Canadian Dodge, 3 ton 4x2

[Kevin Goodwin]

Hi all, a bit of progress with the truck today as in we have removed the old girl from the barn and deposited her in another barn! The restoration can now begin, I will be posting images of progress on here hopefully of some interest to you and hopefully to find out missing information from those in the know as it were.
Hanno do you want to move this onto the restoration section?
Kevin

[Kevin Goodwin]

Howard Wade of Rusty Bits is carrying out the restoration of the cab and running gear, and as can be seen good progress has been made, the chassis is now stripped and mounted in the frame ready for sand blasting and painting.
One concern we have is the possible low speed of the truck for today's traffic, the truck is fitted with the 2 speed rear axle, has anyone driven one of these trucks with this axle? As a potential option does anyone know if another Dodge model could provide an alternative rear axle with a higher ratio? whilst I do not expect to be travelling at 60mph, to be safe I would like to be able to achieve 40-45mph without making the truck suffer, I believe there is also a 5 speed gearbox fitted to some of these models, does anyone know if the top gear in the 5 speed is higher ratio than the top gear of a 4 speed box? I do not want to fit larger tyres than the 10.50x16 currently fitted as I would like the truck to look aesthetically correct. Any info or pointers would gratefully received!
Kevin

[Kevin Goodwin]

I recently came across this picture on the Internet, it shows a different style of circular roof cupola, does anyone know if this is a correct fitment or should the 'circular type' have the step design as seen in other pictures.
Kevin

[Kevin Goodwin]

A bit of an update on the truck, the engine has been pulled apart, it's a bit of a sorry state and will require a full rebuild including a crank regrind, it seems that basic maintenance was somewhat lacking when the truck was used!
The engine in this model of Dodge is longer than the one used in the WC Dodge and spare parts may prove difficult to find, does anyone have experience of sourcing parts for this engine? Or can anyone point me in the direction of someone or a company that is a specialist regarding these engines?
Kevin

[Lang]

Kevin

If it is a long block motor you should be able to find a Dodge KEW engine in UK to just drop straight in.

What is the engine number? If you give us that we will be able to tell you what you have.

Lang

[Kevin Goodwin]

Hi Lang, yes the engine is the long one, I haven't heard of a 'KEW' engine. The engine number is 8707297
Kevin

[Lang]

Kevin

We need the engine prefix - it "should" be T110 or a P prefix if it is a Plymouth motor. The motor that was originally in it (T110) was 3 7/6 X 4 1/4 giving a displacement of 236.6 cu in. Horsepower would have been around 110/115 I guess. That was a Canadian built motor. The equivalent motor in USA was a DeSoto.

The KEW motor was a long block Chrysler engine built in UK for the British Dodges of the post-war period (built at their factory in Kew and having the letters KEW stamped before the engine number). The KEW motor was the same bore 3 7/16 as the original T110, and could well have been the same motor but with Lucas electrics to provide some measure of British unreliability!

Lang

[Mike K]

Originally Posted by Kevin Goodwin

A bit of an update on the truck, the engine has been pulled apart, it's a bit of a sorry state and will require a full rebuild including a crank regrind, it seems that basic maintenance was somewhat lacking when the truck was used!
The engine in this model of Dodge is longer than the one used in the WC Dodge and spare parts may prove difficult to find, does anyone have experience of sourcing parts for this engine? Or can anyone point me in the direction of someone or a company that is a specialist regarding these engines?
Kevin

Those Canadian wartime engines usually have a 3 and 3/8" bore ( 218 or 228 ci ) but the later 3 and 7/16"bore engines (250 ci) will fit in easily . Chrysler had a factory at Kew UK ? Try Vintage power Wagons in the USA

A chap on the HMVF was looking for a head gasket for the same type of truck, I thought it was you but it turns out somebody else in the UK has a similar truck to yours. link http://hmvf.co.uk/topic/29555-dodge-t-110-d60-l13/

[Lang]

Mike

There were many, many combinations of bores and strokes on the Chrysler sixes.

The Canadian wartime 3 7/16 bore engine was 236 cu in not 250 they were produced alongside the 3 3/8 engines all through the war.

I will have a look at the KEW engine or engines to see the stroke/s (they are 3 7/16 bore)

As you say any engine will do but it is nice to have the most power available.

This link has it all.

http://www.t137.com/registry/help/ot.../tengines.html

Lang

[Mike K]

Going off topic but. The two 1941 Plymouth military utes I had and the 46 Dodge ute, all had the 218 motor 3 and 3/8 bore and 4 and 1/16th stroke from memory.

Some of the various Chrylser 6 blocks have the water pump by-pass hole in the block and some don't, in that latter case the by-pass is external. Be aware of this possible hiccup when ordering a head gasket because you can get stuck with a gasket the is useless.

The mid 1950's Australian sedan based utes ( which are unique ) have a 2 and 1/4 short block like a weapons carrier but with an internal water pump by-pass, the head gaskets do not swap over.

I managed to buy some NOS 218 engine parts from Ralph Provan ,he had a garage out near Doncaster , but that was many years ago.