Jack Bennett

There is an echo to what you are saying that can only be heard by a few people. Some, when they look at these hulks of rusted steel and rotten rubber, see a profit-loss involvement. The very words “Antique, or “Classic”, when used with “Car” are words commonly associated with “expensive”, “collectible, “rare”, “old”, “rich” and “dumb”. Others see a metallic reminder of their younger days and times when running was actually fun. This is a sentimental journey which usually ends up on the couch, with a cold drink, and the NFL or PGA television schedule handy. Then the reality strikes that these relics are physical testimony of man’s mechanical ingenuity, and innovation, which propelled him from a time when fire was considered a God, to a time when fire transported food from farm to market and opened up the world to a touch of the gas pedal. I would like to “save” several of the vehicles from the crusher, and I truly wish that, at least a few, would be claimed by local high school vocational-technical training classes, but neither is possible. Namely because of my age, ability and limited space, and the fact that our school systems no longer recognize a vocation as a productive goal in life. This echo I speak of is the sound of a mentor, may it be a paid educational professional, a father, a older brother, a uncle or a trusted neighbor, but not a “teacher”, guiding a group of students, not gang bangers or future homeless miscreates, through a process of converting a liquid fuel into a energy capable of hauling immense loads on a Highway, or carry a new mother with her tiny baby home for the first time. On the side of the parts broker, I’d say send them to the crusher because “rare” and “unobtainium” makes old car parts a virtual gold mine.

Well, Golly, Gee…….I just Googled TSC looking for “horse molasses”, but the nearest they come to an animal named rust remover is “Piggy poo and crew”. So, a new search begins, and that is exactly what this is all about! Jack

Hi Jack M…….Being a tractor nut also, Tractor Supply Company is one of my “Go-To” haunts. Since my wife passed, and my dog has became my family, my sense of values has changed radically. My old machines have replaced kiosks in airports while awaiting to board an airplane for a trip to Europe or Asia, and a ride in my 1923 DB Roadster has replaced a trip across Canada in the motor home. I no longer hesitate to spend a indecent amount for a equally bad meal and I like to buy my tools now based on need, rather than price. I also use a pressure washer, and a media blaster, probably to excesses, in reanimating my old machines and the mention of a product which may replace the time, effort and mess using a media blaster is well worthy of consideration. “EVAPORUST” sounds like a suitable replacement for the media blaster and pressure washer when it comes necessary to remove decades of rust from metal in preparation for repair and painting. Accordingly, I am as willing to try EVAPORUST as I am willing to try “horse molasses”, and the probability of horse molasses being available at TSC moves it up on my list of “gotta try’s”. I prefer the rusty metal primer sold at TSC to that marketed on eBay or sold at Lowe’s, and my supply of rusty metal primer is low enough to justify a trip to TSC. So, I suppose a bucket of “horse molasses” is in my immediate future and “Evaporust” is moved one burner back. Thanks Jack M……… Jack

Hi 3macboys……..I am prolific to the point of tedium, and if I had to buy space on the forum, supporting my writing habit would cause the amount I actually spend on my old cars to pale in contrast. No contention intended as I totally agree with you in that Fargo trucks was manufactured in the USA until, I think, 1976. My search for repair parts for the particular Fargo Express “Packet” Panel Delivery, sometimes resembles a dog sledder trying to run a race in Florida in July. Apparently, although there seems to be abundant information out there regarding the build data, and interchangeability of repair parts From what I, and that is a capitol, italicized “I”, understand is that these particular trucks, namely the 1/2 ton Packet and 3/4 ton Clipper, were made for two years, 1929 and 1930, in Canada, using a assortment of parts made by Chrysler, Dodge Brothers, DeSoto and Maxwell. My truck is the “Express” Delivery, which was manufactured for export, from Canada, and the model line was discontinued for the 1931 model line. Adding to the confusion regarding these trucks is the story that they were made with the intention of creating a new line of light trucks, to bridge a gap left when Chrysler absorbed the light truck market from Dodge Brothers, and made the trucks available as a vehicle which could be built to meet the buyers specific needs. I am 100% certain that my intellectual silo is 50% full of IMO’s, I think’s, and pure fabrications, and 50% full of valid information provided by forum members such as you. I also realize it is a hobby, concerning a seven-plus decades old truck, and whatever I believe or scrap is all in the pursuit of fun…….and not table dressing. Thanks for your response and much welcome input…. Jack

