Dodge D100 necromancy

I had couple years ago I guess got 76 Dodge D100 started after setting 20 years and redid its brakes. Has a 318-V8. Runs very smooth, surprised me how well. This fall started again, added ATF and it moved under own power. Then parked it up by house blocking driveway of course so getting wood impossible. Was assuming I would get transmission changed by then. And removed automatic transmission, bolted on new flywheel, pressure plate, and old NP435 granny four speed. Living on luck in Dec. trying to get it once more moveable under own power.

Today finally got the pedals off an old 72 Dodge D200 that was one of two truck I moved here with 30 years ago. It had 3spd manual so had the clutch/brake set pedals. Manual transmission Dodge pickups from 70s and 80s kinda rare, I think most sold came with 318-8 or 225-6 and automatic. Saw couple D100 pedal sets on Ebay for $150 to $200. Ouch, sorry but I would custom make some pedals before I paid that. Also cab very rusted (from Upper Michigan) so no guilty feelings cutting to get pedal free, its scrap, sure most would consider the 76 scrap too, though body solid on it, its southern truck just ugly peeling green paint. The brake pedal turned with difficulty on shaft, the clutch pedal rusted to shaft and shaft turned with it. For some reason the first year 1972 for third generation of D100, the shaft flange wasnt locked down, later years there was a bolt holding it. No idea how they thought shaft would stay in place before rust held it. Probably why they added the bolt. The pedal box welded to firewall as part of cab and not removable. Cut left side so clutch pedal with shaft could come out that side and ground off the flange on right side. And today removed heater duct under dash so I could whack at shaft on right side with hammer using old bolt to drive it through brake pedal. It finally gave and came apart. Once out of truck used pipe wrench to turn shaft in the clutch pedal breaking its rust bond, then drove shaft out of clutch pedal. Still need to retrieve some of mechanical clutch linkage from engine compartment. Its all there except the one pivot that bolted to engine. I assume I either left it on the slant six that was in that truck when I transplanted it to an old diesel Volvo. Or I removed it and its in box or can somewhere. But rest of parts are there and I can make new support using flange bearing if I have to. Oh the nylon bushings are toast from driving out the shaft. Chrysler had changed parts number somewhere along the line, but found new number and they were still used in the Dakota through 2011. So can still buy them. Rockauto wants $5 a piece, everybody else wants $8 to $10 or more. I got lucky, most places want to sell everything by part number or application and dont always cross reference to new part number, just say discontinued. My notion be better if they sold them by measurement. But suppose that would be less profitable. I imagine one can use generic bushings for correct inside diameter and then turn or sand or whatever outside to fit. But better if can get the proper ones.

I would just bought a truck but yea in 2021, try finding a 3500 pound single cab truck with 8ft bed. And you just wont find a manual transmission truck made this century. Plus the newer trucks are priced like luxury vehicles and simply arent economically worth it to drive less than 1000 miles a year. Old trucks, might find one that looks better but it will most likely have expensive clapped out automatic and worn out engine. Lot vehicles that low in price get junked cause rebuilt automatic cost more than truck is worth. And engine controls been electronic since 80s so again you go old, unless you can retrofit to carburetor, you better be real clever finding electronic parts.

Oh the couple years I drove this Dodge twenty years ago (I bought it at an auction for $75 and just had to replace drivers side lower ball joint and rebuild carb to get it drivable, drove it home) learned to carry a spare ignition module and spare ballast resistor, both weak point on these. When I revived it couple years ago, that ignition stuff all garbage. I converted it to four prong GM module mounted remotely to chunk of aluminum as heat sink. Dont need a ballast resistor with the GM modules, can use hotter HEI coil too. I learned this trick after I quit driving the Dodge or I sure would gotten rid of the original Dodge ignition stuff back then. Used GM module on a Nissan, a Volvo, and two Fords over the years. Never had GM module fail, heat was their enemy and remotely mounted, heat not a factor. The Nissan and Volvo modules also priced like they were made out of solid gold. The Ford module was fine, except Ford long ago stopped making them so all Chinese made and the Chinese economize with minimal heat sink, they over heat and die. The Ford modules also couldnt use the HEI coil. All these modules for pre-computer cars from 1975 to early 80s. In 80s when Ford went to computer, they used a module that could do their version of HEI coil. Interesting thing with the 80s Ford module, you could use one on points system car. The points providing the signal to the module which fired the HEI coil. Neat trick. This let the points last darn near forever cause very little current passed through them. You do want to keep the little rub block on points greased, thats the only wear item after you do this conversion.

Finally got back to the Dodge this fall. I just cant deal with triple and near triple digit temps past summer.

But drilled out the broken off studs on that floor plate, drilled holes in the dimples on floor and bolted it on. But when I went to see how the z-arm looked, nope, its one off a six cylinder and pretty obvious the V8 versions were different. It was also going to cost like $75 to replace the engine side ball and get new bushings for it. Gave up on that. Did get pedals installed from the 72. And kept looking and know what there is just enough space beside the brake booster for clutch master cylinder. Took one off the wrecked Ranger. Had to make a little plate. Dodge in all its wisdom put the speedometer cable right at edge where I needed to make hole, thus weakening that area. Now I pulled clutch pedal out of truck again and need to weld on a bit metal for the clevis of the rod between pedal and master to attach. But of course Dodge engineers had put a couple bends as an offset right where it needed to go. So need to weld on bit metal and it will just have to make it vertical while the pedal arm is doing its bends. Thats as far as I have gotten. Its lot more pleasant weather but old body not terribly energetic so limits amount time I can work on stuff.

