| February 27th - Dodge Heater. | |
|
Thanks for this idea goes to our local ARP Warden at
the DLI Museum last week. I now have a heater for the back of the Dodge for
those chilly days 'out on the airfield'.
This type of improvised heater was commonly used in garden air raid shelters, providing warmth on cold nights for very little expense. One or two candles are placed in the bottom plant pot to provide the heat source, while the clothes pegs provide an air gap for the top pot. The candles heat the clay pots which in turn give off heat. I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but I won't be bringing the truck home for a while as there aren't any events in the next couple of months. |
|
|
February 18th - Paintwork Dulled Down. |
|
| The Dodge was brought home again on Feb 18th ready for the DLI event on the 19th. The engine ran well in the barn after the new condenser had been fitted, but this was the first drive. Once home, I used a rag dipped in old engine oil to wipe over the fresh white paint to dull it down to match the rest. It's still a bit brighter, but needs time to gather further dirt. | |
|
|
|
February 5th - Engine Problem Fixed and Windows Re-fitted to Truck. |
|
| Today
I went over to the farm armed with a load of tools to sort out the Dodge
Carburettor. I must have had my whole workshop with me, just in case! I
guessed there was a blockage by the way the engine appeared to be
starving itself of fuel last time out, and particularly the way it
seemed to run lean causing the RPM to rise for several seconds until it
stopped dead during its last run in the barn.
So the carb came apart, but I found no contamination in the float chamber, and the fuel was flowing freely from the pump when the float valve was opened. So it all went back together again and I tried a start. There was no signs of firing, which was odd as there was plenty of fuel through. I pulled a plug, but couldn't get a spark at the plug or points, so tried fitting a new condenser. The engine fired in less than a turn on the starter! While I had all my tools everywhere, I loaded them up into my new vintage tool box which fits nicely under the floor. |
|
|
|
| While the Dodge idled as I warmed through the engine and tested that it wasn't going to stop again, I refitted the rear doors and side panels which are now virtually complete. There's still a couple of small jobs to do next time the truck is home. The first is some 'L' section aluminium to be fitted over the top of the doors to form a gutter, and also some 'L' section to be fitted at the bottom of the doors to make a gutter just above the tailgate to stop rain running down the doors and into the back of the truck. The other thing is to then wipe over the white checkers with an oily rag to dull them down like the rest of the truck. | |
|
|
|
|