another stupid girl question ..sorry

Get on Hemmings Motor News website, go to the literature section. In that section you will find dealers who specialize in manuals. You want to get the Motors Manual for that year truck, give the dealer a call and tell them your needs. You will pay for the manual 40-50 dollars maybe but you will be way ahead on knowledge and good diagrams and pictures. Good luck with your rig!

 

You got that right!

 

Gotta love a girl who loves the smell of her dad's Snap-on Tool box.

6v vs 12v - You need to set some parameters for the truck. If you just want to get it running and drive it, skip the conversion for now. When you put in the Hemi or 440 with the long tube cross ram you will want to change it over.

Do a little at a time and enjoy every step. Kiss your dad often. Remeber this is spozd to be fun!

 

yes go 12v buy a wiring harness from tugmaster on here (i think thats his username)

all you need to know is how many circuts you need (how many things you want to run)

they come with a instruction manual but you can also find "how to convert your car from 6 to 12V)

i highly recommend trying to find factory shop manuals written by the factory for the facotry

 

Petit Jean was last week

 

your info does not say what part of Arkansa you are in but there is a good swap meet at Petit Jean every year
If unfamilar,its over by Morrilton,,nice museum up there too

 

wbrw, did you read the post right above yours?

 

Mmmm..... bacon

Best parts books and repair manuals are the ones the factory published in 1955. They made thousands of them, at least one for every dealership so they are still around. Usual price $25 to $50 and well worth it.

Motor manuals are good too, but cover all makes therefore are less complete and detailed on any one model. They are compiled from the different manufacturers' manuals and are reliable for the basics if not very detailed.

For parts, your local NAPA store has most everything you need, or can get it in 2 or 3 days. As you live in Arkansas there should be lots of dusty old parts stores with gray haired or bald headed parts men who deal with the local farmers all the time, and will not be at all surprised to be asked for parts for a 1955 pickup truck.

Then there are Andy Bernbaum, Roberts Motor Parts and Vintage Power Wagons. VPW has tons and tons of parts for the big 4 wheel drive power wagons but there is a lot of interchange with your truck.

I don't recommend changing to 12 volt. It is a lot of work and expense for not much benefit. If someone tells you glibly that it is easy to do the change, ask them exactly what you have to do. If they can't tell you in detail, don't listen to them.

PLEASE don't listen to the yahoos who tell you it is easy, get your truck all torn apart and half done, then come back and ask us how to fix it. Ask the yahoos. I can tell you how to do the job, having done a few, but now I prefer to keep the 6V system.

 

If you are mostly into keeping it stock you should be aware of this web site.

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/

The Pilot House forum is specifically about 1948 - 55 Dodge trucks.

 

Maybe your grandfather gave you the car thinking it might bring you together, as opposed to it being sold, .02 , Pat

 

WillBe - made the post - go find a factory manual for a 55 Dodge Trk - most are available in reprint - and ebay is a good source as any - for anywhere's of $20 up....always get one for my Studes and such....there is most likely a shop manual for repairs and a parts manual for parts and part #'s....

have fun.....

 

HEY, I resemble that insulating remark.

 

I've been told this 6V to 12V conversion guide is very good.

http://www.fifthaveinternetgarage.com/parts/index.html

 

ZB..I have the Motors manual..
If you need specific repair info I will be happy to copy the pertinant pages and email them to you.. Might help you get started with some of your tasks until the shop manual you are going to order gets to you.
Dave

 

I put up with 6 volts for several years and it was so bad that I have converted EVERYTHING I own to 12 volts for the last 40 years.
Its a 12 volt world. Want a radio? 12 volts only! Everything is 12 volts
With 12 volts you can give and receive jump starts.
This matters when its cold and dark and raining and you are away from home

 

jumping into this late... but 12 volts are nice... but not the only way to skin a cat... you can put on the 12 volt alternator, & put a 6 volt output module on it, & it'll charge, hook up, & run with the convienience of an alternator, but put out 6 volts, & these are easy to instal, & quite reasonably priced... 99% of the issues people have with 6 volt systems, is that at some point in the vehicals past, someone replaced a battery cable with a 12 volt style ( smaller wire size, cheaper, & more common )... if your cables are all the heavier 6 volt type, you won't have any issues

BTW... if you dare to be different, & keep it 6 volt, there are radios out there... my 38 Nash is 6 volt positive ground, & I found a refurbished 6 volt positive ground AM / FM/ marine band radio, that will be mounted in my car soon

 

switched over my old 53 power wagon to 12 volts by putting in a battery, alternator, and a ballast resistor in the power to the coil for a 6 volt drop to coil and points, worked awesome and drove it for years the guy I traded to is still driving it, good luck