Projects DDT - Damn Dodge Truck

This is the start of a new build thread. A 1941 Dodge Truck

This thing was bought out of the HAMB classifieds in 2006 and then piled in a corner. The truck body parts and 2001 Dakota chassis came from user Hard On Parts.

The wheels came off of ebay. They are 90's-2000's era six lug Halibrands that were made for a Dakota (17x7, 18x9.5)

First mock-up pic. The overall vibe i'm shooting for is along the lines of the Doane Spencer T-bird, but in truck form.


headlight idea....37 ford lenses and rings


the front end is way too wide for the truck to be really low. the Dakota is going to get hacked up to work (wheelbase is way too long too).

 

this looks like fun!

 

This thing is a big puzzle right now. The firewall has been cut out (I have a WC-54 military 4x4 ambulance one to go back in). The floors were hacked too...cut out and replaced with flat sheet. It came with three sets of front sheet metal ( 2 dodge, 1 Fargo).

I don't feel bad about cutting on this one.

Not sure on what the drivetrain will be. I don't own a Dodge motor. I do have a spare 283 stroker (307) just sitting around.

 

cool truck dig those old mopars, trade that 283 for a 318

 

I like the '37 headlight idea.

 

The WC54 firewall is flatter than the '41 and earlier firewall, right? The 3/4-ton WC also has a transmission hump in the floor, where the '41 would have had a flat floor.

 

cool, keep us posted on the build

 

I don't know. I thought they were based on the same dodge trucks.

I have the dash from the wc also...it looks like a truck dash to me.

I hope the firewall will work.

I plan on using the WC dash to modify the truck dash. I want to cut the curved section at the top of the dash off and weld it to the lower half of the truck dash.

 

I like the '37-'39 Ford headlights as an alternative to the stock frog eyes.

 

It is tempting to try and make the front end more Zephyr-ish, but I'm think I'm just gonna do the aero headlights and keep the majority of the dodge styling.

 

They are based on the same truck with minor differences. The '41 and earlier firewall had a slight recess-sort of a natural dog house. Unless you need more room for your motor (and your motor is as narrow as a six), the WC firewall should work fine for you.

The '42-up 3/4-ton WC and Power Wagons also had different floors and shorter rocker panels. They lowered the cab over the frame rails to lower the center of gravity.

The WC54 and WC53 dashes start with the same stamping, but with small round holes for military guages. Again, sounds like it should work for your project.

 

cool truck, i also dig the lights and feel like it breaks up those wide fenders well. nothing worth doing is easy, do it.

matt

 

power wagons had flat firewall, as far as i know, and have seen.


military, civilian, firewall discussion:

http://g503.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=56&t=220947

 

Yeah, the replacement firewall I have looks like this.

 

Cool. I'll be watching this.

You'll like the recessed firewall if you run the 283 with an HEI. I've got a SBC in my ambulance and the HEI tucks nicely in it with the passenger side valve cover 3/4" from the firewall. It leaves enough room to run a flex fan.

 

Subscribed...

 

...craigslist is full of them, and most often cheaper than brand x.

.

 

For a step by step build of a 41 truck go to my website: www.bobs41dodge.com

 

Thanks for the link to the pics. That should help me figure out how everything is supposed to fit together.

 

Dad told me I must secretly desire to build a 39 Studebaker truck. He might be right.

I don't know that I have ever seen one of these...

 

I've been rolling possible solutions to the front wheel placement issue (narrow suspension vs. widen fenders). Well, this wekend i saw a 39 Pontiac and studied the shapes of the front sheetmetal. Widening the Dodge fenders inside the peaks should look a little bit like the front fenders on this car.

 

I lied. My replacement firewall does not look like this. I dug it out this past weekend. It does not have the recess. It is pretty much flat and has fewer beads.

 

I played with the Dodge some more. At Dad's suggestion, I tried the big truck front cap that I have. I fits the Dakota chassis a lot better! The wheels fit under the fenders a couple of inches now. I will need to make the wheel openings smaller, section the grill a couple of inches (to make hood line up with cab) and take 10 inches out of the frame. ...oh yeah, lower the crap out of it (seven inches up front and 5 in the rear)


IMG_6048 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

IMG_6055 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr

IMG_6066 by Flipper_1938, on Flickr