Gee mikewest…….sometimes useful information just ebbs and flows from the cracked screen of my old, seventh generation iPad. Thanks to your post I find that EVAPORUST is available, with free shipping, on Amazon for $121.75 for five gallons. It has been a few days since I enjoyed the anticipation of the new inner tubes I ordered from Amazon for my old truck to arrive. I have been without this source of enjoyment, since they are now here, and I appreciate that I now have a new thing to order and restore that sense of anticipation. Since the old Fargo Express Panel Delivery I just bought is 99% rust and .01% solid metal, I am a little Leary of getting this stuff too close, or I may lose the truck altogether. But, I assure you, it can be put to use in many places other than a rusty pressure plate. Thanks for the tip… Jack

Hi Aussie Scruffy. I take the bits and pieces of information, and advice, you folks so kindly provide, and use it in the same manner as I used an eight digit map coordinate during my years in the Army. In itself, the coordinates, even if you have the map are useless unless you know how they relate to actual terrain features on the ground. And, even if I do have the correct coordinates, but no map, or a topographically correct map, and no coordinates, I still have no hope of finding the actual place on earth I am looking for. With the information I gleaned from helpful forum members, I have taken a second look at the star wheel adjusters, aka, “little gears” which resemble a torx wrench, and see now that the studs they are mounted to are, indeed, threaded lugs which extend through the clutch pressure plate cover, and when turned, do adjust the up and down movement of the fingers. I am still unclear as to the purpose of the little springs, which has one end resting on the star wheel, and the other end resting under the finger, after it passes through a hole in the pressure plate cover. But, I am equally certain this will become clear as time passes. Thanks again… Jack

Gottcha’ 28 Chrysler. I have the head in my shop, and it will be a bit before I get back out there. I’ll check the number and get back with you.

Sure glad I bought a new can of “Blaster” penetrating lubricant yesterday. Now that Viv W has enlightened me in regards to the gears being used to adjust the distance between the fingers and the throw out bearing, and I made a incorrect assumption about the purpose of the springs, I will retrograde to a safer location, and make another, probably incorrect assumption. I now notice that the end of the spring which goes through the hole on the pressure plate cover, and appears to be bent in a manner that it rests below the finger, I must assume the tension it provides is actually the adjustment of the distance between the bearing and the finger. That being so, I must also presume that the position the spring rests in one of the gears teeth actually determines the height of the finger, rather than “turning” the gear to set its height. I’m going to tax your knowledge of these things again viv W to correct me here.

Wow…..Thanks viv W. So I must suppose that the springs are a way of locking the wheel from turning once the adjustment is made. Most probably I would have figured this out as I disassemble the pressure plate for cleaning and restoration, but I now know that they don’t hold something together which would be buggered beyond repair if I took it apart. Thanks again!

As I meander through the steps of reanimating a 1929 Fargo Express panel truck, aka, a Canadian Chrysler, I discover many new puzzles to keep me entertained. One such puzzle involves some little gears, almost resembling what the end of a torx driver looks like when viewed lengthwise, with their accompanying springs (some missing) which are riveted to the face of the outer pressure plate disk. Anyone with any idea what these little gizmos do, and what the consequences of the missing springs will be if the pressure plate is put in use.

To answer your first question about the FEDCO Tag. I have looked the truck over from front to back, and top to bottom, and I can find no tag, of any sort, with a number on it. The riser for the floor boards is missing, but the flat part, which extends from the seat to the riser is there. But, the one which is there has no tag, and is barely identifiable, because of rot, as being a floor board. Yesterday I pressure washed the whole truck and knocked a layer or two of the seventy plus years of accumulated crud and rust off the truck. It will take a lot more scraping, wire brush and pressure washing to get to the bare metal on several places around the truck, but when I do, I am certain more identification numbers will be revealed. And, I think numbers off the differential, axles, starter, generator, distributor, radiator and other parts of the truck will disclose a bit more about its history. Next page……I have answered a ad on Hennings which provided me with the email address of a person, apparently a non-member, who has, what he advertises, as four new tires for $225.00 plus shipping. The photo of the tires shows them still in factory wrapping, and he says they have not been unwrapped since new. Amazingly, the tires for this truck, from Coker, runs about half the cost of the tires for either my Willys or my Dodge Roadster. I’ll say more each but less than $150.00 each, so $225.00 for four is a reasonable price. And, another AACA member has provided me with the email address of another person, apparently, also a non-member who , they say, has a transmission and drive shaft for sale. I have emailed both and have received an answer back and they say the tires are still available. I have no clue where either is located, what their experience with on-line sales and shipping is, and most certainly whether or not they are legitimate sellers or scammers…………any input on this sort of transaction?

