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Thanks Frazer. I have the steel in my myford lathe, boring close to what is required before transferring it to the lathe at the men's shed. I had trouble working out the inner diameter but finally got that sorted. If I f it up I will certainly get in touch.So far all is looking well. The stud i thought was pulling out turned out to be the nut stripping so have ordered a full set of nut from Steelmasters in Whangarei. So far, of the 2 engines I have, one of the crank shafts is probably not cracked. [ i t rings like a bell whereas the other has a dull thunk to it ] All the best down there. I dont get down there very often. Last 2 times were on my commando the first time and at the pipe band contest a couple of years ago. Dereck

Hi Frazer. I'm in Kerikeri. 2-7/16" x 16 TPI internal thread. It would be neat to be able to get the use of one as its going to be a bit of effort to make one. I have the steal ready and the use of a lathe and expertise to do the job. My own lathe hasn't got the gears to do the thread [ nor do I have the knowledge of how to do it ] but the "Men's Shed" in KK has one [ and the people who know how to do it ]. I ordered my engine bits from Myers before I realized I needed the puller. Bits arrived quite quickly as well. Dereck ps I have calculated that the bore id of the thread should be about 2.356 inches to 2.37 inches

That doesn't look good. Save the rest of it though. Hang your crank up and give it a tap,. If it rings, its probably not cracked. If you just get a dull thunk sound, it is probably cracked. There has to be plenty of blocks around so biff it. One owner I know of has the bits from at least 10 cars in his farm shed,. I have just sent an email to someone who does white metal bearings so progress is still going forward, if not slowly.Bit hard to see from the photos but that peg is sticking out a wee bit. [ the round shiny spot ] ( the oval spot is what looks like someone has hit it with something, and disrupted the surface.)

That's interesting. I had best check the other block. You are right. The difference is the one where it appeared to not take up the torque, the peg was sitting proud, rubbing up against the brass shell. Might have to remove it and check it. Oh well. Just a little more work. Many thanks RichBad

I have just started cleaning the bearings and caps and have found someone has drilled and driven in pins to stop all the main bearing studs coming loose. I think I will discard this block and hope the more worn block will be good enough. The original nuts on both engines [ mains and big ends ] had had the snot wound out of them to line up the split pin holes. What a fuck up. No apologies for using good quality motor engineers language. I hung both cranks, and the one out of the original engine didn't ring. It has to be cracked. looks like the decision making about what to use is becoming easier. The original big end caps had had their dippers ground off so that puts them out. MY PORTABLE BORING MACHINE HAS SUCKED A KUMARA, SO THAT'S GOING TO THE DUMP AS WELL. Dereck

I have finally decided that both engines are knackered and need a complete recondition. Will sort out tomorrow which outfit will do it. Just deciding which to do. The most worn engine block [ 20 thou taper on no 4 bore ] is in good order. The block with only 16 thou taper on no 4 bore has one of the rear main bearing studs starting to pull out. I have got 20 thou o/size pistons. I am curious about the comment in my workshop manual that mentions drilling the cam follower retaining bolts. Can anyone show some light on that for me please?

Would anyone know where I could get a repair manual for this machine. I went to use it yesterday and found it had seized up. Feels like a bearing has collapsed inside the thing. looks a bit tricky to get apart so seeing how it is made will make the stripping a lot easier. Picture shows unit with its motor removed. many thanks Dereck

I had a look earlier this evening and thought I saw the impression of numbers between the shackle mount and the steering box mount. I scraped away a thick coat of some sort of heavy primer that was under the black, to find the previous owner may have sandblasted the chassis and done a beautiful job of preparing and painting the chassis. Unfortunately, no evidence of a number. I am happy to believe, the chassis plate I have with the vehicle is correct, and that it has an earlier engine and a later diff. The main thing is that I rebuild all the mechanical parts so the vehicle will run reliably for the rest of its life [ and mine ]. D

The first 4 wheeled vehicle I owned had rod brakes all around. I got those brakes working really well. Thanks for the suggestions. I know what you mean. One of the first things I noticed when preparing to remove the diff was the 2 main brake rods were bent. As the brakes are unknown to me, I will be starting at the back and working forward. Will be an interesting exercise as I suspect the bands are not true to the drums. I meant to ask if the light trucks [ Graham Bros ] had 21 inch wheels All the best from NZ D

