Cuda, that P/U is beautiful and echoing what's been said already, do just what's needed to get her up to your expectations... I'm in the same boat as I just got a '40 Plymouth deluxe 4 door sedan and the body is solid..interior is another story though! I want what you want, better braking, seat belts, radio, overdrive and a stock looking car...but I plan on keeping an L6 for the old school look while hopping that up alittle - mine is just the 201, but you just don't see enough of those now-a-days, at least not around here. My neighbor across he street has a '55 savoy sedan and he wants to drop a modern hemi in his...I told him I want his motor when that happens - I'd gain afew cubes and ponies while looking stock and it's only a 2" longer motor! I may swap the non working speedo of mine for modern gauges but keep the origonal..might I suggest the same for you so that in the future if it goes up for sale you still have all the swapped out pieces...there are purists out there and yours is just too damb nice to cut up. Afew mods and you'll be set....
A) you should have the lockheed type non energizing - dual adjust rears{major and minor adjust} and dual cylinder fronts...once adjusted correctly they should work fine...get a shop manual if your don't already have one and tinker with them...these old brakes work great so long as you keep them adjusted for wear and use. B)...shifting...I hear yah, 3 on the tree is an acquired art only to be learned thru driving...and asking here for insite from those who already know and do never hurts either.{I did} I believe your trans would have the non syncro 1st like mine and from what I'm told, you drop into 1st while sitting at a stop - california stop{sorry west coast folks} most of your stops and turns and just power through in 2nd and she'll pull just fine. I found the non power steering was actaully fine...a spinner knob would make it even easier...I have issues with my MC being not adjusted right, but she stopped easily enough before it locked up...now for that lil 6 motor. The odometer says 78k on mine and even if it is correct and not spun over{178k} that lil 6 pulled the car 4 miles with the rear brakes trying to lock up just fine...I'd imagine she'd drive even easier with the brakes not dragging so badly! Dual carbs and exhaust and maybe a head shave and that'll be even better.
This will only add fuel to the fire...mine has 5k showing on the odometer and judging by the interior, I'm apt to believe it. All my gauges even work. I looked long and hard for a less complete truck. It was always rusted garbage or missing the hard to find or incredibly expensive stuff like the grille or windshield crank mechanism, etc... It was actually cheaper to find a complete original truck than piecing together a field find. That being said, if someone has a complete '36 Dodge truck less drivetrain and suspension, I'd be more than willing to swap you. I'd feel less guilty digging into that one. Some of you almost have me convinced to just leave this one alone...
I am surprised to see so many people on a HOT ROD site turning into restorers. I was faced with this same dilema in '09 when the 230 flathead in my '36 dodge pickup started knocking. A very hard decision what to do? Rebuild the flathead? 50 mph is pushing these trucks. The 3 speed on the floor is not bad if you shift em slow. The stock brakes will always be inferior in modern traffic, I poured a lot of money in my srtock brakes, and they always sucked. You will grab that handbrake everytime someone cuts in front of you, as you try to leave yourself room to stop. But I had this '54 Chrysler 331 sitting in the corner of the barn. I too looked and looked for a suitable body to put the hemi in. I looked at a lot of $5000 junk. So I pulled the drivetrain out of the truck that I restored in '75, and never looked back. I rebuilt the hemi, put an automatic and a 3.08 rear in it, and put disk brakes on the stock axle. Stock steering and frame and springs. 35 year old paint. And a couple of months ago I posted my first drive on this site. What a better truck I have now!!! I love it. I will put more miles on it next year than the last ten years. I am so glad I Hot Rodded this truck, and ignored the few that recommended building the six. Go ahead and Hot Rod it, you wont regret it. Remember, restored cars make the best rods, not rusty junk.
Hotrodding it with a hemi is one thing. Setting it on a corvette rear is another. Just upgrade stuff rather than replace - discs if you must like the dodge above. A later but similar axle (live axle). I'm thinking some early mopar V8 and auto - tin covers and 2 barrel carb. think what the factory engineers would be building if the truck was current and the V8 was going into next years model. Minimum changes, and a pseudo factory stock look to it. Mart.
Each vehicle is minty and nice original once. Any fool can cut up and modify a cherry cream puff survivor. Regret is forever.
