Build thread 37 Dodge PU

[Mike P]

It’s been a productive week. Besides working on the truck I also got a new laptop (the old one was literally falling apart). I’ve mentioned that I don’t really like doing front suspension rebuilds but right up there with that aggravation is setting up a new computer. Basically the week was spent working on the computer until it annoyed enough that working on the suspension didn’t seem so bad……then putting the suspension together for a while until my carpal tunnel started bothering me enough that it was back into the house to work on the computer for a while more.


Installing the ride height adjusters was pretty straight forward. My hole saws center with a ¼” drill bit so the original hole for the shock stud was too big.




The simple fix for that was to tack weld an appropriate size washer to the hole.




Then cut the hole for the adjuster.






Drill the holes for the mounting screws and bolt the adjusters in.




I put the new caliper brackets on while the spindles were off then bolted everything together, put the rotors on and checked ride height.





Then it was take it back apart and cut a coil off the new springs and put it back together again and recheck the ride height. Removing the one coil seemed to do the trick so everything was tightened down and the alignment was roughed in (it will be going to a friend’s alignment shop after the fuel and brake lines are run).










I really figured I’d get started on the brake lines next so I could at least move the truck around under its own power, but I think that will be moved down one place on the to do list. A couple of weeks ago I ordered the interior panels for the truck figuring that I’d get around to installing them at some point after the truck was drivable. The kit includes the headliner, back panels, door and kick panels and are ABS plastic reproductions of the original cardboard pieces. The problem is they take up so much room I don’t have a place to store them






I guess I’ll spend next week getting them installed just to get them out of the way. I’m even debating sending the seat out now to get it upholstered (problem is I can’t decide what color so it may wait for now). On the bright side the suspension is done for now and the new computer is finally set up.



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[Whiplash23T]

You do realize that God invented computers to test our frustration levels of calm aye Mike ? I have threatened to take mine compute out to the road and leave it there for the next big truck to run over so many times, I lost count. Nice job of the front end too.

[53 Chevy5]

I can't figure out what I like better, the Hemi sticking out of it or the rest of the pickup. I guess it's like having a girl with looks money and brains. Nice. I used an ABS firewall panel and It was great.

[40FordDeluxe]

Nice progress Mike! The truck is looking great. I share your problem with not having room to store stuff.

[jerry clayton]

girl with looks, money, and owns a liquor store????? couple people fit that=====McCains wife, and Alexies DeJoria

McCains wife has beer distributor but Alexis has great Tequila and is younger-----plus a lot of HEMIS

[v8nutz]

Nice job on the suspension. Love the hemi, what a cool truck!

[Mike P]

The interior panels are in the truck and out of the way. The installation of the headliner would have been a bit easier with an extra set of hands but wasn't really too bad once I figured out how to hold temporarily it in place while I marked the holes I needed to drill for the overhead console.



It turned out the kick panels needed some work to get them to fit. Getting the first one correctly trimmed took some time as I was only taking out a bit at a time to make sure I didn't go overboard on the material removal. After I verified it would also fit the other side it was just mark what needed to be cut on the other panel and trim it down.




Once they were fit and the holes drilled for the retaining pins I was able to get the speaker holes marked and cut and finish up those.



The one area that I wasn't happy about was where the headliner and windshield post trim (part of the kick panel) meet (or actually don't meet). It probably wouldn't be too noticeable if I just painted the area black but cutting a couple pieces to fit out of the left over material from the speaker holes sounds like a good job for one of those days I'm bored.



The rear panels are like the originals and don't completely cover the back of the cab. I'm going to be using the original bench seat so that is not a problem for me. If I ever change over to bucket seats (not currently the plan) I would need to figure out something to cover the back of the cab.



I'm missing the window regulator for the driver's door and so far haven't had much luck finding one. I do have a pair of regulators from a 1940 Dodge truck I think I can make work if I have to (it will move where the window crank handle will go however). So not knowing where the window crank hole would need to be I just ordered the door panels without holes and for now just cut the one for the door handle.




Overall I'm pretty happy with the interior kit. In spite of a couple of issues the overall fit is pretty good and sure beats starting from scratch. For now I'm going to leave the panels as is. When it comes time to do the upholstery (after paint and body work) I have a few options;

1. Leave them as is (black)

2. Paint them a matching or contrasting color (I'm kind of leaning to a buckskin color at this point, but who knows what I'll end up doing). I've had good luck painting ABS interior panels with the SEM paints and this is what I will probably end up doing.

3. Upholster the panels and headliner.

Anyway that decision is in the future.....way too much other stuff to do before I'm at that point.


