55 Fargo

Thanx Bill, had the feeling you would know.....

Is it not a Mopar 8 1/4, it is ether a 3.23 or 3.55, hope it is the 3.23

The diff is supposedly 80s Mopar, I have no idea yet. My caravan 15 inch rims fit on like a glove.The caravan rims were to deep for the front, rubbing on the tie rod ends. The front drums are conveniently studded for right hand thread both sides To be honest, this a bit of a nerve racking drive, but made it home, and only saw 1 "smokey", fly by my front door going the other way.....

went 150 miles today to pick up the 55 fargo frame. I stopped in Portage la Prairie Mb, and rented a uhaul tow dolley. Got to my detination, at Uncles place , put the caravn tires/rims on the frame and loaded her up, and hit the road back home. All went well, but had to slow down many times for bouncing. I was also on the Trans Canada #1 Hwy,(like an Interstate, multi lane and busy), this was for about 60 miles or so, before hitting expressways around Winnipeg. Here are some pics, I am dead tired now, post more later. The diff, does anyone know what it si, it is about 3.2 or so, on my testing...

Thanx Tim, for all the good info, just planning to use the 15 inch aftermarket rims, and tires from a spare set for my Dodge Caravan for the front the 55 fargo frame, to place on tow dolly to bring home, yikes tomorrow will be a long day, as I am on my own on this one. I sure wish I had a truck and trailer, but do not. Yoy know way back around 1980, I went to the same place I am going tomorrow, and towed back a 52 GMC 3/4 ton, using a Uhaul rented tow bar, and pulled with 1977 Chrysler New Yorker Broughman, with 440, and some kinda hitch, not a bumper hitch, but not a modern type receiver hitch either. The New Yorker was my Dads, ! was 19 ,and brought along a 14 year old relative to help and steer the truck, cannot imagine doing that today. My Father must have had a lot of faith in me to allow me to do this......

Thanx Keven, tried a wheel on a spare front 49 Chrysler brake drum, fit like a glove. Going tomorrow a 140 miles way to pickup 55 fargo 1/2 ton chassis, renting a tow dolly, instead of using the tow bar, might be safer, and easier handling..... going it by myself, so will report back tomorrow night. Right at this moment, we are having vicious 60 mph winds, and higher gusts, it is darn awful, it is so dry, that dust is flying throrugh the air, 1 big ash tree broke a big limb in the mayhem.

Does anyone know if 2005 Dodge Caravan 15 inch rims, will these fit on a 55 Dodge 1/2 ton truck wheel pattern. I need to use them on my Fargo frame to roll iot onto the dolly/trailer, I do not have any old 15 inch dodge rims at the moment, and do not want to take mine off the 47 Chrysler, but have my 15 inch snow tires on 15 inch Caravan rims. Please if anyone can help me with this.....

Here is a pic of the Mopar Family, hope they like each other, and can get along....

Thanx Tim, looking forward to trying out one of those deals, they work that good huh....

Okay, cleaned up the ole 55 a bit. The roof is horribly oil canned, but thank God they used thick metals. I popped out what I could, have not used the hammer and dolly yet, used an underinflated basket ball. I then sanded the roof down, and sprayed on picklex, it then got 2 coats of rusty metal primer. This will of course get stripped down once the real body wrok starts, I have through experience found that this rusty metal primer does seal very well, and is nothing like some of the lacquer primers, that do not. On the weekend, going to pickup the 55 Fargo 1/2 ton chassis, and hopefully next week, will place cab onto that chasis, I think this is best, as I do not want a beat up 1 ton chassis, and it is much to stiff and low geared. So tons of work ahead, but felt I should primer this roof, as it will stay outside, and the holes from the cab lights, were allowing water to drain into the cab, and along the front windshield channel, resulting in some rust through. I used filler, and this can be popped out and welded in the future....

Definately not a Plym or Dodge passenger care engine. 1955 Dodge Truck C series 1 ton 120 hp Modern engine, see internal by pass waterpump, t/stat housing, and pressurized cooling system.

And the mystery goes on, I thought for sure Rusty Otoole might know this engine ID. I think perhaps only Bill Watson, may have the answer.....Fred

A friend of mine and I are in the process of wrecking 2 -46-48 Chryslers, that he owns. Both Windsors, should have 3.54 s in them. But being a Canadian built 46-48 Mopar Car, it has the common modern U-joint yoke. Not a big deal, you could use the driveshaft too, it might need to be cut down, but you would have modern ujoints both ends, The only big deal is shipping all the way to NJ from Manitoba Canada

Hi Marc, yes we have a 55 fargo 1/2 ton chassis, with good running 251, and late model 80s Dodge truck rear end, newer front end parts, but still needs to be cleaned up and painted. That 55 Fargo was driven until 2005, when the owner pulled it off and put it on a Chevy truck chassis, it then burnt....

Thanx for the good info Oldmopar, now I know this project is going to be more fun. I do enjoy the hunt for parts, as part of the game.....

yup, had doors trunks hoods, he does not do anything too big, too be honest, my areas that were not sandlasted on the 47 are just as good and holding up quite well as the others. I try and get all the surface rust out, acid treat, and use decent primer, once sealed, is gonna stay for a long time. I think you Guys are battling moist or salty coastal air, it is usually quite dry here, and very dry this summer, and fall, heck it was 77 here today and the same for tomorrow, usually 60 this time of year, and sometimes 40....

LOL, really, that answers my question Rusty, does 54 to 58 interchange???

No I don't really think so, but who knows, it is an odd numer I have never seen before...

Hi does anyone know what years interchange for parts like doors, door parts, window parts, or any parts, that interchange with 1955 Dodge/Fargo trucks. I need a whole mess of things, as per usual....thanx Fred

Hi Joe, not sure what I will end up doing for the surface prep, blasting or sanding, lots of guys do not blast metal up here, as it is fairly dry climate. I am going with epoxy primer, than the filler work, followed by poyester spray filler/primer, the stuff you can bury a quarter in. Infact the door bottoms are in better shape than the Guys truck I bought this truck from, and his truck came from Arizona. The rear cab bottom , should be a piece of cake, the drivers door, is a tough one, will try and find another door, but will take the door off, this winter, and have a run at it. I have the gauges, but am not sure what works and what does not. I love Cehvrolet trucks 0s and early 50s, 216 engines are a bit of a challenge, with there babbited bearings, and partial splash oil system. If I were going stock engine on those trucks, would look for a good 235.....

Thanx Joel, and if you are able to hang on to that head, will somehow come and get it sometime in the future.. Those heads look geat on a freshly painted engine...thanx again

You mean a "jack hammer"........'

I think this thread belongs on this board, I put it on the car board, as I have been a member there for many years, but am relatively new to Old Mopar trucks. http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=29278

yup, all 5 can be had, anyone can come and get em, once I trnasplant this cab onto the 1/2 ton chassis.