I just picked up an early 1955 Dodge pickup. All original engine(flathead 6), trans and rear end. Runs good. Brakes good. Im figuring that i will eventually tear it down and re-build in the future, but for now i just want to give it a little more top end for getting around town. My questions are: 1) What is the original gear ratio in this rear end? 2) What would be ideal gearing for this motor and 3 speed transmission? 3) Is there an easy/inexpensive way to swap out gears in this rear end instead of replacing the whole rear end? Thanks ahead of time for all the help!
Hello JMac: Welcome to the Hamb! Always customary to introduce yourself first and announce where you are from, but, with that said, congratulations on your great truck! I know that Central Valley has many of good farm trucks hidden away out in the back. I do not know what the gearing is, but from experience with old trucks, I've got believe it is at least 4:11 or lower. I have had many old MOPARS and you are up against it to find parts such as gears. I would be patient until you can swap out the whole rearend. I hate those damn left/right wheel bolts anyway. This is the best place to look for parts. You may get lucky!!
Easiest swap but difficult to find would be a factory 3 speed trans with OD. Or go with a T-5 5 speed with OD http://api.viglink.com/api/click?format=go&key=f0d80a80838754f59fa7fa48b7fd0bc8&loc=http%3A%2F%2Fp15-d24.com%2Findex.php%3Fapp%3Dmembers%26module%3Dmessaging%26section%3Dview%26do%3DshowConversation%26topicID%3D19860%26st%3D0%23msg26077&v=1&libId=40fdf7ef-2c67-4bdb-9614-51b7eb82c5a7&out=http%3A%2F%2Fhome.comcast.net%2F~tcbass%2Ft5.html&ref=http%3A%2F%2Fp15-d24.com%2Findex.php%3Fapp%3Dmembers%26module%3Dmessaging%26section%3Dview%26do%3DshowConversation%26topicID%3D19860%26st%3D0&title=T5%20Mustang%20Tyranny%20-%20P15-D24.com%20and%20Pilot-house.com&txt=http%3A%2F%2Fhome.comcast....~tcbass%2Ft5.html&jsonp=vglnk_jsonp_138341397259910
The dodge/Plymouth car diff will go in and if you head for an auto diff you will get 3.73 or 3.55:1 ratio diff which will improve the trucks mileage and lower the engine revs. Don't worry if you find a 3.23 ratio either - We have installed these into similar vehicles and find the engine copes real well with the taller gears. This way you can keep everything else as it is if its all working well. It has the biggest swap value you can do 1st off
Thanks Chrome! yeah i'm new here but i've already read a ton of builds and know that you guys have a ton of knowledge on these trucks. I'm from the Central Valley and im a general contractor. I grew up working with wood, plumbing, tile, etc. but motors, metal, and body work are all new to me. I've always wanted to restore an old pickup like this one and maybe use it as advertising for my business. i've found the best way to learn is to be thrown in to the fire. so im sure this will be a hard, frustrating but ,hopefully, rewarding experience. back to the question, yeah im sure a rear end replacement is inevitable. I just was searching around and saw a guy selling an all original with modified gears and it got me thinking if that was an easier, short-term solution. The truth is i don't have a ton of time to spend on this truck, so i'm kind of breaking it down into short-term and long term goals. Thanks again!
I always love to see old Mopar trucks and I'm glad your not talking 440 w/AT or (gasp) SBC. X2 on the T5; it made a whole new truck out of my `63 C-10.
We used to use the 55/56 Plymouth or Dodge ones that had an auto - if we were closer I have a spare 1956 dodge one with 3.55 ratio's sitting in the shed but its a bit far to go across the Pacific just to see it LOL. I am not sure on the 57 onwards ones as I think they are wider however for your truck these cars ones were the best we could find without major rework. Almost a bolt in changeover
Check in over at the Pilot House Forum you should be able to get a lot of input from those guys. http://p15-d24.com/forum/6-pilot-housecom-truck-forum/
Although you may not be ready today to swap the rear axle assembly, consider the amount of time needed to swap gears and the likely 'opportunity' to do some brake work when you pull things apart. Having a complete axle unit ready to just bolt in and hook up and the swap might make sense. .
