Dad's Dodge

[makman1297]

Hello everyone. Well it has been a few years since I worked on a truck, but my son and I have started a new project. My last project (http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=463296) was a success, however, due to orders and children I ended up selling it a year after I finished it. Well I have moved twice since then and ended up with my fathers 1981 Dodge D-150.

My father passed away in 2013 and my brother last year, so while I was up in MN I picked the truck up. My uncle has had it since 2006, up until that point it was garage kept, but my uncle used it as a farm beater so its condition went down hill pretty fast.

This truck was affectionately known in our family as the gutless wonder. It is a 2wd with a 225 slant 6 with a 727 auto. No frills, only power steering and power brakes.

The goal is to restore to a basically stock condition and then my oldest can drive it when he gets his license. We are upgrading the engine and changing the color. Other than that it is pretty much stock, just lots of new parts.

[Clyde65]

Sorry for your losses! I know death is part of life but we are never prepared for it.

I worked for a guy in the late 70’s that had a 78/79 just like the one you have. It was transportation and that pretty much it.

Good luck with your project!

[makman1297]

We started on this project a year ago, so here are a few photos to get up to speed.

[makman1297]

Our replacement engine, 1988 318 and 904 from a gran fury squad car. frame stripped, cleaned, and painted. Brakes and axle cleaned up and rebuilt.

[makman1297]

Old rust cut out and new metal welded in.

[Clyde65]

That’s some nice progress! Congrats!

[67C10Step]

Good luck on your project. My dad had a 1980 or 81 D150 with the slant 6 and five speed manual. It was pretty gutless as well but was never used as a heavy hauler. What I remember most was it was a sort of burnt orange color and was nicknamed "The Pumpkin."

[makman1297]

Thanks all. Yeah the 81 and newer slant 6 had about 90 hp. My sportster puts out close to that.

I talked to the machine shop today, the block is cleaned up and ready for machining. This is moving along, but I have to have it don't in the spring as I will be moving again early summer.

[makman1297]

My son is pretty excited about this project. Unfortunately for Dodge many of the patch pieces are not made. This is where you have to get creative. I am glad I fixed a couple of Chevys first, as it gave me the skills to do something more difficult. It is also nice that my wife approves of this project as it has been in our family since 1981.

I was able to find a used passenger door in GA. My uncle ran a 4 wheeler into the door damaging it and the hinges.

[makman1297]

We pulled off the front clip and removed the original engine and transmission. Once I get the box cleaned up we will redo the front suspension and then start repairing the cab. The dr side is pretty rough.

[makman1297]

We have the box ready for bed liner. Pas side box is ready for body work. We put our first coat of body filler on.

[gshibler]

I managed to sneak on and take a look at the progress with the link you gave me. Beats looking at the pictures on a flip screen phone. Coming along nicely!

[Jrainman]

Nice progress , not a lot of HP out of a 318 but wise choice very good motor , I have W250 318 manual 4spd that I bought new in 91 and have done only a few thing to it over the years It s primary use is plowing snow, The only thing I know that is a common problem with these Dodges are the off set plate that sits behind the steering gear box that is mounted to the frame tends to rot and get week then cracks ,Im not sure you have the off set plate on your specific truck but if you do check it real good for cracks . good luck Nice progress on your Dodge

[makman1297]

Thanks all. The engine should be out of the machine shop tomorrow or Monday. I dropped off the .30 over pistons today as well. I chose the stock style with the higher pin location which says they are 9.0 compression ratio. I also dropped the original police heads and ordered a set of 714's. They are supposed to have the 65cc combustion chamber the same as the 302 heads.

With the parts I have ordered I think it will be around 275-300hp. That is plenty for a 2wd truck. After all its only a 1/2 ton.

I pulled the front suspension apart today and some of the ball joints and bushings, what a pain in the butt. I also pulled the power steering box, the 2wd doesn't use the plate, but I will look over the mounts good after I clean it up.

I also got the lower inside part of the box sprayed with bed liner, one of the problems of working in a small shop is space so I need the bed to keep stuff in, lol.

[makman1297]

Well today I spent a few hours sanding and filling the passenger side. I was able to prime the front of the box and the pas side. Looks pretty good for the first coat.

[makman1297]

I was able to get a little bit of the front suspension cleaned up. I have all the parts for the front end so I want to get it back together and get the parts off of the shelf. Also had my heads come in, 302 castings from ebay. It says they are remanufactured. We shall see.

I also changed out the airlines and plumbing on my custom air system. Since the HVLP gun draws high cfm at a low pressure I plumed my 21 gallon compressor into my 6 gallon pancake compressor with the addition of an air tank. The new volume seems to do the job.

[Palf70Step]

I like what you have ben doing with the ole Dodge. Looking forward to your progress with it.

[mongocanfly]

it brings back memories of one dad owned long ago...

[makman1297]

Thank you Palf70 and Mango. My son is looking forward to being the third gen to drive this old beast. However it will be considerably different with a 318 instead of that old 225.

So we had to evac for the hurricane, hopefully our area stays out of its path. I decided to put the intake on and bolt the engine into the frame.

If anyone wonders, a small block and slant 6 use the same mount holes in the frame. The B eng is for a big block, even though they no longer sold them in 81. I think I have to swap the engine brackets to the other side of the holes for the passenger side as well.

[makman1297]

So the hurriation went well. We only had some small tress blown down. I pulled the engine back out and put in the new thermostat. I had to replumb the oil pressure senders since they were interfering with the distributor. I also got my dip stick, but it was 6.5 inches too short, I guess it must be for a front sump pan.

I purchased a GM 6.0 one and modified it to fit. I had to narrow down where the handle goes into the tube and then I cut it to length. I also fot some minor stuff cleaned up, temp senders in, vacuum passage plugged, and water return installed.

I also cleaned up the front of the frame and got it in primer. I finished stripping the upper and lower control arm and shot them with primer.

[makman1297]

And some more.

[makman1297]

Well some good work in today. Frame and control arms painted. I pulled the hub/spindle apart for the dr side and cleaned it and painted. I was able to get the dr suspension together.

I had one issue with the new upper control arm bushings, the pressed in washers on the end were slightly to small for the camber/caster bolts. I had to drill them out so the bolt would fit... They do say hecto en Mexico on them.

It seems kind of strange that some of the replacement parts are AC delco. The adjusting bolts, fuel filter, coil springs, rod bushing...

[dug224]

Nice rescue!! Keep up the good work.

[makman1297]

Thanks dug.

Well we have been busy with other things then dads dodge, however my itch to get back in the garage is always strong.

My sister-in-law had her wedding down on Parris Island so that took up several days of planning and setting up plus the weekend with family. I also had to leave to Utah for a couple of weeks as well.

We also found this poor car all alone at a Toyota dealer so it had to come home with us, lol.

[makman1297]

Front suspension is back together. I had a snag with the rotors, they make more than one size and I keep getting the one with the small inner bearing. I guess I have the HD spindles, doesn't make too much sense when it came with a slant six, lol.

I ordered the 3300lb rotors so I should know on Wednesday if they are correct.
I am also speeding up the time line on this project, as it looks like I may be moving out of housing in March, so here is to hoping I can get her painted and back together by then.