52? Dodge Pickup

[CowboyUP]

Here's a Pilothouse Dodge on a Dakota chassis - http://www.autoartistry.com/1949 Dodge Pickup.html - looks like a pretty easy fit.

I know from my own build that they can take a pretty wide pair of frame rails. Up to about 55/56" before you have to split and move the door reveals.

Thanks for the visual, and from what I can see, that would be the easiest and quickest way to get her goin. The only thing is, I feel like I'm cheating a little. Like if I race someone and try to tell em a 60 yr old truck with a (xx yr) motor just kicked your ***, I'd be lying. It would be a 52 shell but I'd be driving a Dakota. Not that I don't have all the respect in the world forthe people who do drive swaps like this, I just don't think it's for me.
That said, all the work I have ahead if I don't do the Dakota swap ie wiring, mounts, rearend and rear susp, etc, keeps rolling around in my head. But, the work is the fun of it. I'll figure it out, while considering all of the advice and taking it to heart.
Sorry for being so long,
Rob

 

[CowboyUP]

Now on to the update.
I finally got the shop ready to have the truck pulled in there. Not just has to stop raining for 1/2 hr so I can get help moving it(my help isn't as dedicated as I am and won't help in the wet). Sorted the body panels out, looks like it's all there.
Bad thing is I don't have a jon at the moment, and the wifeys incomes not enough to support a build and us. I'll start in whatever I can to get it going, but it might be slow until I start working.
Rob

 

[skullworks]

you know, i am doing two dodges right now, the bullet dodge, which is a 46 dodge cab on a gmc jimmy chassis, and the doghouse project, which is a 41 dodge on the original frame. we pulled 8 inches of suspension travel out of the front end just by pancaking the leaf springs and removing 3 of em. it wasnt hard at all, and only took me about an hour to do.

 

[CowboyUP]

All I've got right now, as is seen by the pics, is the body, frame and the front end. So you mean on the original front suspension similar to mine, you took that much travel? Did it lower the front as well?
Rob

 

[skullworks]

it did yeah. and it was the original front end. it dropped the nose down probably 7 or 8 inches. i am even thinking about throwing a leaf back in to stiffen it up a bit. heres a vid of the truck, after we dropped the nose.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFDbdBQXRr0

that might help ya out a bit.

 

[CowboyUP]

It does help, thanks a lot. Nice truck, I can't wait to get started. I might start with that over the next day or so assuming I get her into the shop finally. What do you have for a rear end in thur? Thanks
Rob

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

Dude, its still a 50 year old truck, its just upgraded for safety....If I was smarter, I would totally do the frame swap.

 

[skullworks]

it has the stock rear end it in for now, but we are going to replace that with a late model rear end of some kind, havent decided yet.

 

[CowboyUP]

it has the stock rear end it in for now, but we are going to replace that with a late model rear end of some kind, havent decided yet.

Awesome. I'll try and snag an 8 3/4 if I can find one. Assuming I can get some fundage together I've found myself a 440 with a 727 from someone on here. Which is great, and he's being very accomodating. Pretty excited about that.
Still raining, I've tarped the truck but it's still sitting outside. Once I get it in I'm going to take a look at the leafs. Skull, when you pancaked the front leafs, didn't you have to move the mounts at all? Or how did you do it?
Thanks,
Rob

 

[skullworks]

well all you gotta do is break the bolts loose, then remove the center bolt. usually with a grinder. then take out three or four leaf springs, and take the biggest leaf you removed, put that on top of the leaf pack thats left, so you have something that looks like () that. then use a c clamp, and compress the leaf springs together, til they are reasonabley flat. then slide a bolt thru the center hole, and tighten up the nut. i used 3/8 grade 8 unc bolts, and ground the heads round so the would fit in the centering hole on the axle. then replase the rectangle bolts with new ones, cuz they need to be shorter now, and bolt it back up. havent had any problems with sterring linkage or suspension, tho i am going to put on leaf back in to give it a bit more clearance. hope that answers your question.

 

[CowboyUP]

It does, thanks a lot. Finally clear here, no rain in sight, but no one is around to help again. Guess it'll sit in the trees for a few more hours, maybe till tomorrow...

 

[CowboyUP]

Still in the dirt. Out of a job, so the motivation isn't there since I can't even afford to get some steel to start on boxing the frame. We can eat and live but the extras are out of the question. Was training horses all summer but that's slowed down, back to reality where I have to get an out of house job.
Even though the nearest town is 10,000 ppl, the economy in this part if Canada just hasn't quite picked up. Saw an ad for a tire changer/shop helper, gonna check that out today. Only the 150th resume. Oh well, I'll find something. Sorry guys just getting a little discouraged in the job hunt area. Will update again when the trucks in the shop.
Rob

 

[skullworks]

keep your head up man. i am losing my day job in a month as the canadians who own the shop where i work have decided to close it down. 35 guys, outta work just like that. been there ten years. and to find cheap or free bits to use, search craigslist. remember, just because it started life as a giant industrial shelf that somebody wants to give away, doesnt mean the steel its made of isnt useable. the bed of the frankentruck is industrial shelving i got for free, the corners of the cab are 54 chevy fenders i got for free. all you gotta do is look around man.

heres some inspiration for ya.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeMGhb8L0hQ

 

[CowboyUP]

That's a great vid, thanks! And thanks for the encouragment. I'm sorry to hear about your career, that's terrible. Contrary to popular belief, not all Canadians know each other, but if we did, I'd go tell those people to be a little more responsible in their decision making.
Had an interview yesterday at the mechanics shop, still waiting to hear back from them. He said I had a pretty good chance of getting the job, but he still had some people to talk to, so who knows?

EDIT: I got the job! Haha! Now I'll actually be able to get our own place, not have roommates, maybe even one with a garage, and be able to work on the truck, and pay off everything. Wow. Sorry, it's just been 3 months since I had any sort of real income, as the job market here is TERRIBLE. It's in a shop too, and he said if I work well I can probably get an apprenticeship after I finish my first year at college.

 

[skull]

great

that is cool, good luck on getting the apprenticeship[cl

mabe after awile you can drag the truck over and work on it in there shop after hours,,,,,,

Later

 

[CowboyUP]

I'm sure hoping when it's a rolling chassis that I can do that. Problem is I might never leave then haha!

 

[skullworks]

thats fantastic news! good for you!

 

[the reverend muddy grimes]

congrats on the job man. Money, though I despise it, helps alot on these projects.[cl

 

[CowboyUP]

Haha it sure does. Thanks guys. I'm trying to do the project without using money, however, there are certain things I'm not sure I'll be able to scrounge. And since I'm not a theif, that leaves that out of the question...

 

[CowboyUP]

So, over the next few days my project is to clean out the Quonset I'll be using to build the truck. Originally, I cleaned just enough room to get the truck in and have room to walk around the sides, as my in laws use it as storage at the moment. Turn out, the new plan is to clean it all the way out, save the snomobile and hay which take up about 1/3 of the room right atthe back, and the rest is my shop. It's a 30x40' (1200sq ft) quonset. I almost cried when he told me he was giving me use of all that space.

Also made a final decision on what I'm going to use for the bottom of this build, I'm going to do the Dakota frame swap. Simplest, probably safest way, and as was stated before, as my first build that's probably an intelligent decision. Now to find a suitable donor. I've seen a few in the papers and online for around $500-1000, in various states of repair or ill repair, depending on the vehicle. Now, does anyone know of anything to be careful of on these Dakotas other than the obligatory frame rot, etc?
Thanks!
Rob