Hello all.

I just recently added a third dodge truck to my collection.

Bought a 1974 Dodge W100 Power Wagon off a mechanic I work with.

The truck is a 318 V8 with a 650 edelbrock 4bbl, towing cam. 4spd manual, granny low, heavy duty clutch. NP205 divorced Transfer case. 4.10 gears, long tube headers, true duals, 9 leafs in the back. Truck was used to tow a drag car. Rockers and rear wheel wells are rusted. Along with some soft spots in the back of the frame by the rear bumper mounts. Has white american racing wagon wheels with General Grabber AP LT265/75R15 tires, still holding air and half tread.

Story of the truck -- This mechanic bought it in the early 80's, built the motor, and painted it to match his drag car. He drove the truck up until roughly 8 or 9 years ago when the starter went out on it. Because of the long tube headers, you have to take the one header off to get to the starter, with the frame weekening, he just parked it.

I had been asking about it for awhile and went up to see it. Long story short, here at the end of the month I will be loading it on a trailer. Payed a whooping $75 for it, couldn't pass it up.

My plans are to replace the starter ( I have a 83 Parts truck with a 318, good starter). And patch the rear frame. The truck has four wheel drum brakes, which will be fun to replace. Truck needs some work but with any luck I will be getting it back to road worthy conditions.

So now I am looking for advice for what to check on, anyway to help assist getting the motor to fire and hopefully get the truck moving. I have never owned a truck this old, but I love the look, and I hate to see them rot away.

I've owned a lot of crappy fords I've pulled from out of the trees, but I got fed up with them and sent them down the road. This one I plan to get running and worse case use it as a farm truck.

Any advice/help I could get on what all to do to make sure the truck is in good mechanical shape would be greatly appriciated!

Will post pictures as soon as I can get out in the daylight and take some.

 

well, I think I would do these first;

1. Pour some marvel mystery oil down all the plug holes and let sit a week
2. Very carefully spin the motor over by hand. (hopefully it is not stuck).
3. If it is not stuck and turns over easily, prepare the engine for running.
4. Change plug wires,cap and rotor (after 8-9 years, dryrot=trouble).
5. Change oil, will prob. need to change out any hoses, vacuum,fuel,etc.
6. I would spim motor over with the starter and plugs removed,build oil psi.
7. Pour some fresh gas down the vent hole of the carb.plug fuelline to
pump (preventing old nasty gas from getting to carb)
8. hook up ign. and plugs and see what happens. try to start it.


If it fires good. It wont run too long with no fuel line to pump but we're just doing this to see if it will run ok. You most likely will need to drain out the gas and put new in there (although I have not dine this in the past and eventually the old gas will work its way out, as long as there is not too much in there). Of course this may just be the tip of the ice berg. You may have to give some attention tothe brakes, the battery cables, the carburetor may need to be redone. Expect to change out the fuel filters quite often till all the crud is gone in the fuel system. Also belts and hoses might need to be changed and the thermostat might be stuck or have gone bad. Of course do the other normal stuff like checking all other levels of all the fluids and put some fresk grease in all the grease fittings. Flush out the rad and block if possible or if not, watch for overheating issues, unless proper antifreeze and rust inhibitor was kept up through the years.
This is all I can think of for now. Also, I'd change the rag joint in the steering shaft cause dodge trucks steering tend to get loose cause of these. (and they dont get any better with age).
Anyway, good luck...looks like you got your work cut out for you.