Dodge A100

[polosteve]

Dodge A100

Hi all, my main project. "The keeper" originally from CA but it had a 4 year vacation to TEXAS where I shipped it from.

I put a cheeky bid on US Ebay thinking nothing of it... woke up the next morning to find an email saying I had won it... I didn't tell the girlfriend until a week before in landed

It feels like I have replaced everything... some photos first, in no particular order:

Worlds ugliest pop top


All roof vents, pop top, windows etc... re-sealed for Englands rain.






New screens... Autoglass cut the flat glass on my driveway. (Farmed that job out)


New oak veneer lining inside.



Head job back in May, 1500 miles later all is good.


Disk Conversion




This picture was last week next to new one, V8 auto, one owner for 46 years, sounds ace:





The week leading up to xmass I changed the timing chain and water pump, I will find the pics of the old chain
In came with a full camper interior but was rotten so I am in the process of copying the old one but using new wood, ill take some pics of that when I can.

[Pete]

Fantastic work and great pictures!

Thanks for posting!

[db]

Great stuff! Nice to see details of a different version.
What's involved in the disc conversion? What are the parts from?
I have found the limits if my drums already

[cadboy]

Nice van, they are getting popular these A vans and they look so cool too.

Great work

[Jimbo]

Nice one, cool looking Van - and I sympathise with your ebay purchase LOL

[lough3969]

Great van and great work... welcome to the forum

[Captain Chaos]

Cool Van Loving the Slot Mags.

[polosteve]

Cheers all



A bit of woodwork



New units (work in progress)



Old units



Inside the worlds ugliest pop top



Old chain



Where it sat for 4 years in Texas,




What I can remember…

- New coil
- New points and condenser (Yes still points for now…)
- New plugs and plug leads
- Starter system re-wired
- New battery + Isolation switch
- New mini starter motor
- New alternator
- Carb rebuilt
- New fuel pump
- New cloyes timing chain

- Radiator re-cored with a 3 row
- New waterpump
- New thermostat
- New Temp sender
- New hoses top and bottom
- New thermostat housing
- New brass core plugs

Head refresh:
- New exhaust valves, valve springs etc…
- Machining and heads skimmed
- Complete new gaskets etc… for the top end

- New exhaust system
- Replaced an exhaust manifold (Cracked) and new gaskets
- New engine mounts

Brakes (New everything):
- New Master Cylinder
- Remote power servo
- Disk Conversion
- New cylinders, shoes and hardware at the rear
- Rear Drums re-faced
- New flexi’s all round
- All brake lines new

- New wheel studs (RH thread)
- Fitted a 3.23 rear diff
- New inner rear axel seals and new fluid
- Brand new propshaft and UJ’s (No Ball Trunnion)
- New shocks all round
- Some new leaf spring bushes
- One new leaf spring shackle (One had sheared in half…)
- Striped down and re-greased tie rod and ball joints
- New front wheel bearings
- New wheels and tyres
- New power steering pipes and hydraulic lines fabricated locally

- New fuel tank
- New sender
- New hard fuel lines
- New breather hose and filler neck
- Vented fuel cap

- New locks for some doors
- New windscreen x2
- New windscreen rubber
- All lights refreshed, decent earths and good for the UK
- New horn
- New brake light switch
- New oil pressure sensor and gauge
- Fitted a rev counter
- Loads of weatherproofing and sealing (pop top, windows etc…)
- Window channel felt new
- New dodge emblem (front)
- Loads of waxoyl


Whats next?

- Heater needs removing a servicing etc...
- I want taller tyres on the rear and more rubber on the road up front
- Stop the trans from leaking
- Electronic ignition is on the list

- More camper interior stuff

[polosteve]

Great stuff! Nice to see details of a different version.
What's involved in the disc conversion? What are the parts from?
I have found the limits if my drums already

Hi Paul, to be honest if I could go back to square one I would just buy an early B100, power everything, disks, no kingpins, no cart springs etc... I guess that would be boring???


The brakes are like a modern vehicle however it added up quick...
- It is a scarebird kit that is intended for Big Furys but it fits A108s (Their normal A100 kit is for the smaller front Axel A100's only)
- Whatever kit you use with the big A100 Axel expect to have to modify something, I need to modify and re-fit my front sway bar. Currently not running one at all.
- The kit from scarebird is just some brackets, hardware, a shopping list and instructions.
- From memorey this kit used Ford Galaxy disks which are unicast ones, ford bearings and Dodge Ram calipers, Eldorado flexi's... A right Mongrel
- I also fitted a MC out of a Manual Disk/Drum B100 and a remote vacuum brake servo from car builders solutions.


Stops very well now, easily, in a straight line and no brake fade but I'm not sure if I would do it again?

[kma176]

That is some great interior work
Looks real good

[db]

Bloody hell that sounds a right pain! Yeah I don't think I'd go through all that.
I can accept it's limitations I reckon

[spooks]

Cool van,how does it handle?

[polosteve]

Spooks - Like you would expect Sat on top of cart springs, its not that bad... Wind noise is worse than the comfort/handling when you are sat at 65 mph.



Drove it to work just because...


Trans out for a refresh - First time splitting a Mopar engine/box.




The camper units as they were all last summer:


A bit of woodwork, starting....






Doors will be on the large opening, A fridge will go where the kettle is down at the bottom.



I have an Mopar OG style electronic ignition kit on the way over the pond, real high performance stuff...

[polosteve]

Minimal progress on the A Van - Fitted a modern voltmeter and sacked off the old Ammeter.

Got a 'new' van to creep around in for a few month as well