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Thread: My new truck… Pops Truck

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  1. #1

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    1986 Dodge Power Ram 50
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    My new truck… Pops Truck

    Hello all,

    I recently inherited a red 1986 power ram 50 from my wife’s grandad. His grandad bought it brand new in 86 from the dealer in Oklahoma. My wife’s grandfather inherited the truck when his father passed and he LOVED this thing. He treated it like a 59 Cadillac even though his dad used it as a farm truck. The paint was polished thin and grandad drove it 10 under every place. It was damaged in a Home Depot parking lot when something was dropped on it damaging the hood and the fender. He purchased a 82 d50 for parts (my brother has that truck now) but it’ll need a paint job here pretty soon. Shortly after, grandad started to get ill and his abilities stopped so the truck sat for 8+ years.

    Anyhoo, I replaced the fuel pump and got it running, got it home and found the carb leaking fuel pretty bad so I pretty much started the process of getting everything back into fighting shape to honor pop. Grandpa called his dad Pop, I called grandpa Pop, he called the 50 Pops truck, so do i.

    So far there is a couple of little issues I’ve been chasing and any help or reference is always appreciated.

    -mikuni 32-35 carb rebuild. Any build up or process steps would be helpful
    -headlights don’t come on. Brights work and relay clicks, running lights go but no lights. Found a few posts stating it’s in the column. Any other things to check? Those headlight relays are shockingly expensive.
    -drivers door handle busted off on pot metal. Simple but it’s one of the few things wrong with the truck.

    Looking forward to chatting and learning about this little truck. Pretty excited to use it and make it look sharp and original. One of the newest trucks I’ve seen with a dealer bumper on it. Any of your trucks have that?

    Cheers!
    Rhett




  2. #2

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    Welcome! Sounds like a cool truck. Hope to see images of it. I wish I could help with the troubleshooting my friend, but I'm still learning myself. Hopefully someone will chime in here soon with some advice. I'd peruse the forum on that Carb rebuild you mentioned. You might find a Door Handle on ebay or local junk yard.

  3. #3


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    Hello Rhett,
    Pop would be proud of the love your giving the truck... I put a locking gas cap with the three raised ridges so the fuel cap door closes all the way... A locking cap can easily be defeated but not without putting a screw into it... At least you will know if something was put into the tank other than gas (non ethanol is good gas)...

    I am in the process of trying to rebuild a Mikuni carb; checkout my photo album for pics of the 1st carb rebuild I completed... Can't help the light issue but CAR-PART.COM connects with wrecking yards nation wide...

    Photos Please & Good Luck
    Daily Overhauls Do Get Expensive

  4. #4


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    Rebuilding the Mikuni is a PITA with many pitfalls and hard to source parts, not for the inexperienced or faint of heart. If your area doesn't have emissions inspections requiring all-original intake/exhaust equipment, most folks prefer to swap in a Weber 32/36 carb instead -- much simpler with better performance, emissions and fuel mileage. Plenty of threads on this forum covering that swap.
    1987 Dodge Ram 50 4G54 RWD longbed ("Elmo")
    1979 Lancia Beta Zagato spider ("Lola")
    1982 Lancia Beta Zagato spider ("Luigi")

  5. #5


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    Quote Originally Posted by SubGothius View Post
    Rebuilding the Mikuni is a PITA with many pitfalls and hard to source parts, not for the inexperienced or faint of heart. If your area doesn't have emissions inspections requiring all-original intake/exhaust equipment, most folks prefer to swap in a Weber 32/36 carb instead -- much simpler with better performance, emissions and fuel mileage. Plenty of threads on this forum covering that swap.
    I second that opinion

    A Mikuni rebuild is gonna take time finding parts etc final adjustments after reassembly is something I have not mastered (yet) it won't be cheap part$ ~ and IF all the support emissions mechanisms vacuum actuators solenoids temp O2 sensors etc etc ALL that stuff connected to the ECM must be working in order for the Mikuni FBC to operate properly...

    Watching Rust Spread & trying a 2nd Mikuni rebuild
    Daily Overhauls Do Get Expensive

  6. #6

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    Thank you all for the warm welcome and responses. I am still working on some photos, doesn’t love that I’m trying to do it on my phone but I’ll park myself in front of the computer at some point and show y’all. I have looked at the Weber swaps, Colorado does have an emissions requirement for vehicles so it’s likely best I try to make the old stuff work. I do have 2 32-35 carbs so hopefully I can make one good one with the two and a rebuild kit.
    the lights situation is a finicky one as I am thinking it’s likely something in the column but I haven’t had a chance to take it apart and look. I all the help.

  7. #7


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    Quote Originally Posted by Pops Truck View Post
    Colorado does have an emissions requirement for vehicles so it’s likely best I try to make the old stuff work.
    If it's just a tailpipe sniffer test, not an inspection for all-original-spec intake/exhaust equipment being present, the Weber 32/36 may well pass easier than the stock Mikuni -- esp. if the latter along with all its feedback gizmos, control box, vacuum lines, etc. aren't all working perfectly.

    Here in Tucson we've got a yearly emissions exam with a basic eqpt. inspection (cat & gas cap only) and a tailpipe sniffer, which my Weber swap passes just fine.
    1987 Dodge Ram 50 4G54 RWD longbed ("Elmo")
    1979 Lancia Beta Zagato spider ("Lola")
    1982 Lancia Beta Zagato spider ("Luigi")

  8. #8

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    I am on my computer now trying to upload a couple photos and it doesn't seem to want to work. any tips or tricks to make it work?

  9. #9


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    I use Windows 7 Paint program to resize the pics (smaller) then directly upload them or transfer them to my cell phone & upload to MR50...

    Usually if the photo's largest pixel size in either direction is no more than 2000 it loads but sometimes 1800 pixels is required...
    Daily Overhauls Do Get Expensive

  10. #10


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    Aside from resizing first as xboxrox suggested, note the uploader has a button that doesn't look like a button, that you need to click to actually upload. That and other tips are covered here:

    http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin...ips-and-tricks
    1987 Dodge Ram 50 4G54 RWD longbed ("Elmo")
    1979 Lancia Beta Zagato spider ("Lola")
    1982 Lancia Beta Zagato spider ("Luigi")

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