PowerWagon/MerBenz/IHC

[Sodbust]

Hello all,

New to the group, and hope I can fit in.. Alot of my projects are too left field to make may chat rooms a happy time to visit. I get almost tosses out of everyone I have tried to work with.

What I am makeing is a 1970 PowerWagon frame and running gear,, Mer Benz TD300 diesel engine and trans, and useing a 1951 IHC cab and fenders.

The Dodge body,, was so cancered up that when I went to lift the cab off the frame carefuly, the windshield fell out, a door fell off and the top came apart.

Just drove it out of the shop the middle of last week, and has a few issues, but nothing that a little more time and a few bucks can overcome.

The little driveshaft between the trans and transfer was at one time slapped together without any idea of alinement, or care,, so top speed was limted to 40 mph when the test drive came to an end.

Having an impossable time finding a left hand tie rod end. Its a 0.620 corse right hand thred, but all the ones from the parts store the taper shank is to large to fit the wheel arm. Any ideas where I can get a tie rod end?

Daniel

[HWooldridge]

Looks interesting - try a tractor parts place for the tie rod end if none of your auto places has one. Might be worth driving a few miles if necessary to find a dealer who carries stuff for old tractors but be sure and take it with you since they'll be matching by sight.

[JimmieD]

Welcome, Daniel, I like your truck! Funny how folks get hostile when they actually lack the guts to be different!

I know the D-series 2WD used the same spindles for 1/2 ton and 3/4 ton, but not sure on W-series. Could be they're not familiar with Dodge and are trying to give you a a D-series part, or a W-200 part to fit a W-100 axle?Sounds like HW has the answer!

[MoparNorm]

Welcome Daniel!
What can you tell us about that Merc oil burner?

[Juan]

Cool engine, Are you going to pump it up a little, my only concern would be it´s power output for a full size truck in oem form.

From what I see in your pictures it´s the 5 cyl diesel turbo version right?
I use to have an M-38A1 jeep repowered with that same engine and G-wagen transmission/t-case, I loved it.

Welcome aboard,

[Sodbust]

Wow,, Im still welcome!

Thanks for the replys, good for a change.

Yes its the 3L 5cyl Mer Benz glow plug delux..

Got the car off ebay last winter,, 124,000 miles.. The fellow changed the fuel filter and it became hard to start. Well with his efforts he toasted 2 glow plugs and it was all over. When I went to get the car,, I had to tell him that a few glow plugs and blead the air out of the fuel lines it would be ok.. Well he said that he had other projects, and I got the car fair and square. Got it home, 2 glow plugs, and crack the fuel likes and it started and ran like a new one.

I have had several say the auto trans will not hold up,, wrong. Years ago I had a wheat truck that needed a new power sorce. FOund an old 440 mopar with 727 auto trans.. Mounted it up with the 2 speed rear end and hauled 1000's of bushels of grain to town. By the way,, running a auto with a 2 speed rear axle was easy to split shift. !!! Big cooler, fresh oil and rpms.

Just at the vapor lock stage of the project.. Looking at the time and cash flow and all the work ahead. Its all one step at a time, but in my middle 50's the steps seem to get smaller. Add week after week of 100f temps and its real slow going. Was going to spring the cash and get a heater/air unit and get it installed before putting the front clip back on. Just can not find what I like.. Would like a insustral floor mount unit. Had one in a semi truck.. You could freeze pop on the top of that cooler.

Also stuck on the 1951 pu box.. or just make a flat bed. I get a huge discount for a farm pu with a flat bed. Its like 1/2 the price.

Take care all
Sodbust

[MoparNorm]

Does the cab still have the VIN numbers?
I don't know what state you are in, but here in CA, a '51 registration year would put you at the lowest possible tag rates.

[JimmieD]

Well, Daniel, I'd say you got it made from here on out! This 'project' thing can get weird if you let it. Some, and they have my deep respect, can do a 150% restoration, far beyond what the vehicles ever were when brand new!

Then there's guys like me. I've had a hobby all my life of making do with what we have. Maybe it's a trait gotten from staightening out the bent nails so Dad could use them to build the shed. Maybe it's from Mother's leftovers, which were usually better than most folk's first-overs! Maybe I need professional help, don't know.

I'm currently in the middle of a project and have miles to go before I sleep. Can't afford it, and yes, the years make it tougher to get the jobs done. But, like you, I'm at that restful place: "What the heck, it runs...." Everything else is downhill from here! Enjoy yourself, that's the main event.

[Sodbust]

lifetime tag

Yes, several years ago,, Kansas offered life time tags for cars/trucks that were over 36 years old.. Buy one tag for life. I got one for my 51, a 65 WHite cab over truck, and my 1958 semi truck tractor and my 1966 3/4 ton IHC 4x4.. Saved a bunch.

The main loophole here was you could do the same with big trucks.. with no weight limits!!! Needless to say allot of old girls were drug out of the weeds and had new rubber on them and hauling 85,000 load with a $35 tag,, for life.. Had to play with the DOT axle laws and such,, but a huge savings over the $1500 tag for a farm truck every year.

I am triming my list of do's at this time to offset the cash investment, and shorten the build time.. Would like to get it on the road soon, as fall farm work is starting up and need the extra pu around the place.

Thanks for the good words, and support.. seldom found on most chat rooms I have visited.

Daniel

[Hawk]

have you tried the local parts stores for the tie rod? Napa, Checkers, Auto Zone, ect, O"Relly

I know that sometimes you have to call them with the specs. I know that my local Napa will look up the part due to the description I give them or by vehical.

Nice lay out of toys by the way.

[JimmieD]

Here's a link for auxiliary heaters & A/C units, other links from their home page:

http://www.proairllc.com/dash_systems.html

Here's a link to Moog that can get you pretty deep in their aftermarket suspension parts solutions. The page is a slow load and includes some music to wake you up:

http://www.moogproblemsolver.com/splash.aspx

[Juan]

Those 5cyl engines are for life. The guy who bought the M-38a1 from me after 4 years of using it decided to restore it to original condition.
He dumped the mercedes engine in an ´81 Toyota Hilux 4x4 pickup and he clocked almost 800000 Kilometers (yes 8 and five ceroes) on it before opening the engine for a rebuild.
Good oil burner engine you´ve got my friend and with "only" 124000 miles.

[Sodbust]

Great support,,

Thanks to everyone, and the link to Moog.. Had to get an ID number to get in, but once the French speaking lady got it figured out we went on ahead. I was able to nail it down to 3 joints. With the item pictures I was able to nail it down to 1 item.. Seems its a tie rod end that fit the old Ford Falcons. A little rare to get. Just for grins I typed in the es393R into ebay and found one,, $13.00.. One auto web site that deals only in old off the shelf parts had one for $78 so ebay came out ok again. Will know in a week or so if it fits.

Yes the MB diesels do have a good track record. When I was a kid I worked for Dwight Miller Jr.. His Dad was the fellow that made the Miller special that became the offey engine that race Indianapolis 500 for almost 40 years. We had a customer with an old diesel MB with I think 759,000 miles and never had the head off. It was well taken care of all the time.

Got some other items ordered today, so will clean shop and work on some farm stuff and get my parts and hope to have time to have it on the road for fall harvest.. After that I will have all winter to get it finished off and painted.

Sodbust

[MoparNorm]

Starting in the twenties, the Miller Special won 4 races at Indy....


Glad you found your part!