What can I make out of '53 Dodge dump truck?

I might have a chance to get a'53 Dodge dump truck that is in near perfect condition. Price maybe a few hundred dollars and the point is I'm looking for a really different project.
What if I lost the dump, took the cab off shortened and Z'd the back of the frame. Channel the cab, lose the front suspension to maybe a 4" drop axle and an exposed quick change for the rear. Maybe build a new frame. I can do the work.
Anyone have any pictues of a cab only project that looks good? Or reasons why not? Just looking for a little feedback. Thanks.

 

Ahh, it's really good looking... for a dump truck. Keep it as is, use it in parades, rent it for film shoots, help friends move, haul parts to the swap meet and dump them out.

 

Every big truck I've seen that looks real nice, looks to have a ton of money in it.

Thing is, I kow several folks around here that could put it to work as a pup-dump...i/e trailer a Bobcat, dig a smimming pool, clean open yards, etc.

For a few hundred, I'd buy it and relist it for sale in "Dump Truck News" and turn a profit.

 

PS...a hauler of some kind would be cool too.

 

I bet the top speed is like 45-50 mph, right?

 

Just my 2 cents but use it for hauling parts and occasionally surprising the home depot crowd by picking up home supplies. Otherwise leave it for someone who is into vintage trucks and find a old half ton cab to build a rat truck with.

 

To butcher a clean old truck like that would be a crime against humanity. If you can really buy it that cheap, sell it to a collector, make yourself some money and then you can buy just a cab which is all it sounds like you're looking for.

 

Why not just make it a 64 dodge dump truck and get all the stares you can handly.

 

Buy it and flip it to someone that collects that stuff.

The frame is WAY too beefy to make any kind of hotrod from.

It would be a shame to destroy that truck.

You could find a better prospect for a hot rod truck project with the cash you get from selling it.

 

A dump truck is a pretty handy thing to have. Seriously. You'd find yourself using it. At least, I would...

 

Get that truck to California, and I will trade you 2 40 Ford Cabs with doors
I have a really clean 41 Dodge Cab with doors too. I'll throw that in.

I could use a dump truck...

 

It is a 57 dump truck that is a one year only front end from 1/2 ton and up.

 

That thing is gem! I think it's way too nice and also way too complete of a truck to do that to. For what you're proposing, all you really need to start withm is a cab and and frame A clapped out Dodge 1/2 ton pick-up, so long as it still had a solid cab and frame would suit your purposes much better than this truck anyway. This dump truck has the Dodge "big truck" front fenders. The wheel openings are much bigger than than those on the pick-up truck front fenders. Putting a dropped front axle and normal passengar-car- size front tires with the big wheel openings would look just plain stupid and goofy.

I'd keep it pretty much as is and either restore to original ( it might be a fairly cheap restoration and it would definitly be worth some money that way ) or keep it looking close to original but upgrade the drivetrain with a later model engine, trans and rearend and make a decent driver and hauler out it An early hemi. a slant 6 a 318 or 360 small block or a 383, 400 or 440 big-block Mopar - or a 5.9 Cummins diesel from a late model Dodge truck - would all be very cool and practical swap possibilties for this truck. And keeping the body stock and original looking, but with a later model drivetrain (and especially, if you used a Mopar-based drivetrain) ithe truck would have a very cool, "pseudo-factory" phantom look to it - and would make for an excelent driving and practical and useable *truck*. If you don't want or need the dump body, how about stretching the frame and making a car hauler or ramp truck out of it? Or, you could probably keep the stock frame length, remove the dump dody and add a sleeper behind the cab and shoirt deck to mount a fifth wheel - and it use for pulling a 5th wheel car trailer or an RV. Actually, even keeping it as a dump truck would be pretty cool too. Whatever youi do, please think long and hard before cutting and cobbling this truck up into - you're not going to like this, but you asked - a freakish, 'rat-rod-like' cut down truck "thing" .It looks really complete and solid and there aren't too many like that left.