Thanks so much for the time and effort you’re putting into this project. My cup runneth over….or at least as much as it will hold today, so I’m going to save some of this for tomorrow when my brain is more flexible. I’ll post a few photos of the progress on the truck too. Jacl

Hi Lief……..Your post sort of confirmed what I already believed about the Fargo Express Panel. The buyout of Dodge Brothers took place in 1928, and Desoto, in Canada, did not make the first Canadian Chrysler until 1929. This was in observance of a contractual agreement between Dodge Brothers and Chrysler Corp, which is another subject, for another thread. When I first looked at the truck the seller said it was a 1929, and then changed his FB ad to read 1928. Regardless, worrying about it will only add to my gray hair, and I already have too much of that. Thanks for the link. No piece of information is unimportant regarding this old truck. Jack

Sorry about the snide reply. I do, sincerely, appreciate your response to my post, and, perhaps I am getting burned out on this subject already. I doubt the engine is a Contenintal, or Senior Six or whatever that choose to confuse the issue by calling it. I may have to buy another engine if I can’t hone the bores of the one now in the truck. Regardless, I can’t plan on what I can’t do, and I do plan on returning the engine I now have to use. The transmission shown on the Continental advertisement MAY be exactly what I am looking for since the transmission is used with a wide assortment of engines, across the brand names of several vehicles. I need to find out the nomenclature of my engine to cross reference it against the other vehicles which may use a Senior Six, or Continental engine, regardless of the fact they were made a few years before, or a couple of years after my 1928 Fargo was made. On this particular engine I found it remarkable that the exhaust pipe is vented from the front, rather than the rear, of the exhaust manifold. I also found the enormous exhaust gas control valve was located on the end of the front of the exhaust manifold. I also found it remarkable to see the way they mounted the spark advance shaft across the head, and then to the distributor, rather than the normal way of routing it across the rear of the engine with a long shift levered to the distributor.

My advance apologies for doing this but 2018 was a few years ago, and when added to the 73 years an engine has been in use……well……most questions about it should have been answered.

That is what I said before. The number on the pad begins with a “J”, and I am being told over and over that this isn’t a number used with these engines. This sort of reminds me of someone asking what color hair a blond headed boy has, since it isn’t on the dye box, with the blond haired boy standing inches from their feet. I have the engine, and I am posting photos of it……..the engine is what it is, regardless of what number is on the tag, and every Silver Dome engine, ever manufactured, which has the same manifolds, carburetor, placement of the distributor and water pump, location of the starter and generator, oil reservoir and crankcase filler tube/filter, and a lot of other identifying features is the same brand of engine regardless of a difference in numbers.

The eBay ads only muddy the waters for those people looking for valid information on these vehicles. Some of these pamphlets give the impression that the “Silverdome” was “A” engine. Actually it was several engines, both four and six cylinder, made between (I think) 1924 and 1976, and put in many makes of cars and trucks, Chrysler, Plymouth, Dodge, DeSoto, Fargo and Maxwell, to name a few.. I am seeing loads of stuff telling me what engine this ISN’T, but I am totally awestruck that I have the only Silver Dome engine, which is 73 years old, but not one single person can tell me what it IS. Jack

Hi Hans. You are on target for my next move. At present I am trying to get the tags on the starter, generator and distributor in a condition I can read the numbers. The tags are in really bad shape and about all I can read on them are the large letters saying Delco Remy. I have talked to Roger (Dodger) Hartley, tech advisor for the DB Club, and we are getting together to go through his 50 year collection of Dodge Brothers material to review and, hopefully, find some answers.