Thanks 22 touring. That's a pretty decent puller. Hopefully there is one in NZ i can buy or borrow or make. Would it necessarily follow, that my car is a 1923 model. The chassis number I got with the car is from may 23 but wasn't attached to the car. As far as Myers dodge parts know, the engine is from an earlier car because it has an 84 link generator chain. We do have the facilities and technical knowhow to make that puller D

Just checked that cross member. Could not find any number on it. I remember looking before now, and not finding a number. That cross member is pretty clean, and the paint on it has been well applied so number doesn't appear to be hidden by any paint. Build date estimated to be 18/5/23 from the chassis number plate I have. I do need a photograph of another cars chassis number attached to the firewall, as I can see no obvious holes where the chassis number was attached. We do have the gear to make the hub puller as well. D

I keep forgetting to get under the car and check that chassis no. Too many things to organise and one track mind. I am heading around to the men's shed now to see if we have the expertise to make that puller. The have a decent lathe etc. Thanks for the help. It will all happen eventually. BTW the rear axle looks the same as that shown in the Dodge manual for the light truck. The brake pedal is very soggy but when I removed the rods etc, the 2 main ones were slightly bent, so pedal action has to straighten them out before they can do their work. D

Hi Minibago. You can now see what I can see. Very similar to the front wheel but in this case, its a 21 inch wheel rim. Does this mean we may have a better idea of how old the car might be. All the best. Dereck ps. had a quote of $431.25 NZ for regrinding the cam., Bit of a surprise for me but I have been out of the Auto industry for 21 years now.

Hi Mark. Something looks different here. I removed the hub cap, removed the split pin and undid the large nut. it looks like a tapered rear axle with a keyway. I will need to check again tomorrow, as the car is around in my Daughters garage. I don't remember seeing nuts around the outside of the hub cap, holding the spokes etc together, but I had better check again. Thanks for the reply. I will get back to you.

Its time I got the rear brakes working on this dodge, so I discovered today I need the special puller for the hub. Can any one out there help me get one really quickly while I am waiting for my engine parts to arrive. many thanks.

Thanks for that. Hopefully the crank out of the original engine is ok, as it has the best finish and bearings. Apparently a first check to see if a crank might be ok is to see how it "rings " like a bell when suspended. A long ringing means a good bell. A short dull ring means its cracked.

Thanks Minibago. I finished making the puller up yesterday and got one thrust plug out yesterday and the other one this morning. i can now seriously consider grinding one of the shafts to that Chrysler profile as suggested. Just have to find someone who can do it. I also managed to drill out the 2 broken manifold studs and re-thread them on the engine I have chosen to rebuild. Also, had to make an adapter to enable drilling out the stud holding the water outlet to the block. the nut was totally seized to the stud and it broke about 1/4 inch away from the block, iside the water jacket. That was fun but successfully achieved although I haven't got the water outlet thread in as straight as I would like. Might have to reshape the water outlet to compensate, but that's easy. will be boring it out to 20 thou o/size. Still have to decided which crank to use. Also, I am renewing the bearings in the gearbox. Clutch is fine, although it had rusted together [ as expected ]. I have to sort out the brakes now as well because they are bloody useless as they are.t

That's a good idea. I can turn something like that up on my lathe. I found a piece of steel tube with the right ID so will soon get onto it I was checking through my spare bits yesterday and found most of another magneto. When I took the covers off I could see that it had been run to destruction, so I had better have a look at my "good" mag to see if it needs lubrication. No point in having it stuff up when on the road as I don't have a replacement.

Here is a couple of pics of my "Slide Hammer". Attach a 12 inch length of heavy chain to the head of that axle and the other to the work, and give it hell. Nothing gives. Usually. But not the dodge cam plug. Its resting against the 24 inch front wheel. The engine number on the original engine is 958-682 and it's a 114 inch chassis. I serviced the SU pump last night and got it going properly. It just needed cleaning of the points and resetting the diaphragm adjustment. Works a treat. Its over 40 years since it last may have worked. I forgot to look for the chassis number on that cross member.

