1965 m43b1 w/381

[billyzz]

bled the brakes
still have a soft pedal but it stops
all the components look new but that doesnt mean much

 

[billyzz]

the trans tunnel is butchered
and in keeping with the family tradition of being lazy slobs when it comes to sheet metal
i covered the massive hole with gorilla tape

i had to do something to keep water out of the tranny
as soon as i can afford it i am buying 5 gallon bucket of gear oil and one of those good pumps and i will keep draining and filling until it comes out clean
i got water in the t-case as well as the tranny
the rear leaks some but the front is good
i am swapping oil in the t-case again today
painted my bumper flat black yesterday
soon i will drive it around to get everything warm then spray all the oily stuff underneath with cheapo oven cleaner
then wear old clothes and take it to the car wash

 

[hippiedude]

Nice looking rig .....

 

[billyzz]

it looks like it may have been an air force ambulance
when I removed the inner door panel it's air force blue inside
then after that I have found fire engine red

 

[billyzz]

My spinal arthritis keeps me from being able to get under the truck and pull the tt case etc to replace seals and such
I have done it before but this dang disease don't get better as time goes by.
I am going to have to (gasp) pay someone to do work that I was perfectly capable of doing ten years ago

 

[billyzz]

I want to install 481 gears so that it will be a little faster.
I have enough torque and power thanks to the 318
I will never use the first gear as it is now
It's not like I am going to take this antique rock crawling.
But I do want a dual master cylinder and maybe a booster.
Just trying to make it more drivable
Good thing I don't live in a real city anymore!

 

[billyzz]

I have flushed all fuids including gas tank.
Gone over the brakes
Adjusted steering
Hit all the grease zircs
Installed heater,new carburetor
Sealed the windshield gaps as well as the doors
New tires
Waiting for wheel seals and then will repack the bearings

 

[billyzz]

so tempted to simply paint the red cross back on
if for no other reason i hate the billboard painted on the side by the previous owner
i have a feelin its impossible to match the same color of olive drab
so to cover it up and make it look right
i would have to paint the entire rig
that aint happening outside
in the south dakota winter
by a kid that doesnt even own a sprayer or a big enough compressor to run one

 

[billyzz]

i got my wheel seals and the giant socket needed. now i just need to grow some gonads and build cribbing so i can safely work on this 3 1/2 ton truck . i dont own jackstands i would trust for this
AND it has snowed for the past 2 days
no shop

 

[billyzz]

put a buncha parts ,tires etc on craigslist so i can buy a torque multiplier to remove those giant lugnuts.
yes
i know about left handed lugs..

 

[billyzz]

the reason why i want a multiplier instead of an impact is. on the side of the road i wont have a big ass compressor OR an electrical outlet.

 

[billyzz]

got my torque thingy
first thing it opened it up and gave her a few shots of grease.
got the first wheel off and everything looks great
man was i glad to see that!
no water. no oil contamination. no nuthin. just clean grease and tight intact seals

 

[billyzz]

 

[billyzz]

my hydraulic brake switch leaked
replaced that and got some speedbleeders
part no.dorman 12707
after much thought and looking at prices /availability of parts
eventually i am installing disc brakes on this
about $600 per axle
and taller gears
about $450 per axle
thats a lotta freakin moolah
but before any of that happens i need to replace all the seals and possibly the bearings in the t/c and tranny
the seals are cheap
but those bearings arent
and i will fill them with 50w synthetic tranny oil
i have decided i dont need power steering. maybe someday
i bet about $3000 will get me right about where i want to be

 

[billyzz]

well,
one things fer sure
i nailed it in the tough lookin truck department


well,
one things fer sure
i nailed it in the tough lookin truck department

 

[billyzz]

Those front blocks should not be there
In my inexperience I thought it was stock.
After looking closely it looks like the oil pan will be resting on the axle if I take the blocks out.
I don't know what to do.
forgive me but
i dont know crap about these things
never even seen one of these trucks before
except in movies

 

[gerrykan]

Where is the sump on the oil pan?

Car applications usually had a center sump, pickup trucks had rear sumps, and if my memory is correct, 1960's 2-wheel drive pickups with the straight axle had front sumps.

Someone used to sell a kit to put a 318 into an M37, and I'm sure the blocks weren't needed, so you may just need to source the correct oil pan and oil pump pickup tube to match the pan.

It also seems like 360 oil pans can't be used on a 318 due to larger crank journals, but it has been several years since I have played with a Dodge.

 

[billyzz]

installed the speedbleeders. (love those things)
and once it warms up a bit i will do the minor and if needed major brake shoe adjustment as per the military brake procedure pages i found online.

i am wondering if i will crush the axle housings if i jack up the truck from anywhere but those little pads that have the springs and u bolts?
its a 7500 lbs truck

 

[billyzz]

ok
2 gallons of lucas 50w for the transmission/t/c
2 gallons 75-90 gl5 for the axles
and on friday i ordered

6 kwik sleeves
and 7 various seals for all these leaks
when everything gets here i will trailer the waggin to the mek-a-niks shop and turn him loose
i minor adjusted the brakes after replacing the stoplight switch and used speed bleeders.
and while i have a firm pedal with no need to pump anymore
i have to push it down farther than i want to (about 4 inches instead of the recommended 2)
succesfully installed the spotlight

BTW
rock auto carried every one of those parts for a fraction of the cost of anyone else
and yes i checked they are all timkin/national etc
i didnt think they would have em
but they did

 

[billyzz]

the thing i like best about clubs are the cruises
shows are ok but driving places is where its at
i am going to a meeting tonight for a club that has been around since 57
Counts of the Cobblestone Car Club rapid city sd
it might be fun
they have a deal where you take a disadvantaged kid to a car show etc.
id love to take a kid in the M43B1 to a show
BTW no i wont tell him we named it the loveboat/shaggin waggin