Build thread 37 Dodge PU

[53 Chevy5]

I need to find a overflow tank setup too for my truck!

My brother in law used a stainless water bottle from Wal Mart with a screw top lid. I works and looks very good.

[johnboy]

That's a great idea Seth!

[falconvan]

Sounds awesome, Mike! Lets see a 9K holeshot out of the garage video!

[stovens]

Trying to come up with a design where I can see fluid level and there is a overflow option from the tank should it get too hot

[rspears]

Trying to come up with a design where I can see fluid level and there is a overflow option from the tank should it get too hot

Are you wanting to see fluid level in your expansion bottle, or fluid level in the radiator?

[stovens]

expansion bottle

[Mike P]

"......Lets see a 9K holeshot out of the garage video!...."

Back in the old days I probably would have already done that..... sitting on a milk crate.


“…..Trying to come up with a design where I can see fluid level and there is a overflow option from the tank should it get too hot……”

Mr Gasket makes one , not sure if it has the overflow but it should be simple to drill and tap (or weld a bung) for a hose fitting if needed.


Mr. Gasket 9135 Coolant Overflow Tank 3x9" Incl. Mounting Hardware | eBay


and there are a few places that sell just the sight glasses.


https://www.google.com/search?q=expa...glass&tbm=shop

On the 37 with the old Hemi in there there’s just not a lot of room to mount one in a traditional location. It turns out however that with the Mustang radiator there is a pretty fair amount of space that needed to be filled between the radiator and top of the grill shell.




I thought about fabricating something from scratch but really was looking for something I could just build some brackets for. I thought that one of the old round Briggs and Stratton gas tanks (50/60s era) might look kind of neat there. When I started looking for one I found out that the people who had decent ones for sale were generally pretty proud of them. In the process of looking (under Go Cart tanks) I came across some new metal Go Cart gas tanks that are flat with a nice curve in the front that looks like matches the curve in the front of the grill and holds ½ gallon. Of course all I have to go on is the picture of the tank, we’ll see what it looks like when it gets here. I’m also looking at adding an overflow tube to it.

The down side with the mounting location is I’ll have to remember to clamp off the hose going to the tank before taking the radiator cap off or the fluid in the can will run out. I’ll bet I only forget once




.

[Mike P]

The go cart gas tank came in Friday so I got that converted to a radiator overflow tank today.



As usual what looked like it would be just right in the picture turned out to be just a little bit off when I tried to fit it. To make a long story short the fill cap ended where it was impossible to access. I ended up sealing the fill hole, then adding a 90 degree barbed fitting at the top of the tank that will vent it and act as an overflow if the tank overfills (which shouldn't happen unless the truck overheats).





Basically it should work fine by just filling the radiator to the top and letting the tank hold the expansion (and suck it back in when the truck cools). If it turns out that I want/need to add a fill port to the tank I'll probably pick up a flush mount motorcycle gas tank bung and cap.



.

[stovens]

Awesome, now I'm getting ideas!

[Mike P]

Been a while since I posted so figured I'd do a quick update.

I got the front end aligned on the 37 shortly after the last post in May. That left getting the exhaust cut out cables in putting the front sheetmetal on and start driving it. Within a couple of hours of getting the truck home a dust devil came thru the arena and tore up the roofs on a couple of the tack buildings. I'm not boarding horses here anymore so I decided to just go ahead and pull the sheds, shade and fences down and haul it off. Over the next couple of weeks me and a hired man pulled down and hauled off a bit over 6 tons of stuff. In the process I also had to cap off some water lines and replace the main water shut off valve for the property.....always a fun job especially on a live water line.

In the middle of all this mom back in Illinois ended up having to be moved to an extended care facility (nursing home). Moms doing well, it was just time. As we'll be putting her house on the market in a month or 2 I had to make a flying trip back here to help sort thru 90 years worth of stuff and get paperwork straightened out.

I brought the Cadillac powered El Camino back this time. It's doing good and is always fun/comfortable to drive so that's a plus I guess. It's probably a good thing as I'll be hauling a trailer back to Illinois with some furniture in it.

I see photo bucket is holding my pictures for ransom.....haven't decided what I'll be doing about that yet......project for another day.

Anyway I'm still alive......just tired and sore. As for the poor old 37 Dodge, as has been its story since I brought it home 15 years ago the project is once again temporarily on hold.



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[53 Chevy5]

Thanks for the update, Life always has priorities and it seems like you know what they are. I hope you have a smooth patch soon and get to do the fun stuff again.

[stovens]

Been a while since I posted so figured I'd do a quick update.

I got the front end aligned on the 37 shortly after the last post in May. That left getting the exhaust cut out cables in putting the front sheetmetal on and start driving it. Within a couple of hours of getting the truck home a dust devil came thru the arena and tore up the roofs on a couple of the tack buildings. I'm not boarding horses here anymore so I decided to just go ahead and pull the sheds, shade and fences down and haul it off. Over the next couple of weeks me and a hired man pulled down and hauled off a bit over 6 tons of stuff. In the process I also had to cap off some water lines and replace the main water shut off valve for the property.....always a fun job especially on a live water line.

In the middle of all this mom back in Illinois ended up having to be moved to an extended care facility (nursing home). Moms doing well, it was just time. As we'll be putting her house on the market in a month or 2 I had to make a flying trip back here to help sort thru 90 years worth of stuff and get paperwork straightened out.

I brought the Cadillac powered El Camino back this time. It's doing good and is always fun/comfortable to drive so that's a plus I guess. It's probably a good thing as I'll be hauling a trailer back to Illinois with some furniture in it.

I see photo bucket is holding my pictures for ransom.....haven't decided what I'll be doing about that yet......project for another day.

Anyway I'm still alive......just tired and sore. As for the poor old 37 Dodge, as has been its story since I brought it home 15 years ago the project is once again temporarily on hold.



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Was this the cadillac version of a El Camino?

[Mike P]

Another non-update update. I got back from Illinois Monday morning. I ended up spending a week long than planned to get stuff sorted out and moved in preparation for selling moms' house. Mom's doing well in the extended care facility and I'm happy with the care she's receiving and my sister and brother get in to see her once or twice a day.

Just like before I left it's been non-stop around here since I got back. Unfortunately not a minute of it on the 37. After getting the trailer unloaded into the shop, I spent about 6 hours cutting the yard and arena. Then it was straight into stripping the master bedroom out and painting and laying new carpet before the dresser and chest of drawers go in (they had been my Great Grandfathers). I'm currently redoing the bed and converting it from a queen to a double. When that's done then it will be on to the other bedroom to do the same thing.

On the bright side the El Camino ran like a champ the whole trip......the old Caddy 500 didn't seem to notice it had a trailer behind on the trip back.



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[Bob Parmenter]

Torque are our friend..............

[40FordDeluxe]

Nice to hear it went well and you made another round with no issues. Good to hear your mother is doing good in there as well.