'54-mid'55 had a single piece windshield with cab A-pillars raked back at an angle; late '55-'56 had a wrap-around windshield with vertical cab A-pillars. The engines were either a flathead 6 that can be identified here, and would have a round ram's head medallion at the nose of the hood, or a V8. There should be an identification tag on the driver's door jamb between the hinges, indicating something like C-1-B-116 or sumthin'ruther, that will give you the model number, weight rating (B=1/2 ton, C=3/4 ton, D=1 ton), and wheelbase in inches (108, 116, or 126). There should also be a serial number on the ID tag, that can be used to figure out where & when the truck was made when compared to a chart in the appropriate factory shop manual denoted by the model number. The serial number isn't as important as the model number, as the model number is the best indication as to what parts to order to replace originals. On some trucks, this tag is under the hood, directly above the steering on the firewall. I'm not too keen on the early V8s, but the flathead 6s were used for decades, and a common practice back in the day was to replace a worn flathead 6 with a rebuilt unit to keep the vehicle operating. There were variations in the flathead 6 design that can be annoying when the engine does not match the vehicle. For example, I eventually found out that the 218 in my '48 1/2 ton was a Plymouth 218 made in '55. There were some internal differences to the motors, and the parts I would order for the '48 pickup would not fit the '55 motor. After banging my head on these problems, I found some literature that straightened me out as I located casting dates on the block & head (look below the distributor, above the ignition coil). I'm a fan of the old flatheads as they are low in power, slow in turning, and simple by design. There are some modifications that can be made to the flathead 6 to pep it up a bit, but it'll be known more for it's smooth-runnin' sewing machine sound at idle than it's ability to burn rubber.
you could check with any Junior Colleges that offer an evening Auto Shop Course, getting to be hard to find. also, place an ad in Wanted section here asking if any H.A.M.B. Members live near you that could help you. from pictures your truck looks in pretty good condition but, needs TLC. it is an old truck and you need to expect it to be difficult to drive compared to a new car/truck. but, as you work on it and get to learn how the steering feels, etc you will be able to operate it just fine. be patient and keep a log of what you learn and the work that you do on it.
Ok now I am getting excited!!! Thank soooo much for the info. People kept asking me what kind it was and about the engine as stare back at them blankly..at least I now have a jumping off point. And I think I will tell my step sis to shove it !!!! I am glad to hear its not a piece of junk! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thats a truck to be proud of. its in amazing shape!!! Like many have said, get a manual and start reading.
ok no info on the door jamb...where is the steering firewall? I have the round logo and the number off the engine is T33 - 71958. so I have a v-6?
no you have an Inline six cylinder flathead engine. Good low rpm motor with a decent amount of grunt- not a high reving monster-just a nice engine that should purr along for a very long time if given some quality care. I picked up a 51 model similar to yours, and i'm envious of the condition yours is in. rick.
what are the chances that the mileage is not in the 100s ??? we only went for ice cream and I was told it was not driven much....any way to tell??? I was also told that those are the original tires....but......come on...??????? really??????????
How long has it been sitting? When is the last time it ran? Have you tried starting it? If it hasn't been running in a long time you will need to drain the gas. Looks like it has been kept in a covered location. Nice truck.
That's a cool truck. I say the first thing to consider is what you want to do with the truck, such as just putt it to ice cream occasionally, or take it out on the highways and go further. Leave it more or less as is, restore it, or hot rod it? Since you're new to messing with cars, my suggestion is to more or less keep it as is. Make sure the brakes are safe, clean it up some, get it running and driving well, and enjoy.
Inline just describes the location of the cylinders in relation to each other. V-6 has two banks of 3 cylinders, straight six or inline six (2 names for same thing) has them in one line. Types of inline sixes include flathead (yours), slant six, overhead valve six, etc. The names refer to obvious characteristics. Google for pictures of each and you'll see - slant six is slanted, etc. The gas tank may be rusty, maybe that's why they said not to add gas? When it ran, did it run off an external tank, like a plastic gas can or something?
