Projects 1958 dodge d100

That I-Beam front should work just fine, as long as ALL of the components are in good condition. Plan on replacing all of the bushings on the leaf springs and their attachment points. Make sure all of the steering components are in good shape, from the steering wheel on down to the tie rod ends. I have never done it, but I would think disc brakes could be adapted without trouble. They don't drive as bad as some people think, no worse than a 4wd pickup with a beam axle, and rebuilding it would be a lot smaller headache than a frame swap or a frame clip.

 

...wow...lots of stuff going on here...
I'll offer some thoughts since I have plenty that aren't being used right now...
Given as you are quite young and likely don't have a big bank roll, your best solution is to simply find a Mopar donor like a 70s - 80s van or even something like a Diplomat. The van will have a rear sump oil pan which you will need. Both will have a crate full of small bits and pieces that you will also find useful when doing an engine and trans swap.
Stay clear the hell away from any frame swap ideas.

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I think I can rebuild the suspension pretty easily and just 3d print the bushings and any other rubber parts, everything is rusted solid so it’ll be a pain in that regard but I can remove the rust once it’s all apart


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You did confuse me earlier when you said "I beam suspension" I think you meant straight axle.
Fords had twin I beam front end.

While there is not a lot of aftermarket parts available for the old dodges, if you search you will find almost everything you need, suspension parts is one of them ... you wont need to make them.
You will have options to convert to disk brakes, you have options to install a modern rear end with taller gears for highway ... Replacing the front end is a personal choice.

I suggest you fix it first on the cheap, just repair what you have, then drive it. Then replace what you want as you go.

 

The reason for 3d printing is it’s a lot faster and cheaper than buying parts. Is scarebird classics a good place for disc conversions? None of the brakes on this truck work to begin with so might as well convert when it gets fixed and I’m trying to weigh options. I could probably get a new rear end i just need to measure the old one first and a day at the junkyard to find one that’s good. Is it better to just swap in a v8 or upgrade the 6? I can get new pistons pretty cheap and I only need one new rod bearing, my crank is in almost perfect condition so I think I could rebuild it for cheap, but a junkyard small block with a trans wouldn’t be super expensive either


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I think it may be cheaper to do a disk brake conversion along with a modern rear end and highway gears.
My truck is more narrow then yours, but not by much. For me a ford explorer 8.8 or a jeep cherokee is a pretty easy swap. I would need to grind off spring perches and weld new ones on in needed location.
As far as ujoints and brake lines, is off the shelf parts.

To rebuild my original brakes, first I have to buy a heavy duty hub puller from ebay, is over $100 for a good tool ... You may be able to buy a bone yard rear end for that.
If my drums are worn out beyond able to turn, will have to search the web to find good used ones ... brake shoes will need to be re-lined, no new shoes available. The hydraulics are available though.
It could be easier and cheaper to bolt in a new rear end with off the shelf brake parts available.
Sigh, I am rebuilding my stock brakes.

I have heard people like the scarebird brakes on the old dodges, I bought the rusty hope kit, I hear others like it also ... I will leave it on the shelf, after I get some seat time I may install it, or save it for a future project.
The Rusty hope kit, they sell you the fabricated parts to bolt on, and a complete list of parts and part #'s, so you can pick up your rotors, bearings, calipers etc from local parts store. Complete instructions and good service if you need to ask questions.

So my build my truck, I am going to try and stay as stock and as original as I can for as long as I can .... I think it would be cheaper in the long run to do a rear end swap and add disk brakes up front.

 

I was poking around the truck a bit more to get a better idea of what shape it’s in and the frame is a bit rotted through in some places so a frame swap with like a Dakota might become my only option, unless it’s worth it to repair the existing frame over swapping a frame


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Before you decide whether to rebuild the engine check out the Vintage Power Wagons parts catalog, they have some good deals, like a set of 6 NOS pistons for $75. If you can do your own work it should be possible to rebuild the engine for less than $2000 and have a rebuilt engine rather than a second hand junker.

There is nothing wrong with the beam front axle if it is in good shape, king pins not worn, steering tie rods etc good. You can take the springs apart, clean them and put in new sliders then install a set of shocks and get an alignment. Pump up the tires to 32PSI for easy steering. You can remove a couple of leaves if you are not going to carry heavy loads. Do this and it will be fine on decent roads, although it will ride rougher than an IFS on bad roads or no roads.

Later... went over some of your posts again, missed the part about the rotten frame before. Now I am beginning to wonder if the truck is worth fixing at all. With bad motor, frame, and who knows what else you might be better off buying a better truck.

 

In view of everything that has come up with this project, I think you need to take a good hard look at the condition of the cab and the box. It sounds like the sheetmetal might be the only usable parts left. Putting those parts on a newer frame is a lot of work, you want to be sure the sheet metal is worth the effort required to move it to a different frame. You will be building new mounts for the cab, the box and the front end sheet metal. Your going to be engineering a steering column linkage, and there will be a lot of wiring in your future.

You need to check the cab floors for rust through. Your going to have to attach cab mounts to the floor, they have to be good, or made good. The steps at the bottom of the doors goes bad very often, these steps are part of the cab support and will need to be there, or be replaced. Then you need to look at the doors, the bottom of the doors tends to rust out pretty badly. finding good doors is a pretty slim chance, you will probably have to repair your door bottoms if they are rusted out. Do latches work from the inside and the outside? Latches are $100 each, inside and outside handles are around $50 each. Do the windows roll up and down and do the vent windows open and close? The window channels and the rubber around the glass adds up to $500 pretty fast. Is the glass all good? A replacement windshield will cost $400-$500 once installed, side or rear glass will cost about $75 each to replace.
Are the front fenders good around the headlights? Finding good fenders is not very likely, if yours are rusted out, you will have to repair them.
The box probably had a wood floor that is likely long gone, plywood will work in a pinch, but a steel floor should be without holes. The box sides need to be in decent condition. Are the rear fenders good? They tend to get beat up pretty bad and tear the sheet metal along the bottom and rust out the flanges where they bolt to the box sides. Fenders were available, but around $500 each!

