This rear sump design wont work with my i beam axle, and since no front sumps exist to my knowledge, some alterations were needed. This is what I started with.
After cutting the pan in half length wise, flipping it around, then re-welding it and making clearance for the oil pump, this is what i got. Plus moving the sump location.
I should have plenty of time to keep posting, since I cant work on the truck with weather like this. And I hate dealing with this every time it rains. I guess I should have painted the trans.
Heres the rear end after some work. Its not original to the truck, but its what it came with when i bought it. Its a BOP 10 bolt I believe and its a locker!!
After adding some disc brakes from a 99 chevy blazer, voila! And you can see the finished notches in this pic.
This was my most recent accomplishment: the seat mount. Since Im going with bucket seats, I decided on a good looking way to mount them that fits a stamped line in the cab. Heres what i came up with
Cleanest outdoor build I have ever seen - nice work. Are you at least under a carport? Pics tip.... Attached Thumbnails is by far the fastest to do - but hardest to learn - since the instructions on this site are lame...... But I stumbled onto it just this week.... Sure makes for easier to read and clean looking posts.... 1) Click POST REPLY button. Or in Quick Reply or EDIT click Go Advanced button. 2) Scroll down and click Manage Attachments button. 3) Click Browse... button and select image from your desktop, then click Upload button. 4) Click Submit Reply or click Preview Post to see how your whole post will look.
I got the seats out of a... well i better not say. The best part is they were free and they are comfortable. With headrests. Without Headrests.
The cab work kinda went undocumented. But after removing a few pounds of bondo and fixing a number of holes in the firewall that is close to the national debt, this is my most recent picture. Im not sure why the sound deadener on the firewall turned brown... I plan on gradually doing one body part per weekend so I can make it look more like a truck.
That bed is incorrect for that truck the correct bed is the same one on my truck below ( flat tops on the sides) you can use it as a reference for yours, its a 57 but the only difference between yours and mine is the front metal(grill) and the hood both will fit yours but are not correct. the fenders/bed/cab/doors/tailgate/suspension/ are all the same. that yellow one is nice but not correct its a mutt, mine is also 360/727. if you follow my past posts you can see how its all mounted and fits, if you got any questions don't be afraid to ask i got lots of knowledge on these trucks. Uploaded with ImageShack.us
The rear sump should have worked with the stock front suspension as long as no one removed any leafs mine fits fine with about 4 inches of clearence and when i got done I think the motor is too low i wish i would have mounted it higher in the engine bay. heres mine sorry its dirty ive been neglecting her Uploaded with ImageShack.us
Mine was kind of a different animal. It probably would have been about the same as yours, but the previous owner did an axle over leaf drop (which looks pretty nice). Therefore I lost any and all clearance between the axle and the oil pan. Ill post some pics when the weather gets better down here. Also, this is the website that I used as a reference for the bed(s). It shows the angled bed sides for my year... Regardless, since these beds are kinda hard to come by (in my experience), im just going to stick with the one i got. http://www.mar-k.com/bed_identification_dodge_short.aspx
Does anyone know of a source for a gas tank for these trucks? Or a common retro fit? This tank will be located behind the cab beneath the bed. It didn't come with a tank when i bought it. Any advice appreciated.
I retract my previous statement! You learn something new everyday i guess i was thinking of 56 Mar-k seams to know their stuff so I guess it is right. "1956-1960 SHORT BEDS Series: 1956 - C-3, 1957 - K, 1958 - L, 1959 - M, 1960 - P. The "low side" box was dropped from availability in the spring of 1956. It is possible that a late production truck of 1955 could have been sold as a 1956 and could have a "low side" box. Starting with new 1956 production trucks, all "high side" pickup box top rails are now flat and not angled as before. Bed strip and wood patterns remain unchanged from 1955 through 1960. The box sheet metal remained unchanged from 1956 to 1960. 1959 step bed models now called "Utiline""
But even then, there seems to be a lot of different opinions on these beds. But like I said, Im just going to use what Ive got.
The slanted top bed looks good anyway - I would have preferred that on my COE - but worked a good trade deal on a nice '54 bed - first year for flat top bed on Chevy trucks. See my post #40 above for tips on how to post thumbnails!
Thanks for the info 53 COE. I love your truck by the way. And about my truck being outside, that is true, and no car port either. The garage is occupied by my 29 Model A and my dads 78 Scout (bikini top). So yeah... I have to deal with the elements constantly.
Tanksinc.com lists one for a 39-47 truck. If that cannot be made to work, one of their universal tanks may work. I have been pleased with their tanks in the past. On the bedside issue--I have a 56 with high sides, sloping rails, 7 1/2" bed. Original.
Dodges are awesome, keep up the good work. You will really enjoy your truck and were starting to get a pretty decent following on here.
The Jalopy Journal
