Projects 47 Dodge pickup ideas??

Trying to get to wrenching on the 47 Dodge pickup. It will definately be flatty 6 powered. What I would like to see are some ideas in body mods. To chop or not to chop, different ideas in lowering, paint combinations, etc. etc.I have a good amount of rust through above the windsheild area to repair. I have another donor truck with a solid roof. That is why I ask "to chop or not to chop" if I cut the roof off to replace. I like the chopped look but need to decide if it suites my taste on this truck. Any photos appreciated. Let's see what you got. Thanks

 

Been a week, and not one reply!!! I know there has to be some 39 thru 47 Dodge pickups out there. Let's see some with some ideas.

 

Love the 39-47 WC-1/2 ton. Did a 47 in high school and a 41 some 25 years ago. still have it in parts in the back of the shop. i'll get to it soon. life got in the way. One common mod is to remove the stainless grill section and smooth up the nose. keep the side lights for turn signals. mold in a newer tailgate with latches. round off bed corners. Oh Boy!

 

Saw this one listed today.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/scz/cto/3018412119.html

 

For all things 39-47 this is a good place for some answers to questions specific to your subject. But always stick with HAMB, it may not always be your chosen subject, but you will always take something away from every thread. This place is a gold mine of resources and rewards

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/39-47Dodge/

Here's a couple of mine

 

I also have a 47 dodge. Me personally I like the chopped look. I think it gives personality to the truck. I am going for a bobber style approach with my build. Mine with look similar to the craiglist post except mine will be finished and not a "rat rod". I don't even like to use that term as to me it means a rusted out unsafe piece of junk that looks like it's just moments from the crusher. Rat rod gets thrown around alot, when alot of the vehicles are traditional build, work in progress, or bobber style trucks. If you wanna bounce some ideas back and forth just email me at [email protected] I'd love to hear from you and chat about our build ideas.

 

Thanks to all you FMG's for the replies.Let's hear from some of you old fart senior members. Like to hear some "Old SKOOL" ideas and new ones too.

 

I have a 39 Plymouth pickup. I have an extra cab that I've been working on. I chopped it 2 " and extended it 6 " by making the doors 6" longer rather than add a quarter window. The 39-47 Dodge /Plymouth truck cabs are about as easy a chop as anything out there. The A pilars are perfectly verticle when viewed from the front. In other words when chopping just take out the desired amount and drop it down and weld it together. No cuts to realign the posts. I also cut mine just above the rear body line and below the rear window so my rear window remained stock height. I have a rear pan below the tailgate that really dresses up the back of the truck. I also notched the frame above the rearend and boxed that area of the frame. If you noticed the firewall on the extra cab it is recessed enought to take a 354 hemi I have on the engine stand. That was also a good time to do away with the stock recessed area that went to the top of the cowl.

 

probably not what you are looking for but here is my last truck I did
I made it a small fire truck (not really what most here like)
and also my race truck, I made a 41 willys nose fit it
this truck is chopped 3 1/2" but I also added 3" to the cab just past the door

I have 6-7 of these cabs here right now most are COE's
some are chopped, 1 is chopped and sectioned.
I have about 10 projects I would like to finish in the next 5 years.I really need to get busy Ron..

 

My advice:
don't do this

 

The only thing 39 on mine is the cab, but here it is.

 

Thanks, Tell me a little about the cab. How much chop, etc.

 

Kool idea on the extended cab. One of those things you look at and wonder " what's different besides the chop??" I see what you mean by the a pillars being straight, but if you were'nt extending the roof, you would still have to kick the pillars forward, wouldn't you???

 

Hay AJMOPAR, been tempted to maybe do my extra parts truck. Last summer in TN, saw one with a 5.9 CUMMINS in it. Don't need another project. Just want to get my avatar on the road. Thanks

OKAY, I KNOW, I KNOW. I need to use the PM or email. SORRY

 

I wouldn't lean the pilars. Since you have a donor cab I would just split the top and put a strip in. It's a bit of a pain but fairly easy if you know how to maintain the crown in the roof while welding. The nbiggest problem is chopping the doors. Nothing on the front part of the door is symetrical. It's just metal work. I actually leaned the top curved part of the roof back to make more of a wedge shape rather than that bulbous part above the windshield.

 

chopped 4 inches, channelled 6 inches

 

Just a question
What is the width between frame rails
At the rear hangers on front springs ?

 

I finished this one last fall, it's a 41. Don't mind the wheels, they were photoshopped when we were trying to decide....

 

Here was the final result.