If your thinking about a frame swap, your 58 will fit on a Dakota frame much better then it will fit on a full sized truck frame. You will probably have to shorten the wheel base on the Dakota frame, and you will end up cutting off both the front and the rear of that Dakota frame. What you will actually be doing is replacing the Dakota cab, box and front sheet metal with the same stuff off the 58, so you want to be sure the 58 sheet metal is worth moving. If your thinking a frame swap, but a running driving Dakota and you can use most of it for your swap.

I've done several of these old trucks to Dakota frame swaps, it is not easy, and its not cheap. Gene

 

All of the sheet metal is covered in rust but it looks mostly surface level, there’s no holes in the floor and paint wide the interior looks great but otherwise needs work, I’ve done a body lift on a modern truck and I know the work that goes into it, the fabrication should be ok, I have a bunch of steel left over from a project and a good welder, this truck is gonna end up as my weekend/project truck since I’ll have an 08 tundra for daily stuff, but I’d like to see this truck move, as it hasn’t in my lifetime, and if I can get it done with a Dakota then that’ll be my answer


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Having the project and doing it your way is what counts.
We all have different taste, and that is a good thing.
Myself, I am a bit fascinated with old machinery. That makes me happy.
While others, like some highly modified go fast stoofs, that makes them happy.

It is your project, and you need to go in the direction that will keep you excited and interested.

Some rot in a frame can be repaired, My last truck had a crossmember that was rusted out, pretty simple fix.
You will be doing frame work if doing a frame swap. Possible you could find another truck to use for parts, swap it with a original frame, original motor.

I just get a feeling, what will get you excited and keep you going, is the modern frame swap.
And that is fine, will be more work, in the end you will have more opportunity for expansion.
Better steering and suspension, more horse power, off the shelf parts, the list goes on.

You just need to decide which direction you want to go in, and go forward.
Most important thing is to have fun.

 

so in the past few months ive been dealing with school and band and have yet to put much real effort at this car. i aquired (it was a free car from a friend) a 1998 ford expedition thats been a ton of work so any free time has just been keeping up with school band and the expedition. that being said ive formed more of a plan on where to go with this old dodge, i think im gonna leave it original save for a few things. I plan on not painting it yet, rebuilding the engine with some homebuilt headers and intake manifold as well as some light porting of the ports and cleaning the head a bit to improve flow, and cross drilling the crank if necassary. i need to drop the transmission and replace the clutch since it is seized, so while i have the transmission out i will be taking it to a junkyard and seeing if i can find one thatll bolt up with no mods, otherwise my current one will get a fluid change and converted to a floor shifter, since my linkage is all kinds of messed up and butchered, and i dont mind cutting holes in the floor. But i will try to repurpose the old shifter into a blinker lever. i plan on reupholsterying the seat myself with good materials. im gonna rebuild all of the suspension with new shocks, clean the leafs and make fresh uerthane bushings. iplan on using an old set of headlights from a 2014 jeep that i have lying around, since theyre much brighter and easier to service and get new bulbs for. differential will get rebuilt with fresh gaskets and original brakes will be used with new master cylinder, lines, shoes, ect. to make them functional again. once i get it going and stopping then i can worry about making it good and safe and fast and whatnot. it wont be pretty, or driven daily, but itll be a fun project thatll make my grandmother happy. thoughts on this? thanks!

 

I disagree sir. My 56 has been 120mph on stock steering components and suspension. It has been rebuilt with new kingpins, and spring shackles, and shocks. Only thing that ever let me down was a distributor wire break on the pickup, and disc brake caliper bracket up front destroyed itself. Only 2 times in 10 years this truck has been towed. Keep em greased, and lubed and they will keep going like clockwork.

 

1967 baracuda rear end fits great to tuck tires if you want to lower, 1960s dodge truck axles will work also.. My suggestion is any 8.75" rear axle is a good upgrade. 741/742/489 But I suggest running some highway gears. 2.90 gears in mine, 3000 rpm at 80... Tons of torque to pull through anything. My truck is 3400 lbs as it sits.

Scarebird is good for the front disc brakes, it just increases your trackwidth a bit, but its a good kit.

Dakota chassis swap is not real necessary, these trucks had a v8 option... should have been a poly motor... But swap a late model 318 in with a auto if you want or keep it stick would be my suggestion. The 318 is just about the same weight as the flatty 6.

Lowered and still used as a truck....

 

OP told us his engine is shot, frame rusted through, interior shot, body rusty etc. Also he is a student with limited time and money. Based on this information I believe he would be better off just buying a newer truck if he wants one that can run 65 - 70. I suppose anything is possible but fixing up that heap would be way too tough for a beginner and not worth the time and effort. There was a time I might have tried it myself but not after I wised up.

 

Eating the elephant, so to speak. Junk old truck with sentimental value and little else. It's not like it's going to be a couple of weekends and voila it's a driver, more like it's going to take a couple of years to get scattered around the garage and get forgotten, then sold for scrap. Already has two other vehicles that are going to take precedence over the old dodge every time.