Hi Minibago. The SU pump idea is controlled by a hidden switch or button that can be activated only when necessary. If you feel your car is starting to feel like it is starving of fuel, give it a jab for a second or so to help fill the vacuum pump. My second engine has 890-218 just above the carb. Had to really look to see it. I will have to go around to my daughters garage to check the other engine, which might be easier to see as it is sitting vertically . Picture below of the spare in ,my garage. Hanging from the cam thrust pad, which wont bloody com out. Thanks for the help with locating the numbers. Its a big learning curve. Dereck

It has 4 primer cups and only one welch [ frost/freeze ] plug near the rear exhaust port on both engines. I have 2 engines [ the same ]. No stamped numbers on either the engines that I can see, but casting marks in front of the carb port. They are 022 and 14322. Might that suggest both engines could be 1922. Apart from the wooden deck, the only wood in the whole vehicle is that of the windscreen frame and under the top of the steel skins on the doors. Are there any other distinguishing features that could help ID this car please? The mention of vehicles prior to A875-380 was also an indication that something wasn't right. After that number the engines had timing chains according to the workshop manual I have. I worked out ages ago the the number 905830 was built around 18/5/23, hence the heading on this topic. Its possible as has been mentioned, the car could be 1923 but the engines I have are not from the car with that number. Anyway. Progress so far. I got the fuel pump sorted out and it should work. I am checking out the carb right now and it looks in order but has the 40 years of non use look, but all there and maybe a wee bit of wear. There is play in the metering rack and the pin is loose in the rack [ wobbles ( meant to ) and some up and down movement but all seems ok ]. Needs 20 thou o/size pistons. Plenty of meat on the clutch linings but need to strip and free it up. Gearbox seems OK. I have removed the SU fuel pump but unsure where the original bolted. Looks like 2 holes very near the bottom l/h edge of the firewall. I have been recommended to mount the SU down the back to assist with delivering fuel on the long uphill drives we have around here. [ I was advised that if i saw a hill coming I was to floor the throttle and Because of loss of vacuum on the long hills, the SU was a good backup. Just discussing the ID of the engine with Myers prior to getting the bits sent out to NZ. All the best and thanks again. Dereck

It seems that when I went to order new pistons and 84 link timing chain from Myers, the the engine is pre 1923 according to Myers. When was sold the car I was told it was a 21 model. This seems to fit with the info in the workshop manual as the mention of cars after A875-380[ March 23 ] had a timing chain, and the chassis no i was given with the vehicle [ unattached ] is 905830 [ May 23 ]. Obviously the engine is prior to the A875, although still a 23 series or earlier. Who knows how to I D these cars. Dereck

Yes. Have owned it for a while but only ever got to rebuild the steering box. Had my own Auto repair business and just didn't put the time aside with all my other interests. It has never been running while I have had it.

Hi Chris. I can do paypal or give something to your friend in Gisborne. Let me and him know. I joined the VCC about 4-5 months ago. Look on the Dodge forum under 1923 Dodge engine and you will see some photos. If you are wondering about my comments, South Islanders in New Zealand like to think their part of the country is the Mainland, and the deep south, Invercargil, is where that wag Tim Shadbolt [ author of "Bullshit and Jellybeans" ] is still Mayor. He was also the Major of Waitakere many years ago and infamous for towing his concrete mixer around on the back of his Mayoral Limo. There may not be many 1923 Dodges in NZ but I know of one in Whangarei and one in Christchurch. All he best from "The Winterless North" of NZ. . Photo taken about 26 years ago. The girl holding the cat has Two kids of her own now about the same age as her brothers in the pic. Dereck

After stripping both my engines, I can use the best parts form both of them. The crank on my original is good, but it looks like some Bozo has removed the Dippers from the rods. [ I found the second engine had them as part of the con rod caps ] I am looking at changing the bearings over on the rods to see if that will work. I am going to have to bore the engine 20 thou o/size though and get a new Generator gear and chain. Looks like Myers in the States could be the place to shop but I have heard freight is a bit dicey from there at the moment. Is there anywhere closer to NZ that may be able to supply these parts? I have played around stripping the spare water pump to get familiar with that. The shaft is totally Knackered and the inner housing has worn away. I can easily make up a bush and hat bush to take up the wear. Has anyone ever thought of using hydraulic lip seals in the water pump and gear drive assy? I ran the Magneto up in my lathe and proved that works. The original water pump holds water as well. I was told that those Magneto's can give trouble when they get hot. Has anyone ever fitted a heat shield over it to keep the heat from the exhaust manifold getting to it? All the best. Dereck