Old truck adventures

[Boondox]

Well, the 57 Dodge 1/2 ton we bought last month continues to be an endless source of entertainment, often of the heart pounding variety. First, I rebuilt the carb. It was a Carter single barrel. Really nondescript but absolutely filthy inside and out. Flat surfaces that weren't very flat, and had to be sanded so the gasket could do its thing. Also a funky linkage with one throttle return spring connected to the firewall and another at a 45 degree angle connected to the fender well. Couldn't figure out the reason for that one, so left it off. Figured it out in a hurry this week when I goosed it and the throttle stuck wide open at the intersection of two highways! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif At rush minute, no less. Had one car coming from the right and two from the left!

Killed the engine and pulled over in a hurry. Popped the hood and found the throttle linkage inverted. Popped it back into place and resolved never to goose it again.

Then my wife backed out of the garage and discovered she had no brakes! /w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif Remembered the parking brake just before she reached the retaining wall that spells the end of the driveway. I came home and bled the brakes. Nothing but very dirty fluid at three wheels, but the last one came out as pure caramel-colored froth! Took that wheel cylinder apart today and found it choked with crud. Ordered a couple of replacements from NAPA; they arrive on Tuesday. In the process of exposing the cylinder I had to scrape off inch-thick crud around the kingpin. Found three grease fittings that haven't seen daylight for at least a decade. Used up two cans of carb cleaner in the process, but my wife dragged me into the house when I started seeing pretty colors. Shucks, I told her, I was just getting warmed up!

Pete

 

[s1120]

<font color=red>I came home and bled the brakes. Nothing but very dirty fluid at three wheels, but the last one came out as pure caramel-colored froth! Took that wheel cylinder apart today and found it choked with crud. </font color=red>

I have thrown together a lot of old, beat up cars, and driven them daly. One of the first things I always do is bleed the brakes. Vary important, as you have found out./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Gives you an idea of what else is wrong with the brakes also. BTW, have you pulled the drums yet? I find that having to put on a wheel cyl tends to lead to a good case of "while, I'm at its" Shoes bad, gresse thee bearings, replace that break line you KNOW will break when you try to remove the cyl./w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif Good luck, and have fun. I love that part of having an old car. [No, I'm not kidding, I do/ OK, I'm strange]

 

[Boondox]

This is actually the first vehicle I've ever owned with a carburetor and the old points/condensor. I feel like a complete idiot asking questions like "What's a main jet?" But I did manage to refurbish the carb myself, so I guess I'm trainable at the very least.

You were right on about the "while I'm at it" syndrome! Since the parts won't be here till Tuesday, I pulled the whole thing apart and cleaned it. Then thought it would be a great place to try out that POR15 rust "proofing" stuff everybody raves about. If I do that to every section I overhaul, eventually the truck will start looking, well -- clean!

Pete

 

[Rowski]

Kinda sounds like some of the old farm trucks I get in at the shop once in a while. You touch one thing and something else breaks. If you need some repair info I think I have some old mitchell or motors repair manuals. I have to find them under an inch of dust/w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif!

 

[s1120]

<font color=red>You were right on about the "while I'm at it" syndrome!</font color=red>

If you want to see how far this can go, check out this....

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://hometown.aol.com/abt740/myhomepage/index.html>http://hometown.aol.com/abt740/myhomepage/index.html</A>

Thats my wifes web page

 

[brewerbob]

Pete:
I'm the proud owner of a '66 Dodge 1/2 ton. It has a 318, 4 speed, and sure grip rear end. It is the first joint possession my wife and I purchased (for $500). Was running on 7 cylinders when we bought it. Put in new rings and conn rod bearings, rebuilt carb, new clutch, u-joints, shocks, etc. The $500 truck became a $2,000 truck, but we've had it since 1987, and it still runs like a champ. One thing I did that I'd recommend to you is to put in an electronic ignition. I got mine from JC Whitney, for not too much money, and it works great. I was afraid that eventually I'd have a problem finding points and condensors. Enjoy your truck, we still use ours often. It'll pass everything except a gas station! It's pretty rough looking on the outside, but people assume it's not insured and give you a wide berth, which you can use because the brakes are not very good.
Bob

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Bob's right. A pointless distributer may seem like an intimidating thing to install, but it will be an excellent, and fairly inexpensive upgrade. I bet there are junkyards full of distributers that will fit your engine. Chime in Dodge guys, about what years will fit what.

 

[s1120]

<font color=red>A pointless distributer may seem like an intimidating thing to install, but it will be an excellent, and fairly inexpensive upgrade</font color=red>

The easyest to install? I got a Pertronix for my boat, and it was cake to put in. I hate points! This is where I got mine...

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.vintageperformance.com/retrorockets/>http://www.vintageperformance.com/retrorockets/</A>

I had good luck with them.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

I bought an MSD billet unit for my Camaro. Looks very trick.

 

[s1120]

<font color=red>I bought an MSD billet unit for my Camaro. Looks very trick</font color=red>

I am planing to get one for my Mustang when its done. One of the RTR ones. I plan to bead blast it, and make it look a little more like stock.