Projects 1953 Dodge Truck - Our Lil Ol' Truck

So this is going to be our build/re-build thread on the new pickup truck that we bought. I went down to Pittsburg, KS to pick it up from a guy down there with some gorgeous old cars. Current plan is to get it road worthy, legal, and drive the tires off it while fixing it up.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10155023497994709

Got to show it to our daughter for the first time, she wisely went to the front to listen.

Current specs:
1953 Dodge - Actually was a 5 window that someone welded extra windows (ARGH!)
Plymouth Volare front end
3.8L FWD Buick Regal V6 (!?)
700R Automatic
9" Ford Rear End ??? ratio

 

cool truck . . . what's your re-build plan ???

 

Right now it needs front glass, tires and lights in rear to pass inspection. I am going to drive it as is for a while to shake out all the bugs. Probably will get the interior a little more livable and hit some cruises and shows for some miles.


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Very cool Great to see another Dodge Truck on the road! Hobo Jim

 

If that is the bed it was manufactured with it's a B3. Your fenders were in use on the B series trucks from 1948 thru 1952. Dodge started using the larger rear fenders in '53.

 

That could depend on where and on what date the truck was 1st sold. Some states titled trucks by the date they were first sold, not when they were produced. The manufacturers usually changed model years in about the first of September of the year, so a truck built in August would be the old current model year, and one built in September would be the new next model year, however, some states determined the model year by the calendar date the truck was sold. A truck built in Aug, but not sold until after Jan 1st was considered a new truck having the model year it was sold.

Sometimes the manufacturers prolonged, or moved up the model year for one reason or another, Dodge was notorious for doing such things. They often implemented changes during a model year, or delayed changes to use up old stock.

The rear fenders could have been some Dodge old stock used up on the first new trucks, or it could have been a state model year deal, or it could have been a replaced box during the trucks 60 years of existence. My 50 Dodge truck had a 52 nose put on it in the mid 50s because of an accident. The 52 nose was available and in great shape .Gene

 

We found a fuel cell... no more lawn gas can with a rag to get it in and out. I also had a flat tire, a sticker got left on and it would suddenly lose rim seal. The steering shaft is 1 inch.... not the 3/4 that I guessed so my firewall flange bearing ended up being wrong. Ack.




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My model tag reads B-3-B-108. The bed measures 7' 6".....actually wrong. I had a case of HUPA and misread that. My bed is somewhere around 6'8". We center the bed hole above the rear axle last night to get a bit better accuracy.


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B-3 = 1953, built after Sept, 1952.
then B-108= 1/2 ton 108" wheel base.
The 7' 6" is the standard length for the 1/2 ton box. A 53 was suppose to get the "new" rear fenders like the ones on 56 Dodge Pickup's white truck. The rear fenders on your truck were suppose to end with the 52 model year, that is what "the oil soup" was referring to. Your truck may have been an early production truck and got the last remaining rear fenders, or the box/box sides could have been switched over the years. Minor details bother some people, I'm just happy to see the Old Dodges on the road.

My 50, and its tragic end. Parts went on to help another 50 Dodge live. Gene

 

Looks like that would have buffed out. Doubt the old dodge even slowed down and still drove home.

 

Head on at 30 mph. Actually, the cab survived quite well. It was on a newer Dodge 4x4 frame, and it did not do so well. The passenger side was about 18" shorter then the driver side. The frame buckled enough to punch a hole in the oil filter on a 360 Dodge motor. The impact broke a 3" x 4" chunk out of the cast iron transfercase. The brackets on the front are for a 70s version of a Meyers snow plow, and the 3/8" angle iron bent and cracked before the 4 welds failed. The lady that turned in front of me said she didn't see my truck. All I saw was the fender of her red car crossing the double yellow lines before we hit. The truck stopped instantly upon impact, the car bounced back a couple car lengths. The truck weighed 4688 lbs. I got 11 stitches on the top of my head where it made contact with the header above the windshield, and a sprained thumb on my right hand. The ladies car had air bags the likely saved her life. She was uninjured.
I could have rebuilt it, I sat on it for 6 months debating, but concluded it was time to move on. I was able to keep the truck and I still come out pretty good with her insurance. The truck went into northern WI to supply needed parts for another Dodge truck build. Gene

 

Wow, man .... ugh! That bed looks like it was hand made? I am missing the front supports in mine and trying to think of best way to duplicate the rear ones. So far I have thought of some channel and then build on that for the upright.


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Yes, the bed was hand made. The stake pockets were 1 1/2" square tubing. My truck was originally a 2 ton dump truck. Here is a picture of the whole bed. Gene

 

Working on the various issues.... getting brakes fixed and fuel cell in




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Maybe we'll see you at the Belton Main Street Cruise Night come next month or so? Love those old Dodge trucks. Several of them around Belton, but not many running anymore. There's a guy with a '55 V8 that's not moved in years, and two others at his neighbor within walking distance - none moving. Glad to see yours will be rolling.

 

I've been scouring for a uncut up truck bed I .... spied an old truck bed trailer outside of Mound City upon a hill.


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Fuel tank mounted finally!


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Fuel lines plumbed... no leaks


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The first trip down the block.


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There is nothing cooler than the first ride! Congrats! Hobo Jim

 

So now I am close to having the shocks in.... here it goes


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Fixing the wiring and steering column this weekend.... what a mess












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It's good to hear that you are going to drive your truck as you work on it. My 52 may not ever be done but I drive it all the time with a big smile on my face. Keep the pictures coming. Your truck is looking good.

 

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So I've been watching for some seats on Craigslist . . . I should have jumped at the first combo that I really liked. Those seats were some Honda Odyssey seats with the middle jump seat that folds down and is removable. Alas, I missed out on those so we went for these tan leather seats from a 1998 Dodge Durango. They were in great shape, so here goes:



Initial fitment in the truck on top of the existing metal seat frame. The PO had some Saab rear seats that weren't quite wide enough and not at all fastened in.



The fold down center with cup holders will be handy.



Here's what the mounting pattern under the seats looks like. Initially I was going to mount them on the existing frame rail, but they looked too high and had too many issues. I opted to instead build a frame for them.


So here's what I have going on. Essentially the seats will themselves be the majority of the support. The metal to the existing tracks is just to center and locate them. The seat adjustment mechanism will be located in the empty space there and will work just like the stock unit. I ran out of steam that night on getting it done, and would have needed help to get the seat back in.






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So in all my calculations on the seat, the stock mechanism needed up not working. If I put it one way it banged into the factory seat mounting and the other way it went straight into the cross bar for the seat. I decided to make my own mechanism to move the seat back and forth from the stock pieces.


I took a long lag screw of some sort and cut the threads off. I then marked and ground flats onto the shaft like the existing one had. I took a step bit and reamed a nut out and pounded it down to be my stop.


Once I had that figured out I welded the nut and ground it down just a bit for fun. Nobody but me will see it, but it's a nice touch.


And in the land of old sockets, I found a lonely 1/2 inch socket and an old car lever of some sort. A quick 90 degree and some welds left me with my adjuster.


Here it is in place under the seat.


Front view. You can see where the stock lever would have hit either direction.



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So.... lots of issues with the rear end.... debated on putting a four link and air bag or coil overs.... think this might be the cure.