Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.
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Gordon_M
Joined: 02 Nov 2009 Posts: 62
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Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2014 10:38 am Post subject: Another crumb |
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4.1 is the standard ratio I think. I remember there is a 3.9 that will fit but it is rare ( er ) |
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22439 Location: UK
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Penman
Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4755 Location: Swindon, Wilts.
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 10:39 am Post subject: |
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Hi Rick
I posted a Q&A on Old Bus Photos and besides coming up with links to your other site "Old Dodge Trucks" someone has come up with links to more info about the Southend buses, though possibly something you already knew.
Do you think they were converted from the separate cab models? _________________ Bristols should always come in pairs.
Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10 |
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22439 Location: UK
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Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2014 1:08 pm Post subject: |
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Penman wrote: | Hi Rick
I posted a Q&A on Old Bus Photos and besides coming up with links to your other site "Old Dodge Trucks" someone has come up with links to more info about the Southend buses, though possibly something you already knew.
Do you think they were converted from the separate cab models? |
Hi, I did find a few more photos of the Southend conversions a while back somewhere. The bus conversions were based on the integral cab crewbus like mine, the outer panelling was stripped off, the frame extended downwards to lower the sides and possibly at the rear to increase the length, then re-panelled afresh.
RJ _________________ Rick - Admin
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22439 Location: UK
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Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 2:34 pm Post subject: |
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Just a quick update.
Not having fired up the old girl in a while, over the weekend I decided to move the Dodge outside and introduce her to the latest "arrival".
For some time I've had my suspicions about the Dodge's head gasket. There's evidence of slight coolant leakage, where the head meets the block. Perhaps the gasket has failed, or maybe there's a problem within. The head had major surgery a few years ago, with much stitching in of new metal, and fixing of cracks.
Since those repairs were done, I was lucky enough to source a replacement cylinder head, that I then had skimmed and now sits on the shelf ready to fit. All being well I hope to whip the original head off and, if it is indeed leaking from one of the past repairs, replace it with the better spare. The leakage explains the need to top up the coolant from time to time
Whether swapping the heads will also improve the running I'm not sure, its road behaviour had improved of late, but last time out there was some spluttering again, which suggests there are still one or two gremlins in the works.
RJ _________________ Rick - Admin
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22439 Location: UK
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22439 Location: UK
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Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2015 7:55 pm Post subject: |
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As mentioned previously, I've had a few doubts about the health of the cylinder head and gasket. The head underwent a significant amount of re-stitching a few years ago, enough to make it usable but the plan from early days was to try and locate a replacement "just in case".
Handily, one turned up a few years back. It was sandblasted, cleaned up, skimmed and put in store.
I've been putting the job off, but last week I knuckled down and made a start. The "new" head was cleaned up and re-painted one evening last week. Most of the plug threads were looking a bit ropey, but the attentions of a suitable thread chaser (referred to in another thread) sorted them out.
Yesterday the old head was removed from the engine, and a number of small fittings were transferred over to its replacement. It'll go into the "just in case" store.
A few hours were spent today cleaning the face of the block, ready for a new gasket. It gave me a chance to look at the various stitched repairs, they appear to be holding up ok.
Part-way through:
It's ready for re-assembly now. There are a few new gaskets in store, and a couple more sat in a customs clearing place somewhere, while they work out how much duty they'd like to charge me.
Hopefully I'll get it put back together later this week, I've not run it for a little while so it'll be good to warm things through and exercise things. It's booked for an event later in the year, so once the engine's back together I need to get on with a few more jobs
RJ _________________ Rick - Admin
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Gordon_M
Joined: 02 Nov 2009 Posts: 62
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Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2015 8:16 pm Post subject: If anything is going to give you grief ... |
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It will be flatness - or lack of it.
The 'new' head has been skimmed flat - or at least checked?
The block was skimmed flat after the repairs?
It is not uncommon for the block and head to distort together over the years, so they go together perfectly and work - until someone introduces an undistorted component. Starting with both faces completely flat is best. |
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22439 Location: UK
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Posted: Mon Mar 16, 2015 8:23 pm Post subject: Re: If anything is going to give you grief ... |
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Gordon_M wrote: | It will be flatness - or lack of it.
The 'new' head has been skimmed flat - or at least checked?
The block was skimmed flat after the repairs?
It is not uncommon for the block and head to distort together over the years, so they go together perfectly and work - until someone introduces an undistorted component. Starting with both faces completely flat is best. |
Hi G
Yep both heads were skimmed, and the block was checked while at the machine shop. In addition to a weep on the side of the head joint, there may have been a slight weep where the new section of iron was let in, along the top of the head. Given the question marks it seemed like a good time to have a look, and swap over to the un-repaired head while I was at it.
RJ _________________ Rick - Admin
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Richard H
Joined: 03 Apr 2009 Posts: 2148 Location: Lincolnshire, UK
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Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 11:58 am Post subject: |
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Is there any way to unbolt the bonnet, complete with centre hinge? Looks a very awkward position to work on the engine! _________________ Richard Hughes |
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ukdave2002
Joined: 23 Nov 2007 Posts: 4104 Location: South Cheshire
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Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 1:03 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Rick
I don't know if you did one, but a cylinder leakage test is a quick and easy way of pinpointing many gasket/head/block problems.
Dave |
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22439 Location: UK
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Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:11 pm Post subject: |
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Richard H wrote: | Is there any way to unbolt the bonnet, complete with centre hinge? Looks a very awkward position to work on the engine! |
It wasn't all that awkward, some of it can be done by standing on a step and leaning over. The bonnet is heavy and unwieldy, so to avoid the risk of scratching something I've left it on. But yes, it can be unbolted quite easily
Dave - I didn't do a leakdown test no, but as I could see leakage along the side, it needed to come off anyway.
RJ _________________ Rick - Admin
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22439 Location: UK
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2015 10:22 am Post subject: |
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Morning all,
I've run the old girl up a few times with the "new" head fitted, and touch wood it's running ok. Given that the head has been sat idle for probably 50 years, I wasn't quite sure how it'd go.
Yesterday the Dodge received it's annual spring clean (how does something parked in a garage get so grubby!?!?!?!), key benefit being that I finally found a use for young offspring.
I've also tracked down a number of road wheels which, while not a 100% match, are American and of wartime age. Unless you look closely they do a passable impression of being a match for those fitted to the truck, so one of them will do for a spare (which I've been on the look-out for since finding the truck in 1995).
RJ _________________ Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
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Gordon_M
Joined: 02 Nov 2009 Posts: 62
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Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2015 10:28 am Post subject: |
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Rick wrote: |
... so one of them will do for a spare (which I've been on the look-out for since finding the truck in 1995).
RJ |
I know you mean TWO of them Rick, and that you are just checking to see if we are all paying attention.
G |
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Rick Site Admin
Joined: 27 Apr 2005 Posts: 22439 Location: UK
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