Projects Side project 56 Dodge truck

Just like I found in my 36 coupe. Makes you wonder what else is under the seat huh

 

Not really seeing anything I wouldn't expect to find on any 65 year old farm truck. Its purpose was to move stuff around on the farm, and maybe make a trip or two into town a year. Beauty and precision maintenance were not as important as function. It had to function, and that owner used whatever he had to make it work. I suspect the Chevy or GMC truck died and the Dodge flathead 6 died, so the Chevy motor got installed into the Dodge using what ever was needed to get the job done, probably as cheaply as possible.

When the floorboard needed patching, at least he put in some effort to stick something fairly solid in there, most just covered the hole with a rug or floor mat. Gene

 

The sales literature bragged on the "waterproof" intake and ignition. Turns out there wasn't really any choice, as those hoods leaked big time. Thus, open carb throat is an open invitation to bent rods

 

The owner bought a new carburetor, the throttle plate needed tweaks and a hole to match original. Also, the new carb has an extra vacuum port

 

IIRC, they also come from the factory with spark plug boots/hoodies to prevent pools of water in the plug pockets.

 

I knew this was coming. . . . It needs floor supports and pans
Oh yeah, toe boards too!

 

I think I'll try to make a transmission tunnel, pretty sure I can do better than this one^^^

 

Fabbed up the first of many sub floor pieces.
Hoping to zip this side together tomorrow, I need to jack up the body a little because it has settled

 

Henry Ford was a farm boy

 

At least it doesn't have the slush o matic dodge transmission

 

I second the idea of doing the drilling out and converting to studs... Did that when I first built mine... But I also separate the drum from the idler hub to make my own disc brake conversion...

Making good headway man... Sorry I had forgotten about the LH thread on the left side...

 

I drilled mine out for studs so I could run aftermarket wheels. I kept the drums though.

 

Fabbed up a piece for the toe board, bent it to meet the floor support. I had to jack up the body about an inch to get it back to normal. Tomorrow hopefully I can weld this up and get the floor jack out.

 

Subscribed. Finish this cool project.

 

Hard part done on this side. Toe board had a lot of shape to it. I need to finish the welding and grinding but I can live with this.

 

Finally got some hours to slam the floor supports and pan in, lots of mig wire and seam sealer

 

Fabbed and welded in drivers side floor supports, tomorrow weld in the floor pan.
Then I can put the seat back in and bleed the brakes

 

Like those old Pilot Houses

 

Finally got driver's side floor supports and pan in. Last week I got welders flash and that messed me up for Sunday and part of Monday. New welding hood delivered on Wednesday, I must say the new welding helmets with instant on technology and HUGE window are a game changer!!!
Instantly I am a better welder!! Just don't tell the prima Donna real welders, they'll still shit on me!!

 

Not bad. As long as you get good penetration especially the structural parts you are good. Plug welds look ok. Slap some seam sealer down and call it good

 

Bled the brakes the other day with the help of Mike I. Went around the truck 4 times, how's the pedal now? "Worse" WTF! I really don't want to put another master cylinder in this. A friend has a power bleeder, gonna hafta try that first.

 

I need to do some TLC on mine. I think they need to be bled again