Projects 1955 Dodge 5 window truck

i plan on using this as a place to catolog my progress and share thoughts and get more ideas.

been looking for a truck project for a long time, as i have been around my Uncles truck project for 17 years. So it has been an inpiration for a long time.



1955 Ford F100

here is my truck the day it showed up.








the Original owner swapped a skylark 350 in to it in the mid 70`s as his son wrecked the car on the farm. He sold the truck to my good buddy at the last PDX swap meet, and i bought it from him, as it never moved and he has about 9 projects going. So i really feel like i am the second owner, lol.

I plan to re wire the whole truck
did a compression check first thing, all were 155psi but 1.... 100psi.... so out it comes to figure what is the culprit and get it looking brand new.
also i plan on getting rid of all of the surface rust on everything, get the under side of all the fenders and cab lineX coated or some kind of anti weather coating.

Dave

 

lots of wiring woes...



no real big rust issues at all



50/50 dirty and really dirty



good start on the cleaning front

 

Looks like a great project!

 

Since that GM motor is out, looks like time to slide a small block Mopar in there . . .
Gorgeous truck BTW

 

you are like the 27th person to tell me that i need to loose the GM and get back to a MOPAR. that would require a lot of modification. so if/when i do go back it would be to a fuel injected motor. maybe a 5.9 out of a RT but right not the goal is to get the truck up and running.

 

Hey, didn't mean to harsh your mellow, just saw a good opportunity to provide a suggestion that you will not regret. Sometimes wisdom comes from the masses. Do as you will sir.

 

oh no, my mellow is never harsh.

just wanted to point out, that everybody else has pointed that out already lol.

Sorry, sarcasim doesnt read well

 

let's go back a few posts . . .

Nice truck man!

 

Nice truck. Looking forward to seeing this one done. BTW has anyone told you you should put a nice small block Mopar in the truck?

looking at everything else you are doing making the mods to drop in a Mopar mill would not be that big of a deal. To each there own but it has been my experiance that if you get it driving and having fun a mod like changing the engine will usually never happen.

My dad has been driving his last Model A for 7 years now with a belly button in the spot a 270 Hemi was going to go. Keeps saying hes gotta change the engine.

 

i really need to buy a welder, and a few more body working tools.

the 350 has the whole skylark cross member welded in, so i would need to sorce some other type of set up for the MOPAR set up. but i agree, i probly wont swap out the 350. if it suites my needs i dont really see the draw, as i want to do a LS1 swap in to an 68-70`s nova. so this will need to a big learning process on body/frame mods, as well as building a brake system from scratch.

i also want to paint the whole truck flat/matte black

 

Okay, now you're really losing me . . .

 

lol, that wont happen this summer. The wife thinks im crazy too. she wants to keep it white and do the teal acents.

 

dodge trucks are cool builds, ya don't see them as much as other brands running around.

Later

 

stick in a SBC chevy stroked out to 383 cubes, that way you can truthfully say ya have a "383" in it

the SBC in mine gets a lot of comments, some good, some not so good.

when the people tell me a mopar motor should be in mine, l ask them when l can bring it to there house so they can install the motor and tranny there donating to the cause.

Later

 

Yea, little green man on my shoulder is saying ls1 with big cam....

 

Whatever you do, take care of that windshield! They are hard to find.

For the record, a small block Mopar will fit on the GM frame too.

Flat black is hot in the sunshine, adds 20 degrees to the inside temp. Been there, done that. My current black car will be gray primmer very soon. I want to drive it in the sunshine. Gene

 

Sorry Gene,
I disagree with you.

Either way I will be insulating the whole cab with sound deadening and heat resistance jue pad.

 

Great truck! Any plans for the suspension or brakes? Nice cab too. That's an early model 54/ 55 I believe. My girls '55 front windshield posts slant back. Nice not having rust. How's the door bottoms? Ours are pretty rusted out.

 

door bottoms are great.

Disk brakes are in the works, Wilwood 2 pots in the front and just clean up the rear drums as they are pretty big. Also new master cylender and whatever misc needs i find.

need all new shocks, want to make it a street sweeper. not been able to find any info on a drop axle, found another member did some work to get it a bit lower, but i want {low}....

I got the Vin tag off the truck, but am a little hesitant of posting it, i want to find someone who can run it for me. Anybody have any contacts who can?

Dave

 

I had a friend in law enforcement run the vin on my coupe. You want to be sure the truck wasn't stolen or had some other legal issue during its past. These things are usually retained in a national system for years.
Modify your axle to sit on top of the spring will drop the front and rear end several inches, just be sure you have travel clearance between the axles and the other components.
Gene

 

Thanks Gene

 

Nice rust free truck!...My 56 Dodge 1/2 ton was so difficult to stop and steer that I sub framed it with a 77 Camaro unit...now it steers and stops in a safe manner..I've had many different engines in the old girl over the years...When I bought her there was a 270 Red Ram Hemi under the hood...took that out for another project...next in went a 51 GMC 228 six w/SM420 4speed...after a while that came out and a Ford flathead w/Top Loader 4speed went in...then came the subframe w/318LA engine and a 727Torqueflite trans....now it has a 3:23 Sure Grip posi rear....She's still my daily beater and runs sweet...good luck with your 55.

 

I have a buddy with a buddy69 mero that he might part with some of his stuff but we shall see. I just want to get it running first and address issues one at a time

 

Got some progress done on Friday. Motor on the stand and a good clean on the tranny.

I'm out of town all week so no progress this week.

Dave

 

Love the old Dodge trucks! I have to agree a Mopar engine would be SO sweet in there. If you were closer I might be able to help with that. And For what it's worth, the flat black really sucks (mine is flat black). If you want flat, have you thought of white or blue?

 

Yea, a flat royal blue has come up as well as a cool color. But paint isn't an issue right now.

 

been a long time...

so my brother hooked me up on a motor/tranny set up.

twin turbo fully built 327 with a solid 3 speed.



been de rusting the inner fender today.. man a slow task. got some tuff bedliner stuff i am going to do the under side in.

 

God I love these mid 50s Dodges. I'm glad to see you are joining the hated "Chevy in a Dodge" club which I am a proud member of. I can't wait to see more!!!!

 

X2 on the motor, thats a shame If you were in Phx I would donate a LA and help put it in there ....but the flat black I disagree im in PHX and have flat black and Have no problem and no A/C (Wing windows rock!)

 

Thanks guys,

Can't hate on the chevy motor at all. It was a deal too good to pass up and it will get the truck running with a major cool factor with the twin turbo set up....

I am going to not worry about the paint right now. I just want to get it up and running as soon as possible.