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[Whiplash23T]

Hey Mike, I found a up to date photo of your Granddad's mobile shop on another web page and thought of you and the picture you had posted back one page.Dodge ram.jpg

[34_40]

Interesting how the "A" pillar just ends like that. But overall it looks really nice, gives the project that finished look.

[53 Chevy5]

I like the ABS interior, like you said I think Buckskin would look good. It's kinda funny what was acceptable back then for interior and fit, it would never fly today. I am at the same point you are on the panels, mine are black right also and that's how they are going to stay for this summer.

[Mike P]

I've been procrastinating on crawling under the truck to run brake and fuel lines (just can't seem to get excited about that job). I decided last week that I'd go ahead and tackle getting windows in it.

When I bought the 37 it was missing the driver’s door window, regulator and track. I’ve been keeping my eye out for a replacement regulator since I got the truck (and got serious about finding one over the last 6 months or so). Along the way I did find a pair out of a 1940 Dodge truck “just in case” (and if I remember correctly I only paid $25 for the pair).

I went thru my stock of window stuff and found enough window channel felt and cat whisker to do the doors, so I sent the one side window out to the glass shop to have another window cut and decided to see if I could make the later regulators work.

The 39-47 window regulators (top) are a completely different style than the 35-37 regulators. It would have been nice to find the correct regulator but in reality the 39-47 are probably a better unit (and I can find a bunch of them to include NOS if I ever need another one).




While the doors won’t interchange the dimensions and inner panels between the 2 doors are reasonably similar. After a lot of measuring and a bit of tweaking I drilled the four 1/4" and one 2" hole and got the first one mounted in the drivers' door.





The window crank is moved down a little bit and I may have to extend the window crank shaft a bit if it causes the crank to rub on the door panel but that's all minor. It sounds like we'll have all three grandkids tomorrow but so I either won't get to the other door or I'll have an extra pair of hands to help.


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[Mike P]

The glass shop that was supposed to have my door window done a week ago finally called Saturday to say it was ready. I got it in that afternoon and the "new" regulator works well and I'm pretty happy the way it turned out.

As expected I did need to make an extension for the window crank handle. I suspect that somewhere someone is making these, but a quick search didn't turn up anything made for the 3/8" square shaft that is common on the older stuff. Building my own was pretty simple (and cheap) so I really didn't mind making them. I started out with a cheap 3/8" socket extension then heated it red hot and let it cool to take any temper out of it. Then it was pretty simple to just cut it to the length I needed and use the grinder and a file to get the end back down to a 3/8" square. They would have been a bit prettier if I had a mill to cut the flats with, but they'll do for something that no one will ever see.







This was before I drilled the holes for the roll pins (which went pretty easily after the heat treatment). If I do decide to upholster the door panels at some point I'll have to make up a set of 4 for the door handles and window cranks to clear the upholstery but like I said it's pretty simple to do.



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[Mike P]

As usual I ran into a little unexpected issue when I started on the brake for the truck. The old chrome master cylinder I had planned on rebuilding and using ended up having a bore to badly pitted to clean up and put a kit in. I ordered a new cylinder and it and the proportioning valve finally got here Friday. In spite of Easter and a couple of guests showing up unannounced a day early I did managed to get the brake lines done on the 37 this weekend.

I spent a little time figuring out a place to mount the adjustable proportioning valve where it would be out of the way and not too noticeable but fairly easy to get to make adjustments on. I settled on putting it here.





I still have to adjust the brake pedal push rod and bleed the system, but that should be done today. After the brakes are bled that should only leave getting the fuel lines and pumps installed and a battery cable run to the solenoid…….well kind of. As the fuel tank and battery box are going to be mounted in the bed I’ve decided to do the bed floor before I move on to the fuel lines and battery cables. I ordered the bed strips and battery box on Friday and hopefully they will be in sometime this week. So today or tomorrow I’ll get to the lumber yard and try to find some wood I like. The fun never ends .




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[falconvan]

Looks awesome, Mike! I'd have to think about leaving the original paint and steel wheels for a while and driving it like that; looks fantastic just like it sits.

[Mike P]

“………I'd have to think about leaving the original paint and steel wheels for a while and driving it like that…..”

That’s actually been pretty much the plan for the last year or so. After working on it off and on for the last 15 years or so I’d actually like to drive it around under its own power for a while. I can get any of the bugs worked out of it and decide if I want to make any changes to it without worrying about putting a scratch on it and in the process take care of some of the body work as I get the time and ambition.

At some point I’ll blow it all apart for paint and body, box and paint the frame etc. A lot of the work I’ve been doing has been with that in mind……things like making the wiring harnesses so they just unplug into manageable sections, being able to unbolt the exhaust system, etc. I;m at least getting closer!


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