I am a stock restorer as well as an old type hotrodder. I sure don't have a problem with doing what 36DodgeRam did to his. It sounds like he had very good luck with the stock steering box and axle, which I would prefer myself, and I don't see that he hurt the value, charm, or the look of it at all. Moderation is a good thing on something like his or yours. Just think it out first, before replacing major parts of the chassis and firewall, it will pay off, IMO
That is a very cool truck. What issues did you have putting in the 331? It looks to clear the firewall, but probably not the louvered inner aprons. Are you running this with fenders and hood sides? It's been a long time since I messed with the early Hemi's, but do have a good set of triple 5 354 heads I saved 20 years ago...Hmm 354/392 Hemi sounds pretty sweet...
The 331 went in easy enough. Never cut the frame or firewall. Moved the steering box back on the frame to the cab, and lengthed the drag link, shortened the column. The frame and front suspension hold it just fine. I have a lot of posts on here with what I did, PM me with any other needed details. This was no survivor truck, but a $200 Dodge I found behind a barn 35 years ago. Restored from junk yard and swap meet parts, before the internet & ebay. I spent enough time in the slow lane, no regrets rodding this one. If you want to drive slow and cautious, go ahead and leave it stock. If you sell it the next guy will rod it.
I too had this dilema. Bought a 90% restored 37 Ford tudor deluxe humpback from an old guy (72) I was only 64, lol. Needed tires and interior, It sat in my garage for 2 years while I worked on it and flipped back and forth about stock or rodded. Finally decided I wanted to drive farther than the coffee shop. Body is dead stock. Put a 302/AOD in it. 8" rear on C.E kit. Working on interior. I don't regret it, drives and stops much safer. Now I can travel long distance to shows if desired. Lots of guys told me to leave her stock,rare car. It is yours, do what you like.
I've had a few of these cars; a 5500 mile '70 el Camino, a well kept 39,000 mile '36 DeLuxe Touring sedan, and even my 78,000 mile very well kept '51 Ford with all of the history back to the original owners. These are special cars and should be kept for posterity. I've heard this "anyone can restore a car, but it takes a real man to cut one up" crap. Please, have a sense of history, if not one of economics. BTW, I've cut up and ruined enough mid 30's ford coupes to know what I'm talking about.
Update, but with mid to late 50's brakes and motor. That is to OG to turn into a street rod. My opinion and I'm sticking to it cuz you asked.
I don't know much about the technical details, but I think you should swap the drivetrain and breaks with something that you could easily revert back to the original in case you ever wanted to. I mean safety is important, but it's only original once. No matter what car you take the engine and breaks from, as long as you can undo it then why not. Nice truck by the way.
To Hot Rod or not to Hot Rod, that is the question! I think this is too hard to decide on. You need to find someone that really loves these old Plymouth Trucks. Some one that is crazy enough to want a Plymouth Truck instead of anything else, including a Dodge of the same year. Someone that you know will appreciate the truck more than most others. He may even have a classic 30's Plymouth Hot Rod already! I think you need to give that truck to me!
Seriously, if you decide to sell, at least give me a chance at the buy! I'm not rich, but that beautiful Plymouth Pickup is my all time favorite pickup model.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, DON'T DO IT!!! That truck is way too nice to kill. Half the fun of having an old car is the fact that it drives like an old car. I understand that you probably don't want to be doing any driving on the interstate in that truck, but around town and on back roads it should be fine. I have an original '37 Buick and it does great around town. I think it would be a little extreme to say it's only safe to drive in parades. As long as you drive cautiously you'll be fine. Even if you update the brakes and engine, you'll still be in real bad shape if someone hits you in that thing. If you want a really safe car to drive, trade in the pickup for a Volvo. Of course the decision is yours and it won't affect me, so do whatever you really want to. It's just kinda sad when a little piece of history is ruined for future generations (not that most young folk really give a damn what history they lose). Anyway i'll shut the hell up now. I hope you keep driving and enjoying the truck whatever you decide to do.