That is one nice little truck. It looks like it was well loved and taken care of over the years even when it sat for so long. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls here in this little Dodge C-1 we have a genuine example of what real "patina" is. Gently worn but showing obvious care rather than total neglect. That's going to be a lot of fun for you when you get it squared away ZB. It won't be fast and won't want to be driven fast but it should be a fun cruiser to put down the road in. Your arms might end up being a bit stronger after driving for a while but I don't remember those trucks as being hard to steer back when I drove my shop teacher's Dodge pickups on a regular basis. Of course that was in 1963/64
now that you have it home, before you drive it, make sure you have breaks (full of brake fluid) and the brake pedal feels like a brake pedal (does not go to the floor or when you push down on it, it stops and then slowly goes to the floor). if the brakes are good (for now), see if it runs. (if not, try to figure out why.. is there gas in it, is the gas in it old and needs to be drained out. Does the motor turnover (how is the battery, a local autoparts store can check it out if you are not getting power). If it runs, that is good. how about the transmission, does it shift into gear, does it make grinding noises when with the clutch pushed in trying to put it into gear (does it have tranny fluid, is the clutch stuck or pivot bearing bad). If it all checks out, take it for a drive around the block or down the street slow to get used to it. this is your first old car and it will not drive like a new car. steering while stopped will require some arm strength to turn the wheel, moving helps make it easier.
Oooohhh its a lady! Now it makes sense. I thought this was a joke or one of them "funny" kind of guys by the way you type. lol. Good luck with that sweet old truck. I wish my grandfather left me a car but instead my greedy uncles got all of them. Sold em all too. Lots of great info here. Don't get overwhelmed, its supposed to be fun.
Thanks for the info guys I will try to answer all questions. It has been sitting for over a decade more than likely 15 yrs. It did start. The guys poured a coke can of gas into a funnel somewhere in the engine and we let it rumble for about 10-15 min. I would LOVE for this to be a daily driver but think I am dreaming...is this possible?I get the feeling Brakes are on the top 5 things to do. How do I know what type of brakes to put on it ? Do I just go into auto zone and ask for brakes? It does shift into gears but what those gears are and how to operate this thing is a mystery. I had a stick for a short time when I was 16 but those days are long gone. I think I may need some sort of pedal spring some one pointed out. I just got back from several used book stores and no info on basic cars to be found. Is the repair for dummies my best bet? The battery looks very different from the one in my car. There are only 3 holes. Do I replace that with a 6 hole? I was told I can go to the auction and get a wrecked truck and swap out the engine and it would be ok for interstate driving. Do I want to do this or would I be screwing up the truck? Thanks sooooooo much guys !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You would be screwing it up by putting a later engine in it, which would be a huge job for someone who's inexperienced. The battery is a six volt, I get mine at the local tractor supply or rural king stores.
My car has a similar engine and it's fine for driving, even though it's reving pretty high at 60mph. DON"T change a thing. Maybe if the charging system packs it in you can make it 12 volt, (then add a stereo and cell phone charger) but it's going to rock just the way it is. If you are not cmfortable doing the brakes, take it to a good brake shop, or have a car savy friend take it for you. All the parts for your truck are either in the Napa warehouse or a just couple days away. No rush. enjoy the journey.
