Hey there.. I'm Haley. I'm a noob to anything besides ford.. I want to learn how to fix up cars and i just got a 1973 adventurer for free so i thought i'd try my hand at fixing it up.. It has no brakes basically. No brake lines. Not sure if its drums or disks. There isn't much on the interwebs for this model and i was wondering if anyone on here could give any advice.. is there an old truck section or something? where could i get service manuel for one of these? thanks!

 

Let's see if another section will get more responses...

Dusty

 

This truck fits best in "vintage Dodge" or "Ramcharger, Trailduster and Powerwagon", as the '70's trucks are not classics (save Little Red Express and Warlock).

That said, some specifics will help. 1/2, 3/4 or 1 ton, 2 or 4 wheel drive, engine size, transmission model, bed length, cab type, etc.

 

Don't know much about it yet.. the ID tag on the driver's side door thing just said it was a 73 without many other specs. i don't know if i have the title.. i read that the li'l red express was the same thing as the adventurer but not visa versa. but i don't know anything about trucks.. soo... do you know what most trucks like these have in regards to brakes?

 

73 was the first year for the club cab.... second year of the redesigned Dodge light truck line. Could be discs on front, would have drums on the rear for brakes. Example pic of one below.



[IMG]local://upfiles/7982/63C9349D93FE457C86F9ABF094A0EBF0.jpg[/IMG]

 

If your truck is in fact an adventurer 200, it is a 3/4 ton. It'll have a 30 splineDana 60 rear axle with 12" drum brakes. However, front brakes are going to depend on 2wd or 4wd. 2wd could have disc or 12" drum; 4x4 will be drum. It will make a difference on the master cylinder.

Engine could be 225 Inline six, 318 V8, 360 V8, 400V8 or 440V8; The engine displacement is stamped into the block, but it's hard to describe where you look; not the same place on all of them.

The 318 and 360 (small blocks) will have the distributor in the rear. The one pictured is a 360, but the external dimensions are identical for all intensive purposes.



400 and 440, dist.will be up front, angled toward the passenger side. ( I know all you can really see are the plug wires in this photo, unless you can identify the vacuum advance solenoid by the upper raditator hose). It should be noted that while the 400 and 440 (as well as 383, 413and 426 MW) are all big blocks, they're not all the same. The 383 and 400 are "B" engines, the 413, 426 MW and 440 are "RB" engines. The one in the photo is a 440 in my 1980 Powerwagon 4x4.



Stillneed to know if it's standard, extended or crew cab.

 

He did say it's a 200.... that's a 3/4 ton.

 

yeah, it is a club cab.. so if its a 3/4 does that mean its a v8? how do i tell if its 2wd or 4wd.

p.s. i'm female. haha.

 

It probably is a V8- a quick visual check under the hood should tell you that. As sixtysixdeuce said, check the distributor location- if it's front of the engine, it's either a 400 or 440; at the back, it's either a 318 or 360. A quick visual check under the front end should let you know if it's a 2wd or 4x4 as well- if there's a differential under the front, it's a 4wd. You wouls also have a transfer case shifter in the interior for a 4x4.

 

no locking hub caps. would the shifter for 4wd be on the floor on the right side of the drivers seat like most trucks? or is it different with older ones? because i don't see it.. so its probably a 2wd..