Sounds a lot better than the late model 5.7 out of that parts truck. One of my favorite things about hot roding is taking what's been discarded, neglected, or passed over by others for decades and turning it into something that can be appreciated by anyone; it is already appreciated by everyone for what it is (except you the driver) For me, (you asked for opinions) your truck is not fitting into any one of those. Anything that you do to the truck to make it more enjoyable to you , ultimately makes the truck worth less on the open market. Only those who understand will appreciate the upgrading. Doing the minimum amount to the truck to get the most enjoyment at that level is the only approach that makes the most sense. After a certain point you will cross the area of diminishing returns. It's yours, do what you feel best suits you.
Cuda, you know hat you paid for the truck..find out what it's worth...if the difference is huge...sell it and find a lessor version. If the value is the same or nearly enough, look for another while trying to sell yours somewhere...if no-one nibbles for lack of interest, do an engine, trany and rear end swap guilt free knowing you tried to preserve it. Some folks are purists, some are hackers...in a good way - I saw a really cool ratrod yesterday, 1st one around here that I saw of and some are resto modders. Nearly anyone could argue that an old, rusty coupe or sedan body "could have been saved rather than chopped"..but wasn't it saved after all - defined "saved"! I'm no purist, but I do like seeing cars in any of the 3 build forms...even kit cars-well, some. Steel is best though. I've always drooled over the cool old engines like V8 and 12 flatheads, nailheads, old hemis and inlines rather than the modern cratemotor variety. My two cents- if you do mod it, keep her all mopar. This is a tough call on your part seeing as it's your car, but let's remember the simple truth - it's your car!
A vehicle should, first and foremost, bring pleasure to the owner; whether sitting in the garage or on the road(preferably both). I have a business coupe of the same year as your truck. It is in the early stages of restoration/modification. The first thing I did was bolt on front disc brakes. Key words: bolt on. I am no purist but I do prefer mods and upgrades that can be easily undone. That's why I won't cut the frame, or the firewall, or chop the roof but I am not afraid to bolt up some better binders, switch to 12 volts, and (with a little luck) put an overdrive transmission behind the massaged but original flathead 6. Just my $.02 and it probably isn't even worth that.
Cuda, First off it is a nice old truck they way it sits and I am sure that it would make some restorer very happy just toodling along to the trailer to get it to the show. Now the thing to remember is that although rare (it is a Plymouth and not a Dodge) it is just a damned old pickup. If you are a hot rodder after a while you figure out that nothing is sacred. The question you have to answer is this, '"What do I want to do with it?" Te end of the day my opinion isn't really a valuable asset when it comes to building a car or truck for you to drive. But like I said earlier to me nothing is sacred so if it were mine it would be a hot rod before all was said and done.
nice truck. my 2cents would be 235-250 inline chevy six with t5 5speed, change rearend to 9". rebuild front end steering,put in sway bar, and find out some way to put disc on o.g. spindels,new under floor master with boost.that what i would do.
The original post described my 40 ford ragtop when I first took possession of it. Scary brakes, poor shifting, could'nt drive more than 10 miles or faster than 45 mph without overheating issues. Sat higher than a modern 4x4. If it was a 20 MPH corner you better take it at 10 MPH. Pretty much a trailer queen. New tranny linkage, rebuilt radiator, new water pumps, adjusted the brakes, posies springs, radial ww's, headers and duals and now I can and do drive this car anywhere. Including the freeway at 60+ MPH. My point is you can make what you have drivable and dependable.
I appreciate everyone's input. I did make a decision and have already started. I removed the body and stored the frame/suspension. I have a new frame laid out on the table now. I just didn't want to cut or modify the original frame. I would start a build thread, but it is non-traditional. The outside and interior will remain 100% stock (except A/C - i'm in Florida! but I have a very cool Desoto a/c head), which is what I wanted from the beginning. The suspension and drivetrain will be modern. Widened 16" Artilleries and radial WWW...I'll leave the hood down for you hardcore HAMBers! Anyone interested in seeing this come together, just PM me. I am taking pictures. Thanks, Craig
You guys are nuts. Those old cars and trucks are not a dime a dozen anymore and whatever is left is being picked clean. That truck is a time capsule and should be left as it is. Once you cut that truck it will never be the same. Find other truck to modify and leave the OG for what it is, a piece of history.
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