That's a nice looking truck that appears to have been repainted some time ago. These trucks were prone to having a leak in the cab directly below the A-pillars that would lead to rust in the cab floor. If there's no cancerous rust in this area on your truck, you have a fine specimen indeed. The engine does not appear to be the original motor. The flathead 6 would have been painted an aluminum color at the factory; that bluish hue is similar to a motor I have in a truck that I know the motor is not original. If the engine is running, you're off to a good start, as these flatheads are prone to having valves stick when they sit for a long time. Look at the engine number and casting dates and that will be helpful in determining what parts to get in the future. Keeping this truck 6V is easy, but replacing the battery cables with equivalent size might be needed. The cable strands will corrode, boosting internal resistance and severely loading the battery when the starter circuit is used. The wiring needs to be inspected as the original wiring had a cloth cover that would either rot off or varmints would use as a snack during the winter. These trucks were designed before the interstate highway system was started, so the rear axle has a gear ratio that is made for pulling heavy loads on rough roads, not cruising at high speeds on a smooth road. Typically, this is a 4.10:1 ratio; at the top engine speed, this truck might be able to go 60 mph, but the motor would be screaming and it might not last too long before it makes an odd popping noise before coasting to a stop. You have three options here: keep it all stock and stick to driving on the back roads; swap the rear axle for a Dakota or Jeep Cherokee rear axle with a 3.55:1 gear ratio; swap the transmission for a T-5 overdrive transmission. The last two options require a good deal of mechanical expertise, time, patience and $$$ in order to be done correctly. As tempting as it is to get this thing rolling on its own before Memorial Day, my advice is to take it slow and find out exactly what you have to work with. You can still get brake parts for this truck, but I strongly recommend replacing the brake lines as they are prone to rusting out. The pucker factor is quite high when rumbling along, jamming yer foot on that brake pedal, and all it does is slam against the floorboard, as a brake line has ruptured...once you've done that, you'll know that you'll not want to experience that again. Another thing to replace is the fuel lines, as they are made almost identical to the brake lines. The original fuel tank is prone to rusting out along the perimeter seam weld, but it can be fixed. But it'll probably need cleaning out cuz there'll be some varnish & sludge in there; once that is out, the pinholes will be open and it'll leak real good. There's a gas tank renu service that I've used where they clean the tanks & line them so that they won't leak again. I did the tank in my '48 back in '97, and it hasn't leaked a drop since. Anyhow, as with any problem, ya have to define it. Doing research on-line at sites like pilot-house, allpar, vintage power wagons, etc. will give you an idea of what you have to work with. It'll also give ya an idea on how to assess what is less than 100%. Ya definitely want to take pictures and note everything that ya fiddle with so you can put it all back together again. And of course you'll want to know your budget; $3-5k can be thrown at one of these boogers reeeal easy, so approach the work methodically to avoid project panic. For example, replace the tires after the brakes are working; fix the brakes after the motor is running; and so on. The good news is that this truck looks like ya won't have to spend too much $$$ on the cosmetics. The rear glass is flat, so it can be replaced at any window replacement business. The seat can be re-covered at any upholstery shop, or ya might could tackle it yourself someday, covering it with a saddle blanket seat cover in the meantime. Seat belts can be added to this truck, as well as turn signals, but getting it under it's own go & whoa power is a higher priority.
Your local public library should have several books on basic auto repair. Read, read, read and ask questions. Evening courses at a local community college are a great (and inexpensive) way to learn. Local auto clubs are also a great resource but please remember to take all advise with a grain of salt. Some folks, while trying to be helpful, could steer you in the wrong direction. Just like other topics try to get a second opinion before you jump in. Try to find yourself a mentor you can trust and learn all you can. Working on cars of any age can be an enjoyable and rewarding pastime, a great way to save money and a source of immense satisfaction. Glad to have you in the community and best of luck!
THE LIBRARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I forgot about the library!!! ugh !!! perfect!!!!!! you rock! thank you!!!!!!
Do like the rest of us and sit behind the wheel making varoom, varoom noises then look around and make notes of things you see that need fixing. Start by getting the engine running, that will get the juices flowing to get it driving. Make a list then prioratize the projects, think about the order you do things in so you don't waste money on duplication of effort. Keep the faith and it will be rolling down the road before you know it.
I would love to make list but I have no idea what should be on them. I know of no one else who has a classic and I have never been around any guys -guys manly men type so I am not sure what I am missing but i will get it! Thanks for everyones time and help! You all are very very kind to help a silly clueless in over my head girl so much!
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