1979 D150 4X4 Short bed

My new project!

I bought it on 07/19/2022 as a non running vehicle. Purchase price $2000.00

1979 Dodge D150 Adventure 4X4 Short Bed
360 Motor, Automatic Transmission, A/C, Cruse Control
53,210 original miles, Numbers matching, Motor and transmission, as well as all body panels.

More pictures...

Interior and motor......

Body issues and rust.....

Body issues and rust continued....

Towed it home and started working on why it didn't run. The previous owner said it would start one day, no spark but would turn over.

First thing, it needed a new battery and battery terminals. I took care of that but it wouldn't turn over.
Checked power to the starter, all good. Pulled the started and benched tested it....dead starter!
Replaced started, it turned over strong but wouldn't start. Added fuel down the carb, and it fired up, but wouldn't stay running.
Looked at fuel pump, rotted fuel line. pulled filter and ran a line directly to a fuel bottle, pulled fuel from the bottle and started running.
Replaced fuel line and fuel filter, started up and ran fine. Had to set the idle, but that's it.
Put it in gear, no movement. Check transmission fluid, none showing on the dip stick. Two quarts later put it in gear and she went forward and revers.
Brakes worked okay, took it for a spin around the block, runs and drives good.

It will need a key tumbler as they looked to be starting it with a screw driver. A/C blows but not cold, need to have the Freon level checked.

Some of the history I found out about it

It was purchased in the Reno Nevada area and stayed local there until 1992.
Paper work found in the glove box said owned by Ben Maggart who had the motor rebuilt in Jan 1992 at 13,000 miles, unknown why the motor was rebuilt at that time. Then the truck was parked in a hanger on 10/92 and set for ten months tell sold on 08/93. Then sold to the person I bought it from on 08/2006 with 23,850 miles, and brought to Idaho. They drove it until 05/2016 when it wouldn't start. Parked it.

Nice find!

Looks all original! What are your plans for it?

Great find for sure! Short bed, 360-4, with a/c! And great color combo!

I plan on getting mechanically sound, fix the rust and dents, paint the wheels and bumpers bright white and re-paint the white on the body and leave the rest alone for now.

I want it to stay stock ride height!

Not sure yet if I what, I don't need, a roll bar.

Since it has been setting lots of little things need attention. New key tumbler replaced, recharge/fix A/C, signal canceler fixed, both window mechanisms need lube and adjustment, transmission leak, needs a new hood latch, choke kick down is sticking...and that just in the two days I have driven it.

great score!

Got some thing done. Mostly just little things but it feels good to knock them off the list.
Replaced the broken hood latch and got the battery hold down cleaned and reconnected.
Got the wiring up under the dash and column like it should be, they had also disconnected the cruise control controller, so I got that rewired as well.
Pressure washed the underside and bed. Noticed the transmission pan was missing a bolt, which is causing the trans leak, and of course i don't have the right bolt on hand.
Adjusted the carb and fixed the fast idle, also fixed about ten vacuum lines that where cracked or disconnected.
The grille was rattling, missing two screw and half the other ones where lose.
Cleaned out the interior and gave it a good vacuuming, need to replace the carpet and pad.
Ordered new door seals, review mirror, carpet and pad and interior paint for the dash and door panels.

I got all that done and took it for a thirty minute drive.

Excellent! And if you have to order new headlight adjusters DON'T get them from LMC Truck!!! Junk.

Thanks Larry! I haven't tried or seen LMC truck stuff yet. But I did order a rear view mirror from them om Sunday! It will be interesting to see what the quality is.

The transmission was leaking pretty good. When I pressure washed it I notice it was missing a bolt.
Found a bolt and washer in my stash. Put it on and tightened all the bolts, most where at least a turn and a half loose.
We will see if it helped with the leek.

Mopar automatic transmissions have a habit of leaking when they sit, without use, for almost any length of time.
The torque converter drains back into the pan and puts the fluid level above many seals on the transmission. The weaker seals allow the fluid drained from the converter to leak out onto the floor/ground. Its not entirely unusual to loose up to two quarts (maybe more) of ATF if an auto trans has been sitting for a month or more.

Fixing the leaking seals helps reduce or can sometimes even stop the fluid loss, but that doesn't cure the main issue. I believe it requires a valve body rebuild or replacement, and seal replacement, to cure the issue, but I've driven them many miles with a simple thing I do at every first start up, without doing a trans or VB rebuild.

That converter drain back is the reason I always start my auto trans Mopar and shift it into neutral for 30 seconds (up to a minute if the vehicle has been sitting a longer time) before I go anywhere after it has sat for more then 8 hours. What that does is fill the torque converter back up. Older Mopar transmissions do not run the fluid pump when the trans is in park. That solves the "morning sickness" the Mopar autos have for the first minute of operation on the first start up of the day, you know, when it just doesn't feel right at first. Gene

Great piece of info. All my older Mopars until this one have been manuals.

Nice truck. I would bet the miles are over 150k not that it matters.

Yes poorboy, same here. My old Police car Diplomat with 727 is same. No leaks but I start and go right to neutral and wait a bit idling. If not there can be a several second delay sometimes before it actually engages Reverse to back out of garage.

When I got my '79 PW it was leaking from pan and selector shaft seal so I replaced those and it's good now.

Back when I was a kid still in HS, I learned a lot about Mopar automatics. Over the years, I've probably owned 200+ Mopars, most of which were automatics. Both the 904 versions and the 727 versions have this problem, and it didn't go away with the newer OD versions (at least up through 2016). The front drive units seem to have more capacity to accommodate the converter drain back. The drain back still happens and they still can leak outside of the trans, just doesn't seem to be as bad.

Just picture the torque converter with the round shape that is full of ATF as it operates. The fluid passes from the converter to the trans body through the center hub. After you shut the motor off, its pretty much the metal on metal sliding valves in the valve body the keeps the fluid in the top part of the converter. As those parts in the VB wear, they allow a small amount of fluid to drain out of the converter. That fluid has to return to the trans pan. Under normal operating conditions (motor running, trans working), the fluid level in the trans is just below the pan gasket. The converter can, and does drain until the fluid level inside of it is below the lowest part of the center hub (about 2 quarts worth), all of which brings the pan fluid level above the pan gasket and most of the lower trans seals. Bad seals means an ATF lake under the car if its sitting on a solid surface the fluid can be absorbed into. The time frame for this to happen can be as short as a few hours, or weeks depending on the condition of the VB. You may not see the problem if the trans is well sealed, but bet on the fact it is happening.

So do yourselves a favor, the first time you start up your Mopar auto trans after its been sitting, take 30 seconds with the trans shifted into neutral, so the torque converter can refill, before you take off.

Just trying to pass along some of the things I've learned along the way. Its your choice to take advantage of what I've learned, or not.

Cool truck, I like it.

Finally had a cooler day and some time.

Polished the bumper and grill. Both will get restored one day but for now this will do. Also, used some rubbing compound on a portion of the orange to see what it will look like.

Been a while since an update.

Finally got the bumpers back from the chrome shop, Not CHEAP..... Got the rear installed today, tomorrow hopefully the front.

Changed all the fluids, both front and rear diffs, transfer case, transmission and engine oil, replaced the interior carpet.cleaned and painted the bumper brackets, tow hitch, diff covers and spare tire holder.