Swapping gears in the stock rear would probably be a bigger headache than pulling the rear and swapping it for a modern rear with a more friendly gear ratio. In my truck I swapped to a 93 Jeep Cherokee rear with 3.55 gears the brakes are much cheaper and work a whole lot better than the stock one. I paid $70 bucks for the rear at a u pull it yard and it has the 4.5 on 5 bolt pattern so you can use stock wheels. In the end only you will know you swapped rears. My dad and I were thinking of swapping the rear in his bone stock 40 dodge to a jeep rear to help with top speed. Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
thanks guys for all the info...im currently on the hunt for a t5. another question i have is the wiring for the horn relay. all the wires were missing to it and im not sure which go to what connection. and which one goes to horn itself. any help would be appreciated!
This is neat, I just picked up one of the very same trucks. I am very interested to know if you would be willing to share any VIN info. My truck had the original six disposed of some time ago (that is what is on the title, so that has to get fixed). Turns out the VIN tag on the cowl indicates late 54, while the frame indicates early 55, and truck was titled as 55. I don't think there was any funny business, but who knows what may have happened to create that situation. It may have been reasonable common for this calendar year time frame. The engine in my truck is a 64 Plymouth 318 Poly V8. I'm disposing of that (does anybody want those, and what are they worth?). I have another vehicle with a 54 Chrysler 331 Hemi that I'm putting in this Dodge truck. Otherwise play to leave it stock.
BTW, from everything I can tell, the lowside box (which your truck is also) is pretty rare. Most are the high side.
very cool, now just swing on down to California and we'll work on them together... anyways, mine was the same as yours, as far as, titled in '55, but the vin shows a '54. from what i read, the title is based off the selling year not the manufacturing year. at least it used to be anyway. i men be wrong though.
From what I have read in books about Dodge trucks, the "funny business" likely came from Dodge. They changed beds and other parts throughout the year, and titled in the year in which the truck was sold and not year of manufacture. I have a documented original 1956 with a VIN plate showing 116" wheelbase, but it is actually 108." Apparently Dodge was not very careful during the mid-1950s.
Welcome Josiahmac! Good luck with your truck, it looks solid. I installed a '96 Cherokee axle with 3:55 gearing in mine. You have to have a special wheel puller to get the brake drums off of the original '55 tapered axles. I learned that the hard way. The Cherokee axle gave me the updated brakes with better gearing. I am going to do the T-5 tranny swap and front disc brakes next year. Subscribed...keep us updated...and keep the pics coming. Steve-
Why not leave the poly 318 in it - they are a good engine and make good torque and while some hot up parts are a bit harder to get they are not a hard engine to improve - plus those lovely odd shaped rocker covers - Yay just gotta love em
ok, i got an electrical question. Headlights, running lights and brake lights work well, but when i hit the floor switch, the high beams come on but the rear running lights shut off. Any ideas or does anyone have a link to the wiring diagram for this truck? Also, did these gauges have a light in it originally?
i just edited my post, i did find the bad ground. so got everything working, only problem i have now is when i turn on high beams with floor switch, i lose rear running lights. thanks steve!
i've been working on my fuel sending unit. thought i had it working, but ran out of gas with it reading 1/4 tank. took it all apart again and tested it, here's what i found: -when i grounded it when the lever was down(empty), it read perfect on the gauge as empty. -then i would slowly move it up to full, everything worked perfect. -as i slowly moved it back down to empty, it would stop at 1/4 tank and remain there until i moved it backed up. -here's the part that confuses me, after i lift it up and bring it back down to empty(reading 1/4 tank) If i then remove the ground quickly and put it back on, the gauge resets itself to a perfect reading on 'E' I just dont get how it always starts itself at perfect E on the gauge but will never return back to it. anybody ever dealt with this?
if it's the original sender, it makes total sense that it is acting weird. The variable resistor consists of a bakelite cone with a finer-than-human-hair wire wrapped around it, with a thin metal spring tab acting as the wiper attached to the float arm. That thin wire can get knocked out of kilter over time, making a lump of sorts on the cone for the metal tab to hang on and flex as the arm moves slightly up & down. Only until the float arm "unhangs" the tab will the variable resistor begin reading more accurately again. One option is to remove the original sending unit from the tank & make a modification using a Tanks Inc. sending unit. It's also advisable to attach a ground lug to the sending unit flange and run a ground wire to the frame or to the nearby battery.
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