I have working clutch linkage. And shifter stabbed into transmission. It shifts.

Measured closely on the length I need on driveshaft. Needs to be 78in with some slack for rear axle to move up and down. So rear half of rear driveshaft on the wrecked '94 Ranger is 43-1/4in. So went looking on ebay to see if I could avoid a shadetree cut and weld driveshaft that can be PITA far as getting rid of all vibration. Found front driveshaft on a 97-04 4WD F150 is 32in fully contracted. Not easy info to find cause lot sellers want to sell by part number or by year and model. Some guy wanting over $100 shipped for one did give very clear measurements. Thank you. But I found another seller with one in better shape (lot less rust) selling it for $40 shipped. Gotta love capitalism. However the clear measurements by the $100 guy what sold me on second guy selling by number. Hate that but gotta go with the one in better shape for less than half the price. I really rather bought from the helpful guy that was not just selling a part number but couldnt justify it with that much difference in price and condition. Why sellers have such problem providing measurements is beyond me.

Got it today. Measured to be sure, yep fully contracted, its indeed 32in from ujoint to ujoint. Now this is a front driveshaft off a 4WD without a carrier bearing. I need it to have a carrier bearing. So measured the front short slider piece. 1-7/8in diameter. Looked and yep can get a pillow block bearing for $24. Hope I dont need 1-15/16in. Its going to be a tight fit at 1-7/8. Also bought two other conversion ujoints, both around $20. One to go from 1510 to 1530 and the other to go from 7260 to 1530. Oh and a couple urethane shock boots to use for boots on the sliding areas of both driveshafts. The urethane lasts forever if you can make it fit. Aftermarket rubber ones not so much. And I wait. But pretty sure this will work. Still have to see if I need to make a new custom cross member for frame to hang the bearing. And way to hang the bearing that allows some flex like a real carrier bearing. I am thinking section of old bias belt tire if I can find one not dry rotted to heck. They arent common anymore and dont want to deal with steel belts in radial tires. I did check and yea I can get a 1-15/16in bearing if I really need it. I measured 1-7/8in so sanding it down bright and shiny will let me know soon enough if enough clearance to slide it on. You dont want slop or gap on one side. But I also dont want a difficult press fit. Lot true carrier bearings are close to a press fit.

Like it or not just not many manual transmission drivetrains still out there. Some automatic trucks with extra long driveshaft did use a two piece driveshaft with carrier bearing. About it in modern world of no manual transmissions. The old stuff is pretty well gone unless you get really lucky. Then never did sell many D100 from this era with 318/360 and granny four speed. Not sure I ever saw one, the V8s all tended to be automatic. Some slant sixes with either 3spd or granny four speed and later I think there was some overdrive four speed. I looked online and only found one very overpriced rear half of rear driveshaft from a 1960s Dodge pickup. Without the front half its no better than Ranger rear half. You would have to find some rare rural junkyard that still has the old stuff. Those that do tend to have clued in that its rare and want lot money. Guess on positive side, this will probably be last pickup I own. Modern ones are urban cowboy super extended cab things with short mini box bed. Not that useful for hauling, just for macho looks I guess. 4dr sedan missing its trunk lid...... And the prices for these new, well wow, you would have be using as your daily driver commuter car for it to come anywhere close to making sense.

Finally got around to finishing bracket for my cobbled together driveshaft made from rear half of 94 Ranger driveshaft and front driveshaft off a early 2000s F150 4wd.  Used a pillow block bearing (a large one) for the carrier bearing.  I rather had an original two piece Dodge driveshaft for the D100 with granny four speed, but those are impossible to find.  I think Dodge sold very few D100 with 318 and granny four speed.  Most had automatics even back in the 70s.  Used to see more six cylinder with manual transmission.   So either a cobbled one from what is available in junkyards or pay through the nose for a custom driveshaft from a driveshaft shop.

Today put the new retainer cup on shift lever.  Its NP435 transmission.  I just couldnt push it down enough to get the notches to lock on the pins.  Read online some guy said drill a hole big enough to fit over the shifter into a short piece 2x4.  Tried that.  Made it trivial.  Good tip.  Shifted it through the gears.  Meh, will see once I have it altogether and running.  Probably just really stiff from setting, but then again the transmission has set outdoors lot years.  I bought it for like $25 at farm auction and it was outdoors when I bought it but not rusted up.  Then set here long time cause I usually had something better to do than fix up this old Dodge.  Now pickups are so expensive and most are big cab, little box so not very practical for actually hauling anything.  Still lot work on wiring to get it road worthy.  But worst comes to worst can can use it this winter to split wood, bolt the Stickler to it.  Save taking the Stickler on and off of the F250.  And give the Dodge engine and drivetrain a workout  so I will know they are reliable.