Mart3406
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To nice to cut up into a custom. I am with the others, sell it to a collector and use the profit to find another cab and build it.

 

Have some respect and leave it a Dump Truck.

Tim

 

It'd be a shame to cut that one up.

 

Here's a 57 pickup and COE, I love the front end on these!

 

I wouldn't cut that truck either. I found this one in a junkyard with a Hemi in it. Not for sale though. I wouldn't have felt bad pulling the motor out of this one.

 

I've been jonesing after one of these to make a big as tow truck.

 

I think it'd make a great start for a hotrod...When I was in Jr Hi in the early 60s the high schoolers would find an old farm truck from the 30s and shorten it up, paint it a bright color with black fenders [musta been a rule ] and keep it spotless...run the stock running gear including wheels but all painted up.
Personally, I'd z the front and rear, shorten the frame and drop it drastically...run a small tank behind the cab...run passenger car suspension or light pickup stuff. I think it'd be cool...if it has a hemi, even better!

 

That COE is cool. first thing I thought of was ramp truck. would look awesome with an old digger on the back.

 

A word of caution. That was someone's pride and joy. Dump trucks usually are beat to shit before they get parked. You will accrue extremely bad automotive Karma if you make that old beauty into a common, run of the mill rat rod. The automotive gods have given you a test. Choose wisely.

 

--------------------------------------------------
[ "When I was in Jr Hi in the early 60s.......blah, blah, blah" ]

I probably thought some things were 'cool' when I was n grades
6, 7 or 8, bacjk in the 1960s too....that I think are absolute shit
and stupid now. Doing that to this Dodge would be one of them
....except that I probably wouldn't have thought doing something
like that would been 'cool' even then.

Mart3406
=================================

 

That's too nice a truck to cut up. Buy it and post it on the ATHS site.
http://forums.aths.org/instantforum414/
Those guys and gals love and respect old trucks. Then go buy something that needs a life change.

 

Well, it is a shame to "cut it up". I'll look and unless really a gem, pass on it. I don't want to buy, haul, store, advertise and plug up my farmyard moving it around. The midwest is full of these trucks.

To repair or use a a dump vehicle is not practical because, and I haven't seen it yet, it likely needs many thousands of $$ basic stuff plus labor. Every seal will leak and dump oil in the water table. Then, I have a parade vehicle. I rebuilt a few big trucks and it doesn't work.

Here's what happens if I don't buy--some yahoo will get it, torch off the bed for scrap and either do the same with the frame/axle or try (imperitive word try) to make a "power wagon" out of the back to use for extra drive wheels in the woods. Visualize a stick welder on AC on low power and lots of slag. The cab will then sit on a fence row for 15 years until it is "discovered" by a rodder by who will hope to use it because the body is still pretty decent.

This dilemma has been in my path for 45 years of rodding and I have not "cut one up" yet because of these issues. On the other hand, I built a couple unusual glass body things recently and got criticized for using fiberglass. Go figure.

 

Ok, so then its on you to get it and keep that from happening.
I'm pretty much with everyone else who says don't cut it up. The ONLY way I would modify this truck would be to remove and save the dump body,and put on a flat bed or a wrecker body of similar vintage.
If you can really get it for a couple hun,then do it,sell it in Hemmings for a ton,and use the cash to start whatever project you like

 

Just as every used vehicle, may need work, may not. The picture doesn't look as bad as you make it sound.

Remember you came here and asking for opinions and got them. If you want to make a rat rod out of it, go for it. If you pass on it, a suggestion is to pass on the information to others on the HAMB that may be interested in buying the truck.

Neal

 

Second the motion

 

That little truck is Straight, and for a dump thats rare.

I'll bet it was owned by the Fire dept, or something like that and not used much.

IMO, just having a vehicle like that as clean as it is, is a head turner. It's probably the only one like it on the planet that clean.