I need a transmission and drive shaft, as well as some brake lines and tires for a 1928 Fargo Express, 1/2 ton panel delivery. The truck has a straight six cylinder engine which has a number beginning with “J”. I know this number does not appear on the numerous lists of Dodge, Plymouth, Chrysler, Fargo and DeSoto vehicles, and I REALLY don’t know why. It says “SILVERDOME” on the head, so I must assume it is a Chrysler Corp engine. Any help with a transmission and drive shaft, or even a educated guess at what other Chrysler vehicles used this engine will be appreciated. Jack

I just bought a 1928, 1/2 ton panel truck. It has no transmission or drive shaft. I believe the oddball manufacture of the truck causes people to shy away from identifying the engine, even though I believe it was used in many other Chrysler Corp vehicles. The engine is a flat head, six cylinder engine with Delco electrics. It has a updraft carburetor and the water pump is integrated into the front of the engine block. What is this engine called and what vehicles might I look at as donors for a transmission and drive shaft?

I am rebuilding a 1928 Fargo Express Panel, and I am looking for a transmission and a drive shaft. The engine you have shown is similar to mine and I wonder if the bell housing would fit. Seems as though you have some good stuff, and I need lots of good stuff for my panel. Would you measure the distance between the holes in the bell housing which mates with the rear of the engine and PM me to see if it fits. I am in Lakewood,Washington, but, if the transmission fits, and the price is right, I’ll make the trip to Oregon to pick it up. Thanks…… Jack

I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again, “If the value of a project vehicle is determined by the amount of “stuff” that needs to be done, the Fargo Express must be worth more than King Tut was. I procrastinated, I debated and I hesitated because I did not want to pull the head to check and see if a bad bore was seizing the engine. Common sense won out, I did pull the head, and the value of my Fargo just leaped into Dow Jones Industrial portfolios. One cylinder had a spark plug installed, and the cylinder is clean and the valves look good. But the spark plug was a 22mm plug, rusted down to about 17mm, and frozen in its hole. A second spark plug hole appeared to be for a 17mm plug, but there was no plug in the hole. Actually, it was the metal base of a 22mm plug which was broken off, and the porcelain was missing. The other four spark plugs were missing, and their holes nearly rusted closed. I found five of the 6 cylinder bores and their valves covered by an inch or more of rust and really fine dirt. Amazingly, the head came off clean and the gasket looks good enough to reuse.

I brought the 1928 Fargo Express Panel truck home from Chehalis the other day. Without even looking at the 1950 Oregon plates on the truck, it is apparent it has sat idle since that time. The fact that the engine is extremely rusty, and it is obvious it was stored outside with five of the six spark plugs removed, I was inclined to fill the stuck cylinders with ATF and acetone, and wait for a few days and crank it over. I watch the YouTube videos in which a couple of guys finds a sixty, seventy, eighty year old car sitting in a open field. And, they put some gas in it, throw in a battery, and it starts just like they had driven it there that day. Well, they say mix a bit of ATF and some acetone and dump some into the cylinder each day. After a few days the stuck engine loosens up, starts right up, and the price of the junker rises from $500.00 to $30,000.00 and change. Instead I followed my better judgement and pulled the head off the panel. The gratitude literally gushed forth when I saw tha the pistons were topped by an inch or more of rust and dirt. Had I tried cranking the engine, and most certainly, had I tried pulling the truck to start it, I would be looking for a replacement engine. Instead, since the cylinder which had the spark installed has a near perfect bore, and the valves look good. But, the bores and valves in the other five cylinders may be OK with a good honing and cleaning. I am afraid though that the five cylinder bores which were repeatedly filled with water and dirt over the last seventy years may need reboring and more service than just a good cleaning.

Hi again 30DodgePanel. I borrowed these photos from the page of the forum specifically dedicated to old Plymouth, Dodge, Graham-Paige trucks. These are trucks similar to packet panel which have been restored to be pickup trucks, rather than express delivery panels. Were I 50 years younger, had financial resources and time I now have, and planned on keeping them for another 50 years, these are vehicles which sets a worthy goal for someone wishing to restore one. I find it quite reasonable though, that I will forgo the niceties of the shiny chrome and furniture finished woodwork, and keep mine as close to stock as possible.

Hi ArticiferTom………Over the past week I have busied myself at the task of clearing out the lengthy, and sometimes redundant, posts on the forums to which I subscribe. That was said as a way of saying that I often talk to the point of tedium, and not everyone has the time and/or patience to endure my lengthy spiels and rants. So, just be assured that I do appreciate your response, I sincerely appreciate the information, and I am only being so curt in my reply in a profound attempt to adhere to my new “brevity” policy.