustyhope.com/home.html
hahahah ....rusty hope.....what a great name! Thank you for he brake info! I was stumped on that and that site was VERY VERY helpful! Thanks Clever for keeping it understandable. I was able to get a great night sleep thanks to all the help I got in here yesterday and feel good about moving ahead with this gem!
cart before the horse question. When this thing is ready am I looking at???.... 6 ml. a gallon ?? what can I hope for from this?
My experience with the Chrysler Corporation flathead six cylinder engines was in the 15-17 MPG range.
Thanks EZ- Is there a reason that there are no parts available? was this a bad truck? not well liked? limited production?
I can't stay long now...but I'll hook you up with suppliers for old dodge parts (trucks too)....I have a 1956 1/2 ton dodge....I'll be back later....have to go.
Just #3 seller syndrome. Ford & Chevy sold more back then, and thus less demand for parts (then & today), thus fewer people make replacements. It was / is well liked, usually considered a year or two behind the times (or sometimes ahead) engineering & styling wise. Luckily it's not an obscure brand. With the internet, you can find what you need.
I know I asked a lot of question yesterday but a few I am still looking for answers on.One being if I want this as a daily driver #1 is that practical? #2 should I be going about this repair in a different manner? #3 How important is mileage? it reads that it is in its 40s but how likely is is that it is really in the 140s? I was told it was not driven much and that it has original tires but ...come on ?? really???. Is there a way to tell?
.....here's the part sourcer that can really help you out...I've used them many times myself...ROBERTS MOTOR PARTS...978-363-5407...between 9to6 weekdays...no email...you talk to a very knowledgeable real person....great stuff !!!...the other source is ANDY BERNBAUM AUTO PARTS,INC.....www.oldmoparts.com...dodge truck parts....contact both of these sources and get their catalogs...as far as driving your dodge on the interstate,....in a word...NO. these trucks have stump pulling gears in the rear and are best driven around town.
Ok heres some safety things to think about 1the brakes do they work are the lines good or not 2 ball joints are they wore out do they need some grease3 tire rods same as number 2. 4 drag link same as 2,3 5 wheel bearing should be look at for wear,pitting and so on .6 door closing do they stay closed ya don't want to find out this one as your going a round a turn and have a person go for a trip it will kill the fun for the day! A safety list is a way to get you looking and thinking about your project. The best thing for a beginner on old cars and trucks is the is there basic design. By the way very nice looking truck! Ifyou will take the time to just look it over from top to botttom your going to see things to make a list to post for some help. then take one item get rrrrr done. List will help bring order and when you do start to remove parts TAG IT AND BAG IT! MOST IMPORTANT THING MAKE IT FUN. And a learning tool it's great on that first one when you can say ya I did that.
Can't add much except to say that you could not have a simpler and more basic vehicle to learn on. The other thing I would suggest is don't even try to get on the Interstate with it--these old pickups were geared really low because the designers anticipated them being used by people who would work them hard and load them to twice their rated capacity. The guys who designed that truck never ancipated that anybody would try to go more than about 45 with it. 45 was highway speed when that truck was built. There were no Interstates. To go 65-70 with the rear end ratio that truck has, the engine would be turning RPMs like a Winston Cup stock car, and a long-stroke engine like the old flathead 6 can't take much of that. Everything else being equal, a longer stroke engine can develop more torque and a shorter stroke engine can turn higher RPM's. You can load that sucker down until the springs bottom out and not stall it, but you're not going to go very fast. Need to change the rear end out to get a more Interstate-friendly gear ratio. A rear-end out of a similar vintage Dodge or Plymouth car would have a little better gear ratio for the highway, but an 8" Ford rear out of a Maverick or Granada would give you a better selection of gear ratios and still have the same wheel bolt pattern. Taller tires will have the same effect as a higher gear ratio but will also make the truck sit higher, and you probably don't want it to sit any higher than it already does. (Smaller diameter tires would lower the truck but also have the same effect as gearing it even lower.)
Daily driver is possible but would need some thinking & decisions. Basically no freeways unless you change things. No air conditioning unless you add it, and stock motor is borderline on power to make AC work. With no changes to motor, transmission, & rear end, it's an ice cream cruiser in today's fast traffic. Or side roads, 45-50 mph tops. A new modern overdrive transmission and rear end you would be ok on the freeway. A newer more powerful motor would give you more reliability and options like AC and power steering, & get you to true daily driver, go anywhere status.
this truck is like any 50yr old machine: if all the electrical & mechanicals are in good working condition then it can be used daily, though if it that truck got better than 12 mpg, I'd be pleasantly surprised. The flathead design, though simple & reliable, is not very efficient; that's why over-head valve designs came into existence. As far as what the odometer is reading, a trick I learned awhile back is to look at the driver door and gear shift condition. If the hinges are loose, if there are rub marks on the cab door frame from the door not lining up correctly, if the gear shift is loose (the sloppy H-pattern), then the odometer probably has 1xx,xxx miles on it. As for the tires, I doubt that the tires are original cuz tires made in the 50s weren't designed to last 40,000 miles. There might be some DOT numbers on them that could tell you if they were made in the 70s or later, but it's been my experience that tires more than 7 years old will start to come apart in only a few thousand miles. New tires are like a cheap insurance policy, as a blowout in an old truck can be a disastrous ride into a ditch or oncoming traffic.
Mileage on truck may indeed be 47k or may be 147 or maybe odometer is not accurate. Does not matter at all. Current condition is all that matters, and yours looks good. Sometimes low miles trucks were worked to death on the farm.
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