https://board.moparts.org/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/2476582.html#Post2476582

Thought I’d post this here in case some of you don’t venture over to the general section. I tried the pics link and they do work. Will try to get some more up as I can.

sweet find!

Did that come out of Maryland? near DC

Great truck.

Thanks guys.

Truck spent last 15 years in TN, came from Missouri before then from original owner. The notes from the original guy are super super cool. He must’ve cared deeply for this thing. Nothing on who he is though.

This thing has the biggest honking steering wheel in it. Almost like what you expect in manual steering vehicles. My high school truck had a small wheel that wasn’t the tuff wheel. That one had a long flat triangle wood grain or similar area at the top of the horn ring, and a small narrow rim.

I fit fine in that truck. I seriously have to ditch this monster wheel or it will be no fun to drive. I barely fit under the thing. Maybe it was swapped in? It even looks out of place discolor wise.

Cool truck. Looks like a good starting point. I love these trucks. Have two of them right now. What part of TN did it come from? Here is one of my trucks the other is a big project.

That's the original style wheel, I agree that is the one bad thing about these trucks was that huge steering wheel. I put the tuff wheel on my 77 and my 78 came with the tuff wheel

I saw your truck at a Nashville area show around 2014. This one was in union city or dryersburg area I think to be exact.

Didn’t know that about the wheel. Guess it will go up in the garage rafters. My old truck was a bit of a Frankenstein so no telling what that one came off of.

I need to find some center caps.

Do you guys think I should go with the 225s or try and go bigger? It has some 255s now and one 225. Not sure it will make that much difference. Been too long for me to remeber what I used to run.

255s look great on these trucks

I run 235's on the front and 255's on the rear but my rear wheels have been widen 2"

Damn, your black truck could be the truck from the movie Cobra with Sylvestor Stallone. LOL.

That’s funny. Didn’t get the reference. Did some googling and I remeber that box cover at the old video store. Never picked it up. Yeah it looks dead on other than the 78 park lights. Looked to have a blue gut. I definitely need a gun toting muscle head to ride in the bed like that.

Thought I’d report some good news today. Ends up being scary. I backed it out in a rush to meet the shop owner a couple miles down the road from me. He was leaving and I had a ride back, so I hurried out the door.

The TQ agreed to fire right up and after only seconds of warm up, it also agreed to idle back down the driveway, even letting me jack it back and forth out of the tight turn. Then it ran well other than one small stumble. I worry now I messed up with the stabil additive as I read their faqs last night and they say to run a cleaner first as it will dislodge stuff in the system. Not sure that would do any good first as it in theory all goes into the filter or carb one no matter what you run.

The 727 felt like the pump was strong and found all the gears crisply. Starting to think the 440 is good and just has leaks.

I’ve been pretty busy and only popped the hood the once since it got here. Figured on fluid changes at this shop anyway, at least once the old guy agreed to work on it. He was convinced it was going to rain parts off his lift due to rust. Ends up he said it was a solid old truck.

Then we popped the hood as we discussed plans. Bad news I fixated on was him saying it looked underneath like both valve covers and rear main are pouring. Sweet. Then we pulled the radiator cap. Bone dry.

I saw antifreeze residue so hopefully it’s just a leak somewhere and not a crack. Crossed my mind that 41 year old steel shims could’ve rusted, though I’ve not encountered that before.

These guys use 80s dodge shop and tow trucks. There’s about a 75 dart one of them has. Really don’t know how hardcore they are, but think it bodes well for their helping out. I know an older gentleman that seemed to run the place passed last year, hopefully he wasn’t the only true mopar guy. They did find a seized ball joint three shops missed on a car for us, and they do take on older vehicles regularly, so fingers crossed.

Disappointed to not have any answers on this. Shop looked at truck and didn’t fix leaky hoses. I saw it parked outside when I drove by. Basically asked if I still want to do this. Getting the vibe they are out on the job now since the rear wheels had some rust holding them on.

Kinda takes the wind out my sails. They have several 80s dodges and the dart. A forties truck of some kind. Guess they were something the deceased guy was into. Not sure what to do now. Told them to press on and hope they do.

Have to decide to order tires or not by Sunday or lose rebate and maybe special price. These guys may [censored] about rust inside the wheels next. Already came up twice and that was before today’s complaining.

I just don’t have the time I used to. For two weeks of owning in the old days I’d have been rolling around by now. Without a viable option for repairs this is pointless. I’ll never get time to go through all this stuff before new things rot away from sitting. Thought I had it solved.

You're just at one of those points we all hit with our old trucks (and cars). We've all had them. I've wanted to give up several times, and then bam, something lifts me back up. This truck is well worth the time, effort, and money. Can you find another shop that even if not Mopar people, are at least somewhat meticulous? I have a mechanic that is a Chevy guy (booo) but at least thorough and and is willing to listen to feedback I get from here on Mopar specific advice. Sometimes I get frustrated with him because my stuff sits at his shop a long time, but then he finally gets to it and at least gets it right and my spirits are lifted again. You just need a bit of good luck to come your way. You have an overall solid truck, and rare and very cool!

Not going so hot. Been ordering a few Knick knacks and dropped a few off Friday. Pulled up and saw right away the window was down. Turns out something broke in the track. Thanks for not calling me guys. Dropped everything and got it blocked up with wood for now. Last of the stuff came in Saturday so I went by there while I was out and at least it was in the building. Have everything but a radiator just in case since “all the hoses are bad” was what I was told. Prepared for the worst. So...

Stopped in today to learn it was only a heater hose. Good right? Oh by the way we took it out on the interstate and the engine is worn slap out and the trans gets stuck in low gear or slams into another. Super, guess it’s fine when cold like the couple miles from my house.

Ended up being told they want 500 bucks for telling me it’s an old truck with problems, changing one heater hose, and prying the rusted on drums off. Told them to add installing the tires I caught on sale to the list and I’ll come get it out of jail. I’m still in disbelief somebody would take tires that look split all over out at high speeds. Incredibly dangerous thing to do! I’ve done plenty of stupid things in cars and I was tense just easing to their shop a couple miles on low speed roads.

Pretty disgusted at this point. Not with the truck, it’s really not any big deal to have issues with a project. In fact, for all the hysterics, I’ve stressed to these guys this is the exact thing I do. Save the past. It’s just a bummer it’s not anywhere near road worthy and the seller acted like it was. The price I paid makes it a nonissue, just an extreme bummer as a guy wanting to use it now.

At a crossroads since these guys clearly aren’t going to partner with me on this. Plan b is moving out of state soon and is only taking limited projects. Plans both c and d require transport many many miles away. That is if they are willing to get eyeball deep.

I’ve got a thousand things on my plate and zoning board troubles on a stall for it. Looks like I can pour a pad and play bureaucrat roulette for no telling how long on a roof over the area.

Got to thinking about basically a vacation to do a driveline swap and whatever else I could knock out like the soaked back brakes etc. realized my backup engine and trans have been sitting for 15+ years and a gamble to pop in without opening up. Hard to believe something I did that long ago seems like yesterday in my mind. Wow.

Your not the "Lone Ranger"'
I often find myself feeling this way.

Sorry to hear of you other troubles.
That's why I do my own work.
Unfortunately that means waiting for space, funds, and time to coincide.
Now I'm getting older and it takes even longer to finish projects.

I had this same experience with a car I bought sight un-seen. "Drive it anywhere". Transporter stopped at end of my cul-de-sac. It wouldn't even drive from there to my house five houses down. It was in awful condition.

You gotta get it to different quality shop.